New indoor driving format proves successful at Medstead EC
A resounding victory in the open single horse class at Medstead EC for Dick Lane and his Welsh Cob mare, Jenna, went some way to making up for their defeat by Barbara Nadin at the national indoor championships.
“Jenna was fantastic – she knows the job inside out and loves the indoor events,” said Dick, a plant-hire contractor from Cranleigh in Surrey, who has his hands full this winter training his grey Lippizaner team to bid for selection for the World Four-in-Hand Championships.
The increasing popularity of indoor driving means that event organisers are having to cope with maximum entries and drivers need to be quick off the mark to secure a starting spot.
This pre-Christmas event was no exception and the organisers – who are constantly aiming to improve this relatively new discipline – experimented with a slightly different format whereby competitors drove the two indoor marathon obstacles twice, resulting in some terrifically fast times.
In a thrilling competition, Joan Smith just eased home ahead of Ken Osborne to win the novice single pony class by a single point, while Stefanie Grey claimed the novice horse.
Julia Crockford scored a decisive victory over Susan Skeggs in a well-supported open single pony class, and the highly-experienced Minta Winn took the multiples class with her pair, finishing ahead of international pony teams driver John Pickford.
See this week’s issue of Horse & Hound (10 January) for reports from Hurstborne EC, Wix EC and Golden Cross, or click here to subscribe.
