The Rise of LWC’s Riders

“It’s a bit like a school play,” reflects Camilla Read, when asked how it feels to compete in LWC colours, at some of the most prestigious riding events in the country.

 

“We have riders from 1st Form, through to Lower Sixth and that’s really exciting because you get people of all ages riding alongside each other for the College, just like when they’re in a school production together.”

 

Camilla loves horses. But she also loves heading up the largest and most successful equestrian team in LWC’s history. Good job, because she needs to combine it with her role as LWC’s School Nurse.

 

“My average day involves getting up at 6am to go and feed my horses, coming to work in the Health Centre and then going back to check on the horses on the way home with the girls.” Camilla also is a mother of three (two of whom are sitting GCSEs and A-levels this summer). “That’s why I look quite tired,” she smiles.

 

LWC’s riding teams have recently returned from the ‘cup final’ of their riding year: The National Schools Equestrian Association Championships at Hickstead. “We spend all year trying to qualify for this,” Camilla explains. “This is the big one.” Five teams in total represented the College, having qualified by becoming Hampshire County Champions in each of their respective events. “We had a dressage team, a 70cm and 80cm showjumping team and two arena eventing teams at 70cm and 90cm. That’s a huge achievement,” she beams.

 

The dressage team went on to rank within the top ten in the country, with individual successes for 4^th Former, Lucie and 5^th Former, Will. There were also strong performances in the showjumping. “They represented LWC equestrianism with so much pride and determination,” Camilla reflects. “Just getting here has been one of the highlights of the year. Hickstead is the home of British showjumping.”

 

“There’s a particular resilience that comes through riding, that you don’t get in anything else. You have to accept that you’re riding an animal, which is going to have good days and bad. You can ride it perfectly and things can still go wrong. That’s a tough lesson for a young person to learn…But then the joy they get out of it is huge. You’re enjoying your success with your horse and that’s a partnership like no other.”

— Camilla Read, Head of Riding

 

Camilla has had a long love affair with riding, which began at the tender age of ten. “I was very lucky and went to a boarding school which kept horses,” she explains. “So, I rode a lot there from the ages of 11 to 18. Then I went off to become a nurse and didn’t ride as much for many years, because nursing hours are long. Luckily, I married a man who’d grown up on a farm and had horses. During lockdown, someone offered me a pony for one of my children because they could no longer keep it and it snowballed from there.”

 

Both of Camilla’s daughters are now keen riders and compete for LWC, which means she can see the difference that the sport makes, first-hand.

 

“They love it and they love competing for the school. Everyone who rides for LWC is proud to do so. But it also teaches some valuable lessons. There’s a particular resilience that comes through riding, that you don’t get in anything else. You have to accept that you’re riding an animal, which is going to have good days and bad. You can ride it perfectly and things can still go wrong. That’s a tough lesson for a young person to learn. There are training schedules and preparation to fit in, which takes a lot of maturity.  You have to learn about keeping a horse fit as well as yourself and the utmost priority has to be given to the animal being well. But then the joy they get out of it is huge. You’re enjoying your success with your horse and that’s a partnership like no other.”

   

The relationship between horse and rider isn’t the only significant one when it comes to riding for LWC.

 

“This is a sport that doesn’t happen without a background of parental support,” reveals Camilla. “Parents will drive our riders and their horses around, they are the ones who keep the horses and look after them 365 days a year. We’re hugely grateful to our parents.” Representing LWC also comes with the added value of riding as part of a team, which some students won’t experience anywhere else. “Often riding is an individual thing,” Camilla continues. “So it’s really nice to do it in a team. There’s a lovely team spirit here.”

 

The highlights for LWC’s riders this year, haven’t only centred on the team achievements. Alongside their record-breaking success, 4^th Former Erin has performed at both the British Eventing Grassroots Championships at Badminton and in more recent weeks, at the Royal Windsor Horse Show, where she placed 8^th in the Pony Club 110 Showjumping Class with her pony, Frank.

 

Three years into having taken over as Head of Riding, Camilla has built a team that continues to go from strength to strength, with more riders set to join the College in September.

 

“We have diversity across the events and a real depth, from dressage, to showjumping and eventers,” she explains. “I’m looking forward to continuing to keep them all enthused, to keep growing as a team and staying a school that riders want to come to.”

 

As for combining her riding role with that of School Nurse, Camilla admits that it may be busy, but it has some benefits. “I know our students really well for one thing,” she reveals. “But at riding events, I’m often called upon when things happen. I’m known as a nurse…I think it’s just stamped on your forehead!”