Teenage horse riders from Bedford enjoy success at national championships

Roisin McLoughlin 16, and Tara Hill, 16, have been riding for many years at the Elisabeth Curtis Riding for the Disabled Centre (RDA) in Bromham

They now volunteer at the centre and help to take care of the ponies and to support in providing therapeutic horse riding to other people with disabilities.

In May the two girls competed against other riders from the RDA’s east region at the qualifying competition held at the College of West Anglia in Cambridge.

They were placed top in their Countryside Challenge classes there, and qualified to attend the National Championships held on July 13-15. The school was thrilled to see them placed second in their classes, against qualifiers from the other 17 RDA regions.

The RDA National Championships, held annually in Gloucestershire, is the largest event of its kind in the world attracting over 400 qualifiers from across the UK.

Countryside Challenge is a course which challenges riders to accurately control their pony through a series of obstacles, demonstrating their ability in skills learned during RDA sessions.

The Elisabeth Curtis Centre is a purpose built riding centre which caters solely for disabled riders.

It is home to eight ponies, cared for by two part-time grooms and a dedicated team of volunteers. Sessions are run term time Monday to Saturday, catering for around 100 riders per year. Visit http://www.elisabethcurtiscentre.co.uk