Casino proves a good bet
Shaunie Greig leads a class field to take the glittering prize in the 148cm grand prix, while England fight off stiff opposition to stay on top
REIGNING pony showjumpers of the year Shaunie Greig and Casino Royale VIII beat off strong opposition to win the 148cm grand prix.
Bringing their Horse of the Year Show (HOYS) winning form to Cheshire, Shaunie and “Casino” weaved a special kind of magic around South View’s vast arena to head a high-class field in the seven-strong second jump-off.
“After winning at HOYS, I didn’t want to be second. Casino loves to go forward and he’s careful, so I trusted him on the tight turns, especially into the third fence,” said Shaunie.
Course-designer David Cole took riders the length and breadth of the arena and with some long runs and plenty of options, this 148cm grand prix provided a fitting climax to five days of top-class jumping.
The class went right to the wire as the last three pairs took the top awards. Lily Freeman Attwood (Valmy De Treille) and Daisy McKinlay (Ashwey Patchwork Sparrow) challenged hard, but had to settle for second and third.
Since partnering Casino and his former rider Patrick Boyle in a pairs competition at the Scottish Home Pony in her 128cm days, Shaunie has always liked Casino and was thrilled when her grandmother Anne Greig bought him a year ago.
“Patrick did a great job of producing Casino and after I first got used to him over some smaller tracks, we really stepped up a level,” added Shaunie.
Claudia Moore produced a super-cool round to win the 138cm grand prix riding Tullineaskey Fear Deas (Dylan).
Drawn first of seven combinations contesting the third round, Claudia steered inside lines everywhere and got the perfect forward strides to the final two fences, an influential set of planks and plank oxer.
“Dad [Jason] says the first rider in puts the pressure on, and that was my aim. I thought the track was technical and I was nervous, but Dylan felt confident in every round and I knew he was capable of going clear again, plus we had a great stride to the last,” said Claudia.
CHANCE TAKER
ELOISE SQUIBB and Wyndham Tom Thumb faced strong opposition in the the 128cm grand prix but the 12-year-old rider was at her brilliant best to win.
“I knew it would be a fast jump-off and as we were early to go, I had to take chances.
“‘Bob’ is a real grand prix pony who loves to jump off and he produced a class round,” said Eloise, who pulled off a confident turn into the penultimate planks.
“They had proved tricky, but I just said, ‘Get up Bob’ and he flew them,” concluded Eloise, who will have her final ride on Bob at Olympia, before handing over the reins to younger sister Tia.
Having won the Bright Stars and novice masters titles at Scope with her Connemara ponies Beech Hill Arthur and Coolatooder Liath, Eloise Burden added to her championship tally when Arthur produced a brilliant round to win the South View Novice championship.
Having previously evented, Arthur has demonstrated a real talent for showjumping and he showed great scope when he picked up nearly a stride off a sizeable oxer before turning tight to the final fence.
“He enjoys a bit of crosscountry for a change, but as he is a laid-back pony, I have to rev him up for the jump-off.
“This was a hot class, but as he’s careful and honest, I knew it was worth risking the final turns,” said Eloise.
Irish rider Sean Foley topped the South View Future Stars
championship riding the six-yearold Quick Sirette.
With 26 of an original field of 45 contesting the final round, this proved a hot barrage with the Cork rider producing the winning round at the halfway stage.
“We always thought he was a good pony, but never thought he would win a class of this calibre so soon,” said Sean, who finished ahead of Ella Quigley riding Mister Seamus.
HOME TEAM TRIUMPH
ENGLAND dominated in a fourteam competition, the host nation gaining three wins.
England won outright in the 128cm competition, Eleni Murphy’s quartet of Eloise Squibb, Aimee Jones, Olivia Banks and Rachel Proudley finishing on four faults over two rounds.
A third round was needed to decide the next two places, Scotland eventually taking silver and Ireland bronze.
Ireland secured 138cm gold, John McNamara’s team of Caragh Charlton, Leah Stack, Alice Power and Francis Derwin carrying four faults, with England second and Scotland third.
Sadly, Wales could not field teams in the 128cm and 138cm competitions.
England’s team of Hannah Barker, Elloise Smit, Tahnia Jordan-Jones and Lily Freeman Attwood finished ahead of Scotland and Ireland in the 148cm team event and gained a third win in the Rising Stars competition with Izzy Goddard, Anouska Mauree, Georgina Wareham and Billy Luther topping the leader board over Scotland and Ireland.
Winners in the mini team contest were Toni Potts’ quartet of Lily Parrott, Kaitlin Trott, Thomas Hogan and Sienna Palin.
With two rings going full bore over five days, this popular show again proved a marathon affair.
“It has been a busy show, but I have thoroughly enjoyed building for every age and level. The standard has been amazing,” said David Cole.