Anna Edwards wins the International Stairway at the Oxfordshire Area Show

Last week saw the Oxfordshire Area Show at Addington Manor in Buckinghamshire play host to the ninth leg of the British Showjumping Business Partnership International Stairway. With 27 top riders starting out over Charles Ashworth’s up to height course, the spectators enjoyed a competitive class.

 

During the first round of competition, only two combinations jumped the first round clear, which meant that the three fastest four fault rounds also went through to the jump off. First to go into the jump off was 22-year-old Harriet Nuttall from Yeovil, Somerset. Being a pathfinder in the jump off is never easy but on board Robert Nuttall’s eight-year-old chestnut gelding, A Touch Imperious, Harriet lowered just one pole to add a further four faults to her first round score of four faults. The combination also put in a great time of 62.67 seconds and this score was enough to secure them second place overall.  

 

Following Harriet into the arena was 33-year-old Trevor Breen from Gerrards Cross, Buckinghamshire riding his own 12-year-old bay gelding, Adventure De Kannan. The combination lowered both the fifth and the last fence to add to their first round score of four faults, but their quick time of 59.20 seconds would be enough to ensure that they took third place. 

 

Third into the arena for the jump off was 49-year-old Paul Crago from Reading, Berkshire and he rode his own and Dawn Cooley’s, About Time V, a 10-year-old bay gelding. This combination brought forward a score of four faults from the first round of competition and they added a further eight faults following the lowering of the third and the last fences. A quick time of 60.28 seconds was enough to ensure that they did not pick up any time faults and they finished in fourth place overall.   

 

Following Paul into the jump off was 31-year-old Simon Crippen from Chesham, Buckinghamshire and he brought forward a clear round from the first part of the competition. Simon rode Ondine Du Logis, a 10-year-old chestnut mare, owned by Judy Ross. Unfortunately, the combination lowered two fences in the jump off and their time of 67.50 seconds also meant that there were five time faults to add, which left them in fifth place following the completion of the class.

 

Last to go in the jump off was the combination who was to be the eventual winners of the class. 28-year-old Anna Edwards from Clevedon, Avon rode a superb clear in the first round on board Terry Payne’s nine-year-old bay gelding, Diaghilev. Anna and Diaghliev produced an immaculate round in the jump off up until the penultimate fence, where they unfortunately rolled a pole. The combination also had three time faults to add to their overall score as they completed the jump off in 65.91 seconds, but their final score of seven faults was enough to secure the win. 

 

 

1st Anna Edwards riding Diaghilev – 0/7 – 65.91 seconds

2nd Harriet Nuttall riding A Touch Imperious – 0/8 – 62.67 seconds

3rd Trevor Breen riding Adventure De Kannan – 0/12 - 59.20 seconds

4th Paul Crago riding About Time V – 0/12 – 60.28 seconds  

5th Simon Crippen riding Ondine Du Logis – 0/13 – 67.50 seconds

6th Keith Doyle riding Walk Tall II – 4/- - 82.30

7th Phillip Millar riding Caritiar Z – 4/- - 82.66

8th Shane Breen riding Cos I Can – 4/- -83.13

 

Please click here to view the current British Showjumping Business Partnership International Stairway leader board.

 

The International Stairway series is aimed at identifying and assessing both potential and existing British Team competitors, taking in eight of the largest County Shows in the country. Funded jointly by the British Showjumping Business Partnership and the County Show venues hosting the classes, the series has a purse of £60,000 prize fund. In addition to the prize fund available there is also the bonus of £45,000 worth of Rider Ranking Points to the eight highest placed competitors on the overall league table that sits behind the series.

Shows hosting the International Stairway Series for 2012 are:

 

Devon County Show - 17/19 May Stairway on 17th

Suffolk County Show - 7/8 Jun Stairway on 8th

South of England Show - 7/9 Jun Stairway on 9th

Royal Highland Show - 21/24 Jun

Royal Norfolk Show - 27/28 Jun Stairway on 27th

Great Yorkshire Show - 10/12 Jul Stairway on 11th

New Forest & Hants - 24/26 Jul

Pembrokeshire County Show - 14/16 Aug Stairway on 15th Aug

Oxfordshire Area Show - 23/25 Aug

Royal Berkshire (Final) - 15/16 Sep

 

The British Showjumping Business Partnership has been created with a view of bringing like-minded companies and individuals together.  Focused on creating an environment which will allow investors to form new business relationships and obtain exposure within the sport it also assists the sport to meet its own performance pathway objectives. These are a few of the organisations that have been brought together by the Business Partnership scheme: DaciaRetail.co.uk, Next, DataTag and Zamar. 

 

Further information on how to join the Business Partnership and to assist with the delivery of medals for Great Britain can be on the British Showjumping website www.britishshowjumping.co.uk