Horse trials expected to attract Olympic hopefuls
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Horse trials
OLYMPIC hopefuls will be heading the line up at this year’s Lincolnshire Horse Trials, with up to 700 competitors expected to take part in the three-day event.
The Lincolnshire Showground hosts the 2012 event from Friday, March 16 to Sunday, March 18, with competitors taking part in dressage, show jumping and cross country over the three days at pre novice, novice and intermediate levels.
And selectors for the British team are expected to be on the lookout once again during the pony trials that are also held.
The venue is recognised as an excellent event for early season because the flat, well drained ground is a good proving ground for both horse and rider. The event is now open for entries February and it’s expected to draw previous participants and Olympic hopefuls such as William Fox-Pitt, Pippa Funnell, Nicola Wilson and Piggy French.
Local riders are also expected to showcase their talents, including Rosalind Canter from Louth and Deborah Doyle from Lincoln, who both had wins in the BE100 sections last year. Other Lincolnshire riders likely to feature are Helen Scholl from Grantham, who won one of the Novice sections in 2011, and Gina Ruck from Tealby, who won the Open Intermediate Under 21 Section last year.
Also expected is rising star and future Olympic hopeful Emilie Chandler, who secured a win on Douglas, and a second place on Beeswing, in last year’s intermediate sections.
Charles Hood is director of the trials and the course designer.
He said: “This will be a very exciting year in the run up to the Olympics and we’re expecting to draw an exceptional range of entrants as a result.
“Because our course gives a good variety of well-built straight forward fences, and is run over extremely well-drained light land, it draws competitors looking to build early season confidence with good going. We have planned some new fences especially for this year.”
Competitors will also find an improved layout, with the day boxes able to get inside the showground, instead of being located outside the perimeter.
And the management and scoreboard will this year be inside the showground’s EPIC Centre conferencing venue.
Nearly two thousand visitors attended last year’s event.
Entry on Saturday and Sunday is £5.00 per car to include all occupants.
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Sunday 27 May 2012
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