Javas Spice turns up the heat
A 20-yearold clocks her first advanced victory, while a home-bred once destined for the dressage arena is making his mark at intermediate
TIME proved the deciding factor around Ian Stark’s big, bold track, with just the top two stopping the clock with penalties in single figures, the rest scoring in the mid-teens or more. The dressage had little say in the final order as the top two combinations moved up 17 and 15 places respectively.
“That was pretty epic and the best way to finish for the season,” said the advanced winner, Chloe Bell, who rode Javas Spice. “I love an Ian Stark track — big, forwardgoing and bold — and Allerton is one of my favourite events. I’ve done my first everything here and you can guarantee every track will look small after these.”
This is the fourth season that Chloe has ridden the Poltarf mare.
“Her then-owner asked me to ride her to help sell her,” explained Chloe. “I ended up persuading Mum to buy her for me. I know she didn’t think a hot, fizzy mare would suit me but she’s a horse of a lifetime. That was her best test ever in that she stayed consistently calm throughout — we did a clear in all three phases.”
In second, albeit at a distance of 8.4 penalties, was Jessica Watts with Sportsfield Adventure.
“That exceeded all expectations,” said Jessica. “He’s only eight and that was his first advanced, but he cruised round. Cross-country is his forte; he’s never had a jumping fault, and that’s set us up nicely for the two-star at Osberton. Then, if all goes well, three-star next year.”
JACK’S THE MAN
JAMES SOMMERVILLE rode Rachel Sykes’ Altaskin Jack to win the open intermediate, a section that certainly sorted the men from the boys.
“Today was a prime example of what an event horse should be,” said James. “Yes, the dressage is important, but good jumping is everything. If you want to win at Allerton, fast and clear is the key and this horse set out of the start box galloping.”
The two combinations who topped the dressage both faulted at the influential skinny at 19ab, and it was James’ speed across country, the second-fastest time of the day, that secured the prize.
“He’s wait-listed for the CCI3* at Boekelo so I’m hoping we’ll get in, but if not it will be a quiet end to the season for him,” added James. “He picked up a bit of a virus at the beginning of the year but he’s back to his best and he deserved a decent win. He’s a class horse.”
Izzy White rode Quite Something (Ted) to win section M of the intermediate. The Quaterback gelding was bred by her mother as a future dressage horse, but that plan was shelved once Izzy started riding him.
“I intercepted him as a three-year-old and she’s not got him back,” Izzy quipped. “The dam’s back in foal to Quaterback so we’re looking forward to a full sibling next year.”
Ted, like many of the Allerton competitors, is heading to Osberton three-day.
“It’s the perfect final run: educational, with loads of questions and good ground, and he was fab,” Izzy added.
Another home-bred headed section L, Mary King’s Kings Ginger winning by a comfortable margin under Sam Ecroyd. The gelding, part-owned with Liz Young, is royally bred by Chilli
Morning out of Kings Temptress, with a further two four-star horses closely related. Sam has taken over the reins while Mary is sidelined with a broken collarbone, but the horse is ultimately for sale.
“This is my first visit to
Allerton and I can’t think why I haven’t been before; what a fab place,” Sam said. “It’s tough — that was a decent test for the intermediates but it rode well and this horse was great.”