Allan Birch Claims his Second Qualifying Ticket in the SEIB Winter Novice Qualifier at SouthView Equestrian Centre
Monday 25 February 2019
SouthView Equestrian Centre in Cheshire held the final Winter Classic Show in the 2018/2019 Calendar this weekend and it proved to be a popular choice with fifty-two combinations coming forward with the hopes of gaining one of the final tickets on offer for the SEIB Winter Novice Qualifier which took place on Saturday with Allan Birch from Thornton-Cleveleys, Lancashire claiming his second win in the class this time Boherdeal Royale.
A third of the initial starters made it through to the jump-off with a clean slate but only seven of those could produce a second clear around Gillian Milner’s seven fence jump-off. With only two qualifying places on offer for the Championship Final at the Royal International Horse Show, Hickstead, West Sussex this summer, the competition was bound to be a nail biting one.
Aboard Michael Cooper’s 8 year-old Irish bred gelding Boherdeal Royale, Allan coasted through the finish line with nearly 2 seconds to spare and in doing so picked up his second ticket to the Championship Finals after he won the first qualifier with Parkmore Rowan at Aintree International Equestrian Centre in Liverpool back in October 2018.
Fifteen year old Angel Tough from Manchester, Lancashire claimed the final ticket on offer with Righteous, a 6 year-old British-bred gelding by Luidam owned by Emerson Tough whom Angel has produced herself. They also finished with a double clear in 40.19 seconds.
SouthView Equestrian Centre – Saturday 23rd February 2019
SEIB Winter Novice Qualifier Results
1st Allan Birch & Boherdeal Royale – 0/0 – 38.62 seconds
2nd Angel Tough & Righteous – 0/0 – 40.19 seconds
NB: Qualifications will be updated pending official grading of results.
Image: Allan Birch & Boherdeal Royale on their way to winning the SEIB Winter Novice Qualifier at SouthView Equestrian Centre (CREDIT: British Showjumping)
