CHAMPIONSHIP DANCE ENJOYED AT CHELTENHAM
03-03-2006
The AJA gave their five 2005 Champions a night to remember with the AJA Championship Dinner Dance at Cheltenham Racecourse on Saturday 18th February.
Luke Harvey kindly acted as compere and assisted AJA President Gay Kindersley in presenting the prize winners with their cups and trophies, following the President delivering a poem to the assembled company to mark the occasion, for which he received a standing ovation.
Luke Harvey then conducted an auction which raised over £1000 for the AJA. This will be put to good use in sponsoring an amateur riders’ race later this year. Very many thanks to all those who donated prizes for the auction, in particular George Goring of Gorings Hotel, Frankie Dettori and Weatherbys.
One champion who was certainly in good spirits was 2005 National Hunt champion Thomas Greenall, who had enjoyed a splendid and facile win earlier in the day at Taunton on BRIAREUS for former amateur jockey Andrew Balding in the Bathwick Tyres Kingwell Hurdle with an all-the-way victory as he readily repelled all challengers up the straight.
Congratulations to all of our prize winners:
2005 National Hunt Gentleman Amateur Champion – Thomas Greenall; Runner-Up Nick Williams.
2005 National Hunt Lady Amateur Champion – Polly Gundry; Runner-Up Rose Davidson.
2005 Flat Gentleman Amateur Champion – Simon Walker; Runner-Up – Lee Newnes.
2005 Flat Lady Amateur Champion – Serena Brotherton; Runner-Up – Emily Jones.
2005 All-Weather Champion Amateur – Scott Dobson; Runner-Up – Simon Walker.
President’s Prize 2005 for outstanding achievement – Julian Pritchard.
Weatherbys’s Prize for Most Memorable NH Ride – Sam Waley-Cohen.
Weatherbys’ Prize for Most Memorable Flat Ride – Scott Dobson.