Emily Ward lands the top-billed 1.40m Championship at the Scope Festival
Wednesday 21 August 2024
Emily Ward claimed the feature 1.40m Championship with Angela Hunt’s Wild Star HF to conclude the Scope Festival for Seniors at South View Equestrian Centre in Cheshire.
Only three mastered the round one track and provided initial clear rounds to access the jump-off with Keith Shore setting the target on Zero 24. But Emily made short work of course-designer Gillian Milner’s raised and shortened course to cruise ahead on the eight-year-old, winning with 4.44 seconds to spare. Keith finished second with the only other double clear and Abbie Bevan claimed third aboard Fabiola Fairy V.
“The course walked fairly easily but there were some subtle questions. Keith was quick enough but Wild Star has some experience against the clock now,” said Emily, who has a good owner in Angela Hunt – “It’s fantastic to have an owner who knows the sport and loves the horses and supports us with the youngsters coming through.”
Wild Star, who will contend the HOYS Talent Seeker Final in October, is bred from showjumping blood and the first ever foal bred at Haddon Farms. By Nick Skelton’s Rio 2016 Olympics individual gold medallist Big Star, she is out of Haddon Farms’ Oklund mare Wild Rose, a big winner for Emily and Michael and William Whitaker.
“He’s a nice mix of the two.Generally, he’s a big puppy like Wild Rose was as a youngster and has her class, and he definitely has the fire of Big Star when he starts jumping,” said Emily, who also has his promising half-sister by Cornet Obolensky waiting in the wings. “Wild Rose is proving to be almost as good a broodmare as when she was jumping herself in the ring.”
A last-minute solo trip paid handsomely for Beth Vernon with the Scope 1.30m Championship aboard Cherry Diamant.
Seven from the field of 17 mastered the round one 1.30m course, but although the clock came into play, only two supplied double clears to put the onus on jumping. Beth was in flying form, taking every possible shortcut on the Galerius x Kannan seven-year-old mare to record a five second win.
“I owe a massive thank you to Kacey Winterbottom, Jassy Pyke, Emma-Jo Slater and team for giving me a hand at the show – with two horses in the jump-off, I’m not sure I’d have been winning without them, it was a team effort,” said Beth, who has ridden Cherry Diamant for the past two years.
“She’s the most consistent mare and just does enough, she reminds me of Falaza (2011 Pony European double gold pony), she finds that bit more scope and conserves her energy. She has a heart of gold, loves the job and always wants to do well.”
After a 10-year hiatus and previously listed in the British Top 5 ranking list, Mark McCourt – now established as a British Showjumping Elite coach – has returned to competition and secured victory in the Scope 1.15m championship with John VDL.
“It’s been a long time since I’ve won a rug and sash! I never thought I’d be winning at Scope again. I told the younger competitors, the old ones can still go faster,” exclaimed Mark, who began competing again late last year.
Only two double clears were realised in the six-horse jump-off, Mark commanding an impressive win by 12 seconds with Julie Finney settling for second on Lord Maestro.
Chris Jones purchased the 10-year-old John VDL (Harley VDL x Arezzo VDL) from George Babes in March for Mark as one to keep and progress.
“It’s great to have a horse like this amongst the youngsters, it keeps me competitive and he’s such an appealing, cheeky character,” added Mark.
Emily Morris hit top form to claim a novice victory double with Searlait ML. The Consistent pair first topped the Graham Heath Equestrian Novice Championship in a 12-horse decider – yielded from a start list of 33 with 1.43 seconds in hand over second-placed Katie Bowen and Redhill Dandy.
Emily and Searlait ML didn’t rest on their laurels and, firing on all cylinders, galloped to the top in the Stables Direct 1m Novice title. The 27 starters were reduced to 14 for the jump-off, Emily and the eager Escape Z x J’Ai L’Espoir D’Elle five-year-old mare, bought last October, edging ahead in the competitive jump-off by only 0.10 seconds. Lauren Roach and Harlequin V claimed second.
“I bought her in Norfolk from Julia Clifton, who’d bought a horse 10 years ago and we stayed in touch. Searlait is Irish for Caroline and Julia named her in memory of her late breeder Caroline Humphrey,” said Emily, who made an instant decision. “I looked over the stable door, and said I’d have her, she was my type and she’s a joy – so easy, kind and gets on with the job with no dramatics. She has an old lead on young shoulders; has enough about her in the ring and always looking for the next jump but takes it all in her stride.”
Lauren Roach went one better in the Blue Riband Championship, urging Louisiana-S into the top spot.
Nine combinations came forward against the clock after posting clear rounds over the 1.20m track, Lauren easing ahead on Kerry Grimster’s eight-year-old Dutch-bred mare for a 0.29 second win.
Lucy Hassall and the aptly-named One For Lucy outpaced all their rivals in a very competitive Scope 1.05m Championship. Eighteen of the original 30 competitors returned to battle it out against the clock, Lucy and the 10-year-old mare giving their all to snatch the title by 0.19 seconds from well-known speedster Emma-Jo Slater and Kim Barzilay’s 14-year-old mare Freule TN (Baloubet Du Rouet x Clinton). The top two have maintained their month-long form as both have qualified for the NAF Five Star Finals at HOYS – Lucy and One For Lucy winning the Bronze League Semi-Final at Northcote Stud and Emma-Jo claiming victory in Chard Equestrian’s Silver League Semi-Final on Freule TN.
There was no doubt of victory in the Scope Pathfinders Championship as Emma-Jo commanded the top two places. Six competitors contended the jump-off, Emma-Jo setting a sizzling target from first draw with Kim Barzilay’s home-bred five-year-old Kimba Luidun (Luidam x Diamant De Semilly). Challengers came and went with Ryan Page the nearest rival riding Uno Beech, almost two seconds off the pace. But Emma-Jo soon put paid to that with second ride and last to go Magnus SMH, slotting the Global Express x Numero Uno seven-year-old into second spot.
Locally based Grace Wallace scooped victory in the 95cm Championship with long-term partner of seven years Eau Claire V. Thirteen of the original 33 starters tackled the jump-off with Grace and the Dutch-bred 15-year-old mare comfortably posting a 1.21 second win. Sammy Jo Hall steered Kingpin III into second spot.
Image: Phil Hillier / Landscape and Horses Photography
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