The Endurance Gala Dinner saw more than 50 awards saluting achievement across the sport in 2019. The event, held at the Village Hotel Club in Coventry, was attended by more than 200 members from across the country with Devon-based rider Judy Holloway taking the Supreme Championship (Manar Trophy) for the second time in three years.
The Supreme Championship is awarded to the overall high point horse/pony of the year gaining the most points in all types of rides. Judy took the title ahead of Saffron Bishop and Ty Shute Golden Savannah, and Ella Bunting and Aly’s Estrella De Roc (Rocky) in third place.
Judy who first started endurance riding as part of the East Cornwall Riding Club team back in 1995, took the Supreme Championship in 2016 with Aurontes. This time the win was all the more special as the 2019 title was earned with Nuraletta, the first horse she and her husband VJ bred at their stud near Okehampton. Judy who stands her 56% Crabbet Psaracen stallion at the stud said:
I am still on cloud nine having won this award three years ago with Aurontes. Starting this season with my homebred Nuraletta in her first season as an advanced horse, we did not know what the future held for her and I am so proud that she has become the 2019 EGB Supreme Champion. I owe this both to my horses and my very good crew, my husband VJ – we do this as a team together.”
Asked for the secret of her success, Judy said the reward of building a bond and developing mutual trust motivated her to train and compete:
I also firmly believe that if you want to succeed the groundwork has to be done to enable your horse to cope with the requirements placed upon them in competition.”
Judy worked for the late Mrs Beatrice Paine at her Bowdell Stud in Kent who generously gave Judy her first top endurance horse Bowdell Diplomat as an unbroken three year old. Together they went on to develop a formidable partnership with a Gold in the 160km Golden Horseshoe Ride among their many achievements. To cap a good evening for Team Holloway, VJ was awarded the Borthwick Back-Up Crew Award.
The Senior Grand Prix awarded to the horse / pony & rider combination gaining the most points in Competitive Endurance Rides in the current season were Nikki Malcolm and Oso Spiralling Wind while Katie Bedwin and Aberllwyd Ibn Phariz clinched the Young Rider Grand Prix.
The Young Rider Championship Award (Nippa Trophy) was won by Ty Shute Golden Savannah ridden by Saffron Bishop. The Junior Champion Award (Merrie Trophy) went to Redwings Milky Way ridden by Ella Pomroy. The Novice Champion (Mira Trophy) was Janthea Newman with GL Destiny’s Angel. Veteran Champion (Silverling Flint Memorial Trophy) was named as Magic Powers ridden by Valerie Bradshaw. The Endurance GB FEI Championship awarded to the horse / pony and rider combination gaining the most points in FEI classes run under the auspices of Endurance GB went to Antonia Milner Matthews and her Connemara Pony Clonmore Treasure.
The Alec McGuinness Memorial Trophy is the special award presented by the Board of Directors to someone who has given unfailing service to Endurance GB by way of help at rides or assistance in any other way. This year it was presented to Stevie Martin. Stevie, who has retired this year, has been a Technical Steward for many years and has trained and mentored most of the Technical Stewards currently on the circuit. Over her long career as an Endurance GB volunteer, she has also organised several rides and has served on the Board of Directors. Although she is taking a step back from here on in, she will still be found helping at her local rides.
For a full list of results, please follow this link.
Suzanne Ashton, Founder of Everything Horse (Est, 2012), has a BA Hons in Marketing Management and a Diploma in Equine Science. Suzanne has ridden and owned horses all her life and has twelve years of experience in marketing, writing, design, SEO, and website creation.