Teenager Jodie Hall-McAteer (pictured) left the best until last to beat her older counterparts and take the world ranking 2* Grand Prix at Keysoe International in Bedfordshire with a final round flyer on the ultra-careful Fantom.
A total of forty-seven started over course-designer Kelvin Bywater’s 13-fence track but only five came up with all the right answers as subtle distance questions reduced the number – although three were considered unlucky to leave all the fences intact but incur one time fault apiece. And in a shout for British breeding, four of the five contenders were bred on British soil.
First off Adrian Speight set the target with Judith Whitham’s Millfield Baloney, a Balou Du Rouet 13-year-old bred at Millfield Stud, and Sally Goding opted for accuracy to finish almost four second slower with the Irish-bred 14-year-old Corbeagh Luxor.
A slight delay halted proceedings as third to go Ruby VIII had a shoe replaced, but the mare – winner of the 1.45m 24 hours earlier – bounced confidently into the ring under Holly Smith and any fractious moment was dismissed. The pair made short work of the twisting jump-off track, smoothly negotiating the tight turns and hitting top gear to gallop to the final oxer and wipe 1.28 seconds from the leading time.
Louise Saywell’s bid looked in contention but the gamble at the final oxer didn’t pay off and the four faults dropped Keeley Durham’s home-bred nine-year-old Arakan (Arko x Randi) – to fifth.
A double victory was not to be for Holly, however, as Jodie was tighter to the verticals on the scopey Fantom – a 10-year-old by Mr Visto, out of the Noncorde mare Fantasia II and bred by Carron Nicol –they sped to the last to slice 0.60 seconds off the time and secure the top spot.
“He’s only 16hh but a little fighter with a big heart. He’s a girl’s horse and as my favourite he’s a real diva and gets lots of attention. He gives me lots of confidence and has taught me to be competitive, he makes it so easy,” said Jodie.
“He was jumping in the 1.35m classes here last year so it’s great to come back and jump the bigger classes; he’s grown up and stepped up and I thought the show was the best this year, there was a lot of investment and it was very professional and well run.”
Holly claimed her first victory with Dietmar Ackermann’s home-bred mare Ruby VIII in the 1.45m two-phase. A total of thirty-nine starters tackled this class but none were a match for the smooth lines and deceptively fast turns from Holly and the Balou Du Rouet 12-year-old – a ride of just two months – and they won with 0.42 seconds to spare.
“I don’t know her that well so I took care in the grand prix – it wasn’t a winning round – but I find her really easy. She can be spooky at home and when she’s not jumping but in the ring she is focused and she’s brave and careful, everything you’d want in a showjumper,” said Holly, who will now take this mare to Chantilly – “It’s a bit of a step up but she’s going well.”
William Funnell headed the first day’s 1.40m speed at a seemingly unhurried pace with the Billy Stud’s Billy McCain, the Cevin Z 11-year-old holding off all forty-six challengers and flying into the top spot by 1.64 seconds over Adrian Speight and Millfield Baloney.
Carmen Edwards claimed the concluding 1.35m jump-off class on Geodina HS. Sixteen of the 30 starters reached the jump-off with Carmen and the Bodinus x Corland 8-year-old landing the title by 0.35 seconds over second-placed Louise Saywell and Carolus K DHI.
Joseph Stockdale came to the fore in the 1.35m. He has established a great rapport with Tornado Des Monts and claimed victory by a whole two seconds on Colin and Ann Garratt’s Flipper D’Elle 12-year-old in a class of fifty-one starters. They beat Louise Saywell into second place with Jane Heerbeck’s consistent Carolus K DHI – a double winner at the British Masters 2* in Cheshire just days earlier.
Christopher Franks returned triumphant in the 1.30m two-phase, outpacing all fifty-five rivals to win by just 0.08 seconds on Charles and Mary Baker’s The Megabyte x Goodtimes 10-year-old mare Mega Times.
Lance Whitehouse raced to the top in the 1.25m with a new ride of one month, Little Lady Van’t Eigenlo. Sixteen of the forty-four starters provided initial clears to contend the jump-off but Lance took charge and claimed the win by a comfortable 2.42 seconds on the Belgian-bred 8-year-old daughter of Zandor.
Nicole Lockhead Anderson notched up a hat-trick of victories over the three days. She claimed a double with Patrick Williams and Claire Lockhead’s B Kaliki, topping both the initial 1.20m and final day’s 1.15m. The 13-year-old Kaliki (Corland x Wellington) and Nicole know each other well and began their partnership some two and half years ago. They claimed the 1.20m with just 0.31 seconds in hand but upped a gear in the 16-horse decider of the 1.15m to win by 2.06 seconds.
