THE newly formed show jumping team from Tavistock College won a superb third place at the National Schools Equestrian Association’s National Championships at Addington Manor, Buckinghamshire.

Tavistock riders Becky McArthur, Frankie McKechnie and Heidi Littlejohns, all aged 12, stormed through the first round against 39 teams from across the whole of the UK to win one of only eight coveted places in the jump-off at this prestigious NSEA Championships. In the final jump-off, Becky on Eddy, Frankie on Nimo and Heidi on Bramble all held their nerve at Addington Manor’s imposing flood-lit indoor arena to claim their third place rosettes in the face of determined opposition.

Karla McKechnie, team manager, said: ‘This was all the more of an achievement since they had only three in their team because the fourth member regretfully had to withdraw from the competition. The other 39 teams all had four, and under competition rules they were able to discount the least good score to help boost their team’s chances of winning. No such advantage for Becky, Frankie and Heidi.

The riders and their ponies were brilliant and a credit to their college.’