EQUINE NEWS

21st January 2006

Young Rider National Championships

Rachel Bishop from Polgooth near St Austell was delighted to discover she and her 14hh Arab cross Exmoor pony Scarlet had won the Young Rider National Championship at the Endurance GB awards ceremony held recently.

The pair swept the board by also winning the Young Rider Grand Prix Trophy, runner up in the Young Rider Peter Ball Trophy for riding more than one horse and Scarlet won the Regent Trophy for the top un-registered horse in the country. This being in addition to already having won the South West Endurance Young Rider Trophy and Best Endurance mare in the South West.

Rachel (16) a former pupil from Penrice Community College and now studying for her A Levels at St Austell College, has been competing on her pony Scarlet since 2000 when she became the youngest ever advanced rider at Goodwood at the age of 11 by riding Scarlet over a 50 mile course in seven hours. Among their accomplishments the pair have completed the World famous Golden Horseshoe ride on Exmoor in 2002 being one of only four riders to finish the 100 mile course in the worst weather seen for years. In 2002 Rachel and Scarlet won the Junior National Championships and have won Junior and then Young Rider South West Trophies every year since. More recently they have had string of consistent top finishes in Endurance rides all over the country including 60 mile races at Three Rivers in Salisbury and Ludlow . Rachel and Scarlet took home third place at the Northern Championships in Cumbria riding a 75 mile course in just over seven hours, completing their 2005 season in Wales winning the Dragons Tail two day 75 mile race at the Red Dragon International Festival of Endurance in October.

Scarlets greatest race was in 2004 when she completed a grueling race in Suffolk covering 60 miles in an incredible four hours and 39 minutes. Scarlet who is now 14 years-old will be competing for only part of the 2006 season and will then go into semi-retiring to breed a foal and have a well earned rest. Rachel will continue competing on Dubai Valentino, her parents up and coming Cornish bred Egyptian Arab gelding in 2007 after she finished her A Levels.

Scarlets success has been due to an excellent rider, back up crew and to the friends who help the family by looking after their other horses whilst at competitions. Special mention must be made of Brian Webber and Colin Williams Scarlets farriers who for the past 8 years have had the task of keeping her shoes on, Barry Knox of Tack and Country and Veterinary Ruth Varcoe without who's help Scarlet would never had stared Endurance.

Scarlet will be back in a couple of years time when she will be racing in the Veteran horse classes ridden by Rachel and will be competing in the lower mileage graded riders with Rachel's younger sister Saffron in the saddle , hoping to follow in her sisters footsteps.