Smith bounces back from break to win at Hickstead
FOUR months after breaking her leg in a riding fall, Holly Smith won Thursday’s feature class at the Al Shira’aa Hickstead Derby Meeting – the Bunn Leisure Derby Tankard.
Holly was out of the saddle for 13 weeks after breaking her leg in a fall at home back in February.
But after extensive rehabilitation she has returned to top level competition, and there was no stopping the Wymeswold rider as she claimed the top prize in the 1.50m competition with the nine-year-old Quality Old Joker.
Holly was the fastest of seven riders in the jump-off, finishing more than a second quicker than Ireland’s Billy Twomey (Eindhoven GH) in second place.
“He’s got such a big stride, and he was exceptional out there – I have a lot of Irish horses who respond well to being dared,” Holly said about Quality Old Joker.
The duo finished the Hickstead show with a fantastic third place in the prestigious Al Shira’aa Derby on Sunday.
The Derby was won by Nigel Coupe on Golvers Hill after a twoway jump off with Harriet Nuttall on A Touch Imperious, but Smith marked herself as one to watch in future renditions of the class, finishing third equal on Quality Old Joker.
She shared third spot on four faults with two Irish riders – Billy Twomey, riding Diaghilev, who like Harriet has finished second for the past two years; and former World Champion Dermott Lennon on Gelvins Touch.