KEITH DOYLE WALKS TALL AT HICKSTEAD

 

It was Keith Doyle partnering his own Walk Tall II that secured the Queen Elizabeth II title at Hickstead earlier today (Saturday 21^st July) when their double clear in a time of 50.14 seconds also ensured the lion share of the £10,000 prize fund.

 

Hot on their heels were former European Championships Team members Geoff Billington with Patricia Fraser’s Uppercut II. Producing the only other double clear of the competition they were unfortunately relegated to 2^nd position by coming through the finish line a split second slower in a time of 50.44 seconds.

 

The second round which serves as the deciding jump-off just couldn’t have been tighter with three of the five competitors that had jumped clear in the first round, and therefore qualifying for the jump-off, all finishing with less than a second between them.

 

Phillip Miller with Nigel Eccles and Diana Cornish’s in-form Caritiar Z were the last to go of the five having produced the fastest clear in the first round. Knowing he had to really push forward and save as much time as possible if he was to secure the title he did exactly this. Producing the fastest time of the jump-off by coming through the finish in a time of 47.91seconds an unfortunate 4 faults at a fence meant a 3^rd place finish.

 

Robert Whitaker with his mothers Catwalk IV took  4^th position on 4 faults in a time of 50.57 with William Whitaker and Elisabeth Fredlund’s Fandango III taking 5^th on 4 faults in a time of 52.51.

 

A total of twenty six competitors started the course giving spectator packing the grandstands the opportunity to watch some superb competition. Hickstead, along with the rest of the UK yesterday, was in the fortunate position of enjoying fantastic weather with the arena and those around it able to bask in the sunshine which very few have been able to enjoy in recent months.

 

The following class, The Sky Sports Speed Classic, saw Great Britain also appear high up in the placings with Steven Whitaker and his own Royal Rose, 14 year old chestnut stallion take 3^rd place.   They were knocked off the top spot by Ireland’s Shane Breen with Ominerale Courcelle and Richie Maloney with Alsvid who took 1^st and 2^nd place respectively. It was French rider Aymeric De Ponnat who took 4^th place before a line of British Riders which saw Guy Williams with Trevor Coyle’s 11 year-old chestnut mare Bijou Van de Vijfheide take 5^th.   Joe Clayon with Michael Whitaker’s 9 year-old bay gelding Antello and Tim Davies took 6th with Sarah Chenevix Trench’s 12 year-old brown mare Salome taking 7^th.

 
Earlier in the day Great Britain's Louise Pavitt had the spectators on the edge of the seats as the only female rider to produce a double clear in the Bunn Leisure Salver with Brendon Stud's 8 year-old chestnut stallion Don VHP Z.  Willing her on through the finish you could hear their groan of dissapointment when the timing display
 showed she had just missed out on first place having come through the finish just a split second slower in a time of 48.34 seconds than Belgium's Rik Hemeryck with Papillon Z and Maurice Van Roosbroeck with Calumet who finished in 47.75 and 47.88 seconds.  Phillip Miller also appeared in the line up in 10th place with Diana Cornish's 9 year-old bay gelding Text Back.
 

The weather looks set to continue over the weekend for those heading to Hickstead to watch the prestigious King George V competition which takes place tomorrow (Sunday 22^nd July) in the International Arena.

 

For full results and further information in respect of the RIHS at Hickstead please visit www.hickstead.co.uk