Sam Baker gallops to victory to land the National Maor Veterans Championship and Mark Thompson Challenge Cup Trophy with Billy Scarlett
Saturday 16 November 2024
Sam Baker left the best until last to win the National Major Veterans Championship with Billy Scarlett at the British Showjumping National Amateur and Veterans Championships, sponsored by Equiyd.
“We’ve been coming here for years, and this is my first title win. It was a fast class and I’m not usually that fast, but she loves speed, and I let her go as fast as she wanted to,” she said.
Twenty-four competitors came forward to face course-designer Mark McGowan’s 11-fence 1.20m track and a third realised their initial aim with eight claiming a jump-off place. Julia Hardy established an early lead on the Lexicon 15-year-old El Siera and remained ahead despite a couple of serious challenges which beat the time at the expense of a rail. Victoria Douglas Jones slotted Zarelli X into third with the only other double clear.
Sam had other ideas. Second in the National Minor Veterans Championship and winner of the Hazelden 1.15m Challenge Final with this consistent mare, Sam put her all into her final draw, slicing the corners and powering down the final line to wipe 0.70 seconds off the time to land the title. Sam was also the first to be awarded the Mark Thompson Challenge Cup Trophy in honour of regular Amateur and Veterans competitor and a former champion who sadly died earlier this year.
“It was an honour and a privilege to win the Mark Thompson Trophy, he was a lovely person, and I’d like to thank the Thompson family for sponsoring the class,” said Sam, who was delighted to win.
“I’m not a fast rider and didn’t see anyone else go but I had Norman Proffitt watching on the gate and Hannah Tiley told me if I’d kicked on, I’d have won the Minor Veterans as well,” said Sam. “So, I kicked on and went as fast as I dared, and it was good enough today.”
Sam bought the Billy Um Bongo x Lancelot 10-year-old almost three years ago from friends Lee and Becky Middleton.
“She’s amazing but can be quirky and opinionated – a typical woman who likes her own way – but once she’s heading to the first fence, she’s focused. She’s feisty in the ring but anywhere else, at home, in the stable, she’s a lovely person; a dope on a rope,” she said. “Now she’ll have her shoes off and two months holiday.”
Natasha Seely outpaces 70 rivals to take the 90cm Micro Veteran Championship with Rudolf Dieu Darco
Natasha Seely grimly hung on to her early lead to net the 90cm Micro Veteran Championship title with Rudolf Dieu Darco.
Seventy-one riders tackled the 12-fence single-phase track with ninth to go Natasha in flying form, risking tight turns coupled with bursts of speed to grab the top spot on the Belgian-bred seven-year-old gelding. She remained steadfastly ahead despite her rivals making every effort to beat her time, and following a two hour wait, was finally declared champion with 0.53 seconds in hand.
Joanne Fennell claimed second on Bantasia with Catherine Vale in third aboard Tyersal Cinderella’s Clover.
Image credit: Majestic Photography
