Success continues for British Riders on the International Circuit in this week's International Round-Up
Tuesday 12 November 2024
A stumble on landing costs Ben Maher a Longines FEI World Cup victory in Verona
Ben Maher narrowly missed out on a Longines FEI World Cup win in Verona, Italy, when Point Break stumbled on landing and crucially lost time, missing out on the top spot by less than half a second.
Forty riders came forward over Italian course-designer Uliano Vezzani’s 13-fence 1.60m track but the questions came thick and fast over wide oxers and relentlessly quick turns and only five advanced to round two against the clock.
Ben – who won the Verona World Cup 12 months ago with his Olympic team gold medallist Dallas Vegas Batilly – was out for his second consecutive win. He set the pace in the jump-off but faced a momentary setback in the jump-off when Charlotte Rossetter and Pamela Wright’s 10-year-old stallion Point Break (Action-Breaker x Balou Du Rouet) stumbled slightly on landing after the double. The slip proved costly. Although Point Break recovered quickly the door was left ajar and Germany’s penultimate drawn Sophie Hinners crossed the line with 0.32 seconds in hand on Iron Dames My Prins for the win, leaving Ben in second place.
Nonetheless, Ben was pleased with the performance: “That took us a little bit of time to recover. This young horse needs experience and I was happy to see that he didn’t lose his head when he tripped,” he reflected.
Sienna Charles is on winning form in Spain
Sienna Charles claimed two world ranking podium places on Autumn MET II in Oliva Nova, Spain, winning on the final day with Valkiry De Zance.
Teaming up with Valkiry, Sienna beat 79 rivals for the top spot in the Gold 1.45m two-phase. Thirty riders made it to the second phase with Sienna and the Diamant De Semilly x Double Espoir 15-year-old flying into the top spot by 0.63 seconds.
Twenty-four hours earlier, Sienna guided Stardust into third place in the Gold 1.45m Final. Twelve of the 59 starters conquered course-designer Frank Rothenberger’s 13-fence track to access the jump-off with Sienna and the 14-year-old Chacco-Blue Con Air 7 mare posting another clear to slip into third 1.32 seconds behind the winner, Ireland’s Thomas Ryan on Jezebeau BC.
Second the week before, Graham Babes and the consistent Monks I Am Casall commandeered another podium place in the feature 3* 1.50m Grand Prix. Fifteen of the 49 starters powered over the 13-fence course to qualify for the jump-off with Graham and the I’m Special De Muze x Casall 10-year-old again proving foot-perfect to slot into third 1.71 seconds off the winning time set by Spain’s Mariano Martinez Bastida on Jup.
“He jumped two fabulous rounds, we are absolutely delighted with him,” said Graham.
Laura Mantel was also double clear for fifth on Casago Du Rouet PS.
Michaela Scott made a good start to her first week on the tour with her newly-crowned HOYS Foxhunter champion Eddie G Z with a place every day culminating with a third in the Silver Grand Prix. Only six of the original 55 competitors mastered the 12-fence 1.40m track, Echo Van’t Spieveld x Jodokus eight-year-old finishing 2.16 seconds behind the winner, Germany’s Janne Friederieke Meyer-Zimmerman on Tapioca.
Several other Brits stood top of the podium in the supporting classes: Jasmin Head claimed a 60-strong 1.30m speed victory by 0.39 seconds on Ma Cherie Z, Jake Ward galloped to the top in the 73-horse Gold 1.35 speed with 2.17 seconds to spare aboard the 15-year-old Davinci VD Bosrand Z, Marnie Green and Ikar K gained a 0.15 second advantage over fellow Brit Emily Sage’s Cadiz Z in the 75-entry Bronze 1.30m speed. Izac Ketteridge on RSH Sweepstake and Billie Thornton with Fleche Blue PS were Five-year-old winners and Taio Strevett outpaced 60 rivals to take the Six-year-old 1.25m two-phase on Bellini OS.
Amanda Derbyshire hits sizzling form to notch up a hat-trick of wins on the Split Rock Jumping Tour in Aiken, USA
An on-form Amanda Derbyshire added three wins to her tally in Aiken, USA, on the Split Rock Jumping Tour.
Amanda showed her form in the $32,000 C. Jarvis Insurance 2* 1.45m Welcome with two of the top three places. The 43 starters were reduced to 17 for the jump-off, Amanda guiding the 11-year-old Zavall VDL daughter Zadora into the top spot by 0.33 seconds with Cornwall BH also double clear and in third.
The places were reversed 48 hours later as long-term campaigner Cornwall who hit top gear in the $100,000 Lugano Diamonds 2* Grand Prix to claim victory with Zadora in third.
Thirty-eight competitors contended with the 1.45m track swiftly reducing them to six for the jump-off, Amanda and the Con Air 16-year-old ‘Wally’ flying into the top spot by 0.93 seconds. She eased Zadora into equal third, sharing the podium spot with fellow Brit Grace Debney, who equalled the time on the 10-year-old Eldorado VD Zeshoek daughter Jesprit HS.
