Keysoe International CSI1*/2*
Monday 01 December 2014
New fences and festive decorations gave the indoor arena bling, and the Aime Champagne Bar was an attractive draw, with the lucky top three in every class receiving a bottle of champagne from The Champagne Cave. There was much to enjoy at Keysoe’s first indoor International show – great showjumping, super courses from Kelvin Bywater, and fantastic hospitality.
Lance Whitehouse maxed on his final draw to take the feature grand prix with Vik II.
“The jump-off was very quick, there were lots of clears, and I had to have a go [against the clock], and Vik easily took out a stride between the fourth and fifth fences, he ate up the ground,” said Lance, who eased fractionally ahead of Ireland’s Billy Twomey on Ardcolum Duke.
Lance has spent the past eight years carefully producing Vik, now owned by Angela Weir, who invested in the Dutch 12-year-old two months ago.
“He’s a big horse – 17.1hh – and he’s has taken time, he’s only learned the art of speed and turning in the last 18 months,” said Lance, “I’m planning to take him on the Sunshine Tour next year, and then hopefully push on to Nations Cup teams.”
Equal third in the grand prix with William Whitaker and Glenavadra Brilliant, Kerry Brennan is on a roll with her mother Liane Smith’s ever-willing Wellington M. The Derbyshire based young rider, winner of the gold league and placed in the International classes at HOYS, provided the winning round in the Dodson & Horrell world class under 23 qualifier at Aintree’s premier recently to claim their finalist place at Olympia. And here, they continued their winning streak to take day two’s feature class, The Champagne Cave 1.45m.
“He jumped his heart out, he loves his job and he’s proving himself at International level now,” said Kerry, “He won the evening class under dim lighting where a few good horses were having fences, but the shadows didn’t bother ‘Wellie’, it just made him extra careful over the fences.
“I don’t know how we equalled William’s time in the grand prix for equal third, William was tight on every corner and I galloped round everything.”
Former King George V gold cup victor Tim Stockdale took the opening day’s 1.30m two phase with Colin and Ann Garrett’s 13 year-old bay gelding Fresh Direct Kalico Bay.
And they were again in the running on the final day, second only to British-based Frenchman Dan Delsart and the 11-year-old mare Mayspring in the concluding Katherine Hooker 1.35m speed.
Double wins appeared the order of the day at this meeting.
Joe Clayton topped the CSI 1* 1.20m and 1.25m with new ride of one month Mersley Chakotay, a British-bred 10-year-old by Mersley Mon Capatain and out of a Centauer Z mare owned by Kington Langley Stud and Robert Livock.
“I’ve just jumped him at a couple of local shows before coming here, but this is a step down for him, he’s quick and careful and will be aimed at 1.40m classes,” said Joe.
British-based Irishman Shane Breen clocked two victories, taking day one’s feature Cheval Liberte 1.40m on the German nine-year-old mare Cosima 204 owned by Manfred Von Allworden, and followed this with a win in the Chelwood Rosettes 1.35m on the 9 year-old chestnut mare Belgian-bred Fragile D Or owned by Breen Equestrain Ltd.
A change of bridle ensured Chelsea Skelton doubled up in the CSI 1* 1.15m classes on the 12 year-old chestnut gelding Cheleko GB Z owned by Janet Elvin, marking two victories in fine style.
“We were eliminated the week before,” said Chelsea, 18, who solved the crisis with a mullen mouth running gag. “We bought the new bit on Monday, and it’s worked. He’s careful and quick but needs a mild bit, but I also need control.”
In the frame for the 1.15m speed, Chelsea and Cheleko took third on this occasion. Reece Oliver and his own 6 year-old chestnut mare Pandora VI proved the quickest for the top spot, with Ben Walker and Churchill III a 12 year-old bay gelding owned by Joshua Hadden in second.
Millie Allen commandeered the Daniel Delsart Equestrian 1.25m grand prix with new ride Senator Spencer III. The German-bred 12-year-old, ridden in Germany last year by Millie’s elder sister Pippa, only joined Millie at her Stainsby Grange base three weeks ago.
We picked him up on 11 November – my 17th birthday,” said Millie, who is thrilled to get the ride on Spencer – another owned by Senator International.
“We dropped him down to this level so Millie can gel with him, and we’ll move up from here,” said Millie’s father Peter.
