Britain will host the European CIC** Championships in 2011.
Formerly known as Rural Riders and strongly linked with the riding club movement, this competition takes place every other year and is open to riders who have not completed a CCI*** in the previous two years and have never ridden at four-star.
As well as the normal phases of eventing, the competition starts with a team dressage test, with six horses in the arena at once.
British chef de mission Peter Buist explained: “British Riding Clubs have agreed to host the event at the same time as their National Championships at Aston-le-Walls — courtesy of Nigel and Ann Taylor — over the period from 3 to 7 August 2011.
“Britain last hosted the championship in 2002 and it will be nice to welcome all the nations to GB in 2011.”
Historically, Britain has struggled with the team dressage test, but last year intense training by chef d’equipe Richard Waygood paid off and the Brits were second behind Switzerland in this phase. In the end the Brits were delighted to take the team bronze, plus individual bronze for Hannah Mace, with Germany taking the gold and Belgium the bronze.
The British squad to train for the 2011 championships has been selected, from 40 who came forward for assessment. Six riders will eventually be chosen for the team, plus two individuals.
The squad includes three members of Britain’s team from 2009 (Matthew Heath, Lucie McNichol and Shelly Greenwell), as well as Emma Castle and Jodie Amos, both individual riders in 2009.
The selected squad is:
- Laura Walken on Wandering Walter (Riding club: Longton)
- Lauren West on Royal Highness (North Lincs)
- Thomas Blain on Little Rock Ship (Radnor)
- Sophie Hearle on Western Rainbow (Evenlode)
- Nicola Jones on Temperament (Malvern Hills)
- Jamie-Lee Day on Serano (Blackdown & Mendip)
- Paula Holland on Monkey Point (High Fen)
- Spencer Sturmey on Up 2 You (Nantwich)
- Carol Pearson on Major Promise (East Midland Dressage Group)
- Shaun Mandy on Autumn Romance (Chilworth)
- Clair Jeffries on Great Idea (Chipstead)
- Toby Vernon on Rocette (TBC)
- Tracey Shakespeare on Market Parade (Abinger Common)
- Laura Durkan on Trenear (Horsham)
- Zoe Carmichael on High Time & Rock Music (Evenlode)
- Charlotte Martin on King Of Hearts IV (Swindon & District)
- David Sheerin on Dressed To Impress & Jungle Cruise (Wokingham & Bearwood)
- Mary-Anne Carpenter on Alles Klar (Oxford)
- Lauren Innes on The Gatecrasher (TBC)
- Kylie Roddy on Wapiti (Breakspear)
- Caroline Smith on Para Ti (Deben)
- Kelly Aldous on Hearnesbrook Derby Day (TBC)
- Jodie Amos on Altairs Luck or Matt (South Warwickshire)
- Emma Castle on Castle Larchfield Purdy (Solihull)
- Shelly Greenwell on Elkra Boy (Horsham)
- Matthew Heath on Gran Chaco (Buckingham)
- Lucie McNichol on Zeus Of Rushall and Hildare P Silver Storm (Kennet Vale)
- Jonathan Chapman on Urbanus (Breakspear)
