AMELIA JEFFERY will lead the Guernsey team who are out to defend the Ringer Memorial and Settyres trophies. The Sarnian senior quartet last year overcame a first-leg deficit at the BSJA Guernsey Horse of the Year Show to defeat visitors from England, France and Jersey to claim the overall and inter-insular prizes for the match.

Jeffery and Loftsome Moonlight were part of that victorious side and now the rider, who is also the current senior showjumper of the year title holder, has the honour of captaining the side 12 months on.

She is joined by another member of the 2006 team in Sanna-Liisa Valtanen riding Larsen du Home while Louise Warr on Iago du Tertre Jansen and Charlotte Breban with Papillon III complete the line-up.

‘It is Charlotte’s first appearance for the senior team, although she has represented the juniors before. She has had an excellent season – her horse is jumping out of his skin,’ said BSJA Guernsey’s HOYS secretary Sarah Mills.

Reserve for the seniors is Inga Le Prevost and her horse Personality.

They will be up against a team from Brittany representing France and the King’s Troop return to jump for England. Jersey should be typically strong also.

Tiffany Gervaise-Brazier will lead the Guernsey juniors as they look to regain the Team Trophy from Jersey.

The captain rides Crystal Sword and is joined by Penny Freeman on Kilrea Boy, Shelley Tostevin riding Lockinge Daisy and Jodie Travers with Rock Dragon.

‘We have definitely got a good chance in the seniors and it would be nice to win both that and the juniors this year,’ Mills said.

The second legs of both the junior and senior will provide the culmination of what is set to be an action packed five days of equestrianism.

Chemin Le Roi plays host to 93 classes in total during the show, with popular UK course designer David Cole setting the challenges.

‘The entries are absolutely superb. It is definitely the biggest year yet,’ said Mills, who will be stationed in the recently delivered new BSJA Guernsey bus that was being refitted earlier this week.

‘We have temporary stables up for the first time to house all the overspill.

‘We have about 50 coming up from Jersey and we were due to have more from England but the foot and mouth outbreak has prevented some horses from coming.

‘We are running two arenas every day bar Wednesday so it is all go. Everything is shaping up very nicely.’