Nicole also topped the final day’s 1.25m speed by an impressive nine seconds with Holly Smith and Pearl Underwood’s I’m Special De Muze 7-year-old Manolito P, easily outpacing all thirty three rivals.
Julie Slade was another to record a winning double. She rode the Billy Mexico x La Poco 11-year-old Billy Gogo into the top spot on both occasions, heading day one’s 1.10m two-phase by 0.59 seconds and taking the second day’s 1.15m by a squeak with only 0.13 seconds to spare.
Simon Crippen jumped to the top of the 6-year-old final with a promising new ride, Billy Pearl, at only their second show together. Nine of the twenty-four starters reached the jump-off with Simon and Sarah Hancock’s Cevin Z x Turtle Island mare Billy Pearl winning by 1.95 seconds. Carron Nicol was also in the frame with second and fourth on Damian and Vistogrand, sandwiching Guy Goosen and Dacantos into third.
Six riders reached the jump-off of the 5-year-old final with Jackson Reed-Stephenson finding the shortest route to win by 0.21 seconds on Obelia VD Bisschop, a Nabab De Reve x Baloubet Du Rouet mare competed since February.
RESULTS
BIG TOUR
1.40m SPEED
1st William Funnell & Billy McCain – GBR – 0 – 61.22 seconds
2nd Adrain Speight & Millfield Baloney – GBR – 0 – 62.86 seconds
3rd Angie Thompson & Boogie Woogie – GBR – 0 – 63.68 seconds
4th Louise Saywell & Carolus K DHI – GBR – 0 – 65.60 seconds
5th John Crippen & Basic – GBR – 0 – 66.52 seconds
6th Jodie Hall-McAteer & Fantom – GBR – 0 – 66.80 seconds
1.45m TWO-PHASE
1st Holly Smith & Ruby VIII – GBR – 0/0 – 28.16 seconds
2nd Sienna Charles & Chaska – GBR – 0/0 – 28.58 seconds
3rd Shane O’Reilly & Courege Du Gibet – IRE – 0/0 – 32.13 seconds
4th Guy Goosen & Cliff 67 – GBR – 0/0 – 35.25 seconds
5th Sally Goding & Corbeagh Luxor – GBR – 0/0 – 35.92 seconds
6th Bryony Crippen & Pampelonne – GBR – 0/0 – 36.29 seconds
GRAND PRIX
1st Jodie Hall-McAteer & Fantom – GBR – 0/0 – 43.27 seconds
2nd Holly Smith & Ruby VIII – GBR – 0/0 43.87 seconds
3rd Adrian Speight & Millfield Baloney – GBR – 0/0 – 45.15 seconds
4th Sally Goding & Corgeagh Luxor – GBR – 0/0 – 49.03 seconds
5th Louise Saywell & Arakan – GBR – 0/4 – 44.83 seconds
MEDIUM TOUR
1.30m TWO-PHASE
1st Christopher Franks & Mega Times – GBR – 0/0 – 33.72 seconds
2nd Jasmin Head & Ma Cherie Z – GBR – 0/0 – 33.80 seconds
3rd Nicole Lockhead Anderson & Manolito P – GBR – 0/0 – 33.84 seconds
4th Amanda Bywater & Triple Twist – GBR – 0/0 – 36.17 seconds
5th Joseph Stockdale & Tornado Des Monts – GBR – 36.31 seconds
6th Flo Norris & Donatella L’Espoir – GBR – 0/0 – 36.75 seconds
1.35m SPEED
1st Joseph Stockdale & Tornado Des Monts – GBR – 0 – 61.89 seconds
2nd Louise Saywell & Carolus K DHI – GBR – 0 – 63.89 seconds
3rd Carmen Edwards & Happy Valerie – GBR – 0 – 66.54 seconds
4th William Funnell & Billy Take That – GBR – 0 – 66.72 seconds
5th Sophie Gracida & Sentimiento LS La Silla – USA – 0 – 67.31 seconds
6th Harry Charles & Exexel – GBR – 0 – 67.51 seconds
1.35m JUMP-OFF
1st Carmen Edwards & Geodina HS – GBR – 0/0 – 29.56 seconds
2nd Louise Saywell & Carolus K DHI – GBR – 0/0 – 29.91 seconds
3rd Amanda Bywater & Triple Twist – GBR – 0/0 – 30.03 seconds
4th Jackson Reed-Stephenson & Cool cash – GBR – 0/0 – 30.60 seconds
