Mennell Watson triumphant in the Winter Grand Prix at Solihull Riding Club
Monday 06 February 2023
The Solihull Riding Club Winter Classic concluded in style on Sunday, 5 February 2023 with the penultimate Winter Grand Prix. Local rider Mennell Watson took the win riding Euro Sport Horse’s 15-year-old bay stallion Whisper in the Wind.
Seven of the initial twenty-one starters produced a first round clear over course designer David Cole’s thirteen fence-track with five going on to produce double clears. Mennell and Whisper in the Wind, a horse he has partnered since 2012, utilised all their experience and took every shortcut to come home almost two seconds quicker than their closest challengers. The combination crossed the finish line in 47.05 seconds.
Geoff Billington travelled from Nantwich, Cheshire to take second place with Sarah Billington’s nine-year old grey stallion, Just Special. The combination couldn’t quite match the pace of Mennell and Whisper in the Wind, crossing the finish line in 48.98 seconds.
Third place was taken by Buckingham based Helen Tredwell, who piloted Wayne Cox’s 10-year-old bay gelding Independence TN across the finish less than half a second behind Geoff, in a time of 49.32 seconds.
Solihull Riding Club – Sunday, 5 February 2023
Winter Grand Prix
1st place – Mennell Watson & Whisper in the Wind – 0/0 – 47.05 seconds
2nd place – Geoff Billington & Just Special – 0/0 – 48.98 seconds
3rd place – Helen Tredwell & Independence TN – 0/0 – 49.32 seconds
Find the full results here.
Image credit: 1st Class Images
NB: Results pending official grading.
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