Jessica Burke lands the top-billed 2* Chepstow Grand Prix with a flying round on Foreign Affair
Tuesday 27 August 2024
Jessica Burke’s breath-takingly fast round on African Affair secured the Equestrian Surfaces 2* Grand Prix at Chepstow Summer International to lift the magnificent King Hussein Trophy – presented by Princess Haya of Jordan and donated by her father, The King.
Ireland’s Jessica, who has been based in Britain at the Arion Stud for five years, gave up her career as a teacher in Ireland to pursue her showjumping dream – and has met with great success, including five-star appearances. She showed her worth here, executing daring, gasp-inducing turns on Louisa Church’s eager African Affair to score victory.
“I first rode him three or four years ago then he was sold but Louisa bought him back for me at the end of last year and he’s come back with more experience. He knows the job now and he’s very fast,” said Jessica.
Sixty-five riders faced the 13-fence 1.45m Grand Prix course designed by the team of Raf Suarez, Colm Quinn and Nathan Farrell – and while four left the fences standing and incurred time faults, including John Whitaker with new ride Z7 Regal Don – 13 answered every question to move forward into the jump-off.
“It was a lovely course with a good number of clears and made for a great jump-off. You know when you jump the Grand Prix and the World Ranking classes here, they are always testing courses and you can go on to jump 1.50m classes easily,” said Jessica.
Rachel Proudley, 19, rode a magnificent round on the nine-year-old Petitfour VD Wareslage to set a competitive target and sat at the top despite several challenges. But Jessica on the British-bred Billy Congo 13-year-old African Affair – originally produced by Rose Moss – was quicker. Trusting the scope and carefulness of this eye-catching chestnut, Jessica didn’t take a pull and cut the corners to the quick, pulling off a breath-taking tight turn to the penultimate oxer and pushing on to the final fence to secure victory by 1.36 seconds.
“I’m so lucky to have him and have a big thank you to Louisa for buying him back. I watched a couple go in the jump-off and, although I knew I couldn’t be quicker on speed, I knew I could be tighter on the turns to the double and the penultimate fence. Once he’s happy and made friends with you, he’ll do anything for you and he’ll go on to bigger things,” added Jessica, who gave thanks to the Broomes for running such a super show – “We always try to do both Spring and Summer Chepstow shows every year.”
William Whitaker gave it his best shot in the final draw with the handsome stallion Chacco’s Lando to slot into third only a fraction behind Rachel in second place.
William may have had to settle for third in the major Grand Prix, but he commandingly claimed a hat-trick of well-deserved wins. The first came in the medium tour final with Old Lodge and HRH Sultan TM Saud’s Active Spirit.
Eighteen of the original 56 starters conquered the 12-fence 1.40m course to qualify for the jump-off with the lead changing several times, until late-drawn William rode in. Starting at an optimum yet deceptively quick pace and smoothly slicing corners close to the wings, William coolly guided the nine-year-old mare Active Spirit (Vigo D’Arsouilles x Bamako De Muze) into the top spot by 1.33 seconds. Ryan Page finished second on the nine-year-old BP Ko Jax and Nicole Pavitt filled third with Genial Du Dalot.
“She was originally produced by Steven Franks and has stepped up this year and really started coming into her own,” said William on Active Spirit. “We brought her here to support Lando and had this class in mind for her. She’s a lovely big type with a big stride, careful and lovely but with a bit of sass.”
William didn’t rest on his laurels and immediately set out to take the Platinum 1* 1.35m two-phase with Old Lodge and P. Sultan Saud’s Carlina D’Argouges. The 12-year-old Lando daughter won by 0.65 seconds, pushing Jude Burgess with Undun and Sandy McLean’s Hannah Van De Kapel into second and third respectively.
“Carlina has been with Louise Lovegrove (nee Saywell) but as she’s having a baby, she came to me six weeks ago. It’s early days yet but so far, so good, she’s careful with plenty of jump and hasn’t put a foot wrong,” said William.
William also headed the Platinum 1* 1.40m Grand Prix aboard the nine-year-old mare Millfield Quickstep (Quiwi Dream x Cassini I). Eight of a selection of the fastest riders in the country contended the jump-off, and as promised, it was hot. The on-form William emerged triumphant, but only just, taking the win by only 0.01 second from Laura Mantel in second on Chacoons Gisa Blue Z.
“I have Quickstep together with her breeder Sue Jagger of Millfield Stud and we have high hopes for her. She’s just started to step up and I’ll be looking to step her up again into world ranking classes in a few months. She’s easy going with a good brain; she’s not really got the experience to win this class, but she kept it together at a higher pace, showing her quality,” said William.
