Roger Whitehead the course builder had set a challenging track with three completely new fences, the log complex in the Goring Gaping Gorge being approached from the other direction to previous years, this is definitely the last time the Goring Hotel will be sponsoring the Championships and our thanks go out to George Goring for his unfailing generosity over the past 15 years.

The new fences were designed to give the teams plenty to think about and indeed there were some very interesting discussions taking place during the course walks. The previous day a Course Constructors Seminar was held at the course, which was attended by course builders from the length and breadth of the country, it proved an interesting and informative day and many ideas were bounced back and forth.

The morning began with the Novice Class sponsored by Welland Valley Feed Limited, 45 teams were entered and the team judged nearest the bogie time was the Cobley Transport Awesome Foursome, in a time of 4m17.62s second place went to Ponies are Us in 4m18.41s with the Three Chicks and a Blankney Queen Hen taking third spot.

Twenty teams had qualified for the championships and 18 of them actually entered, the only teams not entered were the Hair Raisers II and Fight the Ban. Com.

The draw for the Championships took place at the Heythrop last week and the Fox Grant Chasers were drawn first to go. The team of Sue Tideswell, John Langdon, Nick Matthews and Lydia Cope were going well with Sue Tideswell giving them a great lead until John Landgon fell at the 6th fence the third in the S of hedges, then Lydia Cope had a run out at fence 7 and was unable to stay in the saddle, she did manage to remount and caught up quite quickly, they did a splendid job of the pen and being the first team to tackle the Goring Gorge made it look really easy. However, it all fell apart towards the end of the course but they did manage to get a team time of 6m16.05s.

The reigning Champions Hair Raisers were drawn next to go. The very experienced team of Aly Brown - Jota, Paul Thomason - Tiny, Penny Still - Erin and David Manning - Paddywack, set sail with Aly giving them a superb line through the S of hedges, cutting every corner and taking them at unbelievable angles, David Manning was a little bit off the pace early on but had caught up by the pen, where they wasted no time the first three were in and out before you could blink an eye, there were some really big bold leaps over the new hedges and through the water complex and with faultless angling through the influential corner fences at the top of the course and finishing full of running they stopped the clock in a time of 4m23.04s which was going to be the time to aim at.

The Odds and Sods led away by Heather Moodie on the lovely grey Kowahi set off at a great gallop, but all was to fall apart early on in the course, Richard Mason had a run out, Geoff Lockwood was bounced off very heavily at the hedge beyond the pen and Heath Moodie then fell at the new down hill hedge with a drop, leaving only the fourth member Freddie de Giles, the team were forced to retire.

The Fox Grant Thrusters were next to come under starters orders, Simon Coady set off so quickly with Otter, he had left the other three riders, William Grant - Celebrity, Hugh Evans-Bevan - Bronllys Skyvor and Katie Cuthbertson - Swift Venture before the S of hedges, they did manage to catch up before the pen but lost valuable seconds re-grouping, Simon then had an uncharacteristic run off at the log in the gorge, but popped over at the second attempt, they all jumped well through the water but got a bit spread out through the corner fences at the top of the hill, all four finished in fine style with plenty of petrol still left in the tank in a time of 4m45.63s

The Ventura Horseboxes Bollocks to Blair team were next to go. Anita Hall riding Fred lead them away, with Rowan Cope - Freddy, Ben Pauling - Harry and Millie Stewart Wood - Warrior, in hot pursuit, their corner cutting through the S fences was even tighter than the Hair Raisers, they took the most direct route at Boughton Barrier fence and lost no time at all in the pen, their line at the Goring Gorge was brilliant and with trouble free jumping through the water complex and fluent through the corner fences they only needed to keep something in the tank for the final few fences. They did just that and finishing full of running they managed to knock just under a second off the Hair Raisers time. Finishing in a fantastic time of 4m22.58s and taking them into the lead.

Excitement was mounting as next up to the start were the team that were favourites to take the title after a magnificent season, the Teme Valley Tigers the galloping Doctor Sarah Myhill set off in her usual thrusting style on Maggie, with the team in full strength, Nicky Wenban - Charlie, Paul Browse - Sox and Bryan ALLEN (I got it right this week Bryan!!) on Indy were a good ten seconds faster into the pen however, Paul Browse and Sox had an argument with the Christmas trees and he had to remount, he had almost managed to catch up when he had another stop at the back. The front three were still going well when Nicky Wenban had a crashing fall three fences from home and unfortunately it all fell apart and they were eliminated.

