TT riders support Bahamas relief effort

ON October 13, the Barbados Equestrian Association hosted Beads of Hope at the Congo Road Equestrian Centre, St Phillip, Barbados.

A release from the TT Equestrian Association (TTEA) said this was a stable fellowship and fundraising one-day event and all profits went to the Bahamas Relief Effort via the Caribbean Disaster and Emergency Management Authority (CDEMA) in Barbados.

Seven representatives of the TTEA, accompanied by parents and TTEA vice president Vashish White, competed in this event to support the venture and to underscore TT’s solidarity with the Bahamas in the aftermath of Hurricane Dorian. Owner of Congo Road Equestrian Centre, coach and Pan American Games competitor, Roberta Foster, extended her gratitude to the TT delegation for their participation and support of Beads of Hope, which was also attended by Barbadian Minister of Creative Economy, Culture and Sports John Andrew King. TT riders Asha Bansee, Jaime Fletcher, Justynne Fletcher, Annabella Hill, Charlotte Mack, Sandhya Moll and Patrice Stollmeyer were each paired with a Barbadian counterpart to compete in the equestrian disciplines dressage, show jumping and cross country eventing. The wining team was the one with the least combined penalties.

National show jumper and FEI Level 1 coach Sandhya Moll, along with her Barbadian teammate Tammy Pinto, emerged victorious at the event. Pinto earned the highest dressage score of the day and when that was coupled with Moll’s clear round in the show jumping event on the mount, Lord Blackadder, the two were the overall champions. Moll also competed in the dressage discipline on the stallion Man in Black. She rode USDF First Level Test 3 and with a final score of 65.417 per cent she also emerged champion in this category.

Veteran FEI Level 2 coach Patrice Stollmeyer also competed in the dressage event, showcasing her talent on the horse Royal Diadem. They made an outstanding pair as they competed in the USDF Second Level Test 3, the second highest level test ridden on the day. With a score of 64.524 per cent, Stollmeyer placed first and was declared champion in this category.

Adult rider Asha Bansee also competed on Man in Black, in the USDF Training Level Test 3. Whilst she was pleased with her final score of 62.931 per cent, it was not enough to earn a placing, which she missed by mere decimal points against the very competitive Barbadian riders. Young adults Justynne Fletcher and Annabella Hill also competed in the USDF Training Level Test 3, with Fletcher entering twice. Annabella Hill received a final score of 60.172 per cent on the mount Rasmus. Fletcher received final scores of 62.069 per cent and 58.793 per cent on the mounts Rumba and Valentino respectively. Her test on Rumba was well ridden and resulted in her being Reserve Champion in the young adult category.

Nine-year-old Jaime Fletcher and 11-year-old Charlotte Mack both competed in the USDF Introduction Level C. On the mount Rumba, Mack received a final score of 64.250 per cent. Fletcher’s final score of 65.75 per cent on the horse Clover Lucky Chance earned her Reserve Champion in this category.

All young riders had a final challenge of a dexterity test. An obstacle course outlined to test rider/horse capability. The course developers put a lot of effort into making this enjoyable for the children. The release said the representatives of the TTEA were extremely happy and proud to be a part of this venture and wished the Barbados Equestrian Association every success in the Bahamas Relief Effort.