5th Kerry Brennan & Wellington M – GBR – 0/0 – 30.81 seconds
6th Jodie Hall-McAteer & Colette – GBR – 0/0 – 31.25 seconds
SMALL TOUR
1.20m TWO-PHASE
1st Nicole Lockhead Anderson & B Kaliki – GBR – 0/0 – 30.05 seconds
2nd Angie Thompson & Cornet Obolensky Junior – GBR – 0/0 – 30.36 seconds
3rd Carron Nicol & Ginadina PP – GBR – 0/0 – 31.25 seconds
4th Rosie Gunn & Jagerbomb – GBR – 0/0 – 31.46 seconds
5th Lance Whitehouse & Little Lady Van’t Eigenlo – GBR – 0/0 – 31.82 seconds
6th Nina Emery & Colien V – GBR – 0/0 – 31.85 seconds
1.25m JUMP-OFF
1st Lance Whitehouse & Little Lady Van’t Eigenlo – GBR – 0/0 – 43.99 seconds
2nd Kerry Brennan & Wellington M – GBR – 0/0 – 46.41 seconds
3rd Sophie Gracida & Eracantos – USA – 0/0 – 50.91 seconds
4th Sarah Lewis & Doonaveeragh Emma – GBR – 0/0 – 51.90 seconds
5th Sophie Garfield-Bennett & Hard To Get – GBR – 0/0 54.99 seconds
6th Emily Moffitt & Galip – GBR – 0/0 – 60.22 seconds
1.25m SPEED
1st Nicole Lockhead Anderson & Manolito P – GBR – 0 – 58.15 seconds
2nd Sarah Lewis & Doonaveeragh Emma – GBR – 0 – 67.15 seconds
3rd Flo Norris & Lorielle 2 – GBR – 0 – 67.24 seconds
4th Molly Davies & Voyou Des Rondets – GBR – 0 69.15 seconds
5th Taisie de Gruchy – Hoodshill First Look – GBR – 0 – 70.76 seconds
6th Jasmin Head & Keatingstown Olympic Star – GBR – 0 – 74.12 seconds
1.10m TWO-PHASE
1st Julie Slade & Billy Gogo – GBR – 0/0 – 34.53 seconds
2nd Tony Pearson & Amadeus M – GBR – 0/0 – 35.12 seconds
3rd Tagatha Payne & The Maharanee – GBR – 0/0 – 36.30 seconds
4th Ruby Pointer & Cuis Ghaire – GBR – 0/0 – 37.35 seconds
5th Ruby Pointer & Dutsy Van Het Hek – GBR – 0/0 – 37.57 seconds
6th Harriette Rushton & Wellbet Quality Clover – GBR – 0/0 – 39.62 seconds
1.15m SPEED
1st Julie Slade & Billy Gogo – GBR – 0 – 62.12 seconds
2nd Nina Emery & Piana – GBR – 0 – 62.25 seconds
3rd Ruby Pointer & Dutsy Van Het Hek – GBR – 0 – 63.97 seconds
4th Tagatha Payne & The Maharanee – GBR – 0 – 64.54 seconds
5th Ruby Pointer & Cuis Ghaire – GBR – 0 – 66.57 seconds
6th Nicola Roe & Zoralyn – GBR – 0 – 73.20 seconds
1.15m JUMP-OFF
1st Nicole Lockhead Anderson & B Kaliki – GBR – 0/0 – 37.77 seconds
2nd Ava Vernon & Here I am B – GBR – 0/0 – 39.83 seconds
3rd Nina Emery & Colien V – GBR – 0/0 – 41.00 seconds
4th Tagatha Payne and The Maharanee – GBR – 0/0 – 41.07 seconds
5th Tony Pearson & Berlin – GBR – 0/0 – 41.25 seconds
6th Tony Pearson & Amadeus M – GBR – 0/0 – 41.48 seconds
YOUNG HORSE CLASSES
6-YEAR-OLD FINAL
1st Simon Crippen & Billy Pearl – GBR – 0/0 – 38.60 seconds
2nd Carron Nicol & Damian – GBR – 0/0 – 40.55 seconds
3rd Guy Goosen & Dacantos – GBR – 0/0 – 41.42 seconds
4th Carron Nicol & Vistogrand – GBR – 0/0 – 42.26 seconds
5th Bryony Crippen & Ramatuelle – GBR – 0/0 – 49.23 seconds
6th Sally Goding & Nitendo Van De Ijse – GBR – 0/4 43.28 seconds
5-YEAR-OLD FINAL JUMP-OFF
1st Jackson Reed-Stephenson & Obelia VD Bisschop – GBR – 0/0 – 38.78 seconds
2nd Angie Thompson & Kokonut Van De Nethe Z – GBR – 0/0 – 38.99 seconds
3rd Rosie Gunn & Jessie – GBR – 0/0 – 39.64 seconds
4th Ellie Stevenson & Just Blue WS – GBR – 0/0 – 42.66 seconds
5th Simon Crippen & Balou for Pleasure – GBR – 0/0 – 43.60 seconds
6th Sarah Lewis & Hurricane Heide – GBR – 0/4 – 45.16 seconds
