2017 WINNERS HUTTON HOUSE
All teams raise the bar in House Drama challenge
Equestrian Team heading for the Royal Windsor Horse Show
For the 6th formers in Hutton House, this was their last chance to win the House Drama trophy which had evaded them for the past seven years. Gruggen had won twice in a row and had best actor four times in a row. Clearly they were unbeatable …
So the stage was set for some fierce competition as each House’ s Sixth Form-led team prepared for our annual inter-House Drama competition.
Each house had 20 minutes to dramatise a well-known production, bringing out a theme which this year was Journeys. With minimal teacher guidance and Sixth Formers as directors, pupils decided which production to perform and who would take on the various parts and responsibility for costumes, set design and lighting.
All four House teams, made up of pupils from across the year groups, excelled themselves in terms of time and effort as they rehearsed their performances in limited time, ahead of public performances across two consecutive nights.
Curtain up … and first on was Gruggen. Emma Hamilton’ s colourful production of Alice in Wonderland certainly looked like it would be a winner.
Then Dolman’ s take on The Wizard of Oz also
looked certain to win. Charlotte Tucker-Lowe invested it with energy, wit and super munchkins.
Next came Wilberforce, with a version of The Princess Bride directed with panache by Livy Aitchison. Another sure-fire winner. It had sword fights, a great boulder-breaking scene and the best giant ever.
Katherine Tilsed had to flex her dramatic muscles and set to work with a spectacular version of James and the Giant Peach if Hutton were to win. She did it brilliantly. The peach was made of umbrellas, the Aunts were terrifically cruel and funny, but the insects … they were fantastic.
Hutton deserved to win – and win they did. Finally! In the running for Best Actor( now the Sam Hird Award for Best Actor after his record-breaking four wins in succession) were James Harrison( Gruggen: The Mad Hatter), Ben Marson( Hutton: James and only in the 1st year!) Tom Brown( Hutton: Earthworm), Iona Kaye( Dolman: Scarecrow) and Hannah East( Wilberforce: Inigo). James Harrison’ s victory ensures the Gruggen run remains unbroken.
The event was a real tribute to leadership, enthusiasm and co-operation across all years, enjoyed by participants, judges Helen, Beth and Natalie Binks, and by packed audiences.
Pocklington School’ s equestrian team has qualified for the Royal Windsor Horse Show next May, a huge achievement in the face of tough competition from schools across the north. This prestigious event is held annually in Windsor Home Park, beside Windsor Castle.
The qualifying event at Epworth, Lincolnshire, attracted a large competitive field, as it was one of the few which were accessible for northern-based schools.
The 90cm team of Georgina Elliott, Hattie Thompson, Bea Nicholson and Amelia Jackson really felt the pressure as they entered the ring, especially as Amelia and Bea are in relatively new partnerships with their horses.
They all rode magnificently to secure a final team score of zero faults with only the time being the barrier between qualification or not! Pocklington were in the lead right up to the last few schools; there really could not have been a more nail-biting finish to the end of the class.
Miss Bracken, Deputy Head and teacher i / c equestrian said:“ This is a huge accomplishment for the girls and we are all very proud of their achievement. We wish them all the very best as they begin to prepare both horse and rider for such a grand stage.”
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2017 WINNERS HUTTON HOUSE
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