THE Tavistock College riding team made the long journey to Wiltshire at the end of September to take part in the National Schools Eventing Championships at Stonar School. Rachel Ware in Year 9, riding as a junior individual, had a really good day with a clear round show jumping and completed the biggest cross country track she has attempted so far. In the senior intermediate team competition, Tavistock was the only state school represented. The team consisted of Georgie Dudden, Sarah Palmer (both year 11), Louise Nicholls-Peek (year 13) and Kate Wilcockson (year 13 summer 2007). Sleeping in tents and horse and cattle trailers rather than expensive fitted horse lorries, the girls nevertheless turned themselves and their horses out immaculately for the competition on the Sunday. The dressage was an improvement on Tavistock?s previous performances although there were other very good teams from Eton, Millfield and King?s College Taunton, all present with their trainers and dedicated school lorries. The show jumping was generally very good, with Georgie and Sarah putting in faultless rounds and Louise only having one pole down. Unfortunately, Kate had several fences down and two stops, but the cross-country under thunderclouds raised team morale. Sarah went first, clear, Louise followed clear and fast. Kate then put the show jumping behind her to finish with a lovely clear round, and Georgie had just one stop, so the team finished seventh overall, ahead of Eton.
