Ivory Shows World Class Potential in Six-year-old Final
Sunday 18 August 2019
.JPG "Ivory Shows World Class Potential in Six-year-old Final")
Matt Sampson and Ivory jumped into the spotlight when winning the prestigious and highly competitive, Six-year-old Championship sponsored by Windmill Farm Estate.
Twenty nine came through to the second round over the Rafael Suarez designed course at the Equitop Bolesworth Young Horse Championships.
With a host of British bred horses going clear in the International Arena, the jump off was set to showcase youngsters with world class ability.
The Equitop Bolesworth Young Horse Championships is featuring 4, 5, 6 & 7-year-old age classes, incorporating qualifiers for the FEI World Young Horse Breeding Championships in Lanaken, held in September.
In winning mode, Sheffield-based Matt and Ivory headed the class with a superb clear third from the end in 42.10 seconds.
Their form this season has been phenomenal with the Don VHP Z mare winning both at home and abroad.
Owned by racehorse trainer Sean Conway, Ivory was bought for his partner, Helen Ray as a four-year-old who soon recognised ‘she was far too talented’ for her.
Ivory qualified for the Lanaken finals last year when ridden by Joe Trunkfield, with Matt taking over the ride in March.
Said Matt: “We are having a brilliant season with Ivory, she is an out and out winner and just gets better and better.
“She was a joint winner of the six-year-old championship at the Hickstead Derby meeting, and won the six-year-old final at the Welsh Masters as well as great results across Europe.
“The class was of a very high standard which gave the course builder a lot to think about. We will keep her ticking over before Lanaken with one or two smaller classes without any pressure. She really is one for the future who never disappoints.”
Taking second and third was one of the world’s very best event riders, Pippa Funnell, riding two young horses she was full of praise for.
Pippa took second with Billy Marmite by Billy Mexico and third with the mare Billy Sarafina.
Said Pippa: “I am absolutely thrilled with these two young horses they have been fabulous all week and are very special.”
Also qualifying for Lanaken as the fourth best British-bred was James Shore with the Luidam chestnut, MEC Look At me, owned by Emerson Tough.
Picture caption: Dan Wright of Windmill Farm Estate, with Bolesworth Managing Director, Nina Barbour, presents Matt Sampson and Ivory with their award after a great win.
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