Laura Renwick takes 7 & 8 Year Old Championship with new ride
Saturday 22 June 2024
.jpg "Laura Renwick takes 7 & 8 Year Old Championship with new ride")
The Breen Equestrian Beethoven 7 & 8 Year Old Championship was won by Essex-based professional Laura Renwick and new ride Marseilles, who is just seven years old.
“I’m really delighted – the horse is ever so green at this level,” said Laura, who only picked up the ride on Marseilles recently. “I haven't been riding him very long at all, but he's jumped super in the two qualifiers.”
There were plenty of unknown variables for the pair to tackle today. “It was his first time in the main ring, and the jump-off was the first time we've really gone fast – but he just loved it,” explained Laura. “But I’m definitely surprised to win! We’ve been taking our time with him. He's a big horse, and he’s rangy, so I knew he had the stride, but I just didn't know if he had the manoeuvrability, which he hasn't really learned yet.”
Early on, though, she tested the waters and found that there was more adjustability than she’d expected.
“From the off, I set off to number one at a bit of a gallop and he was like, ‘alright, I've got this!’ He was looking for his fences and he was really with me – he really deserved that win, I think.”
Marseilles is “starting to learn very quickly now, which is really, really exciting for the future,” and this week, Laura’s got the same aim for her string of young horses, who she’s exclusively campaigning at the Al Shira’aa Hickstead Derby Meeting.
“I’m just really pleased with how they've all gone – this is such a great show to teach the younger ones. I think they'd probably learn more here in three days than they do in three months going elsewhere,” she added.
The Al Shira’aa Hickstead Derby Meeting runs from 20-23 June at Hickstead in West Sussex. Tickets are available at the gate or can be booked online at www.hickstead.co.uk. All the action from the International Arena will be livestreamed on ClipMyHorse.TV and Hickstead.TV.
Image credit: Boots and Hooves Photography
