96
Riding
by Polly Chelton
T
his was a very successful year of
equestrian activities, with many
events in the calendar. The year
started with the Bruton and Stonar One
Day Events which we entered again this
year, plus of course the Blundell's School
ODE at Cuckoo's Nest. King's pupils also
rode in the Wellington Inter-Schools Show
Jumping at Heazle.
Riding 2012 started with the annual clinic
from British Olympian Mary King, which
was again very successful and hugely
exciting. Two King's riders took part in the
inaugural Taunton School team show
jumping at Stockland Lovell. King's riders
then ended their year busily planning for
their own show jumping event at
Comeytrowe this September, at the
beginning of the new academic year.
Georgina Thomson, Tarn McIntosh and
Nancy Rowe with Polly Chelton at the
Bruton One Day Event
T
he members of the swimming
squad deserve a great deal of
credit for their efforts this year.
The first meeting was against a very
strong Blundell's team, and featured
some high quality swimming from both
schools. The overall result was a 173173
draw, with the girls winning their
section, and the boys falling short by
just one point. There were several
excellent swims throughout the
afternoon, with a stand-out performance
from Angus Urquhart, who swam for
the seniors and gained a personal best
in the 50m backstroke.
Emily Parris won the backstroke and
Alex Dunham, Rob McPherson and Sam
Fletcher all took first place in their
races. Charlotte Parris won both the
individual medley and butterfly races.
The next meeting was against a very
strong Queen's team that boasted
several club swimmers. The overall
result was a loss, with Queen's on 196
points and King's on 156, although the
senior boys won their section. There
were several excellent swims, with wins
for Olivia Hake in the 50m butterfly and
Emily Parris in the individual medley and
backstroke. Angus Urquhart, James
Walsh and Olly Gibb also recorded good
wins, while Charlotte Parris did very well
swimming for the senior girls.
The junior team gave a very good
account of themselves against
Plymouth. All the swimmers competed
to the best of their ability resulting in a
close match, with the boys winning their
section by five points. The girls narrowly
lost out, which meant we just came
second in the fixture overall. Well done
to Sam Fletcher who won the 50m
breaststroke, and to Blaine Tottle who
won the 50m front crawl.
Against Taunton, the overall score was a
loss, 194 points to 150, although the
overall girls' score was a draw. Special
mention should go to the junior girls who
beat Taunton and secured several
excellent wins. Stand-out performances
came from Helena Winsey who achieved
first place in the 50m crawl, Olivia Hake
who won the 50m butterfly, and Emily
Parris who won both her individual
medley and butterfly races.
The junior boys also swam brilliantly,
with wins for Zach Spiers in the 50m
crawl and Angus Urquhart in the 50m
backstroke. Charlotte Parris, Tilly
Barker and Jess Sones also took first
place in their events.
The final event of the season was the
prestigious Meade King Cup, the oldest
inter-school swimming competition in the
country. While King's lacked the quantity
of club swimmers that other schools
were able to call on, all members of the
squad showed great determination.
Each race was fiercely contested, and
Emily Parris and Angus Urquhart once
again produced excellent victories.
All the swimmers should be
congratulated on the dedication they
have shown. The training involved ranks
with the toughest of any sports, and
requires huge levels of fitness along with
excellent technique. Extra training
sessions have been added for the
forthcoming year, and discussions have
taken place on the possibility of holding
a training camp during the Easter
holidays. The school has also invested
in new kit for the team, and, under the
captaincy of Rob McPherson and Tilly
Barker, exciting times lie ahead!
Swimming by Terry McHenry