November 5th - International Round-Up
Monday 05 November 2012
The past week saw a number of British wins across the International Shows that GB had representation at.
In particular, great success in Belgium where John Whitaker flew the flag for Great Britain by taking the Grand Prix title in Liege.
FRANCE 5*
The 5* International Show in Lyon, France saw Scott Brash, Ben Maher and Michael Whitaker contest the classes on offer. Although no British riders featured in the €200,000 Grand prix line-up or the €100,000 Equita Masters, we did secure wins with both Scott & Ben.
In particular, great success in Belgium where John Whitaker flew the flag for Great Britain by taking the Grand Prix title in Liege.
FRANCE 5*
The 5* International Show in Lyon, France saw Scott Brash, Ben Maher and Michael Whitaker contest the classes on offer. Although no British riders featured in the €200,000 Grand prix line-up or the €100,000 Equita Masters, we did secure wins with both Scott & Ben.
The first win for GB was Ben Maher with Judith Studd’s 10 year-old bay mare Vadeline in the 1.45m Prix Ville de Lyon jump off class. Friday also saw Michael Whitaker with his own 9 year-old bay gelding take 7th place in the 1.60m Grand Prix qualifier.
Saturday was the turn for Scott Brash with Elizabeth McTaggart’s 11 year-old brown gelding Bon Ami II. A win that Scott was particularly pleased with having secured the fastest time in the speed class yesterday and losing out at the final fence when they rolled a pole. Ben Maher secured Saturday’s 1.60m Prix Merial jump off class with the 8 year-old Aristo Z whom he jointly owns with Helen Wang.
LIEGE 3*
Mark Armstrong, Guy Williams along with John and Robert Whitaker were competing over the weekend at the 3* show in Liege. The opening speed class saw Mark with David Wenman’s 10 year-old grey mare take 2nd place and John Whitaker with Old Lodge’s 8 year-old brown gelding Lord of Arabia taking 6th. The second class a 1.40m jump off class saw John Whitaker with his wife’s (Clare) Argento, a 10 year-old dark bay gelding take 5th place before Robert Whitaker took first place in the 1.50m Grand Prix qualifier with Mandy Hall’s and Clare Whitaker’s 11 year-old bay stallion USA Today.
Mark Armstrong, Guy Williams along with John and Robert Whitaker were competing over the weekend at the 3* show in Liege. The opening speed class saw Mark with David Wenman’s 10 year-old grey mare take 2nd place and John Whitaker with Old Lodge’s 8 year-old brown gelding Lord of Arabia taking 6th. The second class a 1.40m jump off class saw John Whitaker with his wife’s (Clare) Argento, a 10 year-old dark bay gelding take 5th place before Robert Whitaker took first place in the 1.50m Grand Prix qualifier with Mandy Hall’s and Clare Whitaker’s 11 year-old bay stallion USA Today.
Sunday saw Mark Armstrong back in 2nd place in the 1.35 speed class with John Whitaker an dLord of Arabia taking 4th place. Robert took 1st place in the 1.40m Accumulator with Clare and John Whitaker’s 9 year-old stallion Catwalk IV with Guy Williams taking 3rd place with Nigel Scudamore’s Larino 87 and John Whitaker taking 5th place with Clare Whitaker’s Maximillian.
With all competitors setting their sights on the the Liege Grand Prix and the €80,000 on offer it was John Whitaker and Argento that showed others how it should be done. Producing the fastest of the only five double clears achieved throughout the competition it meant the combination took first place and the lion share of the prize fund relegated Ann Sophie Godart of France into second place and Belgium’s Philippe Lejeune into 3rd.
POLAND
George and Louise Whitaker were both competing at the CSI 3* event in Lezno, Poland which saw them take 2nd and 3rd place in the opening class on Sunday, a 1.35m Speed Class. It was George with Willeton who took 2nd place having come through the finish just fractionally faster than Louise and Zantos II.
George also made an appearance in the line up in the following class with a 34d place on Wesselton M in the 1.35 speed class. The final day of the show, Monday, saw Louise Whitaker take 5th place with Cavinem ini the 1.25m Jump Off class.
POLAND
George and Louise Whitaker were both competing at the CSI 3* event in Lezno, Poland which saw them take 2nd and 3rd place in the opening class on Sunday, a 1.35m Speed Class. It was George with Willeton who took 2nd place having come through the finish just fractionally faster than Louise and Zantos II.
George also made an appearance in the line up in the following class with a 34d place on Wesselton M in the 1.35 speed class. The final day of the show, Monday, saw Louise Whitaker take 5th place with Cavinem ini the 1.25m Jump Off class.
USA 3*
Tim Gredley, having relocated his competition yard to the USA, continued his winning form in the Lexington CSI 4* event. Having taken 6th place in the 1.50m Double H Farm jump off class with his own 12 year-old bay gelding Unex Timo IV where $75,000 were on offer, he then went on to take the $50,000 Alltech Puisance. A performance which put Tim on the front page of the Lexington Newspapers!
AUSTRIA 2*
Team GBR Leading Young Rider, 18 year-old Chloe Aston took 3rd place with her own 10 year-old bay mare Kolibri Classic in the Ebreichsdorf Grand Prix at Magna Racino. Incurring an unlucky 4 faults in the jump off, which only saw three jump clear, Chloe produced the fastest time in the eight strong second round.
Next week will see riders competing across Europe at the many International shows taking place. For an overview of the up coming shows and the riders hoping to compete at them please visit http://www.britishshowjumping.co.uk/international-calendar.cfm
Team GBR Leading Young Rider, 18 year-old Chloe Aston took 3rd place with her own 10 year-old bay mare Kolibri Classic in the Ebreichsdorf Grand Prix at Magna Racino. Incurring an unlucky 4 faults in the jump off, which only saw three jump clear, Chloe produced the fastest time in the eight strong second round.
Next week will see riders competing across Europe at the many International shows taking place. For an overview of the up coming shows and the riders hoping to compete at them please visit http://www.britishshowjumping.co.uk/international-calendar.cfm
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