22 August 2019 Horse & Hound
49Edited by Jennifer Donald
[email protected]
@ donaldjdonald‘He is the best young horse
I’ve sat on,’ says Adrian
Whiteway of his partner
Cooley Network, as they
take victory in the seven-
year-old championshiphe’s going to be on your side,” said
Adrian, who is now Birmingham
bound with the gelding for the
HOYS grade C championship.
Best of the British-bred seven-
year-olds heading to Lanaken for
the second time was Hot Bluebird
(Plot Blue x Heartbreaker), who
finished 11th for William Rekert.
For sheer consistency, it
would be hard to beat the Don
VHP Z-sired Ivory who took
the six-year-old title for Matt
Sampson. Owner Sean Conway
bought the mare, bred in Britain
by Castell Sports Horses out of a
Cartogran mare, two years ago for
his partner Helen Ray to compete.
However, when the mare’s
championship potential
surfaced, Helen relinquished
the ride and after qualifying
for Lanaken last year with Joe
Trunkfield, Matt took up the reins
this season.
“She’s a tiny mare with a huge
heart, and it’s rare for her to
have a pole,” said Matt. “This
THEREis a hugedifference
competingata “one-off”
showlikethisthan
continuingtojumpatregular
venues.Thereareplentyof
niceringsinthiscountry,
butwebroughteightyoung
horseshereandtheyall
gainedvaluableexperiencein
thisinternationalarenawith
itsuniqueatmosphere.
Thecoursesforthefinals
havebeenquitetechnical,but
thepreliminaryroundswere
niceandflowingandgot
horsesofftoa goodstart;the
standardintheyounghorse
classeswasamazing.And
wehaveenjoyedwatching
lotsofqualityBritish-bred
horses,includingourown,
progressingthroughto
thefinals.
Theshowwasunlucky
withtheweatherandthe
earlydownpourswere
uncomfortabletoridein,
butwe’reusedtoit bynow.
However,fullmarkstotheorganisers who were well
prepared. They acted quickly,
with plenty of hardstanding,
new drains, and straw and
bark chippings soaking up
the water. The ground in the
rings remained perfect and
well maintained.
This show also gives
owners and riders plenty
of opportunity to socialise
and the elite foal auction
was particularly interesting
— it was nice to see foals
out of mares we have seen
competing regularly, such
as Tinkas Serenade and
Remi Cavalleri.
We are very much looking
forward to competing here
again next year. H&H‘The standard
was amazing’
PippaAllenpraises the team of
organisersatBolesworth
ONLYINHORSE& HOUND
OPINION
Pippa Allen is a leading international
rider and producer of young horses.was a decent course and the late
draw helped us, but she jumps,
turns and gallops — she landed
running everywhere.”
The pair have enjoyed a stellar
run this season, notching up wins
at Wales and West, Bonheiden,
Opglabbeek and the Hickstead
Derby meeting.
Not surprisingly, the Billy Stud
were well represented here and
Pippa Funnell rode the next-
placed six-year-olds Billy Marmite
(Billy Mexico x Vetcha) and
Billy Sarafina (Tangelo Van De
Zuuthoeve x Billy Congo).
Earning the fourth and
final British-bred ticket to the
World Championships was
Emerson Tough’s home-bred
MEC Look At Me (Luidam x
Armstrong), who took sixth place
for James Shore.
Joe Trunkfield and Kade Hof
Ten Zoetendaele Z were runaway
winners of the five-year-old title.
Jumping early in the 17-strong
jump-off, Joe shot through the
start beams and never took a
pull over some open distances,
winning by two seconds.
“She went to the first fence
so strong, it set me up in a great
rhythm for the rest of the course
and she surprised me how quickly
she could roll-back,” said Joe.
“Even though she hasn’t been
over-jumped, I can’t teach her
anything and if I tried, I think she
would tell me she knows best.”
After searching for a small,
pretty, grey horse, owner Emma
Sweeney bought her daughter of
Kastar Hof Ten Zoetendaele from
Tom Williams three years ago.
After backing “Missy” and
bringing her on in her first classes,
Emma handed the competitive
reins over to Joe a year ago.
“Emma keeps her ticking
over at home and I have the easy
job. This course suited her as
she is naturally fast and has so
much stride for a small horse,”
concluded Joe.
Four of the top 10 horses
were British bred and the best
of those was Betty Brandon’s
home-bred Mystic Magic (Asterix
E Z x Handel Elite), who finished
second for Keith Shore.
“We’ve brought her on slowly
and had been concentrating on
getting our newcomers double
clears for next year. ‘Peggy’ has
never seen anything like this, but
she was a little superstar and for
a small breeder like Betty, it’s a
dream come true,” said Keith.
A total of 32 combinations
jumped double-clear in the
four-year-old final, with
Derek Morton riding three of
those producing double clears
with Science Supplements’
Cordoba PB Z, Hereabouts and
Science Supplements’ BP Ko Jak.‘This course suited her as she is naturally fast,’ says five-year-old title
victor Joe Trunkfield of ‘so strong’ Kade Hof Ten Zoetendaele Z