Laura Mantel Wins SEIB Winter Novice Championship Qualifier at Solihull Riding Club
Friday 09 October 2015
The new season of SEIB Winter Novice Qualifiers got off to a blistering start last week when seventy-nine combinations came forward for the first qualifier at Solihull Riding Club in Bentley Heath, West Midlands.
Everyone competing in the qualifier was focused on taking home one of two qualification places up for grabs for the Championship Final, which will be held at the prestigious Longines Royal International Horse Show next July and spectators were certainly treated to a competitive class.
Thirty-five of the seventy-nine starters achieved a brilliant first round clear to set up an ultra-competitive jump off in which thirteen double clears were posted. With just the two qualification spots available, competitors were faced with a nervous wait as the class came to its closing stages.
The win came from the combination drawn ninth to go in the jump off. That combination was Laura Mantel from Reading, Berkshire and Funnycan, a 5 year-old bay mare owned by New Priory Stud. With five double clears having already been produced before her, Laura knew that only an accurate and quick round would suffice and she duly delivered. Laura and Funnycan showed great scope and speed to cross over the finish in 32.54 seconds and this eventually gave them the win by just 0.09 of a second.
The other qualification place was snapped up by Emma-Jo Slater from High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire and she rode Kim Barzilay’s 13 year-old bay mare Bambi Van Het Huikven. This combination’s double clear was clocked up in just 32.63 seconds and this was to be good enough for second place.
Solihull Riding Club - Friday 2nd October 2015
SEIB Winter Novice Championship Qualifier Results
1st Laura Mantel & Funnycan – 0/0 – 32.54 seconds
2nd Emma-Jo Slater & Bambi Van Het Huikven – 0/0 – 32.63 seconds
NB: Qualifications will be updated pending official grading of results.
The next SEIB Winter Novice Championship Qualifier will be held at Crofton Manor Equestrian Centre on Friday 30th October 2015.
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