Trophy success at Aintree as pair take British showjump titles
ISAAC Hall claimed the Winter Grades B&C Championship title at the British Showjumping Indoor Championship show, which ended yesterday at Aintree Equestrian Centre. Having qualified for the final from the 2019-2020 Winter Classic shows, it was a two-way jump-off between the 23-year-old from Leicester, aboard Conrad VI (Vittorio x Concorde), and 19-year-old Madison Jamison from Blackburn, riding At First D’Authuit (Nabab de Revel).
Jamison was first to go and picked up four faults when a touch at the oxer, the second part of the double, saw a pole fall.
This left Hall with the goal of jumping all fences clear to take the win, which is exactly what he delivered on his 13-year-old brown gelding.
However, it was touch and go at the end when, having jumped a faultless rhythmic and steady clear, he stopped the clock almost three penalties over the time allowed of 42 seconds.
To say he looked relieved when he heard that it was just three time penalties that were being accrued enabling him to win the title would be an understatement.
Afterwards, Hall said: “I didn’t realise I was playing it that safe, it was so nerve-wracking as the opening field had been so small (just five riders) which applied so much more pressure and played mind games with me as there was so much more for me to lose than when you’re competing against a larger field, if that makes sense.”
Hall revealed how his mount had come through a career-threatening injury to triumph.
He said: “I’ve had him since he was really young. He initially belonged to my uncle, (the showjumper Tim Davies), and he had incurred an injury as a youngster as a result of a kick in the field that meant he needed to do a full 12 months’ box rest.
“With both my parents being doctors he came to us for his recuperation and ongoing care and then Tim gave him to me, which is how my partnership with him started.
“He’s just been great and made me the rider I am today, we have come up the levels together and he has carried me every step of the way.”
TABITHA Kyle notched two wins, taking the British Showjumping 138cm Championship over the weekend, hot on the heels of her success in the Pony Foxhunter Championship.
The Loughborough 13-year-old prevailed from a field of more than 30 entrants in the 138cm Championship on her long-standing 17-year-old pony Lissduff Royal, owned by mum Tanya.
It became a two-way battle between Kyle and Bella Wild, with each of them having three ponies apiece in the jump-off.
An early lead by Kyle with Mister Proper saw them set the standard with a time of 31.74 seconds, which Wild wasn’t able to chase when she came forward for the first time with In the Moment.
However, this changed when Wild pushed the competition up a level when she galloped her way round on Follow Jazzy Lady to jump clear in a time of 29.48 seconds; the first rider to break the 30 seconds barrier at that point and claim the lead.
Coming forward on her second ride, with last year’s HOYS 138cm winner Playboy van de Zoetewei, all eyes were on Kyle but, despite jumping clear in aanother fast time of 29.63 seconds, it just wasn’t enough to push Wild from the top spot.
The tables turned when, as the penultimate competitor, with just
Bella to come behind her on her third ride, Tabitha came forward on the long-striding Lissduff Royal.
A forward-ridden round, taking many of the jumps on the turn while also pushing the pace between fences, saw them do just enough to pip Wild to the post when they broke the finish line in 29.03 seconds to claim the lead.
It was then a case of waiting to see if Wild could claim the lead back, however it wasn’t to be when she picked up four penalties on Fancy A Baileys in a time of 30.85 seconds to take eventual fourth place.
Talking after the presentation, Kyle said: “It was a good course but I had to make sure I gave my ponies some space at the jumps as the sun was out and making the jumps shine a little on one side.
“However, it didn’t affect them that much and they jumped really well.
“The only thing I didn’t like was the poles with the horizontal lines as they make my eyes go funny!”
About her pony, she added: “We know each other really well. He’s quite a sharp character when you’re out on him but he’s very chilled at home.
“He used to be a bit stuffy in the arena but now he trusts me to go on a bigger stride. He has a big stride and we were motoring in the jumpoff, he always turns well and I can always trust him.”