Scope Festival and Addington young horse championships
Practice makes perfect for the victors, while a winning pair grab a trio of wins and a young champ keeps it in the family, in the international classes
YAZMIN DAVIS landed the top-billed Alexanders Horseboxes 1.45m grand prix and world ranking points with the sole double clear on Zilverster II to conclude the 20th year of the Scope Festival at its new venue.
“I felt the pressure with no clears but it actually suited my mare, she’s not a speed horse and had I been drawn earlier, I would have pushed on more,” said Yazmin.
Eleven of the 40 starters produced round-one clears over course-designer’s Raf Suarez’s track, which asked technical distance questions over tall verticals and open, square oxers.
But the jump-off was a different story as the raised track claimed faulters at every fence as early riders chased the clock. Just past the halfway stage, Annabel Shields with her newly-crowned national champion Wet Wet Wet held the lead on a very quick four faults — the vertical going into what was now the last two parts of the combination, catching out the Mr Blue 14-year-old.
Yazmin, 23, took advantage of her penultimate draw to go tactically for a clear — although it almost didn’t come off as the 13-year-old Guidam daughter rattled Annabel’s nemesis, the vertical into the double.
“We had some luck, the combination was the one fence in round one that worried me with an oxer in and an oxer out. It’s one of the worst fences for her as she sometimes sits on the back bar coming out — but we have been practising at home,” said Yazmin.
Zilverster II is ridden in a hackamore.
“I changed her bit from a nathe combination at Olympia for the first show last year and it worked well, so I’ve kept her in it. She’s funny in her mouth and comes back to me too much, so the hackamore gives me finer control. There’s nothing for her to lean on — she can get strong,” said Yazmin.
“She’s her own person and knows she’s good — she loves the attention but doesn’t like to let on she likes it.”
Yazmin also headed the medium tour 1.30m with a second to spare on her Zandor Z x Calvaro Z eight-year-old, Foxhunter Masters champion Zanbowa Z.
“He’s just the opposite to Zilverster with a big stride and he can turn up tight to anything. He’s been very quick all week with a
‘She loves the attention but doesn’t like to let on she likes it’
top six finish in all three classes. I’ll keep him ticking over in 1.30m classes now until Horse of the Year Show [HOYS],” said Yazmin.
THREE TIMES A WINNER
PAUL BARKER’S incredible run continued as he switched the county circuit for indoors to take another hat-trick of wins.
The on-form Happy Boy — winner of area trials at Anglesey and Flint and Denbigh the week before — claimed a victory
double in day two’s big tour accumulator and the final day’s medium tour speed.
“He’s jumping these tracks easily now and he’s careful, so it’s easy to take out strides,” said Paul, on the Kannan 10-year-old Happy Boy.
Paul also headed the medium tour 1.35m two-phase on the 12-year-old Sandors Legacy — his Shrewsbury Flower show double winner.
“He switches from outdoors to in easily — I gave him a run in the small tour on day one just to get used to it then he was set to go,” said Paul.
Spectators were entertained to the max in the initial big tour 1.45m as 10 riders battled for the top spot and world ranking points in a sizzling jump-off, the lead changing in rapid succession.
James Smith found the shortest route on Bolton Gate
Ben, clipping almost one-and-ahalf seconds off Helen Tredwell’s time on her home-bred Vangelis S daughter Larksong.
“He’s a great horse indoors, the first one I’ve had that prefers to jump inside — he loves the atmosphere,” said James on the 12-year-old.
The big-jumping gelding occasionally hovered over a fence but has since gained confidence.
“He always had the jump, now he believes in himself,” said James.
Chris Franks secured the top spot in the small tour 1.25m final with owner/breeder Mary Ann Baker’s Mega Heat Wave.
The 11-year-old daughter of The Maegabyte was previously ridden by Chris 18 months ago and returned to him six weeks earlier.
“She’s careful and I can trust her to jump clean, but she’s strong-willed. I have to ride her with a soft hand and let her run, but she’s adjustable, so it doesn’t matter if the track is twisty or an open run,” said Chris.
Gail Burchmore landed Friday’s small tour jump-off from the front in her final competition with Grauffs Clear Round — the Clearway nine-year-old was on his way to his new home the following day.
“It was a lovely way to finish, and he’s the nicest horse to have around,” said Gail. “All he wants to do is please and as soon as we jumped fence one, he was on it. Even though he’s a big horse, he rides like a 128cm — he’s so adjustable.”
Ireland’s Aoife Dooley seized day one’s 80-strong 1.25m from second draw with Alvatore.
“He’s naturally quick, so I just stay with him and don’t have to do much more,” said Aoife, who got the ride on the Salvatore 12-yearold year-old in May. “I love him, he’s such a friendly character.”
FAMILY AFFAIR
NEWLY-CROWNED national under-14 champion Hannah Barker landed the amateur grand prix on her consistent Carnute 14-year-old Cartouche II.
“We had a great debate on the turn options to the double,” said Hannah, 12, who took her onform uncle Paul Barker’s advice. “He said the turn was on and I had to cut inside to win.”
Day one was another matter. “I told Hannah to go round the fence in the first class and she ended up seventh — I definitely got the blame,” said Hannah’s father Ian.
Tony Pearson headed the initial amateur 1.10m on Tracey Cottrell’s Amadeus M.
“He’s super-competitive and gives everything a go — he always wants to please and likes to win,” said Tony, also a winner at Bolesworth with this Manhattan 12-year-old.
Tony had to settle for second on day two, Amadeus finishing 0.63 of a second behind Holly Hammond and her Bazaars Texas eight-year-old palomino mare Bellissima.