Poole produces hat-trick
Olivia Poole claims victory in the Foxhunter second round, while qualification for HOYS is red-hot
OLIVIA POOLE landed the top spot in the Equitop Myoplast Foxhunter second round with three cracking rounds on the aptly named Quality to secure her Horse of the Year Show (HOYS) place in the final.
“It’s the first Foxhunter second round I’ve ever jumped. She hasn’t done that much and we’ve been concentrating on getting our four double clears to qualify for the Foxhunter second rounds next year, so we’ve only been jumping at 1.20/1.30m level, but she got better and better with each round,” said Olivia.
Course-designer Neil Foster used his 12-fence track to reduce the 65 starters to 16 for round two, and an eventual 10 came through to the final jump-off. Olivia set the standard from second-draw — and no-one came close.
“I’m wary of turning back to wide oxers — although she always tries to jump them — so I went round to the water tray and tried to keep my momentum and rhythm and just cut in tight to the verticals, and she tried her heart out for me,” said Olivia, 19.
The Quirado x Casiro I eightyear-old was purchased three years ago.
“I knew as soon as I sat on her that she was the one; she just suits,” added Olivia. “Di Fairclough, my trainer, had to tell me to stop smiling or ‘the price will go up in a minute!’”
The consistent mare contests the Hickstead B and C final this week and also has another chance at qualifying for the HOYS newcomers with a masters ticket at the national championships, but Olivia is looking at the bigger picture.
“I honestly thought we’d qualify for the newcomers — we’ve been third and sixth — and only jumped the Foxhunter second round as we’d entered and thought I’d have a crack, but I really want her as my young rider horse next year.”
Only one other treble clear was produced to fill the second HOYS place, Alex Thompson leaving it until the final draw to take a second HOYS ticket at this show with Classy Cat — who also picked up Talent Seekers qualification (see box, right).
Alfie Bradstock clinched victory in the HOYS Talent
Seekers qualifier with Helen
West’s Eebay, an Irish-bred who joined Alfie in April.
“Helen is committed to running Bicton Arena so she asked me to ride him,” said Alfie, who is pleased with the way this Tadmus x Lucky Light gelding is stepping up to 1.40m. They were consistently placed in Mons Ghlin, Belgium, at the beginning of July.
“He hasn’t done that much but the trip abroad did him the world of good and really brought him on.”
The jump-off was hotly contested but Alfie made use of Eebay’s stride to win by 0.61sec.
“It’s the fastest I’ve ever gone with him, but when he gets going he has a huge stride, and I took one out to the water tray then kept tight,” said Alfie. “He can be a little funny in his mouth but we’re getting there, gelling with him rather than changing his bit.”
Danielle Farnsworth picked up her third HOYS ticket with Allan Robertson and Louise Foster’s nine-year-old Numero Uno mare Inglenook Eline with second place. The consistent pair won the HOYS grade C qualifier at Newark and Notts and finished second in the Foxhunter second round at Weston Lawns.
“She can be a little bit tricky but she always wants to jump,” said Danielle, who is now considering the preparation for HOYS.“It’s such a pity we have lost the Scope festival indoors, the atmosphere at Stafford was second to none, and as the national championships are outdoors, we only have Arena
UK’s festival to get anywhere near the HOYS atmosphere.”
Alex Thompson guided Classy Cat into the third qualifying spot and the seven-year-old place went to Pippa Goddard in 11th on four faults in the jump-off with Zoon Van London (Carembar De Muze x Flemmingh).
HUGE CLASSES PROVIDE TOP COMPETITION
JOE CLAYTON claimed two of the top three places in the Connolly’s Red Mills newcomers second round, winning with Malcolm Pyrah’s Dewpoint Diamond.
The 112 starters were whittled down, initially to 34 with an eventual 16 bidding for the two HOYS tickets in a hot, hardfought jump-off. Joe had two chances and took an early lead on Jane Heerbeck’s Hikita.
It was short-lived as Holly Smith found a tighter route on Manolito P, but Joe came back fighting in the latter stages on second ride Dewpoint Diamond. Deceptively fast with smooth yet tight turns, Joe executed a determined flyer to the last to secure victory by 2.69sec.
“The jump-off was big enough, but he’s scopey and naturally quick; I just kept tight but I knew I could trust him to gallop at the last as he’s so careful,” said Joe.
Dewpoint Diamond – by Je T’Aime Flamenco and out of a thoroughbred mare by Eagle Eyed — was bought as a twoyear-old by former Olympic rider Malcolm and Joe claimed the ride in January.
“He jumped well in the sevenyear-old classes in Oliva Nova, Spain, and he was unlucky not to qualify for the HOYS grade
C at Bramham, just hitting the last fence,” said Joe, who finds Diamond has plenty of personality.
“He can be a bit of a lad and cheeky on the first day of the show, but once you’re on top, he’s fine.”
Due to competing abroad, this was the first and last qualifier Holly tackled on Manolito P, and she secured second place on the I’m Special De Muze six-yearold she owns jointly with Pearl Underwood.
“He’s very careful, although a little cold. But he doesn’t mind how big it is, he’ll just keep coming — he has a lot of selfbelief,” said Holly, on the first showjumper owned by Pearl — best-known in the showing world.
Manolito has been built up to fitness.
“He’s laid-back and saves it all for the ring, so we’ve done a lot of canter work and cross-country with him — my groom Kate Dodd hunted him several times over the winter,” added Holly.
John Crippen claimed a double in the 1.40m two-phase classes on the Winterburn family’s Cardento x Guidam 12-year-old Bling Bling IV. John headed the initial class from partner Bryony Ward, in second on Cacharel Z, with almost 2sec to spare and topped day three’s class with 1.13sec in hand.
“He’s a lovely horse to have, you can just go in and pop round. He’s always there or thereabouts and this was a good set-up ready for the Queen’s Cup at the Royal International,” said John.