17-YEAR-OLD IAN CLARK WINS ARMATHWAITE HALL RIDER OF THE FUTURE £2000 SCHOLARSHIP

Ian Clark from Didmarton, Badminton in Gloucestershire is the winner of the 2001 Armathwaite Hall Rider of the Future Scholarship, which provides £2000 to be spent on agreed training opportunities during the 2001 eventing season.

17-year-old Ian, whose competition successes during 2000 included wins and placings at intermediate and junior regional novice level, and a 24th placing at Weston Park three-day-event, was nominated by junior regional co-ordinater Celia Gough. She particularly praised his “very real flare at getting horses to enjoy jumping”, also confirming that Ian is “already a very mature cross country rider”.

“I can’t quite believe I’ve won yet!” said Ian, “I’m already planning where we want to take the horses this season and this is going to make such a difference to the amount of training I can look forward to.

“I want to benefit from working with some different trainers and learn as much as I can - one of my main ambitions is the Junior team this season and more, regular training makes such a difference to the horses too!”

Armathwaite Hall in the Cumbrian Lake District holds an annual advanced event each July. As part of the organising team’s support of eventing, the organisers have committed to an initial five year sponsorship of what is known as the Armathwaite Hall Rider Of The Future Scholarship, to provide £2000 annually for funding approved training to a junior rider.

Ian is the second recipient of the scholarship, the first winner was Emilie Chandler from Leicestershire, who enjoyed a very successful season in 2000.

The prize will also include a long weekend with at a professional event rider’s yard, where the emphasis will be ‘hands-on’ stable and horse management, plus advice on running a professional eventing yard.

Ian was shortlisted as one of 15 riders for this second annual Armathwaite Hall Rider of the Future Scholarship and Armathwaite Hall joint organiser Frank Hewett-Smith said, “We were impressed not only with Ian’s achievements in competition, but with his very clear idea of his ambitions for the future.”

“All of us on the selection committee felt that Ian has every chance of making rapid progress to the top level of the sport and we are delighted to be able to provide him with valuable training support.”

Ian will be formerly presented with the Armathwaite Hall Rider of the Future Scholarship at the Professional Event Riders Association Ball (P.E.R.A.) in mid February.

The shortlisted riders for the Armathwaite Hall Rider of the Future Scholarship were:-

Louisa Brassey Tetbury, Gloucestershire

Abi Walters Camborne, Cornwall

Ali Brewer Hartpury, Gloucestershire

Henry Dove Billesdon, Leicestershire

Kitty Boggis Bampton, Oxon

Ian Clark Badminton, Gloucestershire

Georgie Davies Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire

Zoe Gullit London

Sally Dawson Alderley Edge, Cheshire

Tish Thompson Grantham, Lincolnshire

Ibby Macpherson Blairgowrie, Perthshire

Olivia Haddow East Kilbride, Glasgow

Oliver Townend Huddersfield, Yorkshire

Emma Barr-Young York, Yorkshire

Melissa Standen Hawkhurst, Kent

IAN CLARK

WINNER OF THE £2000 ARMATHWAITE HALL RIDER OF THE FUTURE SCHOLARSHIP.

Age 17

Home Address:- Glebe Barn Farm, Didmarton, Badminton, South Gloucestershire.

Tel:- 01454 238487

Ian, who has now left school, currently divides his time between the horses and work with his father on the family farm - the family are tenant farmers on the Badminton Estate, home to the world famous 4-star three-day-event.

Mum Beth is his groom at events, drives the lorry and also does fittening and schooling work with the horses. Dad is described as ‘non-horsey’, but “offers some pretty good advice at times, keeps the lorry in tip-top condition and is even happy to do the mucking out!”

ACHIEVEMENTS 1999/2000

· Took over the ride on Kirstie Wakelin’s 13-year-old intermediate horse Spring Barley in mid July, achieving good intermediate placings and a 24th place in the Weston Park three day event.

· Ian jointly owns the 7-year-old gelding Secret Ballot with Alex Colquhoun and he won his first points at novice level during 2000.

TRAINS WITH:-

Tessa Thorne/Alwyn Davies - Dressage (Alwyn also trains Vere Phillips)

Rhian Jones (showjumping)

AMBITIONS FOR THE 2001 SEASON

· Aim Spring Barley for the Punchestown 2-star 3-day-event in the spring. He now has 54 points and will also contest advanced one-day events.

· Aim Secret Ballot at some early season novice and junior regional novice events, progressing to junior open intermediate and intermediate competitions.

· Aim for selection for the Junior European Team.

· Perhaps aim Spring Barley for the 3-star 3-day-event in the autumn.

· Perhaps aim Secret Ballot for the 1-star 3-day event.

· Progress the education and competition experience of other pre-novice and novice horses in his string.

HOPES ALSO TO TRAIN WITH:-

Angela Tucker

Yogi Breisner

ULTIMATE AMBITIONS

“To competed at the very highest level of our sport - it would be great to be the first tenant farmer on the Badminton Estate to ride at Badminton!”

“To continue eventing alongside farming with my father - I love the farm and wouldn’t ever want to give it up - I think I’ll be rather busy!”