TREC Isle of Man held a qualifier event at the excellent Andreas Airfield venue by kind permission of the Isle of Man Branch of the Pony Club on Saturday.

The day was blessed with beautiful weather - in fact there has been good weather for all three of the summer competitions.

Thanks go to the visiting TD (technical delegate) Peter Bean who travelled over from White Horse TREC Group, along with his wife Paula, to oversee the competition. Their help was very much appreciated.

It was a qualifier for the 2023 National Grassroots Championship and the National TREC GB Championships to be held in the Cotswolds next August.

Thanks also go to main sponsor, Mann Benham, who assisted in making the day something to remember for the competitors.

The competition consisted of three phases. PTV involved 16 obstacles all designed to mimic situations one could find while out riding.

It was set out around the Pony Club’s cross-country course, which proved very enjoyable with some nice stretches of grass to canter along between the obstacles.

The MA ‘control of paces’ section is where riders have to demonstrate a fast walk and a slow canter in a marked out corridor.

Peter and Paula had brought with them their club’s automatic timing equipment; something the Manx club plans to invest in at some point.

The POR ‘orienteering’ phase tests the rider’s ability to follow a route on a map at a pre-determined speed.

All competitors thoroughly enjoyed the route that traceur Caroline Hawley had set out for them.

All competitors got to enjoy some off-road riding thanks to Alan and Rachel at nearby Ballakelly Farm and the Level 2 competitors enjoyed a ride across the Ayres thanks to DEFA.

Leading results

Level 1 Pairs: 1, Rachel Ranson-Teare and Alice Teare; 2, Andrea Needham and Susie Saunders. Level 1 Individual: Georgia Smith. Level 1 PTV Only: 1, Emma Dudgeon; 2, Kate Silverthorne. Level 1 PTV Only (Under 10): 1, Oshyn John; 2, Felicity Shimmin; 3, Connie Dillon. Level 2 Pairs: 1, Jessica Clague and Gillian Newey; 2, Suzanne Cregeen and Kathryn Scarlett; 3, Claire Bagshaw and Suzie Clague; 4, Éowyn Goldie and Helen Goldie; 5, Joni Dillon and Elliott Webb.

TREC Isle of Man’s next competition is the first of the winter series competitions at The Glebe, St Mark’s on Sunday, October 16. For more information about TREC please visit www.treciom.com

JO RALSTON