BRC National Horse Trials Championships at Swalcliffe August 2025

by Sara Grain.

Two teams qualified at Moreton in June for the SEIB Horse Trials Championships in Swalcliffe, Oxfordshire on August 1st-3rd, the 70cm team of Grace, Ony and Sara (Grace and Ony kindly stepping in as original members couldn’t make the championships) and the 80cm team of Alex, Chloe, Diane & Kerry. Alex & Kerry stepping in the complete the teams.

Friday night. Horses all settled in their temporary stables, we set up camp and wandered around checking out the show jumping course and cross-country.

Saturday. Some had an early start and some pretty late in the day – but it did mean we could mostly help each other out and video rounds etc. Swalcliffe was a wonderful venue – pleased I took my bike though as the stables were a long way from the trailers!

Dressage was first for the 70 team on grass – Grace did a wonderful test and scored 29, Ony was good too and I was terrible, cantering on the wrong leg and all sorts! I mostly don’t worry about dressage (apart from remembering it!) Note to self – must try harder.

The 80 team all did well in their dressage tests along with Alex who was riding Charlie in the 80 team and Lucy in the 90 individual.

Next up was show jumping on grass for the 70 team. Grace and Joey had a naughty stop and unfortunately ended up in the fence – so that was her event over (falling off is elimination) and the pressure off Ony and me! Poor Grace, who had only arrived that morning had to get back on the lorry and head home again – we were hugely grateful to her for making all the effort stepping in at the last minute and doing such a brilliant dressage test. These things happen and it’s VERY annoying as we all know, all too well sadly for some of us. Tango and I had a few points, I really do think, Tango thinks ‘points means prizes’ sadly he is wrong! Ony had a fabulous clear round on Freddie and we could finish the day tired but happy.

The 80 team all had good results in the show jumping, a couple of poles knocked by Charlie and a single pole from Sky but nothing too serious – so went into XC day looking good.

Most of us did a course walk with an eventer on Saturday evening – which was good to see and nice to hear how the pro’s approach it. The fences were quite challenging and up to height and the time had to be speedy.

Four of us joined in with the quiz held in the marquee on Saturday – great fun. Between us we did manage to cobble together some decent answers and sat around having a G&T together – then home to bed and get a good nights’ sleep before our big day of cross country.

Sunday. Team 70 was first to go – I’m always nervous we are going to let the team down and get eliminated but not this time … we did have two tiny stops which I’m sure were my fault but we galloped on and flew through the second part of the course and screamed through the finish line – RESULT! We got round the course and our score counted. Hurray! Ony had a super round with one tiny stop and we could relax and watch the 80 team go.

Team 80 started in great style – with Alex on Charlie gaining 3 time faults for going too fast, next to go in the pouring raining was poor Chloe – sadly the Trakehner proved too much for Murph and Chloe ended up in it. So annoying, even more so in the rain. Kerry and Angel were next, who in true Kerry style stormed it – to a clear round (ignoring the tiny time faults due to operator watch error!) Finally young Sky and Diane had a wonderful clear with just some time faults.

Individual team 90 Lucy & Alex – had a fabulous time – good dressage score of 30.5, amazing clear in show jumping and 4 tiny time faults cross country – gave them a 14th overall finish – the stakes were very high up with the big boys – you’d think that score would be at least top 10, if not better. Remember though – this is the national championships.

Team 70 finished 20th overall and team 80 finished 15th overall.

So after all that no frillies at all for anyone …. no one was disappointed though – we all had the best time, with great friends. SUCH FUN!

If you are a member of the club – we need you to step up and join one of our teams – you never know – it could be you next year galloping through the finish line at the championships!