Will Edwards wins the National Under 21 Final
Friday 07 August 2020
The final championship contested this evening at the NAF Five Star British Showjumping National Championships in the incredible International Arena at Bolesworth was the National Under 21 Final, sponsored by ESM Equestrian, which was also serving as a viewing class for the youth team selectors.
The 1.45m course asked a number of questions of the youth riders all hoping to catch the selectors eye and it was just five combinations that jumped clear in the first round to qualify for the jump-off.
It was 18 year-old Flo Norris who was the first to come forward with her 10 year-old mare Kadance vant Lozerhof. An uncharacteristic stop at the fourth fence saw them eliminated leaving Flo’s hopes pinned on her second ride Nequila, a 9 year-old gelding that she had also qualified for the jump off.
It was Will Edwards, aged 20 from Ellesmere in Shropshire, the eventual winner that came in next setting the standard for others to follow and whom none managed to catch. Riding SHW Candies B a 10 year-old mare owned by father Carl, he made it clear he meant business from the start. Riding a forward paced round he didn’t take a check until he approached the final fence to jump clear in a time of 40.13 seconds.
Olivia Poole, a 21 year-old law student from Dorrington in Shrewsbury was next to go on Quality, a 10 year-old mare, however a fence down saw them finish with 4 penalties in 4th place behind Robert Murphy who followed her with Elan V an 11 year-old gelding owned by Lisa Holmes. A very fast round saw him beat Will’s time when he broke the finish line in 38.23 seconds however a fence down saw him have to be satisfied with 2nd place. For Flo, with her second ride Nequila it was again a very fast round to see her finish in 40 seconds however two fences down saw them pick up 8 penalties to finish in 4th place.
The NAF Five Star British Showjumping Championships take place between the 3 – 11 August 2020 and further information on the show can be found here https://bit.ly/3a4cy2Q and results from all classes here https://bit.ly/2Xzma0M.
Image courtesy of 1st Class Images.
