Riding: What a fantastic year it’s been, with both the A and B team enjoying great success this season. Both teams won their home competitions with the A-Team collecting one red team rosette, two yellow team rosettes and numerous individual rosettes from their away competitions. The B-Team also had great success away bringing home team rosettes in every colour and plenty of individual ones too. This included a first place rosette for Team Captain Rachel Walsh in the first competition of the season! This success resulted in Rachel, along with A-Team rider and Social Secretary Melissa Chalk, being awarded half colours.
Their excellent and consistent form led the A-Team to become the first known riding team in Royal Holloway history to compete in the Regional Qualifiers. Despite competing against semi-professional riders they still managed to place a respectable third, with STARS rider, Georgie Wood, qualifying as an individual to the BUCS Equestrian Nationals in June. The club is extremely proud of her success and we are all looking forward to cheering her on in true Royal Holloway style! The B-Team came second in their league, narrowly missing a place at the BUCS Regional Qualifiers by one point.
The Riding Team would like to say a massive thank you to all the staff at Billz Equestrian Centre. Our trainer, Philippa ‘Billz’ Jackson, was nominated for ‘Coach of the Year’ at Colours Ball 2014 and has been a tremendous support to all of our competitors this season. Sarah Coppleston
Holloway Players: Last year’s leavers hit us where it hurt, dialling down our numbers considerably. Thankfully, under the wonderful and in no way tyrannical rule of Ethan Lawrence this academic year, we were able to recruit a whole new cast, in our typically audition-less fashion.
It is worth mentioning, not only because it makes me proud to say this (it does) or because this gets me a sweet kickback (it doesn’t), but we’ve now got a second group of improvisers who’ve left the cradle of the Holloway Players to go on to great things. Tearing up London are Population 8, headed by last year’s rep Tom Midgely, joining Shoot From The Hip!, in the role of ‘improv groups we can justify going to London for’. Provided there isn’t a Players gig on (or off) campus, of course.
We’ve still got our spiritual home, and indeed sometimes after a few too many bevvies our actual home, in the form of the Foresters Arms. Thanks to the availability and welcoming atmosphere we have performed more Players gigs there this year than ever before, and indeed this entire year has been a real barnstorm of activity for us.
And that leads me to next year. We’ll be led by Rob Guy, and I. He and indeed every member of the Players can guarantee the same atmosphere, the same silliness, the same fun. Come see us sometime. Ollie Clark
Insanity Radio was always one of the societies I wanted to join, but had never had the courage to get involved with, yet somehow, eventually, and with some trepidation, we were beginning our first show. Thrown together at the last minute, with the order written on a pizza box, we knew in our hearts we had a recipe for success. Although not quite the shipping forecast of house music we had hoped for, under the guidance of the wonderful Emma Peagam we made it through. A regular audience of family and friends and battling Alice and Myriad – the radio controller and computer programme that do their best to stop us with faulty buttons – made us feel like the real deal. Not Bambi anymore, I hear you say! The sensation is one I can only describe as electric.
What I’m trying to impart to you, is not that being a radio presenter is awesome (it is, but that’s beside the point). University is your chance to try something new. Chances like these won’t come around easily, especially when we’re old and facing life in the real world. Take a risk on something you might like. Join a society, and who knows, next year you might win an award like we did! Adam Badger
Women’s Cricket: On May 11th, six girls wearing whites and dragging large cricket bags, set out for the Home of Cricket: Lords. We were scheduled to play our first game of cricket in the ULU tournament.
Initially, we explored the ‘hallowed’ grounds. Then, photos having been taken, we headed back to the nursery ground to play indoor cricket.
We hit the nets and were met by a man called Moses. With his coaching we hurled ball after ball at the defending batsmen. Then we turned to face the opposition. Despite there being only one other team, we boldly faced the heavily coached and well kitted out UCL.
The game itself was played as a shortened T20 match, with partners batting six overs each. After winning the toss, we elected to bowl first. We played equally well both in the field and at bat and UCL proved worthy competition. As is bound to happen, an entertaining episode ensued. We were forced to stop play, when our teammate, Chrissie, managed to spectacularly fall backwards over what appeared to be thin air.
A good five minutes was spent trying to contain our laughter. Even the umpires were in tears. With such luck in the field we turned to chasing down the daunting target of 294. What followed was some brilliant slogging and incredibly close
run outs. The last over saw us on 212, which after only 6 weeks of practice is a considerable achievement. After handshakes and congratulating the winners, we ended the evening on a high, proudly sporting our silver medals. We returned to Waterloo, to the sweet smell of success and McDonalds.
We would like to thank our coach Laura Thomas for all her efforts organising the event and putting up with us every Monday (at 6pm, Nobles fields) during training. Nathalie Parry