50 Horse&Hound 22 August 2019
SHOWJUMPING
EQUITOP BOLESWORTH BRITISH
YOUNG HORSE CHAMPIONSHIPS
14-18 AugustCSI2* classes
THE Bolesworth 1.45m grand
prix provided a fitting climax to
the show. Having finished second
twice, Annabel Shields and
Creevagh Carisma (Chloe) saved
their best until last to produce a
spectacular winning round.
“She’s been stepping up to this
level over the past few months
and she’s come on in leaps and
bounds,” said Annabel. “Chloe has
a massive stride so we could go
on one less everywhere, and she’s
careful enough to turn back short
to big fences.”
With the competition rules
dictating the top 13 would return
to jump off in reverse order of
merit, the final round gathered
momentum as three combinations
carrying faults from the first
round jumped clear in the second.
However, six of the remaining
hopefuls added nothing to their
score, Louise Simpson the first
to up the pace with Jenson 55 to
take the lead at the halfway stage.
The pair ultimately finished third
while locally based Irishman
Anthony Condon rode John Hales’
Zira VH Kapelhof Z into second.
This was a first grand prix
victory for Annabel’s Camiro Der
Haar Z nine-year-old.
“This was a big class, in a big
ring, and she jumped her socks
off,” she said.
With the top three places in the
first CSI2* 1.45m going to Keith
Shore and grand prix finalistsCreevagh Carisma
steps up to
scoop her first
grand prix for
Annabel Shields
‘She jumped her socks off ’
‘She’s come on in leaps and bounds,’ says Annabel Shields of her grand prix-winning Creevagh Carisma
Annabel Shields and Louise
Simpson, this opener signalled
how hotly contested these classes
were going to be.
Drawn fifth of 86 in the
two-phase competition, Keith
produced a typically quick and
economical round and Iron Lady
Van’t Meulenhof matched his
determination to stay ahead of
Creevagh Carisma (Annabel) and
Jenson 55 (Louise).
“I didn’t feel as though we were
travelling that fast, but she didn’t
waste time anywhere,” said Keith.
Jake Saywell also had it all to
do to win the second 1.45m riding
Touch Of Chilli. Both horse and
rider had to keep their heads
down in the driving rain, but they
withheld the challenge of Annabel
Shields and Creevagh Carisma.
After missing out on the top
spot in the opening 1.45m, Louise
Simpson made a quick switch tothe second ring to secure a CSI2*
1.30m win riding Unex Cognac IV.
A day later, it was the turn of
Louise Saywell and Feigtling to
head a blanket finish.
With an increased prize fund,
the final CSI2* 1.30m competition
developed into a real thriller,
with last-drawn Harriet Nuttall
and her Hickstead speed Derby
winner Silver Lift (Mickey)
producing the fastest double clear
in 32.05sec.
“This was a strong course with
tall verticals and oxers off corners,
but Mickey’s clever,” said Harriet.
After a fall at Great Yorkshire,
Millie Allen found winning form
when piloting Catara 4 to win the
opening CSI2* 1.35m competition.
Millie has been riding Catherine
Passmore’s Corland 12-year-old
since January.
“She eats up the ground and
was neat on her turns. As we wereearly to go, we had to take every
option,” said Millie, who finished
ahead of late-drawn
Zac Beesley (Ultima).
In driving rain, Annabel
Shields produced a flyer of a
round to win another hotly
contested CSI2* 1.35m riding the
aptly named Wet Wet Wet. Matt
Sampson rounded off his show by
landing the 87-starter final CSI2*
1.35m leg aboard Firefly W.
The puissance always creates
spectator interest here and this
one was no exception as Elliott
Smith riding Flamboyant III and
Alfie Bradstock on H D’Or cleared
2.20m to equal the Bolesworth
record and share the top spot.
With a full evening social
programme throughout and
much interest centred on the Elite
foal auction, even the atrocious
weather could not put a dampener
on this acclaimed inaugural show.Thrilling: Harriet Nuttall and Silver Lift take CSI2* 1.30m honours Elliott Smith and Flamboyant III share the top spot in the puissance