last updated on April 22, 2010 11:17

Riders, coaches and officials from British Dressage, British Eventing, British Show Jumping and the British Horseball Association descended on East Yorkshire last week to showcase their skills before the FEI European Pony Championships, which will run at Bishop Burton College between the 28th July and the 1st August.

Members of the press were able to watch the riders in action on the College’s cross country course, in its brand new International Arena and in the Olympic-standard Bishop Burton Arena.

College principal and Competition President Jeanette Dawson was delighted to welcome the young athletes to the College.

She said: “All of the athletes demonstrating their skills here today are definite contenders for squad selection for the European Pony Championships so we are honoured to welcome them to Bishop Burton.”

A team of four dressage riders took to the floor in the Bishop Burton Arena under the watchful eye of the pony dressage team Chef d’Equipe Liz Mills and selectors Paul Hayler and Sarah Pidgley.

Roxanne Shipley (15), Olivia Leak (14), Eliza Mason (15) and Megan Carpenter (15) showed off their skills and were followed by Harry Hatton, Megan Chiarella and Christie Morgan who gave the assembled press and guests a fast and furious horseball display.

Other riders in attendance included Grimsby based eventer Holly Woodhead (16), who was selected for both the dressage and pony teams at last year’s Championships. She was accompanied by pony team trainer Jonquil Hemming, Chairman of Pony Selectors Ginnie Keen and Gemma Harriss, International and Youth Co-ordinator at British Eventing.

Outside on the International Arena, show jumpers were hard at work with squad trainer Alan Fazakerley, while being watched closely by incoming Chief Executive of British Show Jumping Iain Graham, and Chairman of Performance Development Clare Whitaker.
 

Pictured above: Olivia Leak and DeVito

> View the championships website here
> See more photos on the Pony Champs Facebook gallery here