Three years ago, The St. Andrews equestrian team did not exist. Two years ago we had two riders who merged with other schools to form a team of four. Last year we had three riders. Now we have a squad of nine riders.
There were high hopes for our open team this year, and after getting to the jump off at our first competition of the season we thought these hopes would come true!
Then after an accident which left one of our riders unable to ride, we had to make a decision. Our chef d’equipe, Fiona Lee, decided Hazel Windsor-Aubrey, was ready for the height of the open fences. And she was proved right with Hazel getting a double clear on her first day out. We now had a team of five riders guaranteeing we would be at every competition of the year.
Our aim for this year was to get to the all-Irelands, but for a while it looked like this would not happen. At a competition at Marlton Stud our luck changed. With unbelievable snow blizzard conditions, which made it almost impossible see the fences we managed to scrape the 6 clears we needed to qualify for the jump off! And with two fast clear rounds we came second, gaining the points we needed to qualify for the All-Irelands!
Not content with that though we stormed forward into a very exciting jump off in the Hoof prints league final in Barnadown. We rode against ten other schools, into second place, again being beaten by the league champions Newbridge College, however this time only by .39 of a second!
Our next stop was the All-Irelands! Unfortunately with a tricky course and a nervous team we did not reach the jump off, but we were just glad to be there! Our team this year consisted of Joanne Lavery and Emma Gilliland from fourth year, Rachel Lee from third year, Katie Coen and Hazel Windsor-Aubrey from second year, our dedicated parents and Ms. Maeve Daly. Without any of these people we would not have had the success we did. Thank you for everything!
Rachel Lee, Captain.
A day to Remember!
Saturday 2nd of May 2009 was a day that St. Andrew’s showjumping team had been looking forward to. It was the All Irelands showjumping competition in Enniscorthy Co. Wexford. The riders were Joanne Lavery (4McA), Emma Gilliland (4O), Katie Coen (2F) and Rachel Lee (3D). Louis Oakes was our photogapher. The Team Coordinator was Ms. M. Daly and the Chef D’Equipe was Mrs. Fiona Lee. Even though some of the rounds didn’t go as well as we had hoped that day, St. Andrew’s did very well coming 7th overall in the league event. We live to ride another day!
Louis Oakes
St. Andrew’s Novice Interschools Showjumping Team of 2009
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