01/07/2026
In June, I had the pleasure of accompanying one of my clients, Rachel, to BUCS Nationals.
BUCS stands for British Universities and Colleges Sports, of which I was a part of during my university years and have since been coach! 🐴
Rachel has been riding since she was a child and has always had her own horses. After a little convincing in her first year at university, she joined the University of Chester Equestrian Team and earned a place on the 1st team. Since then, she has dedicated countless hours to improving her riding, which led to an incredible achievement this year: qualifying for both Regionals and the National Championships, where the top 45 BUCS riders in the country compete.
I’m incredibly proud to have coached Rachel throughout her time with the University of Chester Equestrian Team. Watching her commitment, determination, and willingness to improve—for both herself and the horses she rides—has been fantastic 🤩
At Nationals, Rachel rode a beautiful dressage test in the challenging quadrille format alongside two riders she had never met before. She then kept her cool to produce a composed showjumping round, all on horses she had only sat on for five minutes beforehand!
I’m looking forward to continuing our work together next year as Rachel takes on the role of captain of the UoC Equestrian Club, and hopefully makes her way back to Nationals once again.
Congratulations, Rachel!
🐴🏅
Rachel Shilcock
University of Chester Equestrian
11/01/2026