Doyle does it again
Some 23 years on, Doyle again lifts the Area Trial trophy while a new knockout competition thrills a huge crowd
KEITH DOYLE was the star of the opening day’s John Coldman Area Trial. As well as giving himself a late 47th birthday present by taking the £1,000 top prize on Darren Hegarty’s Harlequin Dunraven, the Hampshire-based rider was third with a young prospect, Jill Boyd’s eight-year-old Elmo Brown.
Only three of a classy field could answer every question over David Ackland’s course, to be joined in the jump-off by the fastest four-faulters from round one. However, when Alfie Bradstock (KBIS Caicos) and Darren Wise (Calaero) faulted again, the class became a battle between Keith’s two rides and Alex Thompson, who made the long journey from Nottingham with his super-consistent Cathalina V.
Keith jumped another good clear on Elmo Brown, then Alex shaved a fraction off the time.
But back came Keith with a lovely round to win the class by a good margin on the 11-year-old Harlequin Dunraven.
Keith is a great supporter of this most traditional of county shows. His father Peter won the same class in the 1960s and Keith’s name was already on the trophy after his victory in 1994.
“This is a show I always enjoy and is perfect for a horse like
Elmo Brown, who was jumping in his first trial,” he said. “The course-designer got it right. When I walked the track, I thought there would be at least seven or eight clears, but there were enough places to make a mistake.”
Darren Hegarty and his mum Petula are probably still celebrating their horse’s victory. “Harley” lives at home with them and Darren produced the Irish-bred Ard VDL Douglas x Harlequin Du Carel gelding and evented him before deciding that his future lay over coloured poles.
“I started showjumping him and qualified him for the second rounds, but the fences in those are too big for us eventers!” explained Darren. “The idea was that Keith would jump him and I’d do some working hunters, but I never got the ride back.”
Darren, who runs a livery yard and is an eventing coach, does all Harley’s fittening work and still treats him as an eventer.
“I think that’s what makes him so good. We go hacking, do hill work and I take him on the gallops,” he explained. “We make a great team with Keith. I always say that Harley is our hobby — and everyone needs a hobby.”
Alex Thompson's secondplaced Cathalina is an eight-yearold daughter of Catoki.
“That’s her seventh place in a trial since the start of the season. She may be only 15.3hh, but I still don’t know how good she is,” he said.
A new departure was Monday’s knockout competition, which thrilled a huge crowd. In an all-lady final, Leesa Long and Tammys Girl made it two wins in two tries at the class when speeding to victory from Charlie Purgal on Touch Of Orlando.
Leesa was trying to win the closing 1.30m open for the eighth consecutive time, but she and “Saber” had to be content with second place when late-drawn Robert Whitaker was a fraction quicker on DHI Able Mable.
“She’s a good horse, but she lacks experience and needs more shows,” assessed Robert, who was also placed on the nine-year-old mare in the previous day’s 1.30m class, won by Maisie Drea and Kinkeen Diamond (Clover).
Hampshire-based Maisie credits this 13-year-old gelding for her return to the saddle after studying accountancy and finance at Bournemouth University.
“Clover’s my pet and is the horse that made me want to go back to showjumping. He took me round my first 1.30m, my first 1.40m, my first 1.50m and my first ranking class,” she said. “We bought him at Cavan sales as a five-year-old and, although he’s a dealer, Dad has orders that this horse isn’t to go anywhere!”