Junior International Tetrathlon

Moreton Morrell College

Saturday 1st & Sunday 2nd June 2019

Welcome to the toughest event in the calendar for Junior Tetrathletes. This is where the

English Regions (Northern, Eastern, Southern, South West & Central) vie with Welsh,

Scottish and Irish teams for the spoils. The Beaufort are part of Central England

Region, made up from Pony Club Areas 7, 9 & 12 and nominations are called for about a

month before the event. Only those that can show excellent form at 90cm Tetrathlons

before the end of April are in with a shout of making the cut. If you want to compete at

next year’s international, the ideal route is in the year following a successful appearance at

the PC Tet Championships. Start planning now!

Most of the Central Competitors travelled up to Warwickshire on Friday afternoon. The

Beaufort element: Belle E, Anna D, Josh B, Will C, George S & Orlo C had a quick

turnaround from Bicton in Devon, an event from which they only got home late on

Thursday evening.

Sadly Anna D’s pony was not able to compete, having jiggered a splint, but Anna and

Louise joined in throughout the weekend and were an amazing support and

encouragement to the team.

We walked the course on arrival with some

degree of trepidation. The layout had

changed since 2018 with a winding first third

of the course before heading out to the

notorious step down to skinny (turning left

this time) after which the course

immediately returned uphill over the hedge/

skinny. New additions included a black pipe

on top of a steep mound, an offset double

near the commentary box, a portable ditch

to skinny, new corner complex and a water

jump of increased difficulty with all elements

following a left hand curve.

The Central squad barbecued together that

evening and we enjoyed getting together

with new friends and old from the Ludlow,

OBH Chilterns, Croome, Cotswold,

Wheatland and Vale of Aylesbury branches.

We also enjoyed spending time with our

Welsh team mates, whose company we

value so greatly.

Fred & Jill Church came in their lorry for the

weekend to team manage and support us.

We are all immensely grateful for their

tireless efforts on behalf of Central England.

That same evening Will, Tom B (Ludlow)

and Izzy Barnes (OBH Chilterns), the same

three who rode as team mates at Windsor

earlier in the month, were very

honoured to hear they had been selected

to ride for the England team vs Scotland,

Ireland and Wales in the International

Team Section. George Cross flags were

sewn onto their hat silks and they all

hoped very much that they would be able

to justify the faith put in them.

On Saturday morning the shoot took place in the Indoor School. The pigeons fluttered

about and did their best to distract everyone!

Orlo & Will shot 900. Belle was awarded 800 but we think she had two shots through one

hole and that a score of 900 would have been deserving.

The Barker & Connors motorhomes were put to good use in transporting as many as

possible to the brand new swimming pool at Warwick University.

Most of us had never seen a 12 lane 25m pool before! Unfortunately there were some

teething problems with the mid pool barrier which refused to lower out of the way

causing the start to be delayed for an anxious half hour.

Will finished 13th in the Tet swim and then swam in “friendly” freestyle relay representing

Central. The Irish were truly dominant in the pool with their boys clocking up the best 3

swims, the winner of this phase recording 11 lengths 9 metres in 3 minutes !!

Back to Moreton Morrell where a further

course walk ensued plus some horse care

before changing for the Party and

Performances.

It has become a tradition at this event for

each Region to perform a dance routine in

the marquee which is judged (somewhat

scathingly) by the DJ along with a kinder

panel of judges who luckily don’t have a

microphone to give their verdict!

It must be said that Central have never

done well in this competition for as long as

I can remember and we have become the

butt of many a joke in this regard.

The theme this year was “Musicals of the

80s and 90s”, a confusing choice seeing as

none of the children were around then, so

Annie, Footloose, The Blues Brothers etc

were all part of a learning curve!

Central LOOKED fantastic and their

rehearsal of launching Will into the air was

quite impressive. However once on the

stage, the launching was less impressive.

Some very flexible girls did very good

cartwheels and flips. In desperation Josh

commenced something that looked

dangerously like a striptease before,

thankfully, the music stopped and the

Central parents could all remove their

hands from their eyes.

We would like to appoint an artistic director

for 2020. Any takers??

FOR SALE: Half a dozen Fedoras and

assorted inflatable saxophones. PM me!!

On Sunday morning everyone was up early.

Those horses not stabled on site began

arrival and a final course walk took place.

The girls ran first and rode second. The boys

the other way round.

The first rider on cross country set off at

8.30am and we had spotters around the

course to video and send back information.

Grateful thanks to spotters Anna & Louise

and to Ollie L who rode at Moreton Morrell

last year and this year came to camp follow

and assist. Their videos were of great value

to the riders waiting anxiously at the start.

RIDE RESULTS

Belle was one of only 15% of competitors to

ride CLEAR and inside the time. AMAZING!

Will C also CLEAR with a few time faults.

George S had only one error in an otherwise

exceptionally stylish round.

Josh & Orlo both stormed through the finish

having picked up just a few faults for L fence

alternatives etc.

RUNNING

Belle ran an excellent PB for 6m 1s. All that

flogging round Nettleton has definitely paid

off!

Anna ran 6m 27 and we applaud her for

competing in all the Tri phases, even though

she was denied the chance to ride.

For the Boys, Will ran a PB of 4m 55s with

George also putting in a great run of 5m

15s.

Note that George has another year after this

at junior level.

RESULTS

Will finished in a close individual 4th

place, behind some very talented

Scots and Irishmen. His England

team were 2nd and Central Boys

4th.

Belle E – 1400 ride

George S – 12th in the run

Orlo Clark – 13th in the shoot

Josh Barker - 21st in the shoot

Anna D - what would we do without

you?

We owe another debt of gratitude

to Marj Stratton who came up to

fence judge on behalf of the Central

team. The second duty in a week.

Outstanding commitment award!

Any keen Junior should make a determined effort

to get themselves in the frame for Moreton

Morrell selection while they are still the eligible

age to compete (12, 13, 14 years).

Those who competed this year came away having

cemented friendships with fellow competitors

across the International community. They all rode

with great maturity and will have reached a new

level of competence and understanding of their

horse with this experience.

CLICK HERE FOR FENCE BY FENCE

TOUR OF THE COURSE