59 Showjumping Tracy Priest
said Kayleigh, who first rode Ebriolita as a six-year-old, before the Dutch-bred mare had three seasons with other riders.
“She’s getting better and better. She’s so talented and careful,” said Kayleigh.
These results delighted Mandy Hall: “Kayleigh’s been with me so long that she’s like my extra daughter. I told her she had to win something to help pay the bills!”
In Tuesday’s 1.30m two-phase, Sally Goding hung on to win after taking the lead on Levitano at the halfway stage of the 77-strong class.
“With so many good ones after me, I honestly didn’t think I’d do it,” said Sally, who got the ride on the German-bred 11-year-old three months before this show.
“I absolutely love him and he’s already my favourite horse,” she said. “I’ve been so busy recently that I haven’t been able to give him much work and I was worried that he’d be too fresh. I think the heat helped me contain him.”
AN INTERNATIONAL TURN-OUT
AMERICAN rider Sophie Gracida (Diamant WP Z) jumped one of the best rounds of the show to win day two’s 1.25m jump-off class.
Sophie, the partner of Ben Maher, got the seven-year-old Diamant De Semilly gelding from Ruby Fryer two years ago and this was the combination’s first two-star win.
“He’s a bit quirky and has been known to buck me off in the warm-up, but I do love him,” said Sophie. “When we bought
him, Ben thought he was a 1.25m horse, then he believed he might do 1.35m classes and now he’s thinking 1.45m. I’ll let the horse decide his limit,” she laughed.
This was a truly international show and Saudi visitor Nasser Al Shawwaf was delighted to win the 1.15m final with a superb round on Moeen.
Nasser, an investor and property developer in Riyadh, has been competing for 25 years and moves his horses to Belgium every summer.
“Showjumping is a winter sport at home, so we have to go to Europe if we want to keep jumping,” he explained. “Due to Ramadan, I hadn’t ridden for two months, so I did the smaller classes here. It’s my first time in Britain and this is a lovely show. The atmosphere is great.”
THREE DAYS OF VICTORY
JOSS WILLIAMS was another star of the show, with victories on all three days. He and Jan Coomber’s 16-year-old Zandokan Z (Eric) had already claimed two wins at Chepstow’s CSI and a treble at Hickstead. At this show, they took the opening 1.10m two-phase and Wednesday’s 1.15m speed class.
“This is our first time here at the outdoor CSI and Eric loved it. He adores going fast. We call him the horse version of Lewis Hamilton!” said Melton Mowbray-based Joss, who went on to win Thursday’s 1.25m speed class on another golden oldie, Culmore Prospect.
“We didn’t have the greatest time at Hickstead and I was wondering if she was telling me she’s had enough, but she was brilliant. I don’t think she realises she’s 18,” he said.
Eric’s owner Jan Coomber, who lives in Guernsey, was bursting with pride.
“I met Joss when he visited Guernsey with an English team and when I had no one to ride Eric, I thought of him,” she explained. “I couldn’t have chosen a better man. I’m now really enjoying coming to the mainland to watch my horse.”
YOUNG TALENT
THE programme included well-filled young horse classes. Laura and John Renwick have been establishing a breeding programme over the past few years and Laura produced a pair of home-bred horses to win both grands prix.
Her first win came with the five-year-old Skys The Limit II and she completed her double on the year-older Maverick.
Skys The Limit II, by No Limit, is the first foal of Laura’s former five-star performer, Reine Du May, and was one of the least experienced horses in his class.
“He’s only been to a couple of local shows before coming here,” said John.
Maverick, by Diamant De Semilly out of another great performer, Beluga, jumped in Portugal earlier this year and has been in form up to 1.30m level on the national circuit.
“He’s still improving. I think that he was suffering from the heat because he found the last two fences in the jump-off hard work, but he’s the nicest, easiest horse to own,” said Laura. “He’s just like his mum and really enjoys his job.”