Two teams from the University of Sheffield Equestrian Club were victorious in a Varsity friendly against riders from Sheffield Hallam at the Parklands Equestrian Centre.
The University of Sheffield’s A team came first overall, with the Hallam team in second place and the Sheffield B team third. Sheffield’s Emma Bavin achieved the highest dressage score, while
Jess Bell secured the highest showjumping score for Hallam.
Sheffield A team riders Steph Coathup had the fewest penalties overall, followed by Aimee Desert and Emma Bavin.
In the style of the BUCS equestrian championships, each rider took part in a draw to determine which horses they would be riding. After a short demonstration, riders were given 7 minutes to warm up for dressage and 5 minutes for showjumping.
The riders were judged on their ability to get the maximum out of any horse rather than the capability of the horse itself. The penalties reflected this, since only scores attained with the same horse were compared.
The University of Sheffield Equestrian Club is aiming to restore the sport as a fixture for Varsity in 2013, and were buoyed by the competitive event, in spite of the driving rain and cold temperatures.