Quartet of youngsters join gold rush in Cheshire (From Darlington and Stockton Times)

Quartet of youngsters join gold rush in Cheshire

1:33pm Friday 7th November 2008

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A LOCAL quartet of youngsters were all going for gold at the English leg of the 2008 Home Pony International show jumping series, held at South View Arena in Cheshire – and all four achieved their aim.

Millie Allen and Yasmin Tanfield, cousins who are both based at the family-run Stainsby Grange Equestrian Centre at Thornaby, were selected to ride on the England 128cms team, with their diminutive ponies Matthews Girl and Silver Wonder.

The pair, who were joined on the team by Katie House and Amy Inglis, helped guide England to a clear win over Scotland and Wales.

Millie, ten, also went well in the 128cms Grand Prix, the top class for riders aged 12 or under.

“She was third on her chestnut mare Flinor Songbird, who had the fastest time in the jump-off but one down, and fifth on Matthews Girl,”

said father Peter Allen.

“She also rode the bigger pony Little Ryan in some 1.20m classes and went well, getting placed.”

Older sister Pippa Allen, team gold medal winner at this year’s Pony European Championships on her top ride Spot the Lady, was on the England 148cms team. She rode her younger mare Caprice III, a ten-year-old owned by Manchester United and England footballer Wes Brown.

She jumped a vital double clear that meant England stayed on a two round total of zero and kept well ahead of Scotland and Northern Ireland, with Chad Fellows, Jordan Nason and Dan Thompson also on the winning team.

Potto 13 year old Laura Robinson was on the gold medal winning England team in the 138cms competition, jumping a memorable double clear on what was her last competitive outing with her roan pony Orlando XI.

“Laura is out of 138cms classes next year and we have sold Orlando to Surrey rider Harriet Barsham,” said mother Karen Robinson. “It was extra nice for Laura to end with a gold medal win. She was sad to see the pony go but we vet new owners carefully and she likes Harriet, who is already doing well with the pony and won a novice class at the Scope Festival with him.”

Laura also took her 148cms pony Paddy Power to South View and the pair began well when they won a 1.25 class on the show’s opening night.

“Laura has only recently got the pony back up to jumping these heights, so she was pleased,” Mrs Robinson added. “He’s a powerful pony who covers the ground well and he loves tight turning courses, pulling off a difficult turn to an oxer this time.”

The pair went on to finish second in a speed class and then clinched fifth place in the 148cms Grand Prix, competing against nearly 40 of the best ponies around.

“Fourteen got into the Grand Prix jump-off and Laura was drawn eighth,” Mrs Robinson explained. “Three had gone clear at that stage and Laura opted for a clear herself, as she knew it wasn’t the type of course that suited her pony.”

Younger sister Beth Robinson, 12, was also in action with her 138cms bay Welsh pony Iouar Giorgio. The pair finished in a great third place in the 138cms Grand Prix.

“There were 62 in this class but only seven clears in the first round,” Mrs Robinson concluded. “They built a double of uprights with a massive triple bar afterwards, which caught a lot out, including Harriet and Orlando. Beth was then clear again in the jump-off to make the line up.’ Both girls are pupils at Polam Hall School in Darlington.

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