Sienna Charles is foot perfect taking the top-billed Chard International 2* Grand Prix
Monday 24 April 2023
Sienna Charles landed the feature 2* Grand Prix at Chard International in Somerset, with smooth, seemingly unhurried yet effective tight lines on Valkiry De Zance.
“If it looked smooth then she’s doing the job right,” said her father, 2012 team Olympic gold medallist Peter.
Fifty-six riders came forward to face course-designer Paul Connor’s 1.45m track but such was the quality in the field littered with five-star riders, 23 returned initial clears to promise a hot jump-off. However, Will Edwards set off with determination on SHW Candies B to post a very competitive target and remained at the top despite several challenges.
Sienna, 20, from Alton, Hants, made the most of her advantageous penultimate draw, turning Sofia Abramovich’s 14-year-old Valkiry (Diamant De Semilly x Double Espoir) into a near-impossible tight turn into fence two and keeping tight the rest of the way. It was close; Sienna edged ahead to win by only 0.04 seconds.
“There was a very strong Irish contingent of top drawer, five-star riders – Billy Twomey, Anthony Condon and Trevor Breen to name just three – but we had had the perfect plan. Sienna has a natural ability to know where she needs to be on the clock. It’s like the timing of a jockey; she knows when to push and when to be careful,” explained Peter.
“We’ve had Valkiry since he was a 6-year-old and he’s been good for Harry [Charles], Sofia in amateur classes and now Sienna; he’s a great all-rounder with plenty of experience. We don’t take strides out as he’s not a big stepper but it does mean you don’t have to hold him back like you would a big-striding horse, you can move him up on a distance.”
The imminent Chepstow International is next on the cards possibly followed by Peelbergen, The Netherlands. But Peter is looking at the bigger picture.
“Harry is now well established, my aim now is to get both Sienna and her sister Scarlett to five-star level. They are both capable and will make great Nations Cup riders in the future.” he added.
Mark Edwards continued with his phenomenal successful run in April and added a further six wins at his first international show of the season. He had claimed nine wins at the opening Wales and West meeting and won two Welsh Masters championships a week ago at The David Broome Event Centre.
Mark may have missed out on the Grand Prix but he headed both earlier 1.40m classes with his father Martyn’s home-bred Montreuxs Tale. This big, rangy Tinkers Tale x Corleone 14-year-old belies his size with a fleet turn of foot and secured victory in day one’s 69-strong two-phase. Mark had taken an early lead on Flying Tinker II but was lying in fourth when he returned aboard Montreuxs Tale. There was no doubt about his intentions as he executed ever-tighter turns to take a narrow victory with 0.18 seconds to spare.
A total of 72 competitors came forward in day two’s 1.40m speed but Mark outpaced the lot on Montreuxs Tale with smooth, tight lines to forge ahead by 1.25 seconds.
Vicky Gillard’s Ede Peasy also notched up a double for Mark, taking day one’s 2* 1.35m 19-horse decider with 1.11 sec to spare. The 10-year-old Edward daughter emerged triumphant on day two, speeding into the top spot of the 39-entry 1.35m two-phase with 0.68 seconds in hand over second-placed Alice Watson on her day one 1.30m winner Cintrix Du Ruisseau.
All three 1.35m classes fell Mark’s way as he rounded up his tally to six in the concluding 2* accumulator. Marlene Edwards’ Flying Tinker – a Tinkers Tale 12-year-old bred at Mark’s Cowbridge, South Wales base before being sold – delivered, clearing the Joker with a flourish to outrun their nearest rival by almost two seconds.
Mark registered another win in day one’s 1* 1.25m two-phase as Amber Bundock’s 10-year-old Jafabalou (Balou Du Rouet x Concorde) came to the fore, beating their 21 rivals by 0.91 seconds.
Carmen Edwards doubled up in the 7-year-old classes with Garou Pommex Z (Good Boy x Topas), winning day two’s 1.30m two-phase with 1.26 seconds to spare over Bethanie Knight and her opening day winner Olympic Blue. Carmen again came up trumps on the final day, easing ahead by 0.44 seconds in the 11-horse jump-off.
Nicole Pavitt came close to claiming all three 6-year-old classes on Sally Jobson-Scott’s Cornet Obolensky gelding Cornet Of Follyfoot. The consistent pair topped day one’s 24-strong 1.20m two-phase by only 0.11 sec and beat British-based Australian Chris Burton with Chacoon’s Nevo PS by 0.17 seconds in the 1.20m speed 24 hours later. But Chris got the upper hand in the final day’s nine-horse jump-off on the Chacoon Blue x Voltaire stallion to win with 0.53 seconds over Nicole.
Jay Halim became an accumulator specialist at this show and scored a victory double. Lucy Blair’s Chapon VD Heffinck Z (Cabrio VD Heffinck x Quite Easy) clinched a handsome six second win in the 25-entry 1* 1.25m accumulator. Jay left until the final day for his second win, his Libero H x Lord Calando 12-year-old Gentle maintaining their long-time lead to win by 0.86 seconds as Alice Watson and Cintrix Du Ruisseau Z again had to settle for second.
Martin Brake notched up an impressive four wins in the 1* and amateur classes. The aptly-named 12-year-old Akham Hero Z (Aganix Du Seigneur x Topas) was a hero for Martin with a hattrick of wins to his name, heading the initial 1* 1.10m and following it up by topping the latter two days 1.15m classes. The El Salvador 9-year-old Judela marked Martin’s other win in the early amateur 1.10m eight-horse decider.
Image: ESP Photographic
Full results can be found here.
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