Big summer in U.K. for Cayman Riding School

By Cayman Sports Buzz
- Tweet
- Pin It
Updated: 11 September 2017

Eva Muspratt flying over 1.20m during a training session in the U.K.

Members of Cayman Riding School had an action-packed summer trip to the United Kingdom, which included competitions and the opportunity to interact with an Olympic gold medallist.

The trip started with the Cayman Riders competing in a Charity Donkey Derby organised by The UK Lions Club. With over 2,500 spectators, the Cayman riders helped to raise over £3,800 to help fund projects for the local community.

Competing against riders from the UK and Tanzania, the day finished with an extra bonus as Cayman Rider Amelia Garnett won the title of Champion Jockey.

Cayman Riding School riders compete in Charity Donkey Derby and help raise £3,800 for UK Lions Club.

A visit to The Royal International Horse Show, one of the largest horse shows in the UK and the oldest horse shows in the world, meant the Cayman riders got to experience the world’s best in action.

Eva Muspratt, Freya Timms and Olivia Kluyver meet Olympic Gold Medalist Charlotte Dujardin.

The Cayman riders got to meet Olympic Gold medallist Charlotte Dujardin, the most successful British dressage rider in the history of the sport.

“Unless you are ‘horsey’, you have no idea how amazing it was to meet her,” said Olivia Kluyver, a young rider who trains with her own horse at Cayman Riding School. “It was such an honour and I was so excited. I did not know what to say!”

The group was also lucky enough to meet and get training tips from Olympic, European and World Championship show jumper Michael Whittaker and on the final day. Cayman Riding School owner and riding instructor, Tracey Surrey, arranged special permission for her group to enter the International arena to walk (study) the course for the €200,000 King George V Gold Cup and meet the winner, Yuri Mansur, who made history in being the first Brazilian to ever win the event.

“The jumps were absolutely massive,” said Kayla Godwin, another young rider from Cayman Riding School. “It gives you so much to aim for and makes you realise just how hard you have to work. I hope to put everything into practice now I am back to Cayman.”

Freya Timms wins the British Dressage Test riding Smokey Oakey

Two weeks jam packed with show jumping, carriage driving, dressage and cross-country training, stable management and team building exercises ended with the Cayman riders participating in a local horse show and achieving outstanding results: Juliette Forrester, Eva Muspratt and Olivia Kluyver were placed 1st thru 3rd in the 0.8m show jumping class and Freya Timms won her British dressage class.

For the past nine years, Surrey has organised similar trips to the UK to enable her riders to gain knowledge, compete and be exposed to experiences that they would not be able to do here in Cayman.

Cayman Riding School located on Hirst Road in Savannah has been affiliated with the British Pony Club for over 10 years and runs a very active program for children of all ages.

As an international youth organisation for young people interested in horses The British Pony Club has been the starting point for numerous international and Olympic riders – represented in over 27 countries with a overall membership exceeding 110,000 – it is the largest association of young riders in the world.

“Our affiliation with the British Pony Club is the perfect partnership,” said Surrey. “Our main emphasis is for riders of all abilities to learn and have fun in the safest way possible,” she added.