Trailblazer
Entries For 2003 Are "Staggering"
Decision
taken to extend 2004 championship to four days
Nearly
58,000 riders have taken part in first round qualifying competitions
for the PSOA/South Essex Insurance Brokers Trailblazers national
championship.
The
series is run by the Permanent Show Organisers Association (PSOA),
and 43 of its member centres around the country have been running
qualifying competitions in showjumping and dressage. The series
is aimed at an estimated 200,000 unaffiliated competitors.
PSOA
spokesman Norman Bargh said that more than 1,950 riders were expected
to qualify for the national final, which will be held on August
1-3 at the National Agricultural Centre, Stoneleigh.
"The
figures for this year are staggering," said Mr Bargh, "but
still fall a long way short of the number of leisure and weekend
riders who choose not to affiliate for one reason or another.
"Five
more of our member centres have decided to run qualifying rounds
next winter and we have already taken the decision to extend the
2004 final to four days, so we will see next year how close we
can get to that target figure."
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