Spring Barrier Dressage & Arena Eventing Competition

Arena Eventing – Area 8 Spring Qualifiers – Radley Green

At the weekend PHPC had several teams competing at the Area 8 Arena eventing Qualifiers. The course was set over a spooky set of show jumps and a bold, twisty XC course. There was an unknown optimum time set at a speed that is decided by the Spring Barrier Rules. Penalties were given for refusals & knockdowns which are then combined with time penalties for going both too slow and too fast.

It started in the fog on Saturday morning. Our first 70cm team of Bertie, Lucia and Poppy all did their best but it was Bertie who led the charge on his gorgeous pony Nelly with a super double clear and perfectly steadily to get closest to the time and take the win!

Our second 70cm team consisting of Poppy, Poppy & Emily all rode like pros and came 2nd as a team and individually Emily was 4th (Qualifying for the champs), Poppy on Charlie 5th & Poppy on Squishy 16th.

Then on to the 80cm Qualifiers where the girls really did ride more positively than the optimum time was set! Emily & Marty did a lovely round with a couple of simple mistakes at the narrower fences but well timed leaving them in 11th place, Poppy & Charlie stormed round for their second double clear of the day to finish 16th, Poppy and Squishy were on fire with a pesky pole and a very speedy clear to finish 26th & Millie & Rolfie had a lovely round show jumping followed by a beautiful fast XC, a little step back at the step and the pesky Joker to come 27th. Overall the team of Poppy, Poppy & Millie came 5th.

On Sunday they built another fabulous course and this time the time required you to ride at a good XC pace. Hettie, Sophie & Millie did the 90cm team. Sophie & Rusty had a pole SJ and flew round the XC clear to come 11th. Hettie & Paddy flew round clear as well with just the pesky joker coming down at the end putting them in 9th. Sadly it wasn’t to be Millie’s day in the SJ despite a marvellous family effort to get there after a day at the rugby and a night at a ball. That’s true commitment for you!

Hettie & Paddy also did the 100cm and just a couple of poles SJ and that pesky Joker again but they made nothing of the big XC course and loved every minute to come 6th.

Well done to everyone for taking part, giving it a go, learning that wiggly course, supporting your team mates, riding really well and trying your best. Huge well done to all your gorgeous ponies too.

And thank you Dani for another amazing video compilation 🤩

It goes without saying we would like to thank Essex Union Hunt, the Radley Green Team & all the amazing volunteers for putting this on for us to be able to enjoy a fabulous weekend of competition.

And that brings an end to PHPC team competitions for 2025. A huge well done to everyone who has been involved this year. It’s been a really good one ! Roll on 2026 ….