Cayman Islands Equestrian Federation (CIEF) announces the Cayman National Champions for 2014.

In the last of its summer updates, the Cayman Islands Equestrian Federation announces the Cayman National Champions for 2014.

During the summer, riders from the Cayman Islands Equestrian Federation (“CIEF”) swapped their dusty jodphurs and ‘hat’ hair for smart dresses, shirts and ties, and met together at the Federation’s inaugural Annual Dinner to find out the identity of the National and Reserve National Champions for 2014.

Mr Roy McTaggart, MLA, volunteered as Master of Ceremonies and welcomed just under a hundred CIEF members from around the island to the event. The George Town Yacht Club hosted the equestrians as they kicked off the evening with a photograph of all members present on the steps of the restaurant under the Cayman and Federation flags.

Sharon Hinds, President of the CIEF, reviewed the Federation’s show season and highlighted the growth of the membership and the accomplishments of the riders in the past year. She noted that during the last show season the Federation had hosted a record number of shows, and was performing impressively overseas and at home. CIEF had riders taking three of the top four spots in the Children’s American Dressage Invitational in 2013. Cayman Teams came joint first in the Caribbean Junior Show Jumping Competition 2013, first in the FEI’s World Dressage Challenge 2014 and the Cayman Children’s Team came first in the Caribbean Equestrian Association’s Dressage Challenge 2014.

The awards being distributed at the Annual Dinner were in respect of the National Jumping Series Championship and National Dressage Championship for the 2013/14 season. These are two separate leagues which riders can accumulate championship points for by competing at the local shows held throughout the year. These shows constitute the domestic training grounds for the international competitions, giving riders realistic competition experiences at home which they can use as a training springboard to the events overseas when their chance comes.

With a slideshow backdrop of the year’s horse shows in review, created by The Slattery Group, Mr McTaggart commenced the distribution of the awards with the Dressage Champions for 2014.

In the Introductory category, Meegan Slattery was awarded the Champion’s Ribbon with Leah Alberga taking the Reserve Champion spot. Two sets of ribbons were awarded in the Training Level category. For the juniors, Madeleine Aquart and Ashley van den Bol took the Champion top spots with Saskia Drake and Thea Millward taking the Reserve ribbons. For the adults Michelle Boucher and Tracey Surrey took Champion ribbons.

Phoebe Serpell and Anja van Genderen were the Champion and Reserve Champion, respectively, in both the junior Preliminary and Elementary categories with Jessica McTaggart-Giuzio and Tracey Surrey taking Champion and Reserve Champion, respectively, in the Preliminary adult category.

At the Elementary adult level, Alexandra Bodden took the Champion spot with Polly Serpell taking Reserve and at the Medium level, Thea Millward was Champion with Alexandra Bodden the Reserve.

McTaggart-Giuzio added the Champion ribbons in the Advanced and Prix St. George categories to her haul, with Charlotte Hinds taking Reserve Champion in the Advanced category.

The Dressage Championship awards were followed with the National Jumping Series Championship awards.

In the 0.6m junior class, Chloe Fowler took Champion with Jenna Boucher as Reserve Champion. Hannah Fowler was Champion in both the 0.7m and 0.85m junior classes with Reserve Champions going to Jenna Boucher in the 0.7m class and to Phoebe Serpell in the 0.85m class. In the 0.6m adults class Juliette Forrester and Tanja Braendle were Champion and Reserve Champion, respectively. Tanja Braendle was also Reserve Champion in the 0.7m adults class with Michelle Boucher taking the Champion spot. Michelle Boucher also took the Reserve Champion spot at 0.85m adults with Alexandra Rado clinching the Champion ribbon.

In the open classes, Polly Serpell was Champion of the 0.9-1m class with Thea Millward the Reserve Champion whilst in the highest category, 1m-1.1m, Isabelle Smith was Champion with Polly Serpell as Reserve Champion.

Riders, coaches, parents, siblings, board members, VIPs, grooms and the President all mixed and mingled during the evening. The President thanked everyone for coming and acknowledged the support that the parents of riders give to their children. With all the successes of the 2013/14 season, she ended by encouraging everyone to make 2014/15 even better, but above all to saddle up and have fun!