Dodson & Horrell Celebrate Competitive National Amateur & Veteran Championships
Monday 23 November 2015
The Dodson & Horrell National Amateur & Veteran Championships (18th – 22nd November) held at Aintree Equestrian Centre in Liverpool are a pinnacle of the showjumping calendar and with six National Championship titles up for grabs; spectators were treated to five days of thrilling competition.
The Championships proved as popular as ever, with over 1,500 entries being taken. Over 200 riders competed on more than 300 horses and the Championships followed a successful National Amateur Second Round period in which around 1,500 combinations started out.
The National Amateur Championships gave amateur riders and horses the opportunity to contest an end of year final across four different heights of fences – 0.85cm, 0.95cm, 1.05m and 1.10m and the Championships also played host to the National Veteran Riders Championships, which are spilt into minor and major categories.
The Championships were all held under the Dodson & Horrell prefix and the results were as follows:
National Amateur 0.85m Championship
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Fifty-five combinations fought it out in the 0.85m Championship and it was Monica Ballard from Sittingbourne, Kent who was eventually crowned Champion on her own 17 year-old bay mare My Amazing Grace.
Following strong performances from a number of competitors in the first round, a forty-two horse jump off played out and fifteen double clears were secured. Monica and My Amazing Grace set the standard early on in the jump off with their double clear in 30.46 seconds.
After having been drawn fourteenth to go in the jump off, Monica then had to face a nervous wait in the collecting ring “It was a very long wait before finding out that we had won the class! We were drawn earlier than I would have liked for the jump off and it was anxious wait for me as there were plenty of quick combinations drawn to go after us, but thankfully we hung on.
“My Amazing Grace jumped brilliantly yesterday and she saved her best until last after having had an unlucky start to the week. We finished second in this Championship last year and after not having qualified for the 0.95m Championship, we focused on doing well in this one. I took a different route round the jump off to most of the others as I felt that this would suit my horse better and I also galloped to the finish and took a bit of a flyer to the last to make up the time! She was definitely due a win and it was a great end to the week.”
National Amateur 0.95m Championship
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Teen showjumper Charlotte Goodwin (aged 16) from Foston, Derbyshire made her Championship debut in style beating fifty-eight other riders yesterday to take home the fiercely contested 0.95m Championship. Charlotte rode her mother Julie’s 17 year-old bay mare Regal Clover to victory and she was yet another rider who had to handle a nervous wait before the class finally finished.
Charlotte and Regal Clover were fourth to go in the jump off and with eighteen double clears coming from twenty-seven combinations, both Charlotte and Julie’s eyes were trained on the clock for the remainder of the class.
No-one else was able to better Charlotte and Regal Clover’s time of 28.46 seconds and a thrilled Charlotte commented “This is my first season on horses and this has been brilliant end to the year. Regal Clover has jumped fantastically all week and we came ninth in the first qualifier before going on to win the second qualifier.
“We went into the Championship aiming to just give it a good go and after securing a clear in the first round, we went for it in the jump off. The jump off track suited her well as it was quite twisty and she’s good against the clock anyway as she covers a lot of ground. Regal Clover will have a bit of a holiday now before we aim for the 1.05m Championship next year.”
National Amateur 1.05m Championship
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Cheryl Healey from Shifnal, Shropshire headed this ultra-competitive Championship on board her own 14 year-old bay mare, Anna Ci (Annie). Drawn last to go in a twenty-eight horse jump off, Cheryl knew that only a fast double clear would see her take home a much coveted National Championship and her mare responded brilliantly by galloping through the finish with all of the fences still standing in a time of 32.78 seconds.
A clearly delighted Cheryl said “After having some time off competing whilst I was pregnant, I had to really focus my efforts on getting qualified for the Championships and particularly, I had the 1.05m Championship in my mind. Everything we’ve done during the last couple of months has now been worthwhile.
“Despite being a regular finalist, this is Annie’s first Championship win. Having previously been a bit feisty, Annie is now at her best after having had some time off to have a daughter, who I also competed on in today’s class.
“My warm up on Saturday didn’t go quite to plan, but this made both of us more determined in the class itself. I knew that putting in a tight turn to fence eight was going to be crucial and because Annie’s careful over the fences, the plan came off. I’m so pleased with her.”
