Temple Ogue in vogue
Jayne Ross leads by example as she stuns in the supreme to take the spoils over a Team Hoodproduced sidesaddle pairing
A MASTERCLASS in showmanship gave Jayne Ross a supreme title with Kay Campbell’s ever-improving lightweight, the open champion Temple Ogue.
This provided a thrilling finale to a buzzing evening performance which included a joyous parade of Bicester and Whaddon Chase hounds, and offered Horse of the Year Show (HOYS) contenders an ideal prep under lights.
“Verdi”, novice champion here last year, was foot-perfect throughout, allowing Jayne to show off his superb paces — including immaculate circles in canter and a strong, powerful walk mid-show. Two storming gallops and a rock-solid final halt sealed the deal, earning perfect 10s from H&H columnist Stuart Hollings and Ireland’s Willie Ryan, and eight from local equestrienne Rosemary Lloyd.
“He felt fabulous today,” declared Jayne, supreme on this spot in 2015 and 2016 with Diane Stennett’s Hello Dolly. “He’s such a scopey horse that, in a big ring, I can just sit there and allow him to travel. Indoors, he’s so supple and balanced that I can move him where I want, when I want. Then I just press the accelerator and he goes into turbo-charge.
“I tend not to plan my supreme shows as plans can often go wrong, so I just assess how the horse is feeling and go with what I think they will enjoy and do well.”
The super-mannerly six-yearold, by the showjumping sire Verdi, was supreme at Moretonin-Marsh, champion at Great Yorkshire, Keysoe and Bath and West, and earned his HOYS ticket at Wales and West.
Although Temple Ogue qualified for HOYS last year, he did not go. “We felt he wasn’t quite ready, but he’ll definitely compete this year,” added Jayne. “His prep will be a couple of days’ autumn hunting, which he loves.”
LADIES’ CHAMPION TAKES RESERVE
FRANCOISE BABINGTON and her exquisite Rathbone ladies’ hunter final and HOYS ladies’ show horse victor Seabourne Silent Valley (Marvin) also pulled out all the stops and stood reserve supreme for the second time this year at Addington, having posted the same result at the
Sport Horse Breeding (SHB(GB)) championships in July.
Their seamless, expressive show included a perfect rein-back, walk to canter on the left rein and even some one-handed work. The result was the icing on the cake from an already stellar day, as the pair also stood amateur reserve after finishing second in a super-strong lightweight division behind Marvin’s previous owner, Garry Merton, reserve supreme with him here last year.
Francoise bought Marvin last November and, produced by Team Hood, won at Royal Windsor on her side-saddle debut. He goes to HOYS in open lightweights as well as ladies’ ranks.
“I couldn’t be more delighted with him,” enthused mother and businesswoman Francoise, back in the show ring this season after a 15-year break. “It’s our first season together and to win both ladies’ classes here was amazing — I’d never done side-saddle before this year so he really has taught me from scratch.”
Jill Marsden’s Team Ross stablemate Twinshock Warrior claimed the novice hunter title with Jayne — as he did at Great Yorkshire — and went on to stand first reserve supreme with Scott Dixon. He, too, is heading for his first HOYS.
It was a great evening for
Garry Merton, too, who nailed the amateur title with his latest “find,” the five-year-old Mr Tom Dooley who, like Marvin, was snapped up as a foal and carefully brought on. This was the handsome chestnut’s fourth outing, and third time with a ride judge.
“We’re lucky to be here at all, as we nearly lost Dooley to grass sickness two years ago and it really set him back,” said Garry, who works fulltime for BT and produces as a hobby. “We put him in the amateur riding horses at the Royal International [RIHS], and he surprised everyone by winning, but I’ve always thought he’s more of a hunter. Winning this title again is a terrific buzz and makes up for all the cold mornings and long hours.”
CLEARS HARD TO COME BY
KEVIN MILLMAN built a clever track for the HOYS workers, siting fences in two arenas and including a white vertical on top of a bank. Clears were hard to come by, with only five of the 16 lightweights and seven from 15 heavyweights clear.
There was no denying Rory Gilsenan with Christian Kwek’s lovely mare Kenlis Carrera, who deservedly gained their HOYS ticket as champion.
“It was a fabulous course, and took plenty of jumping,” said Rory, for whom it was the third winning clear — and ticket — in two weeks after a three-month spell of having one pole down with all his rides. “‘Barbie’ is an out-and-out trier, though, and I’m looking forward to taking her to HOYS again.”
It was also a time of mixed emotions, as this was both the first and last appearance at these championships for the 10-year-old reigning Royal Windsor and Blue Chip title-holder, who retires to the paddocks after HOYS.
“We’ve had a wonderful five years with her, and she will leave a huge gap,” added Rory. “I’m sure she will be a fantastic broodmare.”
Reserve went to Katy Green and her already-qualified
heavyweight, I’m A Diamond, who produced his customary stylish clear. Following wins at Royal Windsor, Royal Three Counties, the Hickstead Derby meeting and Leicester County, the upstanding 15-year-old will make his 10th appearance at Birmingham.
“‘Jack’ couldn’t have given me any more,” said Katy. “I really am the luckiest person to have him.”
With “golden tickets” passing down the line, support was strong in the open HOYS weights, and a total of 43 contested the three classes. The small division proved more popular, with 25 forward.
Here, however, the judges’ original order was shaken up in the evening performance when a few favoured contenders failed to settle, and it was Danielle
Heath who moved up to win with Bersham Dragon Fly.
The handsome seven-yearold bay, by the Irish Draught sire Kensons Aragorn, joined Danielle after she spotted a picture of him on Facebook. He contests smalls with Danielle and intermediates with Isabella Mears.
“I liked what I saw in the photo so I contacted the owner, Mandy Peet, to see if she would sell him,” said Danielle, who co-owned him with Kevin O’Connell before selling him to Guy Mears. “I finally got to see him after HOYS and fell in love with him immediately.
“Looking in his passport, I realised that Moggy Hennessy had found him as a three-year-old, and she has since told me she thought he’d be a middleweight.”