Amanda’s final victory came in the $20,000 Kay Lawson Douglas Elliman Real Estate 1.35m Small Grand Prix, outpacing her 23 rivals by 0.90 seconds riding the Norton D’Eole 12-year-old Otto BH.
Jess Mendoza races to a five-star win in Toronto
Jess Mendoza and I-Cap CL Z jumped to victory to take the 5* £32,250 Brickenden Trophy at the Royal Agricultural Fair in Toronto, Canada.
Seventeen came forward over course-designers Oscar Soberon (USA) and Meghan Rawlins’ (CAN) 11-fence 1.50m track but only three could come up with all the answers to qualify for the jump-off. Jess hit the turbo button second time out, steering the I’m Special De Muze x Air Jordan 12-year-old into a 0.42 second win, pushing Israel’s Daniel Bluman and Hummer Z into second.
Jess guided Hascombe Verona into third in the 2* Welcome Speed Challenge, 1.03 seconds behind the winner, Ireland’s Daniel Coyle aboard Langley, and finished fifth in the Mad Barn Big Ben 1.55m Challenge to mark the 11-year-old In The Air’s first 5* Grand Prix, four faults in the six-horse decider dropping them down the line.
Harry Charles claims third in the 5* Grand Prix of Monterrey La Silla
Harry Charles posted a double clear over the 5* 1.60m track for a podium place in the Grand Prix of La Silla, Monterrey in Mexico with Casquo Blue.
A strong 14-fence course of wide oxers, rollbacks coupled with a restrictive time allowed designed by France’s Gregory Bodo and Germany’s Marco Behrens in the big grass arena was subtly tough and clear rounds were sparse. Twelve of the original 38 competitors came through to round two against the clock, the five clears joined by three on time faults only and the four fastest four-faulters carrying their faults and going in reverse order of merit.
One of the five clear rounds, Harry rode a smooth round, pushing on to the final two fences, trusting Casquo Blue to the final vertical, to take a brief lead with his father Peter Charles and Stall Zet’s Chacco-Blue x Carthago Z 14-year-old.
Italy’s Emanuele Camilli and Odense Odeveld nudged a top coping stone on the wall across and left it dangerously dangling, but luck was on his side, and it stayed. The pair edged ahead by 0.32 seconds. Their lead was short-lived. Last to go Mexico’s Andres Azcarraga had the enthusiastic host country behind him all the way as he bid on victory, and he found a slightly faster pace on Contendros 2 to claim the win.
Sameh El Dahan rode WKD Aimez Moi into third in the 5* 1.45m. Ten of the fastest clears from the 49 starters returned for round two in this Winning Round competition amongst a star-studded cast. Sameh and Joanne Sloan Allen’s home-bred Je T’Aime Flamenco14-year-old mare slipping into the third spot 1.56 seconds behind the winner, Sweden’s Henrik von Eckermann on Glamour Girl with Germany’s Daniel Deusser filling third aboard Bing Ste Hermelle.
James Smith and Joe Whitaker claim world ranking points on the Autumn Moura Tours in Valencia
James Smith was in the money in the world ranking classes on the penultimate week of the Autumn Moura Tour in Valencia, Spain.
James picked up third as he battled against 50 rivals in the 3* 1.45m speed with Juno Rose 23, the Erdento 10-year-old mare finishing 3.24 seconds off the pace.
James and recent acquisition Eagele Z – bought from fellow Scot Sandy McLean – just missed out on a podium place in the feature 3* 1.50m Grand Prix. Only six of the 49 starters posted initial clears to reach the jump-off with James and the Eldorado VD Zeshoek 13-year-old jumping another clear more than four seconds behind the winner, France’s Alexa Ferrer on Vitalhorse Fleur D’Oz.
Joe Whitaker picked up third in an early 40-strong 3* 1.45m speed aboard Vagalenco GF, the Vagabond De La Pomme x Clearway eight-year-old 2.02 seconds off the pace.
Laura Renwick headed a British top two in the 3* 1.35m speed with the home-bred nine-year-old Kosmos A (Arezzo VDL x Namelus R), outpacing her 46 rivals by 0.44 seconds and pushing Nick Williams and Darius Des Vignes Du Theil into second while other Brits were also in the winner’s enclosure. Nick went one better in a 31-strong Six-year-old 1.20m speed with half a second to spare on Dan, Jodie Maher recorded her first International win on the Chellthago 13-year-old Grace-Unlimited in a 1.30m speed, while Adrian Speight on the seven-year-old Martins Candy Gold and Logan Creighton with Calini also registered 1.30m wins, Ciara Miller topped a Six-year-old 1.20m with NFS Belago and Jemma Kirk picked up first and third in a Seven and Eight-year-old 1.30/1.35m two-phase with Loughnatousa Buachaill and Cassidy VH Kapelhof Z.
Image credit: FEI / Massimo Argenziano
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