Fandango is foot perfect
Two supreme champions are found in a “jackof-all-trades” ex-racehorse and an impeccable riding horse
HANNAH CHISMAN and her 14-year-old ex-racehorse First Fandango (Freddie) lifted the amateur Retraining of Racehorses (RoR) class before heading the section title en route to Sunday’s supreme of show. Freddie, who was trained by Tim Vaughan, finished racing in May 2017 after running 50 times and achieving seven wins over his career.
“I had his full-brother, Nicene Creed, who I qualified for Horse of the Year Show [HOYS],” said home-producer Hannah, who works full-time in the racing industry as a driver. “I paid £300 for Freddie and he’s been the easiest horse. He’s so versatile; he won the RoR dressage final at Aintree in 2019, he events, he team chases and he showjumps.”
Hannah has been “knocking on the door” with Freddie for some time and has HOYS in her sights.
“I hope this will be his year,” added Hannah. “He’s Mr Chilled and takes any atmosphere in his stride. Freddie is kept on DIY livery and as I’m also a mother, I squash him into my schedule wherever I can.”
The Leeman family’s Kellythorpe Stud impressed once again, with Frazer Atherden and Kellythorpes Obsession winning the Royal International (RIHS) riding horse tricolour, before netting Saturday’s supreme on their pubic debut together. The Kilvington Scoundrel eight-yearold is out of the stud’s foundation mare Meacham Mambo No 5, a former H&H mare of the year nominee.
Shropshire-based Kieran Baslington scored an impressive double in novice and coloured championships with Don Barton’s Libris Topspin (Eddie) – who was attending his first ridden show – and plaited horse Langaller Tarak.
Don has owned Eddie, a sixyear-old by Langaller Starring Role, since he was three.
“He didn’t put a foot out of place,” said Kieran, who has played about in the dressage arena with Eddie over the past year. “We’ve given him plenty of time to mature and feel he’s now ready for the novices.”
Seven-year-old Keady Star son Langaller Tarak (Carrot) enjoyed an outing, too.
“He’s done very little since his one trip out in 2020,” said Kieran. “He’s one of those horses who keeps himself right. Carrot is probably my favourite horse I’ve ever ridden. This was the third 2021 RIHS qualifier we’ve won; I lost my card in the first one!”
Kieran is enthusiastic about his 2021 team: “I’ve got a few workers that people might recognise from the flat classes; I’ve recycled them into jumping horses.”
A MULTITALENTED CHAMPION
THE overall working hunter championship went to NHS employee Emily Proud aboard her athletic gelding Leonado C.
“We qualified for the Badminton grassroots final but following its cancellation we’ve had to make other plans,” said Emily, who has worked full-time in a redeployed role during the pandemic and has owned “Locky” since he was a four-year-old.
Locky qualified for the Burghley Young Event Horse final in 2015 and is a previous winner of the Sport Horse Breeding
(GB) flat ridden sport horse championship.
“We also won the arena eventing at Barbary in 2019,” added Emily. “He does all the disciplines with success.”
Team Hesford’s top combination of Charlotte Alford and her lightweight cob Silver Woods culminated a great day in the amateur supreme. Charlotte also rode her own traditional coloured mare Llyn Rhyn Krystal to stand reserve in the RIHS coloured crowning.