Third time lucky for on-form Respect
Neighbouring riders battle it out for the £1,000 amateur supreme, with a mannerly hack triumphing over a quality lightweight hunter
A FOOT-PERFECT, enthusiastic performance at the end of a long, hot day proved third time lucky for Bury St Edmunds-based Lucinda Haines, who scooped her first £1,000 Royal Angel amateur supreme with her super-mannerly 10-year-old hack, Colbeach Mark Of Respect (Ben). The reigning British Show Horse Association (BSHA) home-produced champion also clinched Irene Susca’s £300 extra prize as the highest-placed home-produced combination here.
Some 15 finalists came under the scrutiny of Joy Hall and her daughter Karen Toynton-Ward for this prestigious supreme, where a stellar line-up included several past Horse of the Year Show (HOYS) and Royal International (RIHS) open victors.
“Our champion produced a lovely show — obedient and freeflowing — in complete harmony with its rider,” said Joy.
Lucinda, despite having given birth to baby son Oliver just five months ago, arrived as part of an on-form partnership. They were amateur hack victors at Royal Windsor and Midland Counties, and champion open hack at South Suffolk. However, their previous best Royal Angel result was fourth.
“I only really thought about my show while sitting in the line-up and, luckily, it went to plan,” said Lucinda, who is currently on maternity leave from her Londonbased job in publishing. “I was so surprised to win against the company here, though — it was such a strong line-up that I really wasn’t expecting anything. I’ve been showing for 30 years and it’s the richest prize I’ve ever won — by a long way.”
The pair, now in their second season together, had a late start to the 2018 term due to Oliver’s birth, but have qualified for Hickstead and only just missed out on a HOYS ticket when second at Midland Counties.
LUCK OF THE LAND
RUNNER-UP spot — and £400 — went to Lucinda’s neighbour in Suffolk, Lucy Cameron, with the Team Ross-produced lightweight and ladies’ hunter, Time 2
Reflect (Betty). The former RIHS supreme horse was described by Karen Toynton-Ward as “full of quality and true to type”.
This was Lucy’s first attempt at the final and she, too, was surprised as well as delighted with the result.
“I had a show organised, but they cut the ring in half, so I hastily had to change my original plan,” said Lucy. “Jayne Ross has done such a wonderful job with Betty, but this was a really daunting task for me; I don’t get to ride Betty very often, but she loves her showing and looks after me. They broke the mould when they made her.”
Arena UK again proved lucky for office administrator Lauren Mollard with her Team Young-produced small hunter/ intermediate campaigner Secret Times (Matthew) who stood third.
“We didn’t actually practise a show as I’ve been so busy with shows and work,” said Lauren, who qualified Matthew here for RIHS intermediates at the British Show Pony Society (BSPS) winter championships and for the HOYS intermediates at Midland Counties last month at the pair’s first attempt. “Matthew’s had a break too, so he’s been living in the field. We practised something once before we went into the ring, then just went out and winged it. I was amazed to get third in such high-class company.”
Lauren, 25, and in her final year in intermediate ranks, will make the permanent move to small hunters next term.
The family was already
‘It’s the richest prize I’ve ever won — by a long way — in 30 years’
LUCINDA HAINES
celebrating as their other campaigner, the six-year-old Be Smart — a three-quarter bred American Quarter Horse who came from the Wallace family — earned his 2019 RIHS ticket at the head of the small hunter class and then stood section champion with Edward Young.
For Edward, whose previous two showing outings — to Lincoln and BSPS Midsummer — had resulted in vehicle failure of one kind or another, it was a welcome reversal of fortune.
“Just as I thought things couldn’t get any worse this week, our hay contractors had two tractors break down and then the water to our farm was cut off on Wednesday,” he said. “In this heat, I was desperately worried for the horses but, thankfully, a neighbour who had a borehole brought us 1,000 gallons — the water company turned up two days later with a bowser which was too big to be delivered!”
Heather Rothwell finished fourth in the Royal Angel to claim the £200 second home-produced prize, scoring with her on-form riding horse, Happy Valentine, hotfoot from the pair’s Equi-Trek supreme at Aintree.
The loss of HOYS hunters qualifiers has undoubtedly hit this show hard, but amateur ranks were booming. It was some achievement, therefore, for Sara Neachell to land the top heavyweight spot with her fabulous mover, Chasing Rainbows (Charlie) — qualifying for next year’s RIHS — before securing the section title.
The eight-year-old homeproduced grandson of Voltaire, bred by Rosemary Harding, was bought two years ago through Robert Walker.
This term’s results include amateur champion and open reserve at the north-west sport horse show, open middleweight runner-up at Royal Windsor, champion hunter and winning sport horse at Staffs County and runner-up in his HOYS qualifier at Midland Counties.
“Charlie really enjoys his job and is a pleasure to do both at home and at shows,” said
Sara, a West Midlands-based farmer’s wife and mother-of-two, who also works in her parents’ family business.
CRUISING ROUND
THE HOYS worker qualifier drew a field of 23 to tackle Amanda Cole’s clever track, over which Warren Farm-based Lucy Greenwood produced the best of six clears to win with her Irishbred Ricardo Z son Ricruisio, who posted the highest style and conformation marks of the day.
This will be a first HOYS appearance for the nine-yearold, who qualified for both Birmingham and Hickstead last year, but was injured just before the RIHS and therefore missed both appointments.
“We also showjump during the winter,” said Lucy, who shares him with her sister Rebecca. “It was a good, flowing course which, although not the biggest, was tricky enough and suited him as he’s both scopey and careful.”
Jenna Tyldesley and her former HOYS lightweight and ladies victor, Tudor Minstral, booked their first ticket to “see Santa”, heading a strong SSADL senior entry and standing overall champion to earn the Olympia ticket. The 15-year-old has taken a back seat this season, while Jenna has been concentrating on her upcoming lightweight, Rehy Horizon, who earned his 2019 RIHS ticket here.