British Young Riders Make Their Presence Felt in Lier, Belgium
Tuesday 05 April 2016
Many of Britain’s top young riders gathered in Lier, Belgium last weekend, where they dominated in the Pony, Junior and Under 25 classes on the final day of competition.
The Junior Grand Prix saw seven British riders amongst the field of thirty-three competitors taking part, but it was Robert Murphy and Del Fuego who gave a consistently strong performance to take second place.
15 year-old Robert Murphy from Preston, Lancashire on board Catherine Witt’s Del Fuego, a 13 year-old bay gelding, were amongst only five combinations to achieve a clear in the first round to go through to the jump off. The pair held their nerve going into this final round and managed to produce a second clear in 38.12 seconds, a fraction of a second shy of the winner.
In the Pony Grand Prix Jodie Hall McAteer showed her dexterity and skill walking away with top spot on board Tixylix, as well as taking second place with Lea Du Genier.
From a large class of fifty-seven competitors, only twenty-three combinations, including four Brits, went on to achieve a clear round and a place in the jump off. 15 year-old Jodie from Borehamwood, Hertfordshire took on the challenge and remarkably pulled out another set of high speed clear rounds on both rides to secure her top two finish. On board Tixylix, an 18 year-old chestnut mare owned by Sarah Mendoza, Jodie produced her winning round, coming home in just 36.90 seconds. With Lea Du Genier, a 17 year-old chestnut mare owned by Mandy Hall, Jodie posted her second double clear in a time of 36.92, just 0.02 seconds behind her winning time!
The Under 25 1.45m Grand Prix saw Amy Inglis take on a diminutive but determined class of twelve competitors to secure second place, on board Samayava Ar Park.
19 year-old Amy from Haywards Heath, West Sussex and Samayava Ar Park, a 10 year-old chestnut mare owned by Geoff Shingles CBE, were one of only three combinations to produce a clear round and go through to the jump off. The pair stayed cool, calm and collected to pull off another clear in a time of 40.87 seconds taking, them into second place.
For full results visit the FEI website or click here.
.jpg "British Showjumping’s Youth Teams announced for Nations Cup in Busto Arsizio, Italy")