The Marston Misfits were seventh to go Jo Manicon leading off on Alfie, with Sally Main - Hobby, Alan George - Matilda and Lynne Deakin on 'the pocket rocket' Beanie, unfortunately Sally took a heavy fall from Hobby at the third of the S hedges and Hobby managed to trample on her arm and shoulder, leaving Lynne Deakin unable to jump the fence as Sally lay prone on the landing side. Thus the team had to retire.

The Boring Gorings were eighth to go Graham Smith riding Budgie led from the start, with Linda Adams and Densil hot on his heals, Nick Fuller – Cocoa in third and Fred French who has had a few problems with his horses this season riding Wilmington at the rear, all appeared to be going according to plan with some good turns through the hedges and the short way through the Boughton Barrier, all four were going well down to the pen but then Fred's horse decided he had had enough and three refusals at the hedge after the pen saw him eliminated, Linda took over the lead from here and gave them a good line through the Goring Gaping Gorge, however a few sticky moments for Graham Smith there left him with a lot to do to catch up as the other two sailed up the hill, three fences from home saw a run out for the lead rider and the third horse but they did finish in a pretty respectable time of 4m57.55s.

The Joules Knightly Hatters, who have had a most unfortunate time in recent weeks with the death of Ian Shipley's horse at home, had managed to field a team, Ian riding Pepper, brother Andrew on Paddy, Charlotte Alexander on the ever youthful Penly and Ben Hitchcock on Des, They always set off at a very strong pace but lost Ben at the fourth fence, the other three were going brilliantly with good angles and no mistakes at the pen, they jumped the gorge as good as anyone, but then it all fell apart when Charlotte was ejected from Penly trying a really tight turn and as Penly is a horse that needs a lead, Ian jumped back over the fence to give her a lead and even though they were originally given a team time, they were later eliminated.

The Equus Health Herbal Junkies, who had travelled all the way up from Cornwall deserved better luck the team of Derek Doyne-Ditmus- Pinnocio, Andrew Daniels - Beasley, Lizzy Luxton - Molly and Lucy Luscombe - Brixton Beau were unlucky enough to lose Derek Doyne- Ditmus on the flat early in the course and when the second member fell they were unable to continue.

Hopes were high for the Trifast Allstars, Jo Jewell on Fuzylogic, as always was giving the men a superb lead, she is one of the elder stateswomen of team chasing and can really ride a line, however, her male team members, Joss Hanbury, Richard Chandler and the evergreen David Robinson, who had a blow out on his lorry on the M1 on the way to the course, had a lengthy discussion on the course walk as to the quickest way through the Boughton Barrier, but the steering went and they all ran off it and after regrouping in the pen, David Robinson called it a day, the other three continued and Jo really enjoyed her round they finished in a time of 5m00.78s which gave them eventual 8th place.

The Cunning Stunts were next to go with Tony Woodward and Duggan giving them a good lead, the second horse Blue ridden by Emma Herbert-Davies had a couple of hairy moments over the second and third fences and the fourth horse Chablis ridden by Ed Smyth-Osborne climbed over fence 6, Ed doing well to stay in the plate, they did lose precious time in the pen, Ed Smyth-Osborne leading them out, Tony was soon back out in front over the drop hedge, they were going well through the Gorge but Nicola Dawson and Tom had an unfortunate run of the logs, and Emma had to retrace her steps at the corner complex. Nicola had to sit really tight three fences from home but managed to keep the partnership intact and a finishing time of 5m02.35s gave them a well-deserved 9th place.

The Wishful Thinkers were running with only three riders and were taking no chances Vicky Hill took the lead on Tamara, with Simon Coadie having his second ride of the day, this time riding Buster, in second place and Lissie Seidel with Black Demon in third, Buster ejected Simon Coadie at the fourth fence where Lissie also had a run out, Simon quickly remounted and as his horse had not fallen he was able to carry on, they continued to produce a neat round until they came to the corner fences towards the end of the course, after a few circles they managed to get through them and did get a finishing time of 5m24.71s.

