Issue 153

Players Locker: Sarah Duke

26th February 2007

In reality, for this month's feature we needed something decidedly bigger than a locker, not that Sarah Duke is a big girl (in fact quite the opposite), just that there is something key to her sport that is not in the picture...a horse!

Sarah is the club captain for the Swansea University Equestrian Club, and has recently become the first ever member of the Swansea team to progress to the regional level of the BUSA equestrian competition. She has progressed from the group stage of the competition, of which there are three rounds, one home event for each of the teams in each division, Cardiff, Swansea and Aberystwyth.

Each round consists of a set of horses at each venue which all the other teams have to ride around the same course, so the points awarded are for each individual rider's skill in two events, dressage and jumping.

This year Swansea were unable to progress to the next round of the competition in the team event, as they came second to the team from North Wales. What is so unique is that this time Swansea have managed to get a rider into the individual event, who will now compete in the regional level of the competition, as one of the 18 riders competing for the three places to go to the next level, which would mean representing the south against the north.

Sarah is obviously really proud of this fact, but is not expecting anything from the next stage of the competition. "There are 18 riders competing for three places to carry on in the competition...but last year a rider from Cardiff got through and I beat her this year, so anything could happen. There is a lot of luck in the events, it depends on which horse you get and who you could ride against."

It has taken many years of practice to get Sarah to this level, she talks about her early riding experiences as "being put on a horse by my Gran, as my parents are not horsy people at all."

She has been riding since the age of three in her hometown of Chepstow - although she is keen to point out she is English. From this she owned ponies at school and all the way up until she came to Swansea University. She has had a great deal of success in competitions throughout period as well, in particular she speaks of one horse, Joshua, with who she won lots of jumping rosettes.

"He was only 13 hands high, but could jump about five feet, the fact I am so small obviously helped, there is little to weigh him down."

From here she could not be stopped, and when she came to Swansea it was obvious to carry on riding. She also has an experienced trainer who will be helping in the lead up to these events, the current GB youth coach, who is based in her home stable and has been invaluable over the years "he has given me countless horses to ride and taken me to competitions all over the country."

In her second year she was voted vice captain of the club here in Swansea, but ended up running the club on her own for half the year as the captain walked out. Sarah also spoke of how hard it is to run the club as well as her degree. "Its not like being captain of the rugby or the netball teams, I deal with people who join the club who have never ridden a horse before right up to the teams that we send to events, as well as organising the home competitions."

Whereas most team captains turn up on a Wednesday afternoon for their hour or two of sport, Sarah leads classes all day from beginner level, through intermediate level right up to the squad where she gets to ride herself, as well as mucking out, and preparing the horses. As well as riding in the yard the club do a variety of other events, including pub rides, gymkhana games, and trips to national horse events like the National Wales Show.

Sarah is keen to mention the increased support she has had from the AU this year, "As riding is such an expensive sport its good to have increased funding.

They have also been really supportive about me progressing to the next round of the BUSA competition and have offered to help in any way they can."

The next round of the competition is to be held on March 14, at King's Corner, Southampton. If you would like to get involved with riding here in Swansea contact the AU for more information to get started.

Matt Cannon