When the curtain falls on the eventing season, riders inevitably turn their focus to dressage and jump training — but it appears a handful of top eventers have also taken to the team chasing turf recently to satisfy their need for speed.
Phoebe Buckley is the most familiar eventing face to grace the team chasing scene. A regular out on the hunting field and having also ridden in point-to-points, Phoebe set the trend by campaigning her popular former international eventer, Little Tiger, when the diminutive mare retired aged 16.
Phoebe has since helped many a team to chasing glory including the Cunning Stunts and has qualified for the 2015 national championships with the Dapper Dobbins aboard her team chasing partner Colin.
Debuting their all-eventing team called Saddled and Addled, Rodney Powell, Tom McEwen and Megan Heath were out in force at the Cotswold team chase in October. Flying over the natural obstacles in style, they finished a commendable fourth in the intermediate bogey time class.
Spectators at November’s Bicester with Whaddon team chase were treated to an international feel to proceedings — Swedish Olympic rider Ludwig Svennerstal (pictured above) joined the Saddled and Addled line-up for his first team chasing taster over the beefy Bicester hedges.
Some eventing royalty have also caught the team chasing bug — Lucinda Green has been spotted having a spin. Meanwhile her daughter Lissa was part of the winning intermediate team, Roger That, at this year’s Berks and Bucks team chase.
But it doesn’t stop there — others to follow suit include Ruth Edge. The Derbyshire-based rider won the intermediate pairs class riding her ex-racehorse Bouquetot Destiny at last year’s Meynell & South Staffs team chase alongside her groom and fellow eventer Jodie Stokes — who is a regular member on the Dapper Dobbins team.
Piggy French has been spotted at the Fernie team chase while eventer Dee Kennedy has previously chased with the Hair Raisers.
Team chasing: how to get started
Looking for a new challenge? Find out how team chasing works and how to get involved
