18-YEAR-OLD EMILIE CHANDLER WINS ARMATHWAITE HALL RIDER OF THE FUTURE £2000 SCHOLARSHIP

Emilie Chandler from Melton Mowbray in Leicestershire is the first recipient of the new Armathwaite Hall Rider of the Future Scholarship, which provides £2000 to be spent on agreed training opportunities during the 2000 season.

18-year-old Emilie, whose competition successes during 1999 included a win in the British Junior Championships at Windsor, a win in the final Junior selection trial, representing Great Britain at the Junior European Championships in France and taking fourth place in the Tweseldown CCN*, heard about her win just before Christmas.

“It’s absolutely fabulous - I’m quite shocked really”, said Emilie. “I want to train with different people, learn as much as I can and this is a great opportunity - I haven’t got any definite plans yet for the 2000 season, but I would quite like to base myself with a trainer for a time, so that I can get as much benefit as possible.”

Armathwaite Hall in the Cumbrian Lake District held its first BHTA event in June and is to host high-profile advanced competition in July 2000. As part of the event’s support of horse trials - which in 1999 included event sponsorship and the largest single donation to the BEF Olympic 2000 fund - 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.

Selection committee members Mandy Stibbe, Gill Watson, Chris McGrann, Armathwaite Hall Director and Joint Organiser Charles Graves and Joint Organiser Frank Hewett-Smith, drew up a shortlist of 25 riders registered with the JRN and JOIT programmes from those names initially submitted, finally selecting Emilie as the scholarship’s first beneficiary.

The prize will include a long weekend with Kristina Gifford at her yard, where the emphasis will be ‘hands-on’ stable and horse management, plus advice on running a professional eventing yard. Kristina has had the experience of junior, young rider and now senior competition and is keen to pass on her experiences to a promising junior rider. The remainder of the £2000 prize will be for Emilie to spend on training with BHTA approved trainers of her choice.

All of the other riders on the short list will be invited to attend a cross country course walk with a British International rider at a major three day event.

“We are delighted that we have found such a well-deserving winner for the first Armathwaite Hall Rider of the Future Scholarship”, said Armathwaite Hall Joint Organiser Frank Hewett-Smith. “We were impressed not only with Emilie’s achievements in competition, but with her determination to achieve specific objectives along the route to her ultimate ambition of competing for Britain at the very highest level.

“All of us on the selection committee felt that Emilie has every chance of achieving her ambition and we are keen to give her the opportunity to take a further step up the ladder during the coming season, when the scholarship will provide her with valuable training support.”

EMILIE CHANDLER

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

Age 18

Currently ‘sponsored by her parents - “who support me a lot” and by her gran - “we always ring her up when we get back from an event”.

ACHIEVEMENTS 1998/99

· August 1998 Represented Great Britain in the Junior European Championships in Poland. Won team gold and individual silver medals

· November 1998 Winner of Spillers under 21’s ‘Star of the Future’ award for horse trials

· May 1999 Winner of the British Junior Championships at Windsor Horse

Trials

· August 1999 Winner of the Junior Final Trial at Hartpury

· September 1999 Represented Great Britain in the Junior European Championships

in France

· October 1999 4th place in the Tweseldown CCN* on her second ride All’s Fair,

who won 52 points this season and upgraded to advanced

· Qualified for the national Novice and Intermediate Championships with both All’s Fair and top string Weston Miskris, a 9-year-old 7/8 thoroughbred mare by Krisinsky, bought in November 1996 having completed 2 pre-novices and now with 59 points. (N.B. Horses do not win points in competitions designated exclusively for juniors, only in sections also open to ‘senior’ riders). Did not compete in either Championship due to team commitments

· October 1999 Winner (one of five) of the 1999 Lesley Bullock Eventing Award

AMBITIONS FOR THE 2000 SEASON

· Main ambition - to compete successfully in the Young Riders section at the 3-star Bramham 3-day-event.

· Having taken a year out after leaving school, Emilie wants to train with “different people, so I can learn as much as possible and do the best I can with the horses.”

ULTIMATE AMBITION

“To compete at the very highest level of our sport, ultimately having the honour to represent Great Britain at the Olympic Games…………” “…..……I would like the opportunity to learn from the very best people, so one day I may fulfil my ambition and go on to help someone like me achieve theirs.”