Maisy Williams sets the arena alight with Blossom’s Billy Heinz with the Winter Grade C title at the British Showjumping Spring Championships
Sunday 23 March 2025
1n6cu6w74roc2.JPG "Maisy Williams sets the arena alight with Blossom’s Billy Heinz with the Winter Grade C title at the British Showjumping Spring Championships")
Maisy Williams’s super-charged round on Blossom’s Billy Heinz deservedly claimed the Winter Grade C Championship at the British Showjumping Spring Championships at Arena UK in Grantham.
“Don’t go too quick, ride for second,” her father Guy Williams – a well-known adversary against the clock – had cautioned.
“She is naturally so fast, Dad says I have to keep my cool, ride for second place and she’ll still win,” explained Maisy, on Blossom Stud’s Billy Mexico x Vechta eight-year-old.
Twelve competitors contended the jump-off, with both Holly Smith and Thomas Pritchard claiming half the rides with three horses apiece.
Holly set a competitive standard from the opening draw on Une Copine Van Overis, but Maisy wiped almost four seconds from the time and could not be caught. Nonetheless, Thomas gave it a good try in the final draw, slotting Kornetta Zuberth SMH into second place.
Maisy has a soft spot for this mare whom she hopes to step up again this year – “She loves attention, she’s sassy but very friendly and easy to do; I owe John Leggott of Blossom Stud many thanks for all his support.”
One of the favourites with three in the jump-off, an on-form Thomas Pritchard secured the Winter Six-year-old title with his final ride, Roland Wallace’s talented home-bred Princess SW.
“She’s a winner and has won everything we’ve done with her,” said Thomas.
Quality was abound here as sixteen of the 27 starters over the 12-fence 1.15m track joined the jump-off, Thomas claiming a midway lead with second ride Otto BB. He immediately had to share the top spot with Emily Morris and Searlait ML – winner of two the qualifiers earlier in the week – as they dead-heated on time. But Thomas saved the best until his third and final ride, trusting the Eldorado VD Zeshoek x Caretino mare to daringly tight turns at a pace, wiping 2.53 seconds off his own time. Emma Sargeant chased hard in the final draw but could only come in second with Coolmannon Star 1.86 seconds off the pace.
“This is only her fourth show back since [the World Young Horse Championships] Lanaken in September, she’s had a little break and we’ve taken embryos off her which can be intrusive, but it hasn’t fazed her at all,” said Julian Mincher of Double M Stud and Thomas’s employer.
“She’s very good and super-competitive yet is only in a snaffle. As she hadn’t contended any of the qualifiers, we brought her on Friday and she qualified straight off,” continued Julian, on the Eldorado Van De Zeshoek daughter who is out of the Caretino mare Countess II, a successful mare competed by Helen Tredwell, Joe Fernyhough and Sharon Quigley.
Abi Leadbetter made history with Hearts Cruise as the pair recorded their third consecutive victory in the NAF Five Star Winter Bronze Championship.
“I really didn’t think I’d win, I watched the first couple go and they were in the 32 second mark, as I entered the ring it was down to 29.50 seconds – how on earth was I going to beat that!” said Abi.
Twenty-two from a start list of 52 reached the jump-off over a 12-fence 1.05m course with the lead changing constantly as riders made ever more daring moves.
“The jump-off didn’t really suit us, it was very up and down and galloping and she has a very short stride, turning tight into a related distance I knew I’d never get there on four strides and would have to add, but she’s quick across the fences and feisty – it’s the Heartbreaker in her and it’s why she’s a winner,” said Abi, on the Corrado G x Heartbreaker 10-year-old.
“She does like to be deep at a fence and I’m trying to get her to go on a long one, it’s just gaining her confidence. I also have to keep her calm and only jump a couple of fences in the warm-up – she shows what she can do in the ring.”
Nonetheless, the determined pair went all out for the win, securing victory by 0.73 seconds, pushing Lola Shotton on Emmoru and Tim Craggs with Carrickadawson Candy into second and third respectively.
“It’s fantastic to win this for the third time – and yes, I’ll be back next year, but HOYS is the one I want now. We’ve only been once and she had a pole down,” added Abi.
Charlie Barker lifted the Winter Children on Horses Championship with Green Grass, 12 months after his father Paul won the Winter 1.35m title and the Lesley McNaught Memorial Trophy with the home-bred 13-year-old Luidam stallion.
“He gives me a good feeling and he’s pretty easy for a stallion – I’m pinching the ride now,” said Charlie, 12, with a smile to his Dad.
The 10 starters were halved over the 12-fence 1.25m track, both Charlie and Honey Bowes claiming two chances apiece. Charlie supplied a fast time on first ride Strides Maureen but at the expense of a pole while Honey took a brief lead on Lagrandessa W. But a determined Charlie returned with the experienced Green Grass – a winner on the international circuit for Paul and John Whitaker – and sliced the corners to win by 0.34 seconds.
“We planned our route in the jump-off, a different plan for him [Green Grass] than the mare [Maureen], one that suited him,” said Paul. “As I won the 1.35m last year, I decided to give Charlie the chance this year. Charlie’s ridden Green Grass all through the winter, getting better all the time. We’ll do the Children on Horses Trials here at Arena UK next month with the European Championships in mind and see how it goes – and that includes Charlie pinching the ride!”
Honey Bowes finished second and fourth with Lagrandessa W and Javas El Cid, sandwiching Tabby Morgan-Evans on Ikarda DKG into second.
Image credit: Suzanne Jones
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vg1kptn9pyhw.JPG "Round-Up of the British Showjumping Spring Championships at Arena UK")
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