Will Fletcher is crowned the Welsh Master of 2026 in a three-way Grand Prix jump-off
Wednesday 22 April 2026
Will Fletcher landed the feature Equestrian Surfaces Grand Prix to be crowned the Welsh Masters champion with Quintine Van D’Abdijhoeve, also taking third on exciting new ride Shelton DD in a three-way decider.
“It’s a lovely start to the year and to win on a horse I’ve produced since a five-year-old and take third on only an eight-year-old; I’m delighted,” said Will.
Course-designer Raf Suarez set a challenging 1.40 track in the vast Cortaflex arena for the 42 competitors, testing with technical distances throughout the track, an early oxer to vertical double catching several. Only three conquered the course, Will being the sole rider with two horses for the majority of the first round through to the jump-off. He was eventually joined by Adrian Whiteway to guarantee a second round against the clock.
“It was huge, the biggest and toughest I’ve seen here and I’ve jumped the Grand Prix since I was about 14. When I walked the track, I was in two minds whether to jump the eight-year-old. It was tough and caused problems all the way round, but it suited me,” said Will, who produced the first clear and stood out in front for more than half the class.
Will opened the jump-off on the Chaiton F Z eight-year-old Shelton DD but tapped out a pole to finish on four faults and leave the door open. Adrian returned a good clear on the Elvis Ter Putte 11-year-old BP Baxter in a quicker time, but more importantly clear. It was down to Will on second ride, the 10-year-old mare Quintine Van D’Abdijhoeve (Dieu Merci Van T&L x Orlando), and he coolly sweep into victory by 1.78 seconds in the final draw.
Quintine, owned by long term owner Alison Walton, has impressed with her technique and attitude.
“She’s a favourite and stepping up well; to win a top national Grand Prix means a lot to both me and Alison. She’s a super horse and won the British Masters Grand Prix last summer, so that is two Masters titles she has now,” said Will. “I’m super-excited about Shelton, I’ve only had him since the beginning of the year and to jump a track like this as an eight-year-old is fantastic.”
Poppy Stronge outpaced all to take the Liz Edgar 1.30m Welsh Masters Final with her mother Bernice’s 12-year-old Jersey S (Entertainer x Celano). Forty-eight set out over the 1.30m course but challenging questions reduced them to only nine for the jump-off, Poppy hitting top gear to take the title by 1.37 seconds. Sophie Hillier slipped Nice Star B into second with Faye Adams in third riding Renkum Buster.
“This was the perfect class for him as he’s a very competitive speed horse and very rideable, especially since I’ve done a lot of flatwork with Tim Rogers, he’s improved no end and is very responsive,” said Poppy, who finally achieved a longtime ambition – “I first jumped here in the 11-year-old and Under at Cricklands and I’ve been trying to win this class for 10 years or more – it made me nervous wanting to win so much, it’s such a historic class named after the amazing rider Liz Edgar. The track was technical and the more experienced horses came through.”
Tom Plaster galloped to the top of the Jon Doney 1.30m Welsh Masters Final on Springfield Diamanta. Nine riders from a field of 34 accessed the jump-off, Tom finding the shortest route on the Diamant De Plaisir x Acorado nine-year-old to win by 1.50 seconds. The pair finished fourth in the Eight-year-old Final here last year. Keith Shore guided the 11-year-old Fabuleux De Riverland into second and Iwan Carpenter netted third place with Starido I.
“She’s a fighter, all heart and owes me nothing. The course was very technical, a course Jon Doney would have been proud of. I put pressure on myself to win but had a good feeling about it even though there were a lot of fast riders in the jump-off but she wasn’t going to let me down – if anything, it would be me that let her down,” said Tom, who is based with girlfriend Lulu Warren running a yard in Essex. “The Welsh Masters is a brilliant show for us; we had several clients with us and there was a class for everyone – it is so well run and the Broomes are so accommodating. It was also great to share incredible memories with best friend Poppy Stronge, both of us winning classes that mean so much to us in memoriam of two special people.”
