Stellar mare claims Big Star Trophy
Monday 12 August 2024
.jpg "Stellar mare claims Big Star Trophy")
A mare with a stellar international record in young horse classes headed today’s Prestige Italia British Six Year Old Final at the British Young Horse Championships.
The UAE’s Humaid Al Muhairi rode Al Shira’aa Farms’ Argentina De Kreisker Z to finish top of a large class of 56. Only 10 jumped clear in the first round, and in the jump-off Humaid took advantage of a late draw to shave more than 1sec off Lauren Caroline’s leading time on BE Thiassi, relegating them to the runner-up spot. All three top placings were filled by mares, with Lottie Tutt and Billy Dion taking third place.
Argentina De Kreisker Z (by Aganix Du Seigneur Z and out of Telysette) has already won numerous young horse titles, including finishing champion at the Sharjah Young Horse Finals earlier this year. Today’s win saw them presented with the Big Star Trophy, given in honour of Nick Skelton’s 2016 Olympic champion.
“She is a fantastic horse, and I am very excited to go to Lanaken with her – I hope to win there too because she is good,” said Humaid of his winning ride.
Benjamin Bick's ride Nautical Wind won the Big Star bonus for jumping treble clear in one of the qualifiers, and then going on to finish highest placed of the eligible horses in the six-year-old final, while BE Thiassi received the British-bred prize.
In the Billy Stud Auction British Five Year Old Championship, Laura Renwick led from the start with her own NFS Tiloubet. Drawn third to go in the first round, Laura produced the second of the 21 first round clears and had the disadvantage of going very early in the jump-off.
But Laura knew exactly what to do to set the standard, and her fast round of 36.11sec was more than a second quicker than second placed Benjamin Bick and Ocella V, with Jason Fitzpatrick taking third with Al Shira’aa Farms’ King Leon Z.
“I’m really happy with how my horse performed, he’s very green at this level but he jumped two superb rounds and it was a privilege to ride him today,” said Laura. “This is what we’ve been aiming for this year with him, so he’ll probably now have a well-earned holiday and we’ll look forward to next year.”
The homebred NFS Tiloubet is a gelding by Taloubet Z, out of a full sister to Laura’s former top horse Bintang II. “For the small breeding business we have, it’s so fulfilling to get these sort of results with our horses,” added Laura, who also won the British Breeders prize from British Showjumping.
Lucy Townley and Billy Portobello picked up The Billy Stud’s bonus prize for the highest place horse bought at one of their auctions.
Earlier in the day, Olympic gold medallist Scott Brash won the Mares of Macha 1.30m Grand Prix, while James Smith secured the win in the final 1.40m Grand Prix, riding Tayvale Hunky Dory.
On Saturday, Ireland’s Jessica Burke added another Hickstead title to her collection, winning the Breen Equestrian British Seven Year Old Final with Romelus De Muze.
Burke has been on spectacular form at the All England Jumping Course this season, having won the Queen Elizabeth II Cup at last month’s Agria Royal International Horse Show. This time she rode Romelus De Muze, who is by Bamako De Muze and out of Chatel De La Pomme, to take the feature class on the penultimate day of the show.
Eight combinations had made it through to the jump-off, with five producing a double clear. Jessica went at the half way stage of the second round, and her clear in a time off 36.32sec was enough to put pressure on her rivals – Ireland’s David Simpson was faster with Mambo Nr 5 B, but an early fence down dropped them to sixth.
British riders Daniella Johnston (Tina IV) and Lottie Tutt (Billy Pronto) were fractionally slower than Jessica with times of 36.76sec and 36.92sec respectively, putting them in second and third spot, and they also shared the British Showjumping £4,000 bonus for jumping clear in both qualifiers as well as double clear in the final.
“I’m delighted with the result,” said Jessica. “We bought Romelus De Muze on the Sunshine Tour as a five-year-old, and we’ve produced him very slowly - we haven’t really asked him to win any classes yet, as we’ve targeted the rideability instead, so I’m really glad it came together today.”
The pair picked up their qualification for next month’s FEI World Breeding Championships in Lanaken in Belgium. “That was a big goal for the horse for this year, so now we’ve got our ticket we’re one step in the right direction,” added Jessica.
In the Al Shira’aa British Four Year Old Championship, 19 of the 39 starters produced a double clear to take a share of the £2,000 British Showjumping bonus. The second round was judged on style and performance by Carron Nicol and Robbert Ehrens, who scored the horses based on their jumping technique, natural ability, future potential and rideability.
Their chosen winner was Jade Meager’s British-bred stallion Picture Perfect MJ Scaldia (by Hardrock Z and out of Esielottie), ridden by Louie Cunningham. “He has all the qualities of a future championship horse,” said Louie. “It’s only his second official show for this horse but the atmosphere was perfect, he felt amazing in the warm-up and he put on an absolute show for everybody.”
The Wrexham-based rider was full of praise for the new home of the British Young Horse Championships. “I think the Hickstead team have done a phenomenal job of taking over the show, and making it special. The rings are incredible and my horse felt unbelievable here jumping off the fantastic surfaces here at Hickstead.”
In second place was Nicole Pavitt and Umberto 11 Van Het Geinsteinde, with Nicole Lockhead Anderson and Commeet Van Het Dingenshof Z taking third.
The Billy Stud put forward a £5,000 bonus prize for the highest placed four year old bought from one of their auctions, which went to Chris Warren’s Billy Everything, ridden by event rider Isabelle Cook, who is the daughter of Olympic rider Tina Cook.
Thirteen horses shared the £2,000 British Breeders' Prize for British-bred horses who jumped double clear in the final.
Image: Boots and Hooves Photography
