Annabel Widdowson flies high at London International Horse Show with victory in the Agria 128cm Championship
Sunday 22 December 2024
Annabel Widdowson added the Agria 128cm Championship to her impressive tally with the evergreen but ever-eager 23-year-old Bunbury Conquest at the London International Horse Show.
“He’s the most magical pony, a pony of dreams – he is the King,” said Annabel.
The pair, Hickstead champions in 2023, finished second at the Royal International Horse Show this year and won at Horse of the Year Show [HOYS] – Annabel reputedly the youngest ever winner at nine years of age. After taking second in London last year, Annabel was out to finish 2024 on a high.
Twelve set out over course-designer Bernardo Costa Cabral’s 11-fence 1.10m track with seven supplying a clean sheet to return for the jump-off. First off Amy Capper had no choice but to throw caution out of the door to set a competitive time on Dooneen Electric, but four faults left them vulnerable.
Second drawn Annabel, however, went even faster. Determined from the outset to throw down the gauntlet, Annabel’s enthusiasm was matched only by the flamboyant ‘Questie’, who belies his 23 years with gusto, and the pair flew around the course to stop the clock dead-on 30.00 seconds. She now had an agonising wait to see if she’d done enough.
“I had a plan, my trainer Jason Moore told me I had to get a strong, open canter from the start as, because he’s so careful, sometimes he can be a bit sticky over the first two fences, but he’s a legend and we took out a stride down every distance,” said Annabel.
It was all or nothing as riders chased the clock with abandon, and Kobi Watt proved the only other competitor to return home on a clean sheet with Hillgarth Baileys Cream, some six seconds behind Annabel. Nonetheless, Anya Dewey Clarke aboard her RIHS, Hickstead champion Jim gave her a run for the money, beating the time by 0.56 seconds – but at the cost of four faults to drop them into third.
Annabel got the ride on Bunbury Conquest from owner Alison Irvine three years ago, with parents Kathleen and Justin focusing on the development of the correct seat, position and balance, competing in Style and Performance classes before going on to competition proper.
“Alison is our greatest supporter but we never dreamt we would achieve the results he has – winning at Hickstead, HOYS and now London – he means the world to us and we cherish him,” said Annabel’s Mum Kathleen, who made the inspired decision for Annabel to compete in the hunter classes at Wellington International’s Winter Equestrian Festival at the beginning of the year, again to develop a strong seat and classic position – “We plan on going to Wellington again next year, the experience gained is definitely worth it.”
Image credit: London International Horse Trials / Peter Nixon
