Horse champions recognised at new local awards

(CNS): Dozens of local riders were celebrated at the Cayman Islands Equestrian Federation inaugural awards dinner last month as the seasons champions were revealed. According to a CIEF release Meegan Slattery was awarded the Champion’s Ribbon in the introductory category, with Leah Alberga taking the Reserve Champion spot. Two sets of ribbons were awarded in the Training Level category. For the juniors, Madeleine Aquart and Ashley van den Bol took the Champion top spots with Saskia Drake and Thea Millward taking the Reserve ribbons. Meanwhile adult riders Michelle Boucher and Tracey Surrey took Champion ribbons.

Phoebe Serpell and Anja van Genderen were the Champion and Reserve Champion, respectively, in both the junior Preliminary and Elementary categories with Jessica McTaggart-Giuzio and Tracey Surrey taking Champion and Reserve Champion, respectively, in the Preliminary adult category.At the Elementary adult level, Alexandra Bodden took the Champion spot with Polly Serpell taking Reserve and at the Medium level, Thea Millward was Champion with Alexandra Bodden the Reserve.

McTaggart-Giuzio added the Champion ribbons in the Advanced and Prix St. George categories to her haul, with Charlotte Hinds taking Reserve Champion in the Advanced category.

The Dressage Championship awards were followed with the National Jumping Series Championship awards.

In the 0.6m junior class, Chloe Fowler took Champion with Jenna Boucher as Reserve Champion. Hannah Fowler was Champion in both the 0.7m and 0.85m junior classes with Reserve Champions going to Jenna Boucher in the 0.7m class and to Phoebe Serpell in the 0.85m class. In the 0.6m adults class Juliette Forrester and Tanja Braendle were Champion and Reserve Champion, respectively. Tanja Braendle was also Reserve Champion in the 0.7m adults class with Michelle Boucher taking the Champion spot. Michelle Boucher also took the Reserve Champion spot at 0.85m adults with Alexandra Rado clinching the Champion ribbon.

In the open classes, Polly Serpell was Champion of the 0.9-1m class with Thea Millward the Reserve Champion whilst in the highest category, 1m-1.1m, Isabelle Smith was Champion with Polly Serpell as Reserve Champion.

Sharon Hinds, President of the CIEF, reviewed the federation’s show season and highlighted the growth of the membership, at the dinner as well as the accomplishments of the riders in the past year.

She said the Federation had hosted a record number of shows, and was performing impressively overseas and at home. CIEF had riders taking three of the top four spots in the Children’s American Dressage Invitational in 2013.  Cayman Teams came joint first in the Caribbean Junior Show Jumping Competition 2013, first in the FEI’s World Dressage Challenge 2014 and the Cayman Children’s Team came first in the Caribbean Equestrian Association’s Dressage Challenge 2014.