NAF Five Star Bronze and Silver League Qualifiers get underway at Speetley Equestrian Centre
Tuesday 23 April 2024
11dtw0hmsttk0.jpg "NAF Five Star Bronze and Silver League Qualifiers get underway at Speetley Equestrian Centre")
Danielle Brown took her first step to qualifying for the Horse of the Year Show (HOYS) in the first NAF Five Star Bronze League Qualifier at Speetley Equestrian Centre with Free Jump.
Thirty-nine riders from a field of 77 posted initial clears over the 1.05m track, these further reduced by half in round two for a jump-off of 20. The three places on offer for the semi-final would come down to the clock at seven combinations posted treble clears.
Despite only taking on the ride of Kelly Smith’s 10-year-old mare less than a month ago, Danielle rose to the challenge and navigate the tightest lines to claim an emphatic 0.37 second win.
Abigail Leadbetter steered her NAF Five Star Winter Bronze League Championship partner Hearts Cruise into second. Elizabeth Thwaites and Warrenstown Take A Chance slotted into third, a further 0.95 seconds in arrears.
Sixteen-year-old Will Brown outpaced all his rivals to take the first NAF Five Star Silver League Qualifier at Speetley Equestrian Centre with Andrew Brown’s Kabran De Reve Z.
Thirty-nine combinations initially tackled the 1.15m track with 20 posting first round clears to advance to round two. These were further reduced as ten continued to jump clear, advancing to the final jump-off against the clock.
Five combinations produced treble clears so the results would be determined by the clock. Will, who was drawn first to go, successfully found the shortest route on the thirteen-year-old gelding whom he has ridden for the past year, and could not be caught.
Jane Burton chased hard and piloted Le Petit Diablotin into second, just 0.19 seconds off the pace. Catherine Houseman, winner of this class in 2023, took third with Contrichta, a further two seconds adrift.
Speetley Equestrian Centre – Saturday, 20 April, 20234
NAF Five Star Summer Bronze League Qualifier
1st - Danielle Brown & Free Jump 0/0/0 40.48
2nd - Abigail Leadbetter and Hearts Cruise 0/0/0 40.85
3rd - Elizabeth Thwaites and Warrenstown Take A Chance 0/0/0 41.80
Speetley Equestrian Centre – Saturday, 20 April, 20234
NAF Five Star Summer Silver League Qualifier
1st - Will Brown & Kabran De Reve Z 0/0/0 43.29
2nd - Jane Burton & Le Petit Diablotin 0/0/0 43.48
3rd - Catherine Houseman & Contrichta 0/0/0 45.38
NB: Results pending official grading.
Image: MLG Photomedia
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