The Fernie hosts the The Goring Hotel National Team Chase Championship this Sunday (1 April), with a long, undulating course over some delectable hedges at Tur Langton.
The championship course has undergone significant changes this year and will feature three new fences including two large new hedges. An old favourite — The Goring Gaping Gorge — has been updated and may well catch out one or two of those tipped for victory.
Twenty teams have qualified for this year’s championships, which kick off at 11:45. The winning team will collect a £1,500 first prize — with a total prize fund for all winners of £3,150.
In addition, The 7th Robinsons Motor Group of Leicester UK Inter Hunt Team Chase, is running, with £1,000 going directly to the winning hunt, plus a total prize fund of £3,000 for the class.
Speed is essential, but it is easy to go too fast early on and pay the price over the stiff fences near the end of the course.
After four straight wins, Teme Valley Tigers have to be the smart choice, although they have never done better than third at the final and crashed out spectacularly last year. The Hair Raisers will not relinquish their title easily and are on devastating form, with Debbie Topping and Yvonne Goss recruited for this spring.
Both Joules Knightly Hatters and Ventura Horseboxes Bollocks to Blair have seen some line-up changes, but could pull it out of the bag, while the dark horses could be the vastly experienced Trifast Allstars — impressive when qualfiying at the VWH.
Making the longest trips to Leicestershire will be the R&R Wasps from Yorkshire and the Equus Health Herbal Junkies and the two Fox Grant teams from the West Country. All should put up a good performance.
With a novice class kicking off the day and a combined intermediate and hunt team chase following the championships, it will be a real treat for team chasing fans.
Late entries will be taken for both the intermediate, inter hunt and novice classes. Details are available on www.teamchasing.co.uk or from Kate Harpham on 01858 555899.
