Jessica Hewitt triumphed in Arena UK's Winter Classic Grand Prix
Monday 02 December 2024
Jessica Hewitt was on flying form at Arena UK’s 2024 Winter Classic and scored a magnificent double, laying claim to the feature Winter Grand Prix and the Winter 1.35m. winning the former from the front with a breath-taking round on Arbitrage.
“She’s been amazing this year, stepped up and delivered everything I asked of her,” said Jessica, who had finished second in the Winter Grand Prix at Kelsall Hill a month earlier.
Thirty competitors tackled course-designer Mark McGowan’s cleverly designed 13-fence 1.40/1.45m track, where technicalities and thought-provoking rider questions reduced the number down to six for the jump-off.
Considered the short straw by some, Jessica set out determinedly in first draw on the Vitaal G x Rufus Z 12-year-old, slicing into the turns and cannily negotiating a tight, inside rollback turn to the original first two parts of the combination. Immediately following with another tight turn to a vertical two from home, Jessica risked a gallop down the length of the arena to the final vertical and made a flourishing dash through the finish to set a sizzling target.
“As first to go I had to be quick – Annabel Shields was behind me and she’s always like lightning, you’ve never won a class until Annabel’s been. Arbitrage is a bit of a ‘Plain Jane’, she’s quite easy and very careful, I can always rely on her to leave the jumps up,” said Jessica. “The course suited her, there was a long distance between the first two fences, so I took a stride out. If I can do this and keep her on a forward pace, I can generally take a stride out down each distance and be quick, if the first distance is on a set stride, I struggle to get going off a backward stride.”
Try as they might, her five rivals did their best to give Jessica a run for her money, but she could not be caught, claiming the impressive win by almost two seconds. Last to go Lottie Tutt came the closest, slipping Billy Dash into second with Harrison Hattea in third aboard Come In Ferrari while Vicky Laing supplied the steadiest of the double clears for fourth on Arge.
Next on the agenda for Jessica and Arbitrage is the Under 25 British Showjumping Championship at the London International Horse Show at the ExCeL Arena.
“It will be my last year in this class, I can’t believe I’m that old but fingers crossed we’ll go well,” added Jessica.
Jessica sped into the top spot of the Winter 1.35m with Kann Be Lucky. Seven of the original 25 starters made their way into the jump-off with Jessica and the Kannan x Touchdown 12-year-old flying into victory with some nifty turns, winning by 2.76 seconds. Henry Squibb slotted Kimba Kasino into second place with Sasha Erander supplying the only other double clear for third on Godies.
Yazmin Davis saved the best until last in the 1.40m, easing Zanbowa Z into a win. Only five of the 29 starters contended the jump-off, Yazmin and the Zandor x Calvaro FC 15-year-old galloping into victory with 1.46 seconds over Oliver Tuff, in second on Pica De Muze with the only other double clear.
An early round from Henry Squibb and Citessa SV Z blitzed the opposition for the top spot of the Winter Grade C Qualifier. Fifteen of the 35 competitors forward over the 11-fence 1.30m course achieved their initial goal to tackle the jump-off. It was hot from the off, with Henry hitting the turbo button on the Cicero Z x Roven XX six-year-old mare flying into the lead and holding off all challenges to win by 1.48 seconds. Nick Benterman guided Diamonds Diabolo Z into second fractionally ahead of third-placed Lottie Tutt on Billy Majorette.
Claudia Moore topped the Blue Chip Dynamic B and C with the Grade C Lover Boy SVO. Nineteen from the field of 50 qualified for the jump-off over the 11-fence 1.25/1.30m handicapped track but Claudia had the win sewn up, slicing the corners on the Elvis Ter Putte x Cantos eight-year-old to claim a 0.83 second victory. Louise Lovegrove (nee Saywell) steered Caliblue PS – from the Grade B section – into second place and Joanne Whitaker’s Just Jack (Grade C) finished third.
Ella Dalton commanded victory in the Blue Chip Calming Performance qualifier on Chantilly Amatullah, the year-old jumping the sole clear in the first round of 21 starters. Two riders left all the fences intact but picked up a time fault each: Emilie Chandler taking second spot on Loughton Diamond and Caroline Barnes filling third aboard Unforgettable SS.
Mid-drawn Jessica Baugh shot to the top of the 1.25m Winter Championship Qualifier with Castlemitchell Princess in a hot-jump-off. Fifty-two starters came forward over an 11-fence, 14-effort track with 20 answering every question to go forward into the jump-off, Jessica and her Guidam x Cavalier Royale 16-year-old long-term campaigner claiming a 0.90 second win. Henry Willcox slipped Elan V into second and Richard Barton aboard Christal Du Chene filled third place.
Image: ATG Photography
