Powys Carriage Driving Group

The inaugral World Championships for Scurry & Trials was held from 12-14th September at Sandringham and our club came back with a three medals ! The Welsh team was made up of four drivers and we also sent two individuals.It was an amazing achievement that every person selected was a member of the club and the icing on the cake that they performed so well at their first event as a team . And WHAT an event ......A World Championship against experienced scurry drivers and scurry and trials drivers from eight nations.

The Team came 6th overall ahead of Ireland and Australia.It comprised Emily Ham ( single pony ) with Crossfield Glory ( aka Mr J ), Jane Logan with scurry ponies Tri and Star as our pairs driver, Emily Curnock , 14 , with her outgrown pony Club Pony Top Dollar as our junior driver and another junior Melita Powell with her diminutive pony Jo Jo was the small pony driver for the team . Each team member also entered as an individual. 

Also driving for Wales were Alison Dascombe with Rockwood Lady and Ray Hopkins with Flint . Ray also took his Hafflinger Holly Lorriaie Alexander accompanied the team along with MIchael Ham as support staff and family members and friends came as supporters to cheer the Welsh to victory!

The event began with Nations Night on the Friday followed by a parade of all the turnouts with their flags before two rounds on Saturday of a long course of cones with two obstacles. There was a waterr tray and hoops to add challenge and test the courage and obedience of the ponies. After a tihrd round on Sunday the two best scores from each driver were added and the results corelated  to give the placings for the four categories and the teams. The best three teams and individuals then drove in the afternoon for the team and overall individual Gold , silver and bronze medals.

Our drivers were a credit to the club with some great rounds . Competition was fierce , as you would expect at a World Championship with only seconds separating the top drivers in each group. Emily Ham has been out of competition this sumer due to university commitmemts but drove three very fast clear rounds to lie 5th in the single pony and 6th overall as an individual. Emily Curnock was the Silver medal winner for the junior category with brilliantly paced rounds driving to optimium time . Allison Dascombe had a fabulous event . She sped round with Rockwood Lady to win Silver in the Single Pony and go through to the Championships where she won bronze overall. behind Lucy Scot in silver with her pony pair and Sue Denny  who won Gold with her pony. Alison who has really taken to the sport after her first event in April this year at Fonmon Castle with her two ponies , going on to take the Championship at Bridgend and then to compete successfully  at the Cheshire Game Fair. She has also competed successfully at the club scurry and trials competitions over the summer....making her the most practised and experienced of the Welsh squad at this sport.. 

The club is incredibly grateful to James Broome for his training and advice , to Jonathan Rees our President and Open driver who sponsored team caps under his business of JM Rees Metals and to TRISTAR who so generously sponsored every driveer and backstepper with two team shirts. emily Ham spent a great deal of time and trouble sorting out the team kit for everyone and all agreed it is very smart and really helped Wales stand out at the Championships . It will be invaluable for our driving demos at shows.