Carron Nicol lifted the magnificent King of Jordan Cup as winner of the top-billed Longines world ranking 2* Grand Prix at Chepstow Summer International with RRH Out Of The Blue
Tuesday 01 September 2026
Carron Nicol deservedly claimed victory in the feature 2* Grand Prix with RRH Out Of The Blue at the Chepstow Summer International to lift the King of Jordan Cup.
“He’s had a very good season, jumped well in Oliva Nova and Drammen, Norway, where I went as an individual, and finished fifth in the Budapest 1.55m Grand Prix before finishing second in the Chard 3* Grand Prix,” said Carron, who also finished fifth in the International Stairway Final and was placed seventh in the 5* Royal International Trophy following a late invite to Hickstead.
The heavy storms depressed many riders at the show, including Carron: “Although the rainstorms were in patches, I got so wet it was as though I’d jumped into a barrel of water and got out again. I wanted to go home, but I’m very glad I didn’t!”
Course-designer Raf Suarez set a challenging track for the 63 starters, the technical 13-fence, 16-effort 1.45m losing some surprising names from the jump-off. Poles fell everywhere, with 12 combinations completing the world ranking course on just one mistake for four faults. Only two partnerships mastered the course within the time to go head-to-head in a tense jump-off. John Whitaker was so unlucky on Hamstramgram, leaving all the fences intact but the clock ticked over by 0.02 seconds to hand him one time fault. Thus, he was denied a jump-off chance and finished third. Alex Bragg also completed the course on one time fault for fourth with Hegglelane Houston.
“It was tricky all the way round with varied distances; very square and very technical with fence colours like red and gold which could catch horses out. The distance to the last was on a long four strides; I use my eye for a stride and because of the way we jumped the [penultimate] oxer, I actually held for five,” said Carron, who was the first to produce a clear round.
Carron was first out of the starting gates with the nine-year-old RRH Out Of The Blue and set a sensible target, ensuring a clear round for Iwan Carpenter to chase. The pressure was on. Iwan set off at a quicker pace on the 11-year-old Starido Stolzwnberg x Raphael) and was up on the clock all the way as he maintained the speed, but he turned tightly into the penultimate double, and the back rail of the first element fell. The bid faded away and although he was two seconds up on the clock, he had to accept second place.
“He knows where his feet are and he’s quick, but I still have a little difficulty turning him, so I didn’t go crazy fast but hoped I’d done enough to force Iwan to chase,” said Carron, whose superstitions made her keep her blue gloves on instead of switching to black. “I also promised Blue a whole bag of carrots if he won – he loves his food and I think that was the clincher!”
The nine-year-old ‘Blue’ has Plot Blue x Livello bloodlines and was bought by Carron’s sister as s month old foal from Brightwells Sales at Addington Equestrian Centre.
“I didn’t actually ride him until he was a seven-year-old and I’ve taken my time schooling him on the flat. We pick and choose our shows with him and it’s paying off,” added Carron.
Sandy McLean clocked up three wins. His top win came with seasoned campaigner Gino F. Seventy-five competitors came forward over the world ranking 2* 145m, these rapidly reduced to 11 for the jump-off, sandy and the Ultimo x Grannus 15-year-old so in tune, they flew into a 1.86 second unbeatable lead. Sally Goding slipped Spring Willow into second.
The 13-year-old Corneliuss (Cornetus x Levantos I) clocked up a double for Sandy, topping the 93-horse 2* 1.35m speed by 0.63 seconds and going on to outpace 41 challengers in the 2* 1.40m speed with 1.61 seconds to spare. Known speedsters Laura Renwick (NFS Taluga) and Mark Edwards (Tinkers Touch) had to settle for second and third.
Madison Heath raced to victory with the super-careful Ivory to claim the 2* Medium Tour Final with Ivory. Fourteen of the original 48 starters tackled the jump-off with Madison and the 13-year-old mare Ivory (Don VHP Z x Cartogran) beating Ryan Page on BP Ko Jax to the win by 0.31 seconds.
Holly Smith secured the 1* Platinum Tour Final on the talented seven-year-old Orovito (Chacgrano x Comme Il Faut 5) in a five-horse decider with more than two seconds to spare over Laura Ritchie-Bland’s Legacy. Laura Mantel guided Car-A-Lago Z into third.
Keith Shore claimed three wins to his credit. The 11-year-old Fabuleux De Riverland (Qlassic Bois Margot x Quatro De Riverland) clocked up a winning double in the 1* 1.35m classes, heading the speed by 1.44 seconds and the single-phase with 0.67 seconds in hand. Keith’s third win came in a Six-year-old as he claimed two of the top three spots, winning aboard Riaux D’Emeraud (Emerlad Van’t Ruytershof x Indoctro) and taking third on Twice The Spice, sandwiching Nicole Pavitt’s Umberto II Van Het Geninsteide into second.
Georgina Ellis (aka jockey Gina Andrews, who showjumps in her married name), scored a winning hat-trick with Crosiere (Harlequin Du Carel x Cruising), speed being their forte. They started their winning streak in the opening 2* 1.30m single-phase, beating 75 challengers by 0.75 seconds. The 45-strong 2* 1.30m speed also fell their way by 0.91 seconds before the pair went on to take the Small Grand Prix.
Forty-one came forward over the 2* 1.35m track with only five making their way into the jump-off. There was no beating Georgina and the evergreen 18-year-old Crosiere and they swept to the top with almost two seconds to spare. Olivia Skinner came the closest for second aboard C-Mikado Wapiti MP Z.
Nicole Pavitt was another to notch up three wins. Her first win came in the initial 2* 1.40m on Casque D’Or, the 10-year-old Clinton’s Heart x Contendro I stallion outpacing their 96 two-phase rivals to win by 0.79 seconds, pushing Laura Renwick and Marseille into second.
The nine-year-old Rhodos Van De Kiekenboer (Emerald x Oklund) topped the final 2* 1.30m speed by half a second for Nicole, and she dominated the Six-year-old Final with the top two places. Forty-four riders started over a 1.30m course with 11 returning to contend the jump-off, the on-form Nicole claiming three of the rides. Only 0.02 seconds separated the top two as Nicole followed a similar track, Umberto II Van Het Geninsteinde (Arezzo VDL x Carthano I Z) edging ahead of Attendro NB. Nicole also took fourth on Billy Matisse, sandwiching Olivia Skinner’s Pamplona Z OS, winner of the initial Six-year-old.
Fergal Holohan jumped to the top of the 1* Gold 1.30m Final with MHB Fleck Of Gold. Eleven from the start list of 37 battled it out in the jump-off, Fergal and the seven-year-old Fleck Of Gold (Romanov x Touchdown) edging ahead of second-placed Olivia Skinner’s Napardi VD Kruisselbrink by only 0.03 seconds.
Abigail Isaac was out in force to claim both Silver and Bronze Tour Finals. A total of 72 contended the 1* Silver Tour Final over a 1.20m track with 16 returning for the jump-off, Abigail galloping ahead to win by 0.47 seconds on the eight-year-old Renkum Crossfire. The 84-entry 1* Bronze 1.10m Final also fell to Abigail, the 13-year-old coloured mare Lady Jamie claiming a handsome 4.45 second win in the 16-horse decider.
Phoebe Lodge was another double winner on NPS Jaliska triumphant in two 1* Silver 1.15m classes, the 10-year-old mare beating 94 rivals by 0.23 seconds in the single-phase and claiming a 1.40 second advantage in the 93-strong speed.
Image: Showground Photography
.jpg "Harry Charles and LT Holst Freda Secure Historic World Championship Bronze")
