Eighteen year old Harrogate student, George Couttie, has been crowned winner of the senior boys race at the English Schools’ AA Cross Country Championships.

The event in Nottingham saw hundreds of sixth form pupils representing both schools and clubs from across the nation.

The races were split into age groups – junior, intermediate, and senior – with 100 boys competing in the senior category.

George, who studies at Harrogate Grammar School, won the senior’s 7km race by a 5-second lead, with a time of 0:19:12.

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George is currently studying for his A-Levels, after which he will study sports science at the University of Charleston, in West Virginia, on a sports scholarship.

He is coached by Joanne Day at Harrogate Harriers and is hoping to run for Great Britain in the future.

Alice Couttie, George’s mother, said he has competed most weekends over the winter:

“George has high hopes for track races over summer.

“He deserves this recognition”.

Eve Whittaker, another member of Harrogate Harriers, also competed and ranked fourth place in the senior girls’ race.

She completed the 5.9km race with a time of 0:16:25.

It took six-and-a-half hours to drive 10-year-old Tegan Ford and her pony from North Yorkshire to West Sussex for a one-minute ride, but it was well worth it.

The long journey was to Hickstead – home of the famous derby that attracts the world’s elite showjumpers – and mother, Sarah, didn’t want her daughter to miss the experience of taking part in the National Schools Equestrian Association event.

Tegan and her 18-year-old pony, called Lilly Hill Make My Day, had earned their place by winning a qualifying competition at Northallerton Equestrian Centre.

They represented Grewelthorpe Primary School in the county showjumping class over fences measuring 70-75cm.

Tegan and her mother Sarah, with ponies Sox and Leo in the background

The event, for riders up to the age of 12, attracted 30 entries and Tegan was the only representative from the north.

She and her bright bay pony with four nimble white feet, completed a clear round over 12 fences, but her left foot slipped out of the stirrup at the sixth obstacle and the lost seconds meant they finished a very creditable fourth.

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Tegan said:

“That was really annoying, but Sox [the stable name for her pony] kept balanced and her experience meant we cleared all of the fences.

“I was so proud of her, she is a lovely horse.”

As well as the journey down to Hickstead, there was another six and a half hour drive back to Yorkshire after an overnight stay down south.

Ms Ford, who drove the hired horsebox, told the Stray Ferret:

“When I discovered that Tegan and Sox had qualified for an event at Hickstead, I wanted to ensure that she could take part.

“It’s a long way to go to see a ride of only 60 seconds, but its something we will both remember for all our lives.”

Tegan has won more than 50 rosettes since she started riding at the age of six and last year collected a prize of £100 for winning a Show Cross competition at Richmond Equestrian Centre,

She was due to take part in the same event this weekend and her bright bay Sox, looks fit and raring to go.