“SHE’S GRAFTED ALL HER LIFE”
ROSIE SMITH made a winning debut in the children-on-horses classes with her mother Holly’s familiar rides Azolette (pictured, right) and Fruselli, taking a one-two on the opener before repeating the feat in the championship.
Thirteen-year-old Rosie had only ridden Tania Wareham’s 11-year-old mare and TJ Halls’ 14-yearold Fruselli once at home before the show, but delivered two out of three first round clears in Sunday’s final.
“They are horses I have jumped to a good level and Rosie is incredibly grateful to their owners for the chance to compete on them,” Holly said. “She’s grafted away all her life on a lot of different horses and ponies and I thought I’d give her a shot on some good ones.
“Azolette is very straightforward and a really forwardgoing mare who is good against the clock – it says a lot about her that a 13-year-old can get straight on her and jump these kinds of courses.
“Rosie hadn’t had a chance to ride them as I was away with Fruse and Azolette was at home with her owners, so we came here as a warm up for the viewing trials at Pony of the Year Show,” Holly added.
“At Fruse’s age, it’s nice to keep him out jumping and enjoying it – it’s fun for him and experience for Rosie.” unbelievably careful,” Michaela added.
Sixteenyear-old Jess Rood took a surprise victory – and first senior title – in the winter seven-yearold final with new ride Dido Blanc Bois Z, who appears effortless over her fences. They beat Jess Hewitt and Troy Capitama V Z into second.
“She’s very careful, she just has a bit of an attitude,” continued Jess.
The rider was at her third show with the mare, who was found for her in Spain by her trainer Steven Whitaker.
“She is a bit of a diva bucking and broncing and she doesn’t like to get on the lorry – we decided to keep her at the show rather than having to take her there and back for three days!”
Jess has had some bad luck since her November birthday pushed her out of ponies at the end of last year.
“My other horse got cellulitis, so I had nothing to ride for a couple of months, then we got Dido but had to wait to compete her because we had to sort out her vaccinations,” said Jess. “I had them both at this show and we had poles down on the other days, so I said I’d be happy just to have a clear!”
“A SOLID MARE”
HARRY BATEMAN has established a strong track record in the young horse classes at these championships. He won the inaugural winter six-year-old final at Addington in 2018 and also took the title last year with Maverick II.
At this edition, he claimed first and third in a 20-strong jump-off for the winter sixyear-old title, in which just 0.33sec divided the fastest three clears.
“Eddie GZ has grown into himself and he is quite sure of his own ability”
MICHAELA SCOTT
Rachel Proudley had set an impressive lead on the grey mare Cicedora. Harry was next in with his first ride Louis Van Overis Z, and the pair were just 0.18sec shy of that target.
It wasn’t until the final few riders that the target was toppled, when Harry found 0.15sec headway with Vicky Golding’s powerful grey homebred mare Strike A Pose III.
“I first rode her as a fiveyear-old at the start of last year and then I recently got her back – this is our first major show since,” Harry said. “She is a really solid mare both mentally and physically, she’s a big character with a lot of jump.”
“Louis Van Overis Z is a very talented six-year-old but we didn’t expect him to be experienced enough to answer all of the questions,” added Harry.