TWO MAN BATTLE IN THE HICKSTEAD CARPETRIGHT DERBY
Sunday 24 June 2012
From a field of thirty one starters only two competitors managed to jump clear in the first round and both of them at almost pole positions on the starting list.
History was made when the first competitor of the class jumped a clear round, something no-one could remember having been achieved before. The combination making history was Ireland’s Paul Beecher with P Brown’s 13 year-old chestnut gelding Loughnatousa W B.
There were then no clears until almost the entire field had run when Will Funnell and Elizabeth Macey’s 14 year-old chesnut gelding Dorada forced a jump off.
First to go was Paul Beecher who produced another faultless round and one of the minority of double clears that have ever been achieved in the Derby. With spectators on the edge of their seats wondering whether Will would make it a fourth Derby win their hopes were dashed when he brought the gates down and thus relegating him into 2nd position.
Behind him were six competitors sharing third place. One of whom was Great Britain’s Steven Whitaker with Dawn Makin’s and his own Locarno 62 a 16 year-old bay stallion.
One of the favourites of the competition took 6th place, namely Guy Williams with David Walker’s 16 year-old chestnut Gelding Skip Two Ramiro.
Ninth place went to Hertfordshire based Phillip Miller with Nigel Eccles & Diana Cornish’s 12 year-old grey stallion Caritiar Z, the first of the two horses he was contesting the class with. Although accompanying the others by only have one fence down the combination incurred an unfortunate 2 time faults relegated them into 9th position.
The arena’s new drainage system which was always believed would guarantee good ground should it have to withstand heavy rainfall just prior to a show was well and truly tested today. Passing with flying colours the arena produced superb going for the horses and riders contesting the six figure prize fund, an achievement made all the more evident when you looked at the water-logged fields and car parks surrounding it.
For further information and full results please visit www.hickstead.co.uk
