James Smith claims a HOYS Foxhunter finalist place with Junor Rose 23 in this week’s National Round-up of the HOYS qualifiers
Tuesday 11 July 2023
James Smith secured victory in the HOYS Foxhunter Second Round at the Scottish Summer Extravaganza with Juno Rose 23 to book his place in the prestigious final.
A total of 33 competitors tackled course-designer Mark McGowan’s 12-fence 1.30m track with an initial 12 finding all the right answers and an eventual five making their way into the jump-off.
But clears proved scarce in the final round, James the sole rider to post a clean round and commandingly take his place at the top of the leaderboard.
The 9-year-old Cardento x Burggraaf mare only joined James in January but the pair quickly established a partnership and have clocked up several impressive wins at 3* level in Portugal and Spain in the early part of the year.
Coincidentally, Juno Rose’s previous rider Emma Crawford netted the second HOYS qualifying place on the 8-year-old mare Cliftons Adelaide (Siec Atlas x Landor S) as the fastest four-faulter.
Rachel Proudley added another HOYS ticket to her collection with victory in the Newcomers Second Round on ride of three months Apollo Van De Kattevennen Z.
Fourteen of the original 50 starters returned for round two with an eventual 11 riders vying for the top two HOYS places on offer. Rachel, who already has C Rouet Du Darco Z in the Foxhunter final and HOYS grade C, skilfully guided the Aktion Pur Z x Darco 9-year-old into the top spot by 2.56 seconds. Emily Ward claimed the second coveted ticket with Wild Star HF, her home-bred 7-year-old by Big Star and out of her former top competition mare and Oklund daughter Haddon House Wild Rose.
Alexander Bragg convincingly claimed the Senior Foxhunter Second Round at Bicton Arena with the sole double clear on Quindiva to take his place in the prestigious HOYS Final.
Twenty-five competitors initially tackled course designer Raf Suarez’s 12-fence track which started at a height of 1.30m with 12 conjuring up first round clears to qualify for round two. These were further reduced to seven for the final jump-off against the clock. However, primarily speed was not the key as Alexander was the sole rider to post a third clean round to take the top spot on Quindiva, a 13-year-old Irish-bred mare who joined Alexander in late 2016 and has less than 500 showjumping points.
Jake Myers provided the fastest four-fault round on the French-bred 7-year-old Gamin Des Rondets (Diamant De Semilly x Desir Du Chateau) – 0.69 sec behind the Alexander – for the second finalist place.
Faye Adams triumphed in the Senior Newcomers Second Round with Renkum Buster to book their HOYS ticket.
Eleven of the 48 starters produced first round clears over the 12-fence 1.25m track with a final round of six battling it out in the jump-off for the two coveted HOYS places on offer. Faye found the shortest route in her early round on the brilliant green turf, remaining steadfastly in the top spot by 0.97 seconds on the Baloubet Junior Z x Cobretti 8-yerar-old Renkum Buster.
Lottie Tutt claimed the second qualifying ticket on the 7-year-old Billy Dash (Casallo Z x Billy Mexico), holding on to the runner-up spot despite the final challenge from her boss Pippa Funnell on Billy Santorini, who had to settle for third.
Image: James Smith and Juno Rose 23. Credit - Sinclair Photography
.jpg "Laura Renwick Dominates in the Redpost Equestrian Senior Foxhunter Second Round at Felbridge Showground")
