Alfie Bradstock races around the course at Hickstead
Shane Breen takes top honours in an ideal warm-up for WEG, as young British-breds showcase their talent and a senior rider scoops amateur glory
SHANE BREEN celebrated his late call-up for the Irish team at the forthcoming World Equestrian Games (WEG) by winning the grand prix, the flagship class on the final day of Hickstead’s 2018 season.
Under the eye of senior course-designer Bob Ellis, Nigel Jess set a super course. Unusually for this type of class, it featured an alternative to Hickstead’s fearsome water jump in a huge set of planks, which around half the class decided to tackle.
Just eight of the 74 starters reached the jump-off, and from second draw Shane galloped all the way on the big stallion Clyde VA. With the shortest of approaches into the penultimate double, he set an unbeatable time.
The on-form combination of Yazmin Pinchen and Van De Vivaldi came closest. They had already won two big classes, but lost out on their bid for a third victory by the tiniest margin. The last to go, Shane’s fellow Irishman David Simpson, then gave him a fright by beating the time on Jenson 55 at the expense of the lightest touch at the double.
As well as a £2,000 first prize, this class offered the top three riders automatic qualification for next year’s Queen’s Cup at the Royal International, so third- placed Cressy Neads (Chinta Van Geluut Z) was also celebrating.
Clyde VA, a nine-year-old Holsteiner by Caretino, won a jump-off class at Hickstead’s Derby meeting.
“He’s a big, slow type of horse and he surprised me at that show by how quick he can go,” said Shane. “He has a huge stride and I used that today, but I didn’t ride well to the double in the jump-off and he helped me out. I couldn’t have blamed him if he’d had it down.
“It was a good track. It wasn’t overly big, but there were plenty of little questions,” added Shane. “They got it spot on.”
On day one, Yazmin Pinchen and Van De Vivaldi (Vinny) came out top of a 19-horse jump-off in the 1.40m class. Next day they did it again, beating 112 rivals in this speed competition.
Yazmin has owned the feisty little German-bred stallion for eight years and, although he is now 15, Vinny has lost none
of his zest. He has his own style, which sometimes includes a sideways approach.
“We know each other so well that I’m used to everything Vinny does,” said Yazmin, who is counting the days until she can compete Vinny’s offspring.
“He’s my horse of a lifetime. He has grand prix progeny in Germany and our latest foal is the image of him. I can’t wait,” she added.
‘HE TOWS ME AROUND A BIT’
THIS popular show continues to grow in stature and some 1,400 horses competing over the four days proved that the chance to ride in the International Arena still has pulling power.
The Douglas Bunn 1.35m Challenge offers riders the opportunity to tackle some of Hickstead’s permanent fences. The field included two WEG-bound riders in William Funnell and eventer Gemma Tattersall, and there were thrills aplenty and quite a few spills before the top prize went to Alfie Bradstock on Helen West’s Eebay.
This was the first attempt at Derby fences for Eebay, who evented with his owner before Alfie took over the ride earlier this year. The Irish-bred 11-yearold has been in good form, finishing third in his first area trial and qualifying for the Talent Seekers final at Horse of the Year Show (HOYS).
“He tows me around a bit, but he always tries to leave the fences up,” assessed Alfie, who then went on to win Sunday’s 1.20m championship.
His ride this time was the British-bred seven-year-old mare, Grand Cru.
“She’s an absolute winner,” said Alfie, whose mother Sara knew exactly why he had scored a double.
“Two black cats crossed my path on the way here!” she said.
Late HOYS qualification was on offer in the Talent Seekers class where Matt Sampson took the top spot on Geneve R, with Nicole Pavitt (Paris 16 and Gianni HC) and Jake Saywell (Galaxcy IX) also gaining qualification.
Matt bought Geneve from Amy Ovens a few weeks earlier and has high hopes for the Eldorado VD Zeshoek gelding.
“He’s never seen a course that big before and he made it feel easy,” said Matt. “He’s a bit cheeky, but all good horses need character.”
After the grand prix, the closing 1.30m championship treated spectators to a great eighthorse jump-off. The winners with the final round of the show were Matt Sampson and Ebolensky.
Ebolensky, a former Foxhunter champion, has just returned after some time off.
“I’m just getting her going again, but she felt fantastic today,” said Matt.
A BRIGHT FUTURE
A STRONG line-up of five-yearold finalists faced a tough track. The combination, set uphill near the water jump, caught out a few, as did an early split gate. In a very fast 13-horse jump-off, Ronnie Jones proved unbeatable on
‘He made it feel easy,’ says Matt Sampson of Geneve R, qualifying
with a win in the Talent Seekers
Interstar B. Chasing the time set by Harry Whall on Kings Borough Kaspar, Ronnie won by almost a second.
Ruth Dowie and her husband Ian, both former showjumpers, bought Interstar B, by I’m Special De Muze, from Dutch rider Roelof Bril in June. He and Ronnie have since been consistent in young horses classes, though this was their best win to date.
“He’s a lovely, easy horse and is so careful,” said Ruth, who has six horses at her Essex base, all ridden by 24-year-old Ronnie.
“Ronnie deserved this. He’s worked so hard,” she added.
Harry Whall’s stable gained recompense in the six- and seven-year-old championship when victory went to Matt Sampson, who produced one of his trademark rounds on Harry’s mare, Happy Fomia. Six-year-olds captured the top places, with
Lucy Townley taking the leading seven-year-old prize on fourthplaced Billy Kat.
Harry has owned the Dutchbred Happy Fomia, by Spartacus TN, for a year and after second place at Addington’s young horse show, she and Matt are off to Lanaken for the World Breeding Championships.
“I ride her at home and Matt meets us at shows,” explained Lincolnshire-based Harry. “She lives up to her name. She’s such a nice mare to work with.”
Joe Trunkfield flew round on Fanella I to take Sunday’s novice title and his first International Arena win. Joe shares the ride on the Dutch-bred eight-year-old with his partner
Tia Harris.
“She’s a really cool horse.
She’s still in discovery, but she’s so careful and going fast is her favourite thing,” said Joe.
If Nick Edwards wants another career, he could make it as a trick rider. When usual jockey
Alex Bishop broke a finger in a fall, he asked Nick to ride Matt Pike’s Its Showbusiness in the 1m championship.
Although he had never sat on the son of It’s The Business before, Nick was happy to oblige and took the title despite tack malfunctions in both rounds.
“I was a bit surprised when my stirrup became detached over fence 11 in round one and then when it happened again at the start of the jump-off, there was nothing I could do except kick it away and keep going,” he explained. “Luckily, he’s a fantastic horse who knows his job inside out.”
Amateurs had their turn in the main arena on Saturday.
“There’s life in the old dog yet!” joked Hickstead’s Edward Bunn after Barry Drea, the most senior rider in the class, jumped a superb round to take the £500 winner’s prize in the 1.20m amateur final on Okehurst Miss Mexico.
Teenagers were holding first and second spots, but from last draw in the 15-horse jump-off, Barry made everything look simple to win by almost half a second.
Okehurst Miss Mexico, by Billy Mexico, was bred by a friend and Barry bought her just backed four years ago.
On a scale of one to 10 of excited winners, Sophie Ashton Rickardt, who took the 1.10m amateur title on Masterfly, probably scored an 11. The restaurant manager from Chichester, who also events, is in her first season of affiliated showjumping. She swapped places at this show with Rachel Horton, who beat her to the amateur championship at the Royal International.
“I can’t afford expensive horses and I got Masterfly because he was unsound,” explained Sophie. “He came right with the help of my farrier Connor Parsons and my trainer Sam Garry, so this win is down to them.”