No respite as winter competitions ramp up home and away
AS we head into winter, the clocks go back and the weather changes, gone are the days when show jumpers would turn their horses out for a few months rest after a busy season.
Nowadays, riders have the choice to carry on with shows and qualifiers on around the country and abroad easily accessible.
For instance, while James Smith left his HOYS sevenyear-old champion, Prince Malko, at home, he took seven other horses to jump in the sun in Vilamoura. A new ride for him, John and Laura Renwick’s Arkuga had already won some serious prize money before landing the 100,000e 3* Grand Prix over a beefy 1.5m track.
Out of Laura’s good mare, Beluga and by Nick Skelton’s Arko, this 11-year-old gelding is bred to do the job but it is an incredible achievement for James highlighting his skill as a rider when he only sat on him for the first time at the show.
Pushing for a long stride off a corner to an oxer they bravely tackled that before the next few fences came easily allowing them to cruise to the final fence and enjoy one of the most profitable successes of his career.
Other winners at the show for James were Good Friends; another new ride, Calson; and Jim Wilmer’s Wickeds Vancouver. This huge bay, by
Eurocommerce Vancouver, has been produced by Jim initially by Greg Taylor before James took over in the summer.
Since then they’ve been a force to be reckoned with in seven-year-old classes heading their age sections at this show and making it look very easy.
Jim, who keeps busy running his timber harvesting operation from his base in south Ayrshire managed to take some time out to go and enjoy the Portuguese hospitality whilst watching his horse win. He is normally seen at the side of the ring at home where more recently he has been cheering on daughter, Cara, who is now riding the homebred Khaleesi successfully in senior classes, as well as the 148cm Doe Mate.
Before heading to Vilamoura, Nicole Lockhead Anderson was seen taking an absolute flyer to the last to win a Voltaire Design under 25 British championship qualifier at Aintree’s Winter Classic. Riding Tom William’s grey Colestus mare, Chilli, Nicole knew she had to put her foot to the floor when she had Sandy McLean and Gino F to beat.
Both picked up their Olympia ticket, with Sandy going on to finish second in the Winter Grand Prix an agonising one hundredth of a second behind George Whitaker on Peanut. Sandy had already bagged a fourth place with Castlehill Kopa in
THE GOLD the Blue Chip Dynamic B+C.
At the same show, Graham Babes steered the home-bred Bambi, a direct Diamant De Semilly daughter, into fourth in the Winter Novice before he too headed abroad to tackle the five-year-old classes.
Vicky Davidson headed south of the Border for the first time since partnering Kannan’s Concorde with their trip to Aintree resulting in a second place and a qualifying ticket in the Winter Novice which will see them travel to Hickstead next summer.
Fife’s Emma Crawford collected a fourth in the under 25 qualifier at Arena UK gaining valuable points with Dukes of Hazzard whilst her HOYS finalist, Juno Rose, carried on her form to be fourth in the Winter B+C qualifier.
Alistair Gatherum picked up some prize money in Keysoe’s 2* Grand Prix with G-Star, before heading to Aintree to jump double clear and sixth in the Winter 1.35m.
A squad of juniors travelled to Cheshire’s South View to take part in the English Home Pony where they made their presence felt in the 148cm team competition. Chef d’equipe, Andrew Wilson, chose Milli Lawson on Yolo; Fergal Holohan and Little Flexible; Michael McColm with Tobar King; and Aimee Paxton on Las Vegas as his team and they did not disappoint.
England had to take a back seat at this show when gold medals eluded them, with the Irish teams dominating – but the Scots managed to score some medals yet again following on from their team win on home soil just a few months earlier.
The 148cm debut team pulled together to bring home a silver medal each thanks to Lucy Watson on Ohio Rose; Pebbles Walker on Maily 17; Emilia Alison with Carramore Dot Com; Micheal McColm with AG Dynamo; and Charlotte Gaw on Clonberne Leam Pondi.
The 138cm team came home with a bronze for the efforts of Lucy Capper and Rathcoona James; Aimee Paxton on Cassi De L’Abdinae; Millie Walker on Schierensees Cypress Hill; Michael McColm and Triple Treat; and Leva Keenan on Letterkeen Bettyn.
Michael McColm’s ponies are fresh back from their holidays with each earning some prize money including a super round in the 148cms Grand Prix for Tobar King. Such was Michael’s consistency he was chosen to represent Scotland in three teams including the 138cm on a new ride to him Triple Treat.
Amy Capper on Laithehill Paisley flew round to outpace a busy field in the Fledglings 128/138cm handicap championship which saw them earn a rug and a sash for their efforts.
HOYS victor Aimee Paxton was on form winning several classes throughout the show on Cassi De L’Abdinaie, Santa Rosa and a couple of good runner-up spots with Las Vegas.
Riding at her first home pony, young Rebekka Sutherland may have just missed out on team selection but rode three double clears on the lovely dun, Myshall Duncan, to earn some prize money and gain confidence for their next trip south.
A team of Scottish seniors always make a mass exodus to Aintree for the amateur and veteran finals where they enjoy a week-long of fun and hilarity in between classes of over 100 entries.
Megan Cowan’s horses have had a short holiday after a busy summer, through which they won at every venue they jumped at – including winning the amateur leading horse/rider title from Weston Lawns on board Tullycars Peek A Boo, which had started her week off with a win in an 85cm.
Alistair White and Angela Wiltshire were partly responsible for the Scottish flags and decoration adorning the stables at Aintree, with Alistair winning some good classes with Whiskey Girl and Hanleen O’Tess to qualify.
Also on form before heading south was Andrew Blackwood with his pair, Balhagarty Saber Lily and Copper V, which have both been in the money at home.
Personal trainer, Ailsa Black – who recently came third in Miss Scotland – jumped back on board her own Evergreen III, a half sister to her Zara Zing, out of the same Dutch Falco mare to win a Discovery and a Newcomers at Highfield of Howe.
The team at Howe has now taken over the running of the affiliated show jumping at Falkirk-based Blue Ridge Equestrian Centre, with their first show this winter being well attended.
William Stewart was one of the winners there and has been on fire along with brother, Jackson, and their team of Top Gun XII, Linneaus Van Thornesele, Seefin Surprise and Drumrankin Ceasar, among others they have in their busy Turlood Equestrian yard, outside Lesmahagow.
Busy riding and coaching, Charlotte Geddes took time to compete at Blue Ridge where she won the British Novice with Lesley McCulloch’s Bacardi Z and discovery with Rihanna K VanT Kattenheye.