British Endurance Elite Squad 2010

Endurancegb.co.uk

The following horses and riders are the 5 team members that have been selected to represent Team GBR at the forthcoming World Equestrian Games in Kentucky in September 2010.

BECCY BROUGHTON

Beccy Broughton-Booker, UKCC Coach and Equine Sports Massage Therapist began riding in 1981- at 2 years old! She was just 5 years old at her first competitive 25 mile CTR - 26yrs ago - 1986 at Southwell Racecourse on a pony called Oatie Crunch owned by Mrs Janet Denny.

Beccy has competed in over 20 International Rides, including at the European Championships 2001 finishing a very creditable 7th, at WEG 2002 to finish 18th, and in the Dukeries Bahrain Cup 2010 where she came 1st . In 2001 she was the top British based rider in the World FEI rankings. In 2002 she was placed 36th in the FEI World Rankings and her stallion Murmansk was placed 4th in the FEI World Rankings for competing stallions. She was been chosen to represent GB as an U21 and on the senior team.

Beccy’s crew are Rachel Stendall, husband Garry Booker and father Tim Broughton. Beccy names Marcy Pavord as the most influential person in her life, saying “I want to achieve what she did not have time to do.” However, Beccy adds it is her father she most looks up to – “for too many reasons.”

As well as wanting to be the best that she can be, encouraging the growth of the discipline and wanting a World and Olympic Medal, Beccy’s ambitions also include “to coach riders at all levels sharing my experiences and knowledge to improve horse and rider combinations to reach their goals.” For those of us who know Beccy it is no surprise that hobbies outside of horses include “Fast cars, fast skis and fast everything really!”

Beccy’s horses are Java Sunlight, a 13yo chestnut Arab mare (Dhruv/Sunlit Wings) who came 2nd at Haywood Oaks 160 FEI3*. Beccy also has Tawmarsh Muharram, a 10yo chestnut Arab gelding (Murmansk/Khashala) who came 1st in the Bahrain Dukeries Cup 160FEI3* 2010. This horse is the son of Beccy’s previous team horse Murmansk, who took her to many of her achievements so far. Beccy says “His Dad pep talks him every day!”
ROZ CLAPP

Ros Clapp, previous team member at Assissi 2009 and Compeigne 2005, took up riding in 1980 and has been competing in Endurance since 2000. Ros chose Endurance “through my Mum who was on the British team”, and her best result to date was to finish Assissi riding Nazeeka.

Nazeeka is an 11yo grey Anglo Arab mare (Prince Vandezee/Namibia), whom Ros has owned for 5 years. Nazeeka was also a champion hack before starting Endurance so obviously a very talented horse. In fact, Ros’s top tip for success in Endurance is that you need “a good horse”.

Ros’s crew include John Tydesley, John and Jane Hudson and Rob Clapp.
JANICE COCKLEY-ADAMS

Janice Cockley-Adams is a European Strategic Sourcing Manager, who took up riding 26 years ago – as soon as she started earning!

Janice says “I trained as a Zoologist and was a competitive athlete from age of 11. The combination of physiology, psychology, nutrition, training and competition together with the close bond between horse and rider ticked all my boxes. I did my first ride in 1988 and was hooked. Over the years I have been fortunate to have great moments on 9 different horses including winning the Scottish Open Championship (160km) and the Spirit of Sherwood multi-day 150 miles (240km).”

Highlights with the two horses Janice has on the elite squad for WEG include 6th FEI 120km Dukeries, May 2010 (first European to finish,)2nd FEI 160km Haywood Oaks, Apr 2010 (her debut 160km) and 7th FEI 130km Monpazier, France, Sept 2009 (first Briton to finish) on Roxane du Bout du Monde. Khadidja du Pont has also had many fantastic results including 4th FEI 120km Euston Park, August 2009 (first European to finish), 2nd FEI 120km Dukeries, May 2008 & best condition award (first European to finish), and 23rd (first Briton and 4th European) in the inaugural running of the FEI 160km Shk Mohammed Al Maktoum Endurance Cup, Dubai, Jan 2008 (The “richest endurance ride in the world.”) Janice was ranked 7th in FEI World Ranking 2007 (Rider/Horse Combination). She was also the Winner of the British FEI Championship 2007, Winner of the Senior Grand Prix Trophy 2007 (Most points in Endurance Rides (i.e. races) by a British rider) and Winner 160km Dukeries, May 2007 (her debut 160km).

Janice’s ambitions within Endurance are to represent GBR and to continue to train and ride at international level for many more years to come. Her crew include Janine Wade, Sashi Davies and husband Iain Cockley-Adams.