William Funnell guided the home-bred Billy Tutu (Billy Tudor x Calido I) to the top in the Seven and Eight-year-old 1.35/1.40m Handicap Welsh Masters title. Twelve of the original 36 starters returned for the jump-off, five eight-year-old pitted against seven seven-year-olds with four Billy prefixed horses in the mix and the top two places filled by the older, more experienced eight-year-olds.
William edged Billy Tutu into victory with 0.57 seconds in hand over Alfie Bradstock’s Arizona Ospa Z with Lottie Tutt in third aboard Billy On My Mind.
Keith Shore claimed the Hazelden Saddlery Six-year-old Welsh Masters Final with Twice The Spice III at their first show. The pair showed their form from day one, posting double clears for equal first in the two qualifiers and went on to victory in the Final.
Sixteen of the 55 starters jumped initial clears to make their way into the jump-off, Keith skilfully edging the Conthagos x Billy Congo gelding into a win by only 0.02 seconds. Jake Myers guided Pascia Is My Name into second and Beth Vernon filled third on R&A Cassius.
Ryan Lockwood and the Kington Langley Stud’s KL Elmo were crowned the Billy Stud Five-year-old Welsh Masters champions, picking up not only the £780 first prize, but a £5,000 cheque redeemable at the next Billy Stud Auction. Forty-six hopefuls set out over a 1.15m course but only seven returned to contend the jump-off, Ryan and the handsome Veni Vidi Vici x Kannan chestnut stallion winning by 0.69 seconds. Emily Rowe rode Colmars Solstice Dream into second and Lottie Tutt netted third on the scopey Billy Dakota.
Robert Skyrme captured the Showground Photography 1.25m Welsh Masters Final with CDL Touch Of Class. Nine from a start list of 37 returned to battle it out in the jump-off for the title, Robert and the year-old flying into the top spot by 0.24 seconds. Keith Shore guided Pegasus V/H Maarlo into second and Helen Rees picked up third riding Bart VI.
Kate Ellison dominated the Equine America 1.20m Welsh Master Final with the top two places on two eight-year-olds. Seventeen of the 59 starters returned to battle it out in the jump-off, the on-form Kate one of only two riders to gain two bites of the cherry. She proved her worth, winning with the Nostradamus Van De Kalevallei (It’s Highlander VDK x Kasmir Van Schuttershof) and claiming second aboard the Cevin Z daughter Cevin’s Kite, 2.13 seconds separating the two. Thomas Batrup was a further 3.45 seconds adrift for third on Bounceability.
Julia Darlington used her late round to take the 1.15m Welsh Masters Final riding Jara II. Seventeen from a field of 29 contended a hot jump-off, but Georgia pushed all the way to seize victory by 1.42 seconds on the the Bugatti VDL x Cantos 12-year-old Jara II. Long-time leader Harriet Thompson had to settle for second place on Heros Chin De Litrange III just ahead of third-placed Lauren Caley on Cherry Diamant.
Two competitors dead-heated on time to share the Keith Price Garages 1.10m Welsh Masters Final honours – Charlotte Gilder on Glenbeigh Carbon and Abigail Isaac with Nasgow L. The 40 starters were halved for a hot, competitive 20-strong decider, with Charlotte on the Irish-bred eight-year-old Glenbigh Carbon (Casall La Silla x Limbus) and Abigail aboard a new ride, the eight-year-old Nasgow L (Glasgow W VH Merelsnest x Lux) at their first show stopping the clock at exactly the same time. Isabel Saywell was more than three seconds in arrears for third on Fancy Girl Semilly.
Keeping it in the Family! Jessica Broome (wife of Matthew) took time out from the busy Wales and West Secretary’s office to win the Deebees Rosettes 1.05m Welsh Masters Final on Fairway 19. Seventeen from the field of 48 reached their initial goal of a round one clear, but Jessica took control of the jump-off, scoring an ace by one whole second to win on the seven-year-old mare Fairway 19 (Pjotr Van De Kruishoeve x Voltaire). Isla Appadu finished second on Baby Guinness OS and Stacy Willsone slipped CSF Olympic Lady into third.
