Scotland justly swept the board at the first BHS TREC Championships of Great Britain, which took place on the Buccleuch Estate at Bowhill in the Scottish Borders 5/6 August. The Scottish Teams won the Nations' Trophies at Level 2 20kms, Level 2 Pairs 20kms and at Level 4 41kms and clearly took the Nations' Cup for the best overall performance by a national team.

Individual honours also went to Scotland with Isla Stafford the Level 2 British Champion, Vivienne Little and Jane Edge the British Pairs Champions, and Ros Evans the Level 4 British Champion. Ros took home a splendid saddle generously donated by The Worship Company of Saddlers and presented by their representative at the Championships, James Welsh.

Bowhill offered a superb venue with staggeringly beautiful and varied riding for miles around the house. The event was an outstanding success, apart from the difficulties that arose from a checkpoint not being in place in time.

At Level 4, Ros Evans was outstanding for Scotland scoring 150 points out of the possible 160!- probably the highest score recorded on this phase in a British competition. This will have given Ros's confidence a timely boost prior to the World Championships in Austria next month.

The Scottish team were sponsored by Fyfe Ireland. Vivienne Little and Jane Edge for Scotland won the Pairs taking the trophy and the holiday in the Scottish Borders generously donated by Mrs Anne Fraser, ahead of fellow team members Mandy Peden and Angus Lohoar. For England, Sheila Roberts and Pat Funnell were 3rd.

The Level 2 Individuals was won with a very consistent performance throughout the competition by Isla Stafford who took home a riding waistcoat supplied by Ardgowan Saddlery. Sandra Hunter was 2nd, and Lisa Hine representing England 3rd.

Scotland won all the team honours with France in second at Level 4. Otherwise, the order remained England followed by Wales. Although a disappointing competition for the Welsh, one suspects that the Red Dragon will come roaring back in 2001 on home territory!

The competition is indebted to the Duke of Buccleuch and his staff and tenants for permission to use this splendid estate, other land owners, generous sponsors Fyfe Ireland, the Worshipful Company of Saddlers, Dr Tim Watson, Mrs Ann Fraser and Ardgowan Saddlery for the prizes, Ardgowan Equestrian Centre for the PTV course, and the many judges and stewards who all made this competition possible. The loaned horses came from Paul Frost, Stephen Ramsay, Ardgowan Equestrian Centre, and Castle Riding in Argyll.

Perhaps the biggest thanks should be reserved for the people and the countryside of the Scottish Borders for making this first BHS British TREC Championships such a memorable event.

FINAL RESULTS

Level 2 Individual

1st Isla Stafford - Scot
2nd Sandra Hunter -Scot
3rd Lisa Hine - Eng
4th Jane Anscombe - Wales
5th Alex Pyper - Eng
6th Sharon Bruce -Eng

Level 2 Pairs

1st Vivienne Little & Jane Edge - Scot
2nd Mandy Peden & Angus Lohoar - Scot
3rd Pat Funnell & Sheila Roberts - Eng
4th Anna Weston & Heather Lucas - Eng
5th Anne Pitman-Thomas & Jane Dawson - Wal
6th Ceri Simpson & Deborah Lewis - Wales

Level 4

1st Ros Evans - Scot
2nd Francois Leveille - France
3rd Faye Hamilton - Scot
4th Simon Zapata - France
5th Fiona Lockhart - Eng
5th Ken Poste - France