St John's equestrians start 2020 with qualifications for summer contests
St John's team: (l to r) Rebecca Firth, Sophia Cicero, Sophie Pash, Lucy TowleThe St John’s Academy equestrian team got off to a strong start in 2020. After some well-earned rest over Christmas and the New Year the riders and ponies competed locally in Melksham to qualify for the Hickstead Eventers Challenge in May.
The course is built with a combination of show jumps and rustic cross-country fences and is ridden against the clock.
The school took teams across all the heights and were placed in every class. St John’s picked up a fifth rosette in the 70 and 80 cm with the teams of Elsie Benneyworth , Lottie Turnell, Millie Turnell, Sophie Pash, Lucy Towle, Rebecca Firth and Sophia Cichero.
Charlie Ahl 
Imogen Thompson
The 90cm team won the large class and the team of Charlie Ahl, Millie Turnell, Emily Pash and Imogen Thompson are heading off to Hickstead - as they qualified. Emily and Imogen being placed first and second really was a fantastic result. The competition showed much determination from the whole team.
(L to r) Louisa Lloyd Jones, Lara Nasse, Izzy Down, Daisy Down
The last class of the day saw Daisy Down, Izzy Down, Lara Nasse and Louisa Lloyd Jones jump to come a close third - just missing out on qualification as a team in a very competitive class.
Izzy was placed fourth overall and so qualifies as an individual. Daisy Down just missed out on qualification with an individual fifth place.