Close-fought battles
New partnerships and borrowed horses, including a veteran showjumper, make for unexpected but happy endings
Berkeley Group Pony Club Intermediate Championships, Cholmondeley Castle, Cheshire
THE Sinnington Hunt’s Charlotte Blenkin, 14, and Irish gelding Hillside Monet, were one of only two pairs to manage three foot-perfect rounds to land the individual showjumping honours.
“I was pleased with how he jumped — he liked the
atmosphere, which woke him up,” she said. “The oxers were up to height, but he’s quite careful, so I was confident he’d do well.”
The weather played its part in this competition after rain left the going porridge-like.
The Virbac 3D Worming showjumping team championship was a closely fought competition, with just one fence separating the top two, but it was the South Hereford & Ross Harriers who finished ahead.
The team — Sapphire Smith, 16, Jessica Morris, 15, Rhona King, 20, and Alice Garfield, 17 — finished on a score of 16.
Sapphire Smith managed a double clear at her first ever championships riding nineyear-old warmblood mare Utah’s Perle, who also contested the intermediate eventing.
“The double in the second round came off a dog’s leg and the ground was deep, but she just popped it,” said Sapphire. “She actually liked the deep ground.”
Alice Garfield and South Hereford & Ross Harrier’s showjumping trainer Hollie Cartwright’s Niarca II also posted two double clears.
Alice was due to bring her own mare, but unfortunately she injured her suspensory ligament.
“Hollie offered me the ride on her 22-year-old showjumper Niarca II,” said Alice.
“As the last rider of our team, ‘Maybe’ and I couldn’t afford to drop a single pole, and we didn’t disappoint. I cannot thank
Hollie enough.”
Another championship first-timer was Jess Morris, who was riding eight-year-old Dutch gelding Ensemble.
“She has very low mileage and I’m still getting used to her, so to qualify for the championships was amazing,” said Jess.
Fourth team member Rhona King didn’t have the perfect preparation. Her talented 17-yearold gelding Borana caught a cough a few weeks before the championships, meaning his workload was limited.
“It was touch and go whether we’d make it there,” said Rhona. “He wasn’t as fit as he would normally have been and that reflected in our scores, but it was still a thrill to be there and be part of the team.”
EVENTING: PRECISION AND BRAVERY
JUST 3.5 points separated the top two Stonar intermediate eventing championship teams, but it was the South Northumberland who ultimately lifted the
Over To You trophy, relegating the Bedale & West of Yore into second.
Alec Lochore’s 21-fence track required precision and bravery, particularly at fence
19ab, the John Deere Tractor Corners towards the end of the course, which caught out a few tired combinations.
The winning team consisted of Georgina Clarkson, 16, Jack Donaldson, 15, Kate Poole, 18, and Libby Colmer, 16.
Kate, who was making her championship debut, finished on her dressage score of 37.3 to finish fifth in her section, riding her six-year-old mare Tremlett, who she bought from Preci-Spark in November.
“I’m surprised that we came out with a clear showjumping because she didn’t like the ground,” said Kate, who has just finished sixth form. “We had a couple of sticky moments across country — she trotted in the water [fence 12abc] and through the coffin [fence 10abc], but she carried on boldly.”
Team-mate Libby also pulled off a double clear to finish on her dressage score of
33.7 and win section D. She was riding Andy Mac, an eight-yearold Irish gelding.
“Our dressage could have been better as he was a bit fresh, and we had a few moments in the showjumping because the ground was sticky, but he still pulled off
two clear rounds,” said year 11 pupil Libby.
Jack Donaldson and 12-yearold Connemara mare Mounthopes Angel had a particularly busy championships competing in the intermediate dressage, showjumping and eventing.
Their best performance came in the eventing where they pulled off a 36 dressage, clear showjumping, and clear crosscountry bar 8.6 penalties for going too fast — theirs was the fastest round of the day.
“At fence 10, she leapt over the ditch and I was worried we wouldn’t make the third element, but thankfully she did,” said Jack, a year 11 pupil. “We’re off to Ireland tomorrow to do tetrathlon.”
Fourth team member Georgina Clarkson and 11-year-old Dutch warmblood gelding Projo scored a 31 dressage, but had a pole and time-fault showjumping, and a time-fault cross-country to finish on 40.8. They also did the elite and open dressage, finishing fifth in both.
“He’s my mum Barbie Clarkson’s horse and she has produced him to novice level eventing,” said Georgina. “He got a bit stuck in the ground here, but I was pleased overall.”
DRESSAGE WINNER SURPRISES HERSELF
INDIVIDUAL winner Chloe Peterson, 17, was so convinced that she hadn’t made the ride-off that she went back to the lorry and unplaited. It was a bit of a shock when she realised she’d scored 74.84% to win her section.
“I was showjumping as well, so went in for my dressage and then did my second round of showjumping before heading back to the lorry,” she explained. “Mum told me I was in the ride-off, so I had five minutes to race back to the dressage arena.”
Despite the circumstances, Chloe and 14-year-old Oldenburg gelding Snoopy pulled off a plus70% score to head the ride-off for the Staff College & Sandhurst.
“His medium trots were insane,” added Chloe. “I couldn’t fault him today.”
The NAF Superflex intermediate dressage championships went to the East Cheshire, represented by Lillian Sears, 15, Alex-Jo Parsons, 16, Ciara McLellan, 17 and Mary Goodridge, 16.
Mary earned the highest score of the team when winning arena C with 77.1% riding Irish sport horse Heath Robinson. She was also eighth in the ride-off.
“He’s my brother’s horse, but he’s away on an apprenticeship,” said Mary. “We got a great score in the first test, but he’d switched off in the ride-off. He’s a great all-rounder and I’ve just started doing workers with him.”
Lillian Sears and teammate Ciara McLellan’s 16-year-old
‘His medium trots were insane.
I couldn’t fault him today’ INDIVIDUAL DRESSAGE WINNER CHLOE PETERSON ON HER HORSE
SNOOPY, WHO PULLED OFF A PLUS-70% SCORE
warmblood mare Ballastra Van De Cumul scored 71.29%, which landed them third in arena A.
“I wasn’t expecting to do so well because I’ve only ridden her five times,” said Lillian. “My horse was lame, so I borrowed her from Ciara and rode her once before taking her to the areas. I’d only been to Ciara’s three times before the championships, so we’ve done well considering.”
Ciara was riding her sixyear-old gelding Flambeau who, despite his age and inexperience, scored 71.13% to finish third in arena D.
“I didn’t think he’d be ready, but he did an accurate test and earned a good score,” Ciara reflected. “I expected him to be wary of everything, but he loved the atmosphere.”
Making her championship debut was fourth team member Alex-Jo Parsons, who partnered German warmblood Grange Franko to finish 11th in arena B.
“This is his first ever 60x20m arena test and only his sixth test with me as he’s only been with me three months,” said Alex-Jo. “He’s proving to be very chilled.”