With the new year starting we caught up with our Team Balanced riders to find out their ambitions for the season ahead and to see if they were making any New Year’s resolutions. We will check back with them later in the year to see how they are getting on. Have a read below to see if their aims give you any inspiration!
Katie Preston – My main aim for 2019 is to get to my first Badminton with TJ. Other than that just to make sure I enjoy my horses and the journey we are on – to have targets for them but not get too caught up in aims and to remain flexible so we can all have fun!
Sharyl Horley – To put 2018 firmly behind me and not dwell on what was a rotten year. With Dark Solitaire having come so very close to qualifying him for Olympia two years running in the SSADL Veteran Classes, at the grand age of 30, I hope this year will be third time lucky! Horsmans Outlaw is fully recovered from his operation last year which wiped him out for the whole season. We will be aiming him at getting higher placings in RIHS/Olympia/HOYS qualifiers and finally Summer Magic will be be competing in the Veteran Horse Society classes and hopefully qualify for the Championships!
Camilla James – My New Years resolution is to train hard and get back to a level competing in my tail coat. Prix St George is just around the corner.
Matt Hicks – This year I am keen to compete Sheepcote Walnut and Excalibur at international level Grand Prix and I am also very excited about the younger horses coming out this year.
Sam Roberts – My New Years Aim is to work hard and enjoy my ponies.
Kate Hewson – My main ambitions for the year are to qualify both ponies for the RIHS and Flute for Hoys in either the Junior or open M&M’s. I would also like to get selected for the BD Youth Home Internationals and try to repeat my success in the Black Country Saddles Young Rider of the Year finals.
Claudia Moore – My aim is to be selected for the Pony European Championship Team & to win all the big championships at POYS, RIHS, HOYS, Olympia & Liverpool. Resolution wise I am trying to eat healthier at the shows. Less chips and chocolate!
Amy Stovold – So my new year aim is to get out competing seriously again…. after having the baby it has been tough trying to juggle everything.
Lara Berrie – In 2019 our aim is to listen, watch and improve. As no matter how much we all like to think we know, there is always room for improvement on a daily basis. This year, my aim for Sid and I is to get at least 1 Royal International ticket and of course that golden ticket for HOYS; which would be a dream come true!
Sam Penn – I have to confess to deliberately not making any New Years resolutions as I’m terrible at keeping them but I have a few very nice horses for next season so my plan is just to do the very best that we can (and perhaps eat a little bit less chocolate……)
Tomas Hanlon – Percy who is on recovery from a field injury I am aiming to compete at CCI2L and 3*S. Rafiki will hopefully compete at CCI2*L and Cooga will hopefully compete at CCI2*L at the end of the season, but is yet to compete BE.