Wild West has found his talents
A Galileo son formerly piloted by AP McCoy stands supreme under side-saddle, while a veteran winner excels
Retraining of Racehorses National Championships, Aintree Equestrian Centre, Liverpool
LIZZIE HARRIS piloted Wild West, a stunning chestnut son of Galileo, to stand supreme champion in the elite series final at this championship show, now in its third year at Aintree.
Riding side-saddle, Lizzie and “Westy” produced an immaculate individual show that included leg-yield, counter-canter and simple changes, to catch the eye of judges Yvette Dixon and David Minton.
“All the horses in the final were stunning and there was no telling who the judges were going to go for. When they called out my number I couldn’t believe it,” smiled Lizzie, a former jockey. “It was intense but amazing to ride in the final in the big atmosphere of the evening performance.”
The versatile nine-year-old also headed three other classes: side-saddle, ridden championship and amateur ridden show horse series 2017 championship final. The latter was the only class in which Lizzie rode astride.
Wild West came to Lizzie straight from Jonjo O’Neill’s yard, having raced in JP McManus’s colours under AP McCoy.
“He wasn’t a fantastic racehorse and only ran in seven races,” explained Lizzie. “Initially, he was supposed to be a project to sell on, but I’ve hunted him with the Belvoir, team chased and evented him, as well as doing sidesaddle. He has a home for life.”
Reserve supreme was Singing Hinnie (Katie Jerram-Hunnable), a six-year-old who topped the Jockey Club novice show horse final.
In a fitting tribute to his sire Presenting, who died on the same weekend as this show, Ravenstone Lad stood ridden veteran champion for Louise Goss, ahead of Double Spey (Sally Beeden)
and Bold Punt (Tasha Seely). The pair also finished third in the elite series final.
“We came last year and did quite well, so I had no expectations at all this time,” said Louise, a full-time health and safety manager. “He’s gone so well this weekend and one of the judges commented on how consistent he is.
“I hadn’t even prepared a show for the elite championship. It hasn’t sunk in how well he’s done, but it’s lovely for him to excel after not living up to racing expectations.”
Louise originally took the 15-year-old on from a friend for the summer to keep her other horse company.
“The two got on so well that I persuaded my friend to let me keep him and she suggested I try RoR classes,” added Louise, who plans to aim Ravenstone Lad at SEIB racehorse to riding horse classes next season, plus the Tattersalls series.
‘I JUST WANT HIM TO ENJOY LIFE’
CHIVOLA stood in-hand champion on his swansong, after winning the ex-flat racehorse and amateur home-produced classes.
The Irish-bred gelding had a brief racing career with trainer Bryan Smart, before his Dubaibased owner gave him to Bryan’s wife Victoria for their daughter Beth to ride.
“Beth was only 11 then, so I reschooled Chivola and since then he’s gone on to have a prolific showing career with many wins, as well as competing in pure dressage
‘It hasn’t sunk in how well he’s done, but it’s lovely for him to excel after not living up to
racing expectations ’
LOUISE GOSS ON VETERAN CHAMPION RAVENSTONE LAD
up to elementary,” said Victoria. “He was struggling a bit with the warm-ups and atmosphere at bigger shows, so I backed off and decided to do in-hand instead. This is only the second show he’s done this year, but he’s got perfect conformation and moves well,
though he’s just 15hh.
“He still lives on the yard with the racehorses and watches them go out every morning, but he’s achieved huge amounts and I just want him to enjoy life.”
Last year’s elite series supreme champions, Rebecca Court and
Beware Chalk Pit, won all five classes they entered, including the Tattersalls show series qualifier and the open in-hand showing series 2018 qualifier.
“There was a lot of pressure after doing so well here last time, but this is our third trip to Aintree and he’s got through to the elite every year,” said Rebecca. “He was in training for seven years, so he’s fairly institutionalised and loves routine, but he goes out in the field, jumps and hacks. He lives up to his nickname of ‘Perfect Pete’.
“He was trained by Jonathan Geake, who is a huge ambassador for RoR, and his owner Ann Leftley has always supported Pete’s new career.”
Bethany Slinger’s versatile mare Maigold Rose headed the amateur ridden qualifier ahead of Claire Griffiths (Billybo)and Charlotte Ream (Jays Cottage).
The pair was also reserve champion to Olivia Sims (Danetime Panther) in the performance horse championship, after coming sixth in the 1.10m retrained racehorse challenge final.
RoR chief executive Di Arbuthnot said: “The standard has been high. All the judges I spoke to commented on the improvement they are seeing from both horses and riders year on year.”