Matt Sampson makes his first sojourn to Verona CSI5*-W in Italy, a winning one
Monday 10 November 2025
Matt Sampson made his first visit to Verona, Italy, a memorable on with a five-star win on Latte Macchiato.
Matt got his campaign off to a flying start with victory in the initial 5* 1.45m on his ride of six weeks. Forty-eight competitors contended this two-phase class but Matt secured victory immediately following the halfway break, registering a runaway time of 2.68 seconds with the Pacino x Boherdeal Clover 12-year-old.
Mat is enthusiastic about Latte Macchiato, who is owned by the Gachoud family who train with him and, as regular rider Christina Gachoud is currently out of action, Matt has taken over the ride.
“He’s been fantastic,” said Matt, on the gelding who was previously owned by Irish riders Shane Breen and Bertram Allen. “He’s won two classes in recent weeks in St Tropez, (France), and Oliva Nova, (Spain). This is his first indoor show of the season and his first five-star, so everyone is delighted.”
Matt was impressed with his first visit to this venue: “I’m a very big horse person and to see so many people celebrating the horse is incredible. One thing many shows can take from Verona is we aren’t jumping at 10 o’clock at night. Always, we’re thinking about the horses, but the grooms looking after them, sometimes the days can be really, really long. They’re in the stables before anyone else is out of bed and working so hard, so for them to be able to finish and have a nice time and still enjoy the classes and the show without being exhausted is a credit to the show.”
The pair moved up to the 42-horse 5* 1.50m speed on Saturday to take second spot 1.03 seconds off the winning time set by Liechtenstein’s Jennifer Hochstaedter on Moeboetow V/D Roshoeve.
Robert Murphy is on the four-star podium amongst world class riders in the Maastricht Grand Prix
Robert Murphy slipped Hulde G into second place in the Maastricht 4* Grand Prix in The Netherlands.
Thirty-eight riders came forward to face the 1.55m course but it proved to be tough and only five, including top names Germany’s Christian Ahlmann and Ireland’s Denis Lynch, found all the right answers to qualify for the jump-off. The clock came into play as all five returned second clears, Robert and Jos Lansink Horses BV’s 13-year-old Emerald Van’t Ruytershof x Landetto mare taking the runner-up spot 1.02 seconds behind the winner, Belgium’s Gilles Thomas with Qalista DN.
Laura Renwick is a Big Tour winner in Valencia
Laura Renwick hit winning form in the 3* big tour 1.45m with Abbie Summers’ If Ever’s Girl on the Moura Autumn Tour in Valencia, Spain.
Sixty-one competitors participated in this speed class but Laura, known for her speedy prowess, hit top gear with the If Ever 111 x Arko III nine-year-old mare to take the win with 1.55 seconds to spare.
Millie Allen also picked up world ranking points in an 87-entry 3* 1.45m with the nine-year-old mare Quickly D VH Ijzerenlindehof (Quint VH Maarlo Z x Nevado Van De Rostal), finishing second in the 15-horse decider just 0.15 seconds off the pace.
Fraser Reed double up, galloping to the top in a 3* 1.40m on SES Jumeirah, denying Laura Renwick another win. Eighty came forward in this speed class with Fraser and the Diamant De Semilly x Douglas eight-year-old claiming a 0.97 second advantage over Laura and Cottee in second.
Fraser also headed a competitive 3* 1.30m, edging ahead by 0.13 seconds on the Askoll Peter Pan 12-year-old Loughan Special.
Nicole Pavitt notched up five wins to her credit over the week. The home-bred Atlas 16 (Goldstar x Fuego Du Prelet) came to the fore with a double, winning two Six-year-old classes, a speed by 1.79 seconds and an immediate jump-off by almost two seconds. The seven-year-old stallion Aster 16 (Quabri De l Isle x Fuego Du Prelet won the 1* 1.30m speed by 1.42 seconds. Nicole also topped one Five-year-old 1.10m two-phase on Colkato NB (Contagio x Stakkatol) with 1.10m seconds in hand and another Five-year-old two-phase aboard the Asterix De Couleur sired Attendro NB by 1.83 seconds.
Hannah Tiley outpaced her 57 rivals to take the 3* 1.35m two-phase by 0.71 seconds on the 14-year-old Capistelle JX and Summer Tanner topped the final day’s 3* 1.35m speed on the 14-year-old Billy Coman (Cevin Z x Vechta) with more than five seconds to spare.
Olivia Sponer takes a Grand Prix podium place at Azelhof Jumping
Olivia Sponer missed out on a Grand Prix win by a little over half a second and had to settle for second with Kockie W at Azelhof Jumping in Belgium.
Only 11 of the original 57 starters mastered course-designer Henk Linders’ 13-fence 2* 1.45m Grand Prix track and with seven posting double clears, the clock played a major part. Olivia moved the Luidam x Jodokus 10-year-old, a winner at Roya Windsor earlier in the year, into another flawless round to finish 0.58 seconds behind the winner, Belgium’s Christophe Vanderhasselt on Axxess Pure Z.
Carmen Edwards topped an early 2* 1.40m speed, the 13-year-old Verdi TN daughter Happy Valerie outpacing 54 rivals to win by 1.57 seconds.
In the Five and Six-year-old 1.15/1.25m age classes, Joe Trunkfield beat 54 challengers with 1.06 seconds in hand on the Whisper In The Wind six-year-old Whisper’s Enigma, and Declan Irvine sneaked ahead in another by 0.06 seconds with the six-year-old Opportunity Bella MFS (Grandorado TN x Heartbreaker).
James Smith and Isabella Tooth are winner in Oliva Nova, Spain
James Smith led a British top two in the Gold 1.40m on MET 2 in Oliva Nova, Spain, with new ride Helsinki.
Fifty-three competitors came forward in this speed class with James and the Zacharov TN 13-year-old speeding ahead to take victory by 1.39 seconds. Bethanie Knight guided Mr Thunder into second place.
Isabella Tooth was also a 1.40m winner, taking the Bronze Final as seven of the 45 starters contended the jump-off, the 13-year-old stallion Hanson (Baltic VDL x Niveau) claimed a 0.49 second winning advantage.
Sammie Jo Coffin scored a hat-trick in the supporting classes; Big Star Of Follyfoot Z (Big Star x Diamant De Semilly) doubled up in the Seven-year-old 1.35m classes, heading the first immediate jump-off by 1.67 seconds and the second 24 hours later with almost two seconds to spare. Sammie Jo’s third win came in the Silver 1.25m speed on the 10-year-old Casalle Blue VD (Casallco x Diarado) by 0.57 seconds.
Abbie Burchmore Eames topped a 75-strong Gold 1.30m two-phase with 0.56 seconds in hand on the nine-year-old Hamberlins Peridot (Emerald x Kannan) and Ben Clark claimed a 0.30 second advantage in a Gold 1.30m speed with the eight-year-old mare Jessamy.
Images: JV & S Grasso
 c. KT Equine Photography.jpg "Victory for Emily Ward and Wild Star HF in the Winter Grand Prix at Kelsall Hill Winter Classic")
