King’s Hawford Equestrian Team Achieve First National Championship Qualifications

Our first equestrian competition of the new academic year for us also saw our first qualifications for the NSEA National Championships at Hickstead 2026! Go Team Hawford!

The trip to The Unicorn Trust Equestrian Centre in Stow on the Wold proved to be a successful one for the King’s Hawford Equestrian Team. The show was sponsored by Kitebrook School.

Freddie L, Georgina N, Claudia O and our newest member, Iona P, all rode gutsy and determined rounds over what proved to be a challenging course with plenty of spooky fillers, to be placed Team 2nd and Freddie 3rd place individual in the 40cm class.

The same team put the spookiness of the 40cm course behind them and rode with great panache to be placed Team 2nd and Claudia 6th individual in the 50cm class.

Rosie H rode two lovely clear rounds to come 5th in both the 60cm and the 70cm classes.

The Hawford equestrian team came away having achieved six qualifications for the NSEA National Championships at Hickstead in August 2026:

40cm – Team qualification for Freddie L, Georgina N, Claudia O and Iona P

40cm – Individual qualification for Freddie L

50cm – Team qualification for Freddie L, Georgina N, Claudia O and Iona P

50cm – Individual qualification for Claudia O

60cm – Individual qualification for Rosie H

70cm – Individual qualification for Rosie H

It was a super day. The team spirit was wonderful, with the children (and parents) incredibly supportive of each other. It was lovely to see Chloe T, now in Year 7, competing for King’s.

Plenty of Hawford’s qualities were on display, not least resilience, determination, sportsmanship and care for their ponies.