Katie Benbow crowned the Equissage Pulse Senior British Novice Champion of 2024
Tuesday 06 August 2024
The British Showjumping National Championships has kicked off and it’s been an exciting start. The sun shone as the Equissage Pulse Senior British Novice Championship Final unfolded, and we crowned our champion of 2024.
The Final featured 60 riders who had qualified throughout the 2024 season. The course designer Krissy Spiller’s first-round course was challenging, but 21 riders managed clear rounds, securing their spots in the jump-off and bringing them closer to the coveted title.
In a thrilling jump-off, riders pushed their limits, navigating the tough course at top speed. Katie Benbow and her own Latico emerged victorious, claiming the 2024 Champion title.
Latico, a 7-year-old bay mare, gave her all as Katie guided her through an impressively fast jump-off, finishing in 34.65 seconds.
Katie and Latico’s strong bond was evident, with Katie sharing: “I bought her unbroken as a rising 5-year-old, and she’s now 7. We’ve been jumping for probably about a year. She’s a little bit quirky, but I love her to pieces.”
As the saying goes, it’s ‘horses for courses,’ and Latico proved to be perfect for this jump-off. Katie added: “She went into the jump-off with her long stride, which I tried to use to my advantage. To be fair, she met the fences quite well, and being able to take one less stride because of her ability played in my favor in the more flowing jump-off. Especially with her, she performs better when I just get off her and keep kicking! I get along with her really well.”
A huge thank you goes to Niagara Equissage Pulse for their continued support of the British Novice Championship, who have been supporters of British Showjumping for over 20 years.
1st Katie Benbow and Latico 0/0 34.65
2nd Heidi Luck and Cloudy Star 0/0 34.73
3rd Emma Jo Slater and Magnis SMH 0/0 36.40
NB Results pending official grading
Image First Class Images
