Round-up from South View Equestrian Centre's Small Pony Premier
Tuesday 11 February 2025
The third Small Pony Premier took place this last weekend at South View Equestrian Centre. Anya Dewey Clarke proved the best in Saturday’s Winter 128cm Second Round with Kilcreene Snapdragon. Sixteen competitors faced the 1.10m track with three conjuring up the right answers to go forward into the final jump-off. Jumping the only triple clear of the class, Anya steered the 12-year-old gelding cleanly around the course to take top spot. Victoria Neachell piloted Just Ozzie into second place whilst Lilly Mae Waldron and Castlepark Giant slotted into third.
Mila Henderson, riding Daisy May X, and Douglas Breen, riding Leiiaish Lady Penelop, produced the only two clears in round one of Sunday’s equivalent Winter 128cm Second Round qualifier and opted not to jump-off, sharing the spoils of first place. Lucas McArdle picked up third with Miss Charming as the fastest round with four faults.
Saturday’s Winter 138cm Second Round went the way of Portia Taylor Wilson. Sixteen of the 36 starters came forward to round two, with 10 advancing onto the final jump-off. With Four clears, the clock would come into play in the final round as the riders chased two Hickstead qualifying spots. Portia used her speedy prowess to secures top spot with Whitethorn Smokey in an uncatchable time of 41.21 seconds. Alexander Leggott picked up second place with Blossom’s Letterkeen Bettyn in 48.09 seconds whilst Christina Cotton took third place with Harefield Diego in 48.73 seconds.
Sunday’s Winter 138cm Second Round was also won with a sole treble clear, Tabby Morgan Evans forging ahead on Kerry Grimster’s It’s Bill to take the victory. Of the initial 27 combinations over the 1.15m course, ten returned to tackle round two, these further reduced to five for the jump-off. Using her final draw to her advantage knowing that all she had to do was jump clear to secure the win, Tabby set off at a steady pace, steering the eight-year-old stallion to a foot-perfect final round. Charle Barker and Made You Look set a speedy early target but after an unfortunate pole hit the ground were unable to hold onto that top spot, finishing in second place, whilst Freddie Hodges picked up third place with Noahs Lady.
Holly West once again dominated the British Showjumping Winter 138cm/138cm Handicap Special class on Saturday, taking the top two placings with her 138cm riders, Clashroe Lad and AG Dynamo. Jennifer McLeish also jumped double clear and finished third with Myshall Duncan in 33.79 seconds.
In Sunday’s equivalent class, Sandy Hourigan outpaced her ten rivals to take top honours, riding the 138cm Drumlin Silver. Ella Rose Westlake slotted into second place with her 138cm Rosegold Chalice in 35.45 seconds whilst Jonty Hughes picked up third with the 138cm Idole De Islots, 2.49 seconds in arrears.
Image credit: Phil Hillier / Horses and Landscape Photography
Aintree International Equestrian Centre Small Pony Premier Round-Up
The first day of competition did not disappoint at the first of the 2025 Small Pony Premier Series at Aintree International Equestrian Centre.
Nineteen came forward with the hope of securing a coveted Agria Royal International Horse Show qualification ticket. This was further reduced to four in the second round with two jumping a further clear to contend the final jump-off. Annabel Widdowson, riding Desdemone Du Marquais and Hugo Oakes, riding Jonny Be Good, opted to share the victory and chose not to contend the jump-off. Anya Dewey Clarke slotted into third with Jim (Cobid).
Sunday’s Winter 128cm second round also saw two riders share top honours. Kobi Hunter Watt, riding Hillgarth Bailey Cream, and Annabel Widdowson, this time riding Bunbury Conquest, successfully jumped the double-clear needed to advance to the jump-off. Having secured their qualification to the final, the pair opted to share the victory. Poppy Dorise slotted into third place with Bellismo Spartacus, having ridden the fastest four fault round.
