Amy Capper dominates once again at the final Small Pony Premier, held at Arena UK Show Centre.
Monday 11 March 2024
Amy Capper once again dominated at the final Small Pony Premier, held at Arena UK Show Centre, topping Sunday’s 128cm and 138cm Winter Qualifiers. As it was Mother’s Day, all the mums of the winning riders were given flowers during the mounted prize giving’s to celebrate.
In Sunday’s Winter 128cm qualifier, 25 combinations came forward to content the 1.10m 11-fence track designed by Neil Foster, four jumping the clear needed to progress to the next round. Amy Capper and Lucia Caroline would go head-to-head in the final round, both jumping a further clear to leave the results to be decided by the clock.
Lucia rode the 11-year-old gelding,Desdemone Du Marquais, owned by Lee Caroline to a steady clear. Amy, riding Nicola Capper’s Dooneens Electric, set off at a determined pace and rocketed into top spot by 1.37 seconds. Lucia slotted her other ride, Living the Dream, into third place with the fastest round with faults in round two.
Amy also came to the fore in Sunday’s Winter 138cm qualifier, this time riding Nicola Capper’s Rathcoona James.
Twenty-three pairings stepped up to take on the challenge of this 1.15m track, once again only two unlocking the key to access the final jump-off - this time Amy would go head-to-head with Portia Taylor Wilson. Portia, riding Rebecca Clay’s six-year-old Mirehill Mist, set off with speed but an unfortunate pole fell at the final fence, meaning the combination would finish in second place. Although Amy crossed the finish in a slower time, she successfully steered the 14-year-old gelding to the sole treble clear to take victory. Henry Leggot finished third with The Blossum Stud’s 16-year-old Blossom’s Letterkeen Bettyn.
In Saturday’s Winter 128cm qualifier, it was Anya Dewey Clarke who once again took the victory with Jim (Cobid), having topped this class previously at Onley Grounds Small Pony Premier.
Thirty-two competitors faced the 1.10m track as six managed to conjure up the clear to advance to the final jump-off round, Anya claiming two of the rides. Only two riders produced the all-important treble double clear, Anya and Annabel Widdowson, riding the 23-year-old Banbury Conquest. A quick clear from Annabel put the pressure on, but Anya used all her experience to steer her 2022 HOYS 128cm Winner to a well-calculated round, taking to victory by 0.11 seconds. Lucia Caroline finished third with Living The dream as the fastest four fault round.
Ella Kay, having won three 128cm Championships in 2023, has wasted no time in throwing down the gauntlet this year, setting her sights on the 138cm championship classes. Thirty-one riders were whittled down to eight in the final jump-off and, with four combinations accurately steering their riders to a treble clear, placings would be determined by speed. Ella started at a blistering pace, keeping tight lines and piloted David Wicks’ 11-year-old Icaris W to an uncatchable time of 40.07 seconds. Raphaela Dawson, riding Karen Dawson’s 12-year-old Churchfield Tulla Bluebell, finished 0.95 seconds behind to take the second qualifying spot, Emmie Horner and Sadie Horner’s 9-year-old Flirt D’Helerin finished a further 2.37 seconds in arrears in third.
Keira Merriman topped Day one’s British Showjumping 128cm/138cm Handicap Special Qualifier with 12-year-old 138cm gelding Cassi De L’abdenaie. Kiera also picked up third place with 10-year-old 138cm Nancy Pantsy, her rides split by Jennifer Mcleish who slotted 138cm Never Last II into second place.
Jennifer went one better in Sunday’s equivalent class, taking victory with the 17-year-old gelding Never Last II. Elsea Drea steered 22-year-old 138cm Myerscough Maple into second, just 0.07 off the winning pace. Anya Dewey Clarke produced the final double clear to take third with the 17-year-old Tullibards Silver Mine.
Image: Amy Capper and Rathcoona James. Credit: ATG Photography
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