Izabella Rogers lifts the Pony Grand Prix with Neil 55 at Compiegne’s Youth Festival
Wednesday 03 May 2023
Izabella Rogers was on form all week at the Youth Festival to take a hat-trick of wins, including the Pony Grand Prix.
Izabella had topped two pony 1.20m classes with Uncanny but left her best win until last, easing the British-bred 11-year-old Neil 55 into victory in the Pony Grand Prix, both owned by Nicola Rogers.
Fifty competitors came forward to tackle the challenging 1.30m Grand Prix track and only seven returned clear rounds to qualify for the jump-off. Izabella found the shortest route, flying into the top spot by 0.90 seconds with Neil and demoting Ireland’s James Derwin to second place on his 2022 double gold medallist Rincoola Babog.
“The first round course wasn’t too technical, it was very open with lots of areas I could change my plan; it suited Neil,” said Izabella. “The jump-off was also open with the fences spaced out. Again, it suited Neil because he has such a big stride so I used it to my advantage. There was only one tight turn back to fence three and I had no choice but to take it – there were some fast ones behind me.”
Izabella has learned to take care with Neil in the warm-up arena.
“He’s very nervous and horse-shy in the warm-up and difficult to ride but once he gets in the ring his character changes; he’s brave, outgoing and puts himself on the line – he goes in wanting to win,” added Izabella.
The 15-year-old Uncanny headed the initial 1.20m two-phase by 1.46 seconds for Izabella. Twenty-four hours later, they repeated the feat in the 28-strong 1.20m speed to push Tabitha Kyle into second and third on TJ Hall Ltd’s Gangnam Style and Emma Banks’ Merlijn VD Bisschop by 0.89 seconds.
“Uncanny is very quick, he copes well with speed,” said Izabella, who took inspiration from Shane Breen. “I watched Shane finish second on Haya at the Longines Global Champions Tour of Mexico and I got my insights from his round. He started his round at the pace he intended to maintain, so I did the same.”
Image credit: Agence Ecary
