Senior National Club Championships 70cm, 80cm, 90cm, 1.00m
Friday 09 August 2019
The clouds broke just in time for the start of the Senior National Club Championships on Day 4 of the British Showjumping National Championships 2019. Off to a flying start in the National Club Senior 70cm Championship and 10 seconds clear of the second-place winning combination, Anne Coombs and 11-year-old Carbonado Joe led the way with a time of 43.91s. Bought for just one pound by Anne 5 years ago, the charming dark bay has already enjoyed some wins in the 70cm and 80cm Club Seniors over the last couple of years at Wellington Riding Centre. Anne, from Redding, affectionately described her “best friend” as “a reformed character who is very gentle” and “loves it at Stoneleigh”. There were 19 starters, 9 clears and 3 double clears, with Amy Sandford riding Hard Yakka, and Sally Mcnaughton riding Fierania, coming second and third respectively.
Nimble footing and some risky turns saw the smallest horse of the class take the title for the National Club Senior 80cm Championship Final. Kayleigh Bowen of Cwmaman Riding Club and the 14.2hh Blaencwm Brenhines overtook their larger rivals with a speedy time of 36.85s. Out of 29 initial starters, 11 went into the jump off but it was an angled approach to the penultimate fence and a tight turn to the final upright which set the talented combination apart from the rest: “The course rode really well and I focused on getting in some good turns.” Back in March, the pair also won this year’s SEIB Insurance Brokers Senior 80 Winter Showjumping Individual Championship at the British Riding Club Championships in Lincoln.
The Senior National Club 90cm Championship title went to Louise King and Handel’s Vienna from Oxford, who stormed into the lead position with a double clear in 32.47s. There were just 3 clears out of 13 starters and 2 double clears in the jump off. Louise was “over the moon” having not won a National Final with Handel’s Vienna before. Despite being ill in the week leading up to the competition, Handel’s Vienna managed to steal the title from Tracy Neal and Dimitar Berbie who were the only other double clear in the final.
Bringing the Senior National Club Final Championships to an end today was the 1.00m Horse National Club Championships where we saw Suzannah Engelmann, riding Lissin Rocket, take the title posting the only clear round. Fellow Saffron Walden Riding member and runner up, Sarah Hamlett, riding Grafique Banta, have just returned from a successful trip to France, winning gold for Great Britain at the World Club Tournament in France. The pair were delighted to share the ring in the final lap of honour of the day in Arena 3.
The British Showjumping Club Leagues provide Club Members with the opportunity to not only focus on heading their regional league table within their chosen height category, but to also qualify for their respective Championship with the goal of claiming a National Championship title at the British Showjumping National Championships.
Club Membership is specifically for members competing between 70cm – 1.00m with a focus on league points rather than prize money. The four height categories within each region for both juniors and seniors are 70cm, 80cm, 90cm and 1.00 and there are a total of eight regions spanning the length and breadth of the country.
Image credit - 1st Class Images
14kvaj7pl3106.jpg "Jonathan Egmore and Mollie Rose Smith are winners in the Equissage Pulse British Novice Second Rounds.")
1g50u2k8dpost.JPG "Lacey-Mae Russel seizes Victory in the STX-UK Pony British Novice Second Round at Felbridge Showground")
11dtw0hmsttk0.jpg "NAF Five Star Bronze and Silver League Qualifiers get underway at Speetley Equestrian Centre")