Results
CSI 1*
1.15m TWO-PHASE
1 Chelsea Skelton/Cheleko GB Z GBR
2 Reece Oliver/Pandora GBR
3 Adam Botham/Oliphant GBR
4 Simon Crippen/Lincourt Cruiser GBR
5 Tracy Priest/Ninja Sue GBR
6 Mille Mason/Paladin De Laume GBR
1.20m
1 Joe Clayton/Mersley Chakotay GBR
2 Tracy Priest/Caristo VDL GBR
3 Liane Smith/Dynamic III GBR
4 Stacey Willsone/Newton Nickel GBR
5 Theo Simpson/Alvin Only GBR
6 Yazmin Davis/Aramus VI GBR
THE CROWN AT LITTLE STAUGHTON 1.15m SPEED
1 Chelsea Skelton/Cheleko GB Z GBR
2 Reece Oliver/Pandora VI GBR
3 Tamsin Conyers/Valerie B GBR
4 Coco Anderson/Dark Rose GBR
5 Tracy Priest/Ninja Sue GBR
6 Millie Mason/Paladin De Laume GBR
BELOVED BROWNIES/THE CHAMPAGNE CAVE 1.25m
1 Joe Clayton/Mersley Chakotay GBR
2 Donald Whitaker/Fearless D’Hanovre GBR
3 Alice Basey-Fisher/Concetto’s Boy GBR
4 Simon Crippen/Dublin V GBR
5 Tracy Priest/Caristo VDL GBR
6 Shane Breen/Ipswich Van De Wolfsakker IRE
DANIEL DELSART EQUESTRIAN 1.25m GRAND PRIX
1 Millie Allen/Senator Spencer III GBR
2 Tracy Priest/Caristo VDL GBR
3 Dale Burnham/Doriena GBR
4 Stacey Willsone/Newton Nickel GBR
5 Yazmin Davis/Aramus VI GBR
6 William Whitaker/Loki GBR
KIMBOLTON SCHOOL 1.15m SPEED
1 Reece Oliver/Pandora VI GBR
2 Ben Walker/Churchill III GBR
3 Chelsea Skelton/Cheleko GB Z GBR
4 Simon Crippen/Lincourt Cruiser GBR
5 Tamsin Conyers/Valerie B GBR
6 Tracy Priest/Ninja Sue GBR
CSI 2*
1.30m TWO-PHASE
1 Tim Stockdale/Kalico Bay GBR
2 Joe Clayton/Stakkato De Fee GBR
3 Billy Twomey/Codarco IRE
4 Louise Pavitt/Fiona Van Het Lemmenshof GBR
5 Beth Vernon/Annaghmore Lui GBR
6 Billy Twomey/Lizziemary IRE
CHEVAL LIBERTE 1.40m
1 Shane Breen/Cosima 204 IRE
2 Simon Crippen/Atlanta VIII GBR
3 Tracy Priest/Millfield Ultymate GBR
4 Dan Neilson/Saint’a Boy GBR
5 Ben Walker/Victory GBR
6 Michael Duffy/Cortina 500 IRE
CHELWOOD ROSETTES/THECHAMPAGNE CAVE 1.35m
1 Shane Breen/Fragile D’Or IRE
2 Tim Page/Steady The Helm GBR
3 Millie Allen/Cantino GBR
4 Beth Vernon/Annaghmore Lui GBR
5 Donald Whitaker/Feigtling GBR
6 Alice Basey-Fisher/Bling Bling GBR
THE CHAMPAGNE CAVE 1.45m
1 Kerry Brennan/Wellington M GBR
2 Shane Breen/Cosima 204 IRE
3 Tim Page/Santa Cruise GBR
4 William Whitaker/Adonis W GBR
5 Dan Neilson/Saint’a Boy GBR
6 Jay Halim/Bart IV GBR
1.45m GRAND PRIX
1 Lance Whitehouse/Vik II GBR
2 Billy Twomey/Ardcolum Duke IRE
=3 Kerry Brennan/Wellington M GBR
=3 William Whitaker/Glenavadra Brilliant GBR
5 Simon Crippen/Atlanta VIII GBR
6 Tracy Priest/Millfield Ultymate GBR
KATHERINE HOOKER, LONDON 1.35m SPEED
1 Dan Delsart/Mayspring FRA
2 Tim Stockdale/Kalico Bay GBR
3 Jay Halim/Goodman Accobado GBR
4 Scarlett Ward/Milena 8 GBR
5 Millie Allen/Cantino GBR
6 Donald Whitaker/Feigtling GBR
.jpg "British Showjumping’s Youth Teams announced for Nations Cup in Linz-Ebelsberg, Austria")
.JPG "Sophia Rogers makes a winning return and Rachel Proudley claims a championship double at Pony of the Year Show")
