British Vaulter, Joanne Eccles with her horse W.H Bentley and lunger/ father John Eccles wins the international in Holland, this is the 2nd time that Joey has retained the top spot at Ermelo achieving a score of 8.3. Joanne beat the 2006 World champion Megan Benjamin into second place with fellow American Mary McCormack coming third. This is oannes ninth consecutive win at every international competition she has attended over the past 2 seasons.

Sister Hannah Eccles, who is now also competing in the senior class, came 6th with a score of 7.7 and achieved the second highest score of the day for her freestyle on the second day. The Eccles sisters have made a strong start to their campaign for achieving podium places at the FEI Alltech World Equestrian Games in Kentucky, USA.

Brogan Moffat a ‘Wee Counties’ team member came 6th in the CVI* (Junior) class in her very first international competition, scoring 6.6 on Tylers Kernal lunged by John Eccles. Brogan is working towards selection for the Junior Championships to be held in Austria in August of this year.

Summary

CVI**
1st Joanne Eccles GBR
2nd Megan Benjamin USA
3rd Mary McCormack USA
6th Hannah Eccles GBR

CVI*
6th Brogan Moffat GBR

Sisters Joanne and Hannah Eccles are off to compete in the international in Holland this weekend. Both sisters won their respected classes last year (Joanne the senior and Hannah the Junior) This year Hannah is now in senior, so will be up against her sister. They will both compete on WH Bentley their normal horse, who recently won the best horse prize in the CVI Saumur in France. Both sister come off the back of great performances last month in Saumur where Joanne won for the 3rd time and Hannah was a close 4th.

Joining the sisters is Brogan Moffat who will compete in the junior individual CVI *. She will compete on Tylers Kernal and this will be her international debut as an individual as she has only competed in team before.

1. The Regulations are divided into two sections, with the approach to Banned Substances (doping) stricter than the previous rules while the rules governing Controlled Medication Substances are more flexible to compensate for the realities of competition.
2. ETUEs are no longer available for Banned (doping) Substances.
3. While the rider of the Horse is still the “Person Responsible” and therefore strictly liable, the new regulations call for greater focus on support personnel as potential “Additional Persons Responsible”.
4. There will be a presumption of a two-year ban on any PR who has violated the Equine Anti-Doping Rules (i.e. involving a Banned Substance).
5. The PR now has the opportunity to have the B Sample tested at a different lab from the one that tested the A Sample and to have a witness throughout the entire laboratory analyzing process.
6. The FEI Equine Prohibited Substances List clearly names all the substances not allowed in competition whilst under FEI rules.  There will be a minimum of 3 months notice before a new substances is added to the List for the next year. See www.feicleansport.org
7. Within the List, there are two categories, Banned Substances which have no common legitimate use in equines, and Controlled Medications, which have common uses, but are not allowed whilst in FEI competition.
8. A record of medications given at any time from the FEI Equine Prohibited substances List must now be kept, whether in competition or outside. All that is required is to record the date, place, active substance used, the person responsible and the treating veterinarian (if applicable).
9. Laboratory Detection Levels for substances  at all laboratories are set at fair and equal levels.
10. Any suspicions of a lack of integrity in the sport can be reported directly to the FEI or to the Equestrian Community Integrity Unit.

Easter weekend saw a British raid on the French international, a total of 4 podiums positions and 2 national anthems showed a British domination of the competition.

European Champion Joanne Eccles retained her female title for a 3^rd year on her own WH Bentley lunged by her father John Eccles, her sister Hannah performed a very strong new freestyle to put her in 4^th and Lucy Phillips another to have improved hugely over the winter close behind in 5^th.

Ross Foreman impressed all with his freestyle to finish in 5^th in a close male competition. This was won by French European champion Nicolas Andreani.

The Team Class was won by the German team from Koln with a very difficult freestyle but close behind where the South Scotland Select team from GBR who have worked hard all winter and performed beautifully to finish in 2^nd place. The English Vaulting Squad who have rearranged their routine to be ready for WEG in September finished in 5^th place.

2010 was the first year Saumur have included a Nations Cup class, due to the good results achieved in the normal team class, GBR were able to enter 2 nations cup teams. 7 teams competed including France, GBR, Germany, Holland & Belgium

All 3 members of GBR 1  preformed fantastically under pressure in a tense packed  arena to lead throughout and clinch the top spot, this is the first time GBR has won such a class.  GBR 2 also meant business and performed better than day 1 clinching the 3^rd place on the podium, with France managing to hold onto second in between them.

A nations team is made up of 2 individuals and 1 team, all 3 do their freestyle routine and the scores are added together to reach a final score.

GBR 1 was made up of Eccles sisters Joanne and Hannah, on their own WH Bentley and the ‘South Scotland select ‘ team (Ross foreman, Lucy Phillips, Stacey Macpherson, Katy Nimmo, Lucy Younger, Angus Runciman & Rebecca Kinghorn) on horse Bart Simpson, lunged by Rebecca Morgan.

GBR2 was made up of Lucy Phillips on Pitucelli, Ross Foreman on MasterKey and the ‘English Vaulting Squad’ (Sarah Reid, Emma Runge, Stephanie Hunter, Lydia Barham, Sara Shortland, Paige Brown & Megan Bignell) on horse Go for Gold, lunged by Julie Newell.

GBR also won both ‘best horse’ prizes in the female individual for WH Bentley and the Team horse for Bart Simpson.

**Summary of GBR results:

Nations Cup (made up of 2 individuals and 1 team):  1st (GBR 1) & 3rd (GBR2)

Senior Team class: 2nd South Scotland Select and 5th English Vaulting Squad

Female:

1^st: Joanne Eccles on WH Bentley lunger John Eccles

4^th: Hannah Eccles on WH Bentley lunger John Eccles

5^th Lucy Phillips on Pitucelli            lunger Rebecca Morgan

15^th Louise Sinclair on ILPH Islay   lunger Liz Mackay

29^th Harriet Nicol on ILPH Islay      lunger Liz Mackay

35^th Lydia Barham on Solitaire Legacy lunger Julie Newell

Male: 5^th Ross Foreman on Master Key lunger Rebecca Morgan

Overall best team horse prize: Bart Simpson
Overall best individual horse prize: WH Bentley