National Amateur 1.10m Championship
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Katie Shaw from Great Haywood, Staffordshire held onto the 1.10m Championship title that she picked up last year, this time winning it on Fools Business, a 14 year-old roan gelding owned by Emma Sargeant.
Thirty-nine starters rode out over the first round course and fifteen made it through into the jump off. Nine double clears were produced in total and Katie and Fools Business benefitted from a late draw. They delivered their winning double clear in 31.79 seconds.
“These are turning into good Championships for me” said Katie. “Fools Business has not only been amazing all week, but he has been great all year winning a number of Championships. He is such a good horse and he feels as though he wants to win for you; he loves his job.
“The 1.10m Championship was held over a fair track and after having watched the first to go; I decided to just go for it. Fools Business is very fast in a jump off and he’s very nimble when making turns, so we were able to save time all over the course.”
Minor Veteran Riders Championship
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Veteran European Championship silver medallist Ian Wynne from Llangollen, Wrexham scooped this direct entry class on board Ann Wolley-Dod’s 15 year-old dark bay gelding Don Douglas after beating thirty-nine other competitors to the top of the leader board.
In a sixteen strong jump-off, ten double clears were produced and it was Ian and Don Douglas’ time of 35.68 seconds that secured the win. Talking after the class, Ian said “Any Championship class takes a lot of winning and I’m so lucky to have the ride on Don Douglas, he knows when it’s a special occasion and he’s great at judging the height of the fences.
“I felt that the courses suited him and he’s a great horse for turning back to a fence and being quick. We did have a bit of luck on our side too as he stood off the penultimate fence and jumped quite big, but it was a good jump off.”
Major Veteran Riders Championship
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Regular Veteran Championship campaigner Norman Proffitt from Cannock, Staffordshire retained the Major Veteran Riders Championship title on his winning horse from last year, Valentino XIV, a 13 year-old dark brown gelding owned by Nina Emery.
Norman and Valentino looked determined from the very start of the class and took the jump off head on to clock up their double clear in 33.83 seconds. This result was to prove unbeatable, even by Norman himself on his other ride Patent, an 18 year-old bay gelding owned by Audrey Evans.
Norman won this Major Veteran Riders Championship back in 2011 and 2012 on board Patent, a haul that he has now matched on Valentino. “I’m delighted that this horse has now achieved his second Championship win and he performed brilliantly out in the arena.
“This show at Aintree is definitely one of my favourites and I love coming here as the organising team are fantastic and it has a lovely atmosphere. Huge thanks must go to Dodson & Horrell too for all of their support. I will of course be hoping to defend my title next year whilst aiming to do the double by winning the Minor Veteran Riders Championship.”
For a full list of results and further information about the Dodson & Horrell National Amateur & Veteran Championships, please visit www.aintreeequestriancentre.co.uk.
Images: Majestic Photography
Dodson & Horrell:
Dodson & Horrell Ltd is a family run business that is proud of its heritage. The company is Europe’s leading specialist equine feed manufacturer and a worldwide authority on nutrition and feeding. A pioneer of manufacturing methods the company has been leading the way in equine nutrition and nutritional research for over 75 years and exports to over 42 countries.
As official supplier of nutrition to Equestrian Team GBR since 2009 Dodson & Horrell works closely with the entire team to deliver nutritional advice to both the Performance and World Class Programmes.
In addition Dodson & Horrell supports a variety of top equestrian athletes who make up ‘Team D&H’. The ambassadors play a vital role within the company by highlighting the quality of the feed and nutritional advice representing a variety of disciplines - carriage driving, eventing, para-dressage, showjumping and dressage. Dodson & Horrell’s Showjumping Brand Ambassadors are Lauren Hough (USA) and Yazmin Pinchen.
Dodson & Horrell were honoured to be granted the Royal Warrant of Appointment in 1985 for horse feed and is proud to continue as Horse Food Manufacturer to HM Queen Elizabeth to the present day.
For further information, please visit www.dodsonandhorrell.com or call us on 01832 737300. For any further nutritional advice please call the Helpline on 0845 345 2627 or email enquiries@dodsonandhorrell.com.
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