With only five more teams to go the Ventura Horsebox Bollocks to Blair team looked unbeatable, however, the Bitch Pack led by Tamara Vestey riding Harry, with mum Rosie on Joseph in second, Sophie Rooker on Tucker and Julie Wheeler on Oscar were in fine form, their horses never look as if they are covering the ground as quickly as some of the teams but their neat and tidy corner cutting and immaculate Indian file is always a joy to watch, they cut all the angles through the hedges, were straight through the pen and were brilliant through the gorge, they looked set fair to give Bollocks to Blair a real run for their money, but just six fences from home Sophie Rucker had a run out at the V fence and when Joseph unceremoniously deposited Rosie on the big hedge, their chance had gone, a time of 4m47.65s gave them 6th place.

The Kings Troup team of Erica's Army had qualified at the South & West Wilts, Erica Bridge riding Harley Street had been released from her duties with the Kings Troup to compete in the championships, unfortunately Erica fell at the 6th fence and Harley Street then decided he would cause as much mayhem as he could running the rest of the team Jane Clark - Dobbo, Lucy Stoddard - Johnny and Nick Rae - M'Julie out at the Boughton Barrier and caused all sorts of problems for them as they entered the pen. Erica finally managed to catch Harley Street and was able to remount, as the horse had not fallen, she then continued with the team gaining valuable experience in her first championships. They finally recorded a time of 8m32.14s.

The line up of the Teme Valley Tiggers, looked suspiciously like the line up of the old Forge Flyers, Sarah Myhill was not riding and her place in the team was taken by Graham Smith, with Yvonne Goss riding Perry, Debbie Topping on the ever youthful Junior and Ann Wilson, the Bollocks to Blair Team must have been biting their finger nails, Junior set off with his usual gusto but at the second of the S hedges he deposited Debbie on the ground, she did manage to remount but was then a couple of fences adrift of the team, Yvonne took over the lead and they went well to the gorge where they all appeared to have a few sticky moments, Debbie was catching them all the time and by the time they had climbed the hill to the corner fences she was back in contention. They stopped the clock in a time of 4m33.94s putting them in third place.

Ship or Bust were the penultimate team to go Lizz Hibbard giving the team a great lead on Jack, they cut all the angles at the S hedges and were very neat down to the pen, Tony Pellet riding Herr Flick, Amy Ephgrave on Roger and Philip Hall on George were having a super round until they got to the V fence at 25 when Liz Hibbard fell, they still recorded a time of 5m13.31s and 10th place was well deserved.

The R & R Wasps were now the only team to worry the Bollocks to Blair team, Tom Kaye riding Fellgill led them off followed by Mark Howard - Spot, Paul Andrews - Trevor and Sue Chadwick - Max, they were really going for it, going the quickest way through the Boughton Barrier and straight into the pen Paul Andrews took over the lead out of the pen they made light of the new big hedges and were still going superbly at the gorge, Sue Chadwick slithered over the palisade out of the gorge and they were immaculate through the corner fences. However, they seemed to run out of a little steam coming up to the last fence and just could not quite beat the first three teams a most respectable time of 4m36.20s gave them 4th place.

There were terrific celebrations with the Bollocks to Blair supporters and it was good to see another team having their name in the record books, it was a most deserved victory and I would like to add my congratulations to the team.

The final result was

1st Ventura Horseboxes Bollocks to Blair
2nd Hair Raisers
3rd Teme Valley Tiggers
4th The R & R Wasps
5th Fox Grant Thrusters
6th The Bitch Pack
7th Boring Gorings
8th Trifast Allstars
9th Cunning Stunts
10th Ship or Bust

The day continued with the UK Hunt/Intermediate Team Chase.

14 teams were entered in the Intermediate section and 26 Hunt teams.

The Intermediate was won by the Wishful Thinkers, the Tigers Too were 2nd with the Wacky Racers 3rd, The Court Flyers 4th, Alpha 1st were 5th and The Close Shavers 6th.

The UK Hunt event was won in fine style by the Heythrop Hackers, with the Cottesmore Chasers in 2nd, The Mid Surrey Farmers Dragoons 3rd, North Cotswold Odds and Sods 4th, Fernie Frusters 5th and Wheatland Flyers 6th.

A great day of team chasing was witnessed by a huge crowd and the Fernie Hunt Committee and all their helpers had done a sterling job.

Netty Nevill