Eighty-two competitors came forward in the first of the world ranking classes, but the 13-fence 1.45m track didn’t make it easy and only four riders supplied initial clear rounds, although a further five left all the fences intact but finished just over the time to incur time faults. The quartet opted not to jump-off but share first prize equally – Helen Tredwell with Independence TN, Danielle Farnsworth on Hunter Apple, Sammie Jo Coffin riding Chaccomo Blue and Paris 2024 Eventing Individual silver medallist, British-based Australian Chris Burton on Chedington Hazy Toulana taking equal first.
A testament to the efforts to improve and give the best experience at this bi-annual international show, increased entries hit over 100 and meant day one’s 2* 1.40m had to be split, with extra prize money awarded.
Sandy McLean took the first of these as he hit immediate form to notch up a victory double. His first win came with the consistent Eagele Z. Fifty-two competitors tackled the first section of the 2* 1.40m two-phase, Sandy having all the tight turns sewn up on the Eldorado VD Zeshoek x Ramiro Z 13-year-old to record a 1.82 second win over Harriet Biddick, in second aboard Night of Glory OL.
Sandy immediately registered his second win in the 1* Platinum 1.35m two-phase, beating his 18 rivals by 0.85 seconds on a new ride, the Belgian-bred 11-year-old Hannah Van De Kapel.
British-based Anthony Condon topped the second 1.40m section, outpacing 50 rivals on Lisa Hales home-bred eight-year-old SFS Houdini (SFS Aristio x Magic Darco) with 0.81 seconds to spare over Jude Burgess in second on Tina HP.
Faye Adams and the speedy 16-year-old Demograaf (Quasimodo Z x Serville) outran all 50 rivals in Sunday’s 2* 1.40m speed class to win by 0.32 seconds, pushing William Whitaker on Falkland Des Isles and Mark Edwards’ Dillinger NE into second and third.
Jude Burgess was another to double up, taking the Platinum 1.35m and Six-year-old on day two. Jude made short work of the 11-fence speed track to top the 25-strong 1* 1.35m with the Caretino Glory 11-year-old Undun, scoring a win with 0.55 seconds in hand over Jessica Hewlett’s Ilmar HBC.
Thirty-nine competitors contended the Six-year-old 1.20m two-phase, Jude smoothly guiding the Big Star daughter Starcent into to the top spot by 0.89 seconds.
Nicole Pavitt also doubled up on wins with Sally Jobson Scott’s Cornet of Follyfoot. The pair topped the first class of the four-day show, the Small 2* 1.30m two-phase, racing ahead to beat the 66 challengers by 0.38 seconds. They left the best for later in the week, claiming the 2* Small tour final. Seventeen of the original 47 claimed a place in the jump-off but Nicole left the others trailing in her wake as the Cornet Obolensky seven-year-old Cornet of Follyfoot – who will contend the HOYS Foxhunter and Talentseeker Finals – to win by 2.32 seconds. Phillip Spivey finished second on Billy Van Gogh.
Keith Shore claimed the Six-year-old 1.30m Grand Prix on Elaine Williams’ Valentina Blue (Chacoon Blue x Indoctro) with 0.82 seconds in hand as 17 of the initial 40 starters battled it out against the clock. Ryan Page guided Curraghgraigue Q Hill into second and Allana Clutterbuck aboard Michael Bates’ Ella Hope finished third.
Thirty-five five-year-olds started over 1.10m with 10 of them reaching the raised and shortened third round against the clock. Glain Watkin Jones took the win riding Asca Star VM Z (Asca Z x Numero Uno) by 0.35 seconds. Eight provided treble clears with Jude Burgess (Galwaybay Esmerelda) and Madison Heath (Dakota) in second and third.
Olivia Mae Davison seized the win in the Silver Tour 1* 1.20m Final, galloping her way to the top by 0.22 seconds in the 17-horse decider on the nine-year-old mare Kiss By A Rose. Kelly Connor jumped Lacara into second place.
Charlotte Bowman conjured up a hat-trick of wins with Marieke VDR. Charlotte took over the reins on this 12-year-old Belgian-bred mare from Leo Lamb four months ago and recorded their first win together here. They had to share their first victory in the 58-horse Bronze 1* 1.05 Accumulator after dead-heating on time with Georgia Cabb’s 15-year-old Ebrusa.
Georgia came off second best in the next two classes. Charlotte and Marieke upped a gear in the Bronze 1* 1.10m final to ensure an outright victory. Thirty-five of the 82 starters accessed the jump-off with Charlotte and Georgia on Ebrusa again pitted against each other, but Charlotte got the upper hand on this occasion, racing ahead to score 1.39 second win. And the concluding 1* 1.05m speed also gave a similar result, Charlotte and Marieke commanding the top spot by more than two seconds over Georgia on Ebrusa.
Full results can be found here: https://online.equipe.com/shows/65229
Image: Showground Photography
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