SportsAid

Hollie Arnold

Alex Fraser

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Alex is a compound archer who was second at the National Championships in Lilleshall in December. He is ranked 6th in the U18 GB rankings and will be looking to shoot above his age group in National and Premier events at Junior and Senior level. In the future Alex hopes to represent his country and Great Britain at Senior level.

Being a Lloyds TSB Local Hero is amazing it has helped me get the best equipment so I can keep going up in levels of training so I can become as good as I can be.Alex Fraser

Amber ONeil

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Amber has had a great season this year, having come 2nd at Redenham Park two day event in a class of adults, follwed by a 1st at Headley One Day Event, again in a class of adults. In aid of raising awareness of Junior Driving the British Young Drivers which Amber is a part of, did a demo at the South of England Carriage Driving Fair with gymkhana games designed to entertain. Amber also went off to the BHDTA Junior Summer Camp which proved to be informative and educational, this was followed directly by The Cross Channel Cup hosted this year by England. She won an individual 2nd in the Derby, individual joint 1st in the Cones and individual silver overall. Amber also made the English B Team which won the team silver of which she was very proud.

Amber in August 09 decided to spend her awards money on competing in the OUtdoor season which before would have not been possible. The money was spent on the competition entries and travel expenses.

"Looking further into the future I plan to compete both ponies in the Indoor Season, hopefully qualifying with Fortune Teller for the Indoor National Finals which along with the Junior National Championships and The Cross Channel Cup are qualifying events for the England Team going to Hungary in 2010 which is of course my ultimate aim."Amber ONeil

Anna Gill

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Since forming a partnership with her new horse, 'Tribal Indian', this young Para-Rider has demonstrated a great deal of promise in the equestrian world.

Anna had a successful 2007 with two placings at the RDA National Championships where she was 6th in the Junior section and 1st in the Junior Freestyle section. Anna also rode internationally and gained two 3rd places in the Junior International Grade III in Millfield. She remains focused on reaching the London Paralympics in 2012. In the meantime, her goal is to secure a regular place in the Team GB Start Potential Squad. We very much hope that the SportsAid intervention will help her towards achieving this.Sarah Armstrong, British Equestrian World Class Programme Project Manager.

Aubrey Capern-Burgess

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Aubrey is a 16 year old fencer from Hull. He’s currently ranked as the Great Britain number 6 at U17 level in the epee discipline.

His best recent result was a Gold medal in the U16 category at the 2010 British Championships. Over the coming year he’s looking forward to training at the National Academy of Fencing and competing in the U17 and U20 British Championships as well as four Great Britain Internationals.

Aubrey, who first got involved in fencing through school and through one of his best friends, has to fit training around his school commitments on weekdays and normally trains for between one and two hours on most weekdays and also on Saturdays. As well as fencing training, he also runs on a daily basis and goes to the gym for strength work once a week. His motivation for all this training is the sense of achievement and pride when he gets good results and the opportunity to meet new people across the world.

Aubrey lists his best sporting achievements so far as being selected for the Great Britain cadet squad, becoming U16 British Champion, his bronze medal at the Tournoi Duc d’Alencon tournament in France, and his Gold medal at the Team Newcastle Cadet International.

His sporting hero is Rafael Nadal, ‘because of his determination, focus and ability to maintain an air of professionalism and humility. I have a second sporting idol – George Forman because he never gave up and became the oldest man to win the heavyweight boxing title.’

Aubrey names his parents as his biggest supporters for their support both financially and emotionally over the last eight years.