Skinny wins again
Equine veterinary nurse Louise Rich and her home-bred repeat their victory from April
LOUISE RICH won the CEI3* 160km on her 14-year-old homebred Oakleazefarm Czamak (“Skinny”), having claimed the top class earlier in the year.
With only three starters, Bristol-based equine veterinary nurse Louise rode most of the way with David Yeoman, who she pipped to the post in April in the CEI2* 120km class. This time, David crossed the line first, but his horse Trop Vite Azureen was disappointingly spun for minor lameness, leaving Louise the only successful completer, crossing the line at 14.63kph.
This was Skinny’s first attempt at the distance, so Louise was riding sensibly.
“I brought Skinny on slowly, like all our horses,” she said. “We do dressage over the winter so they all canter in a good outline, which is more economical, and endurance in the summer, with beach and gallop work at home and the long distances saved for rides.”
King’s Forest is a happy hunting ground for Louise as Skinny’s full brother Oakleazefarm Cziko (Czarus x Roundhill Desert Rhapsody) successfully completed the CEI3* here two years ago. It is a great achievement to bring a horse up from foaling to 160km, let alone more than once, and for Louise the secret of her success is taking it steadily and not overdoing the number of competitions.
“I wouldn’t expect my horses to step up to 160km until they were
at least 13. Having completed and won a 120km and 160km class, Skinny has finished his competitive endurance season this year,” she said.
ATKINSON TAKES YOUNG RIDER CHAMPIONSHIP
IT was a hat-trick for 20-year-old Kate Atkinson from Lancashire, who won the young rider national championship for the third year running and her second time on HS Prosper. Kate was the highestplaced Brit in the young rider CEI2* 120km, taking fifth place at 15.23kph. She rode for most of the day by herself.
Kate’s mother, international endurance rider Rachel Atkinson, explained: “It was a hot and muggy day and Kate felt the United Arab Emirates (UAE) riders were going a bit quicker than was right for ‘Prosper’. He is very good at keeping going by himself, getting his head down and sticking to a steady speed.”
Rachel and Kate have made the decision to keep Prosper as a young rider horse as he is so consistent at this distance.
“The step up from 120km to 160km is the hardest to make in the sport. Prosper is so consistent and calm, he is the perfect young rider horse, so I don’t think it is right for him mentally to go further,” Rachel said.
The winner of the class was the UAE’s Saeed Ahad Rashed Al Shamsi on Ilana Al Ain at 16.76kph.
The CEI2* 120km was won by Spanish rider Eulalia Gonzalez Guardia on LF-Elvas at 19.9kph, just ahead of the UAE’s Rashid Mohd Ibrahi Al Baloushi on Shayan, with third and fourth places going to Brits Sue Box on HS Shaman and Laura Graham on Warrens Hill Farrah, the only other finishers from a field of 13.
The UAE dominated both CEI* 80km classes, taking all the top slots, with the fastest win on Sunday by Ali Mubarak Salem Bin Allooba on Zakia El Chems at 23.375kph.