Ella Kay proved best in Saturday’s Winter 138cm Second Round with Icaris W. With five combinations accurately steering their riders to a treble clear, placings would be determined by speed. Ella started at a blistering pace and piloted David Wicks’ Icaris W to an uncatchable time of 34.27 seconds. Freddie Hodges, riding Noahs Lady, finished 2.48 seconds behind in second place with Portia Taylor-Wilson and Whitehorn Smokey finishing a further 1.58 seconds in arrears in third.
In Sunday’s equivalent qualifier, 28 combinations were whittled down to six after round one, with only two jumping a further clear to contend the final jump-off. Amy Capper on Playbody Van De Zoetewei and Christina Cotton, riding Mayfly Black Pennell decided to share the spoils of first place, withdrawing from the jump-off. Alexander Leggott riding Blossom’s Letterkeen slotted into third with the fastest four-fault round in the first jump-off.
Georgia Hogan topped day one’s British Showjumping 128/138cm Handicap special with the 13-year-old 138cm Jessie Mae Harmony, providing the only double clear in a time of 34.23 seconds. Jonty Hughes slotted into second place with the fastest four faults aboard the 138cm Idole De Islots and Holly West rode the 138cm Clashroe lad into third.
Jonty Hughes went one better in Sunday’s equivalent class and proved foot perfect in the jump-off to commandingly win on the seven-year-old 138cm Idole De Islots in a time of 35.92 seconds. Annabella Williams and the 128cm Camizon picked up second whilst Jennifer McLeish slotted into third with the 138cm Myshall Duncan.
Image credit: Majestic Photography
Morris Equestrian Centre Small Pony Premier Round-Up
At Morris Equestrian Centre’s Small Pony Premier, Kate Willis took victory in Saturday’s Winter 128cm Second Round with the only clear round of the class, securing her place in the coveted final at Hickstead. Fifteen combinations stepped up to tackle this 1.10m course with Kate and the 19-year-old gelding Buachaill Baire cleanly clearing all the obstacles in their way to take top spot. Lucas McArdle and Miss Charming picked up second place with Anya Dewey Clarke riding Kilcreene Snapdragon into third.
Fifteen combinations came forward for Sunday’s equivalent qualifier with Evie Whitaker, daughter of Robert Whitaker and granddaughter of the great John Whitaker, forging ahead to take the victory. Evie set a competitive target of 42.11 seconds that could not be caught on the seven-year old Barleyfields Button, a pony she has produced herself. Poppy Dorise filled second place with Bellismo Spartacus, almost eight seconds in arrear with Lucas McArdle and Miss Charming slotting into third with the fastest four fault round.
Ella Kay continued her run of success, topping Saturday’s Winter 138cm Second Round with the Dizzy Rascal. Twenty-two riders faced the course with five unlocking the clear rounds needed to advance to the final jump-off. With four jumping clear again, the results would come down to the clock. Ella expertly steered the 18-year-old mare around the course in an un-catchable time of 39.47 seconds. Cora Dowey picked up second place, crossing the line with Astral Ruben in a time of 42.92 seconds. Tabby Morgan-Evans, riding Fantastik Du Rieu, was hot on their heels and slotted into third in 44.60 seconds.
Sunday's qualifier brought even more determination from the young riders, as they battled it out in a bid to secure their place in the final. Eighteen competitors stepped up, with seven jumping the two clears needed to advance to the final jump-off. With some decisive riding, Holly West piloted Coppenagh Celtic into top spot in a time of 44.13 seconds. Tabby Morgan-Evans picked up second place with Ardnacashel Little Dreamer over six seconds in arrears whilst Amy Capper and Rathcoona James slotted into third, the fastest combination with four faults.
Holly West had a successful weekend, also claiming the win in Saturday’ s British Showjumping 128/138cm handicap. Riding Clashroe Lad, Holly guided the 138cm nine-year-old gelding to victory, over 5 seconds faster than the next competitor. Jennifer McLeish and the 138cm Myshall Duncan slotted into second with Evie Whitaker and the 138cm Fifty Fruity picking up third place.
Harry Williams and the 128cm Derravaragh Blue Stone provided the only double clear in Sunday’s equivalent qualifier whilst Amaya Cairns and the 128cm Lanidan Sea Biscuit finished in second.
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