Team GBR

Easter weekend saw a British raid on the French international, a total of 4 podiums positions and 2 national anthems showed a British domination of the competition.

European Champion Joanne Eccles retained her female title for the 3rd year in a row on her own WH Bentley lunged by her father John Eccles, her sister Hannah performed a very strong new freestyle to put her in 4th and Lucy Phillips another to have improved hugely over the winter close behind in 5th.

Ross Foreman impressed all with his freestyle to finish in 5th in a close male competition. This was won by French European champion Nicolas Andreani.

The Team Class was won by the German team from Koln with a very difficult freestyle but close behind where the South Scotland Select team from GBR who have worked hard all winter and performed beautifully to finish in 2nd place. The English Vaulting Squad who have rearranged their routine to be ready for WEG in September finished in 5th place.

2010 was the first year Saumur have included a Nations Cup class, due to the good results achieved in the normal team class, GBR were able to enter 2 nations cup teams.  7 teams competed including France, GBR, Germany, Holland & Belgium.

All 3 members of GBR 1  preformed fantastically under pressure in a tense packed  arena to lead throughout and clinch the top spot, this is the first time GBR has won such a class.  GBR 2 also meant business and performed better than day 1 clinching the 3rd place on the podium, with France managing to hold onto second in between them.

A nations team is made up of 2 individuals and 1 team, all 3 do their freestyle routine and the scores are added together to reach a final score.

GBR 1 was made up of Eccles sisters Joanne and Hannah, on their own WH Bentley and the ‘South Scotland select ‘ team (Ross foreman, Lucy Phillips, Stacey Macpherson, Katy Nimmo, Lucy Younger, Angus Runciman & Rebecca Kinghorn) on horse Bart Simpson, lunged by Rebecca Morgan.

GBR2 was made up of Lucy Phillips on Pitucelli, Ross Foreman on MasterKey and the ‘English Vaulting Squad’ (Sarah Reid, Emma Runge, Stephanie Hunter, Lydia Barham, Sara Shortland, Paige Brown & Megan Bignell) on horse Go for Gold, lunged by Julie Newell.
GBR also won both ‘best horse’ prizes in the female individual for WH Bentley and the Team horse for Bart Simpson.

**Summary of GBR results:

Nations Cup (made up of 2 individuals and 1 team):  1st (GBR 1) & 3rd (GBR2)

Senior Team class:  2nd South Scotland Select and 5th English Vaulting Squad

Female:
1st: Joanne Eccles on WH Bentley lunger John Eccles
4th: Hannah Eccles on WH Bentley lunger John Eccles
5th  Lucy Phillips on Pitucelli            lunger Rebecca Morgan
15th Louise Sinclair on ILPH Islay   lunger Liz Mackay
29th Harriet Nicol on ILPH Islay      lunger Liz Mackay
35th Lydia Barham on Solitaire Legacy lunger Julie Newell

Male:  5th Ross Foreman on Master Key lunger Rebecca Morgan

Overall best team horse prize: Bart Simpson
Overall best individual horse prize: WH  Bentley