Superstar Connie triumphs again
Sisters Emma and Sophie James prove a family effort can be unstoppable, while two reigning HOYS winners go head-to-head in the native championship
FOR the second year running, Warwickshire-based Emma
James triumphed over a marathon native worker section to claim the title with her sister Sophie’s smart Connemara gelding, Glenmore Gwennic, who headed the largest height division.
This was a considerable achievement as, yet again, the lure of David Cole’s imaginative courses was a strong one and the majority of the 126 catalogued entries came forward.
It was a major double whammy for the sisters as earlier “Glen” had earned his ridden Horse of the Year Show (HOYS) ticket at the head of a very strong Connemara class.
“We almost didn’t run Glen in
the workers today as he’s already qualified for HOYS,” said Emma, who produces the 11-year-old at home with Sophie, who also works full-time. “We were already in shock at winning the flat class, but then we thought we’d let him compete in this because it was a super course and he loves his jumping — he’s a big-ring pony and just lapped it up.
“I’m not normally an emotional person but I don’t know how many times I cried today — we genuinely just went for a bit of a jolly as it’s one of our favourite shows of the year. He gave me his absolute all today.”
The pair will also contest open ridden, Pretty Polly (homeproduced) and working finals at Hickstead in July.
A COURSE TO REPLICATE THE HUNTING FIELD
PLAITED workers also drew strong support and again, the course took some jumping. It wasn’t all about fences, though, as assorted “animals” and other hazards were dotted around the arena — some of which proved influential. “You would see lots of different things out hunting, so why not in a working hunter ring?” mused David Cole.
After four excellent classes, the top spot went to eventing specialist Lucy Robinson with the Heap family’s stylish 153cm victor, Townranney Brian, another pure-bred Connemara.
“This is only his second season and he’s still technically a novice,” said Lucy, a past class winner here with Glencoole Boy but now taking her first Lincoln tricolour and Brian’s first HOYS ticket. “I’m riding Brian this season because Ella [Heap] has been abroad, and I’m very grateful to the family for giving me the chance.
“This course was tough — there were a lot of technical lines and lots for the ponies to look at in the ring.”
The championship was not without drama as the convincing intermediate winner, Matt Cooper’s Bellevue Boy, partnered by Mark Davison, suddenly became increasingly unsettled in the line-up. However, his HOYS ticket was safely in the bag.
Reserve therefore went to the second in that class, Lincoln
regular Ella Wheeler. Her 15-yearold Onno is a newcomer to worker ranks this year — having previously evented — but is already through to HOYS.
Ella was quick to credit Bronwen Evans for the success. “She’s done an amazing job keeping him up and running while I’ve been away at university,” she said. “I just sit on top and he does the rest!”
After almost five hours of competition, the ridden large breed native classes were headed by a delighted Scott Dixon with last year’s HOYS junior victor, Beverley Malim’s home-bred Highland mare Catriona of Meggernie (Catriona), who pipped Becki Penny with her HOYS, Royal International and Olympia-winning Fell, Townend Schubert.
“This is her last season as she is retiring to stud,” said Scott, for whom it was a HOYS qualification at the first attempt this season. “I’ve never won at Lincoln before, so to do that and then get the championship was incredible.”
Catriona — produced from the Team Ross yard which was already on a roll after bagging the coloured title with Carol Bardo’s KBF Crescendo — only dropped two marks from a possible 100, making her the highest native scorer of the day.
FOUR-YEAR-OLD TALENT
SHOW ponies were out in force, too, providing some well-filled, absorbing classes. The top spot went to one of the least experienced — Richard Hulbert’s lovely four-year-old 148cm winner Tandridge Diplomat, beautifully ridden by Olivia Varley, 16, who is in her final year in the class.
Richard was sent the Cusop Dimension gelding by breeder Joanna Adams to break and sell, but liked him so much that he bought him.
“I genuinely felt he was going to be a star,” said Sheffield-based Richard. “I thought he might have a good chance today as he went so well and coped with the atmosphere — there was a lot going on around the ring. This is his biggest win by far and to get the championship as well is a massive bonus.”
Martha Jobling-Purser continued her impressive debut season in 153cm show hunter pony ranks when Assagart Kittywake — champion at Royal Three Counties from a second placing — headed a good class to take her HOYS ticket, then claimed the section tricolour.
Reserve went to the delighted
143cm winners, Eve Morgan and her smart six-year-old Tremarl Bumble Bee.
This was a bittersweet win for 12-year-old Eva, though, who sadly lost her 148cm show pony Greenbarrow Mr Darcy in March after a colic operation.
“We rushed out to buy her another pony, so it’s fabulous she’s qualified today,” said producer
Adam Forster. “She’d been second in her previous two HOYS qualifiers.
“The pony is rapidly becoming a yard favourite — she’s a real
‘no frills’ mare — so easy to do in all ways.”
Chloe Heathcote had a busy day, rushing from ring to ring, but was rewarded when the superconsistent Welsh A Uphill Freddie