ERA Annual Ball 2011

What an evening! 300 guests including top riders such as William Fox-Pitt, Ruth Edge, Rodney Powell, Lucinda Fredericks, and Louise Skelton joined ERA Chairman Francis Whittington, together with BE Officials, Organisers and other eventing enthusiasts for the ERA Ball on Saturday 26th February at Cheltenham Racecourse.

It all started with a Champagne reception, generously sponsored by Bouvet-Ladubay, which was a great opportunity for the networking & partying to begin. We enjoyed the hospitality at Cheltenham Racecourse's Centaur Auditorium, with an excellent three course meal, fine wines and the popular 'buckets of beer', before bidding started for the auction of several generously donated prizes. This was conducted in a lively manner by William's wife Alice Fox-Pitt, no stranger to a microphone. Following the auction and an excellent raffle of more super prizes, over £2000 was raised towards the running costs of ERA, most of which will be invested back into the sport, British Eventing Chairwoman Amanda Ratcliffe oversaw the presentations.

The award winners were:

» Louise Skelton
The Martin Whiteley Trophy (British rider with the most points but no Union Jack)
» Ruth Edge
the Jemima Johnson Trophy (to the Senior rider who epitomised the sport)
» Tom McEwan
Edy Goldman Trophy (Under 21 rider with the most BE points)
» William Fox-Pitt
Tony Collins Trophy (British rider with the most BE points)

The enthusiastic band Locomotion played a wide and well-received assortment of numbers, ranging from The Beatles to Lady Gaga, keeping the dance-floor packed into the early hours. It was very encouraging to see so many younger members in attendance. A few of the gentlemen present said it was especially lovely to see so much of them!

ERA Chairman Francis Whittington said: "This 'First ball of the new ERA' has been a great success, showing unity between ourselves and our governing body British Eventing. It was particularly nice to see the new Chairman of BE here to present the awards. We are very grateful to Champagne Bouvet-Ladubay and all the sponsors who provided the auction and raffle prizes (see HERE for details), without whose contributions none of this would have been possible. We must also thank British Eventing for their strong support of the ERA Ball.

We intend to grow and develop the Ball in 2012, and we hope it will continue to feature the BE Awards, this evening is a great way to welcome in the coming season."

If you missed it this year then this is simply a 'must' date for your diary next year; all agreed it's one of those events simply too good to miss!

Pictures the 2011 ERA Ball and the BE awards:
(Photographs courtesy of Optimal Photography).