Day Two: Showjumping at HOYS 2015

Thursday 08 October 2015

Day Two: Showjumping at HOYS 2015

Lancashire showjumper Robert Maguire took centre-stage on day two at Horse of the Year Show in Birmingham when he won the Horse & Hound Senior Foxhunter Championship.

One of the show's most established and famous classes, it once again lived up to expectations.

Six combinations made it through to the jump-off, including both of 60-year-old John Whitaker's rides, but it was Wigan-based Maguire who came out on top with eight-year-old mare Anastasia Van De Helle to land the £1,700 top prize.

Their time of 37.76 seconds ensured a clear victory from Scottish challenger Douglas Duffin and Djoel, with another Scottish rider Mark Turnbull third aboard Cartouch III and Yorkshireman John Whitaker taking fourth on Cassins Chaplain and fifth with Fabrice van Overis Z.

Maguire said: "It's a class, when you have got a nice young horse, you always want to win it.

"I knew my time wasn't too fast, and I knew I had John Whitaker behind me. I would say that nine times out of 10 he would beat me, but he had a rail down."

Sweden's Angelie von Essen, a regular campaigner on the British circuit, landed the opening International class of this year's event - the ReadySupp Cup - with West Falica.

Von Essen conquered a class that had two phases against the clock, but only after a thrilling battle with Irish star Billy Twomey.

The Swedish rider posted a time of 28.78 seconds, which edged out Billy Twomey and Tin Tin by just 11 hundredths of a second.

Belgium's Karel Cox finished third on Covia Z, and Ireland's Anthony Condon took fourth spot aboard Balzac.

"I am really pleased with the win," she said. "My horses are in good form, and when I got the call on Monday I wasn't too stressed about it. I have just come here to do my best.

And there was more international success in the CanterBanter.co.uk Cup, when last year's HOYS grand prix winner, Frenchman Julien Epaillard, prevailed with Pigmalion Du Rozel.

Their time of 53.55 seconds headed a multi-national leaderboard as Colombia's Daniel Bluman finished second on Conconcreto Apardi, with Twomey and Diaghilev third and Egypt's Abdel Said, riding Luron SZ, fourth.

Preston schoolboy Robert Murphy, meanwhile, completed a memorable family double when the 14-year-old landed the prestigious Leading Pony Showjumper of the Year title - 30 years to the day after his father Peter won it.

Riding nine-year-old mare Rainbows Mocha, Robert clocked 40.89 seconds in the jump-off to win by almost a second from Jessica Hewitt and Amman Valley Santino, while Scarlett Charles was third aboard Aroldo.

Reflecting on his victory, Robert said: "It was great out there, if a bit nerve-wracking.

"It was all good. I had to take a few risks that my dad mentioned to me, and that is exactly what I did.

"It's good doing something at the Horse of the Year Show that my dad has done in the past."

Audio link to Robert Maguire winner of Horse & Hound Senior Foxhunter Championship
Audio link to Angelie von Essen winner of the ReadySupp Cup
Audio link to Julien Epaillard winner of the CanterBanter.co.uk Cup
Audio link to Robert Murphy winner of the Leading Pony Showjumper of the Year Championship

 
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