Grand Prix wins by Maher, Aston and Clayton in Europe this weekend
Monday 20 October 2014
There were three GB victories in CSI3* and CSI2* Grand Prix’s this weekend across Europe by Ben Maher, Chloe Aston and Joe Clayton, all of whom had travelled abroad straight after Horse of the Year Show where they had been competing on home soil.
Ben Maher MBE from Hertfordshire won the final CSI3* Grand Prix in Vilamoura, Porugal at the Champions Tour 2014 with the British Bred Diva II. One of ten double clear rounds that had seen almost sixty combinations come forward he secured victory by stoping the clock in a time of 34.28 seconds almost a second faster than fellow GB rider Laura Renwick with Rembrandt Blue.
Chloe Aston, originally from Hertfordshire and now based in Belgium, with her own home produced and longstanding ride Kolibri Classic took pole position in the CSI2* Grand Prix in Asten, Belgium. A five second divide cut her above the rest of the field when she broke the finish line having jumped double clear in a time of 35.37 seconds. Second place went to only other rider achieving a double clear; Alexandra Fricker of Switzerland and Victorio 5 with their finish time of 41.51 seconds. The fastest rider with the least faults was Joy Lammers for the Netherlands who finished in 3rd place with Zomerfee van de Broekkant in a time of 34.01 with 4 penalties.
Joe Clayton from West Yorkshire and Balibu, a 9 year old chestnut gelding owned by Michael Whitaker, were one of only five combinations to jump clear in the first round in Oslo in the CSI2*. The jump off course proved testing for the field coming forward with all of them notching up 4 penalties apiece, but it was Joe who managed to claim the title as his own by shaving 0.01 seconds from rival B S Endresen of Norway with Quistallo II.
Results:
Vilamoura IV Grand Prix
1st Ben Maher (GBR) / Diva II - 0/0 45.32
2nd Laura Renwick (GBR) / Rembrandt Blue –0/0 46.21
3rd Katty King (BRA) / Wilexo (0/0 46.69
4th Frederic Busquet (FRA) / Plue de la Roque –0/0 46.83
5th Nick Skelton (GBR) / Raia d’Helby (0/0 47.12
6th Laura Kraut (USA) / Carolina 31 – 0/0 48.80
Asten CSI2* Grand Prix
1st Chloe Aston (GBR) / Kolibri Classic 0/0 35.37
2nd Alexandra Fricker (SUI) / Victorio 5 0/0 41.51
3rd Joy Lammers (NED) / Zomerfee van de Broekkant 0/4 34.01
4th Malin Parmier (SWE) / Bright 0/4 41.60
5th Aurora Wachek Hansen (NOR) / Storm 16 0/4 44.55
6th Timothy Hendrix (NED) / Cedrick - 0/11 56.54
CSI2* Oslo Grand Prix
1st Joe Clayton (GBR) / Balibu – 0/4 38.43
2nd Bededikte S Endresen (NOR) / Quistallo II – 0/4 38.44
3rd Johan Sebastian Gulliksen (NOR) / Charleville – 0/4 39.32
4th Anette Ringnes (NOR) / Cassabachus – 0/4 40.89
5th Sofia Westborg (SWE) / Tea T – 0/4 43.54
1svujitxhxur8.jpg "Great Britain command victory in the Pony Nations Cup of Compiegne")
.jpg "Thrilling Weekend Kickstarts the STX-UK Pony British Novice Championship Second Round")