Janice’s daily regime is certainly tough. She states “I typically work around 10 hours a day which can include late evenings too for calls to colleagues in the USA, so the horses fit around this – riding before and/or after work. I am usually up and out for 5 am daily and pleased to finish before 7.30pm. When travelling abroad for work I try to minimise overnight stays whenever I can. This means very long days if I have meetings in Europe (leave home at 4.30am and back 11.00pm) but it fits in better with managing the horses. When I am away on business my husband rides the horses. When I’m not competing, the weekends are dominated by long rides, sessions on the gallops and catching up with jobs around the house and land.”

Janice’s top tips for success in Endurance are discipline; hard work; planning; diary notes and a holistic approach – physical, mental and environmental. “You need to understand each horse and recognise when it has reached its potential - not all horses are good at endurance, some actually like jumping or excel at dressage etc.”

We asked Janice what her most memorable riding story was...

“I guess the first time I rode Khadidja in a Race ride in France. After only riding her for an hour, I agreed to buy her 2 months before I did the 200km 2 Jours Montcuq ride where I first took ownership of her. Half way round on the first day I leant over to straighten my stirrup and she bucked me off and ran off down the trail. At that moment I saw my life savings running away and I got up and sprinted uphill for 2 km before finally catching up with her. Her seller had told me no sudden movements as she was hyper sensitive but I guess I forgot until I was sprinting after her! My pride was a bit hurt that day but nothing else. However we went on to the second day and had a very successful and safe 10th place which considering I was only looking to complete before the long journey back to the UK and I didn’t really know her I was very pleased. It was the start of a great relationship and one in which she is now very much my girl.”
CHRISTINE YEOMAN

Christine Yeoman has an impressive list of previous team selections including2003 FEI European Endurance Championships, Ireland, 2006 World Equestrian Games, Aachen, 2007 FEI European Endurance Championships, Portugal, 2008 FEI World Endurance Championships, Malaysia and 2009 FEI European Endurance Championships, Assisi, Italy where she was selected but couldn't go!

Chris has been riding since she was a child but gave up as teenager then started again as adult, and has now been competing in Endurance for approximately 12 years. Her best results to date include 17th and top British rider in Aachen on LM Taquillero, 160km win on LM Taquillero and fastest speed on 160km in UK 2009, 120km win in Belgium, 160 Km win on LM Midday, 160 km win on Farouk de Lozelle, 160 km qualification for Kentucky on home bred mare, Forest and her 120km win in France on Diyla

Chris’s ambitions are “to compete in a championship and win a medal” and her crew include husband John Yeoman, farrier Nigel Perrott, Michelle Macleod, Lisa Davenport, Nikki Malcolm and Olwen Bryer. Chris says that husband John is the most influential person in her life, “Without his support I would not be where I am now. I trust his judgement on race day to make sure all at base is taken care of, so that when I come into a vet hold any information I need is correct “

Chris’s top tip for success in Endurance is “Fitness of not only horse but also the rider is essential.” Chris says her most memorable Endurance story was not at a top level event, but “doing my first 80km ride at Cirencester to achieve advanced status - it poured with rain all day! And my first race ride at Ludlow in the blazing sun which I won. That was the start to my competitive career.”

Chris has two horses qualified for WEG: LM MIDDAY, an 11yo grey Arab mare whom Chris has owned for 5 years, and has consistently performed well, including winning Dukeries 2009 160km, 2nd in France 130km and being on the British Team for 2008 FEI World Endurance Championships, Malaysia.

The second horse is CJ'S GAI FOREST, a 10 yo homebred chestnut Arab mare (Ganemede/Gold Sahri) who’s results include 1st 120km, 6th 160km 2009 and 2nd 160km 2010.
DAVID YEOMAN

David Yeoman rode a lot as a child up to 21 yo, including Polo, Point to Point, Eventing, Pony Club, but then had to go to work for 20 years. David has been competing in Endurance since 2005 and chose this sport because “my Sister-in-Law got me re-involved with riding in 2004/05, and I just took to endurance like a duck to water!” Needless to say the Sister-In-Law is Christine Yeoman!

David’s first Endurance ride was at Forest of Dean 42KM in 2005 and after successfully building up his experience every year, David has had a fantastic year already in 2010. His best results to date are 1st Cirencester 164KM FEI ***, 2nd Haywood Oaks 120KM FEI** both in 2010, and 1st Euston Park 121KM FEI** in 2009, all on Haszdr. David has also clocked up a fair few Golden Horseshoe miles over the years on Eleazar De Landas, achieving Gold at Golden Horseshoe in 2006 and 2008 , and Silver in 2007. David rode on the Development Squad Team last year at Mont Le Soie , Belgium , FEI** 120 km.