Showjumping
A surefooted Irish mare bags a Hickstead ticket and travelling ‘Pony Club-style’ pays off for Kerry Brennan, while a working stallion tops the amateur qualifier
Solihull, Arena UK, Richmond and international
Solihull Riding Club, West Mids
BRYAN SMITH and Joe Trunkfield secured coveted Hickstead places in a hotly contested SEIB winter novice.
Half the class found the answers over course-designer David Cole’s track as 29 came forward from 59 starters, but the clock dashed hopes as fences fell with the increased speed, and just eight posted double clears. The winning round came late, with Bryan easing Sarah Limbrick’s Tullagh Rose to win by 0.35sec.
“She’s a typical Irish-bred
horse, surefootedness is bred into them and they have a fifth leg. She took the first tight turn so easily and I just kept going,” said Bryan.
The nine-year-old mare, whose breeding traces back to Kildalton Gold, was purchased 12 months ago in Ireland from Bryan’s veterinary surgeon brother Eric as a project for Sarah.
“I broke my back in three places in a riding accident,” said Sarah. “I’m lucky to be walking and so I treated myself to a nice horse. It’s not the same as riding myself, but it is the next best thing and I’ve got a great jockey in Bryan.”
Hickstead was the main target for this year.
“We’ve been aiming for this and held her back on a few shows [to stay under the money threshold],” said Bryan. “The jump-off was strong but she took it in her stride. She’s never let me down from day one.”
Joe Trunkfield’s early efforts on Armoon earned the second qualifying place.
The six-year-old by Argento, owned by breeder Karen Young, competed with Joe last year and has just returned from a twomonth holiday.
“He returned to work five weeks ago and this is his second show back,” said Joe. “He was green last year; this time he’s come back stronger in himself and is much better in his head, but he’s still full of cheeky character with loads of jump.”
A SPECIAL PARTNERSHIP
KERRY BRENNAN hit form with the Quidam De Revel x Cash 15-year-old Wellington M to take
both 1.40m classes in flying style.
Considering the mass exodus by 1.40m riders to Spain and Portugal, the entries here were surprisingly good, with 21 contending Friday’s class as riders such as Keith Shore and Dale Burnham gave their grade As a competitive outing before the forthcoming season. However, they were no match for Kerry and “Welly”, who won with more than a second to spare.
The trust and special bond this partnership has was on display in spades here.
“I was deep to the triple bar and it was a long three to the vertical — he stood off a long way, but he loves to go fast and is happy Mummy is crazy against the clock,” said Kerry.
The pair had travelled in a different style to their usual form of transport — a two-horse trailer.
“He loves travelling Pony Clubstyle — we were only bringing two so it made sense to use the trailer
‘She’s a typical Irish-bred — surefooted and with a fifth leg. She took the first tight turn so easily and I just kept going’
BRYAN SMITH ON TULLAGH ROSE
instead of the big lorry,” said Kerry, who is now getting back into the swing of shows with her long-term campaigner.
“I’ve been living down south and just meeting Welly at shows once or twice a month. My mum [Liane Smith] keeps him ticking over at home and he only popped over a cross-pole before coming here,” said Kerry. “Now I’m house-sitting until the end of March and then I’ll move back home to Derbyshire and get going properly again at the shows.”
Locally based Mennell Watson
and Helen van Heyningen’s home-bred 10-year-old Cobretti x Mr Majestic stallion Whisper In The Wind equalled the time of Danielle Farnsworth on the 12-year-old Cornascriebe Ferro to share second place.
‘BEAUTIFUL TO RIDE’
ADAM BOTHAM scored a hat-trick of wins over the week with Dakota and Lacoste. He stepped up Lacoste to head a competitive Blue Chip Dynamic B&C handicap in an 11-strong decider. The seven-year-old by
Breemeersen Crescendo x Balou Du Rouet is owned by Jim Barry of Sovereign Equestrian. He came back into work two months ago following a holiday, and returned to Adam four weeks ago.
“Lacoste went straight into the field after finishing third in the Big Star six-year-old final at the national championships in August, and since he’s returned he hasn’t had a fence down in five shows with double clears in Foxhunter classes,” said Adam.
“This is his first B and C and he found it easy. He can be really sharp and I only wear little spurs on him, but he is beautiful to ride and so soft and supple. I enjoy riding him every day.”
The top four places were filled by horses from the grade C section with Danielle Farnsworth half a second in arrears on the Numero Uno nine-year-old Inglenook Eline for second place. Angie Thompson claimed third and fourth on Georgina Round’s 12-year-old Cornet Obolensky Junior (Cornet Obolensky x Landfriese) and the nine-year-old Corrandos (Landos x Corrado).
Adam also claimed 1.30m and 1.25m wins with Marcine Marshall’s Andiamo x Vancouver 10-year-old Dakota.
“We’re just getting going for 2018 and this was a little sweetener for her. I kept her in her canter rhythm and used the turns,” said Adam.
Chloe Reynolds celebrated moving to Adam Botham’s yard a week earlier with a win in the DDS Demolition 1.25m on her current Big Star six-year-old champion Grenadier Volo.
“He had a break since Stoneleigh in August until mid-December and we’ve stepped him up to 1.35m,” said Chloe, who bought the now seven-year-old Numero Uno x Quidam De Revel gelding as an unseen three-yearold from Nick Benterman.
Although the pair joined Adam and his wife Jess only a few days previously, they are already showing improvement and gaining experience.
“He’s a little horse so we are trying to get his head up and him running forwards to jump the bigger fences, but the speed is already there,” explained Adam. “And Chloe’s getting plenty of experience, she’s ridden five for me this week.”
‘NO-FUSS’ STALLION PROVES CONSISTENT
MARK THOMPSON set out as favourite with three rides in the six-horse jump-off of the winter amateur qualifier and duly won on Alex H with 0.65sec in hand.
“This is his fourth show back after a two-month rest and he hasn’t had a fence down yet, he’s so consistent,” said Mark, who owns the 13-year-old Goodtimes x Concerto II stallion with Pat Ruck.
The partnership is currently heading the silver league standings and the Horse of the Year Show silver league final is a big aim this year. They finished fifth in 2016. HELEN TREDWELL is out of action after a fall from a five-year-old resulted in a broken fibula and partially dislocated tibia.
“I went down a long, four stride distance, she jumped big and instead of going left, she landed and turned right towards the gate. She half unseated me but then turned and leapt at the same time to avoid the wall which shot me up in the air and I landed on my right foot,” said Helen, who is now recovering at home following an operation.
“I’ve had it realigned and a metal plate inserted and I’ll be in a cast for six weeks. I won’t know how long I’ll be out until I return to hospital in two weeks.”
Although Alex H has had time off for stud duties in the past, 2018 will be the first time he will stand at Mark’s Derbyshire base.
“He has a fantastic temperament, he’s so straight to ride and will happily stand on the lorry next to mares with no fuss, nothing fazes him,” said Mark.
Nina Emery — winner of the 1.20m on Piana — had to settle for second place with Galaxy III, a 12-year-old mare she has ridden for the past six years.
“She’s German-bred and straightforward,” she said.
Taking the other two qualifying places for the spring championships were Caroline Barnes on Model Class, a sevenyear-old by Beach Ball x Taloubet VDL, and Mark with Hunky Dory III, an 11-year-old by Ard VDL Douglas.