British Showjumping Spring Championships - Northcote Stud
Sunday 27 March 2022
Locally-based Robert Murphy landed the feature Winter 1.35m Final with Julie Andrews’ How Easy at the British Showjumping Spring Championships at Northcote Stud in Lancashire.
Twenty-three competitors were faced with a technical track by course-designer Nigel Jess but ten answered every question to reach the jump-off. However, clears proved scarce as they attempted to set a fast target and the final pole rolled for a couple of unlucky competitors.
“I watched two riders go fast and hit the last fence so I kept my head. The jump-off was quite long so I stayed fairly calculated with tight turns to keep it neat and tidy, said Robert, who used his penultimate draw to win with 0.25 seconds in hand over Nigel Coupe’s early effort on Drewmain Cedric in the 10-strong jump-off.
How Easy has the talent to go all the way.
“He has plenty of ability and I think the potential to jump some serious classes – he’s one of the best I’ve had to ride; this level is getting a bit too easy for him now,” said Robert on the Talan x Quite Easy 10-year-old – bred in Scotland by Sandra Low-Mitchell – he has ridden since November.
“He was a bit wild as a young horse and Julie bought him as a six-year-old. He’s still a character and a handful at times but he’s a trier, loves his job, tries to impress and is always learning and improving with every round. He’s jumped consistently clear in the 1.40m classes and the winter classic grand prix series and I plan to jump him at international level in this country this summer and see how he copes in the ranking classes.”
Yorkshireman Paul Barker’s early target with Ria Ginley’s Indekann HK secured the Winter Grade C Championship, denying Robert Murphy another win.
Six of the fourteen starters reached the jump-off with Paul executing every tight turn on the British-bred Kannan x Lux 9-year-old, bred in Yorkshire by Richard Howley and Morgan Kent, he has competed since last July. Robert Murphy chased them from the penultimate draw but could only come within 1.31 seconds for second on Chawton.
“He jumped his first grand prix for a double clear for fifth at Morris Equestrian Centre last week and I thought he’d have a good chance today – I had every faith, he’s good on turn-backs so I got a good level two strides to the oxers. I could have taken one stride less to the double but thought I’d be better going on six strides as he makes up a bit too much ground,” said Paul, who got the ride last July. “He’s ready to jump bigger things now.”
A battle royal ensued for the Winter 6-year-old title with the lead changing several times in the 13-horse jump-off until Thomas Dovkants used his ninth draw to emerge triumphant on Carron Nicol’s Gmail.
Twenty-six originally started over the 12-fence 1.15m track with half returning against the clock, but Thomas and the bred-in-the-showjumping-purple stallion with Cornet Obolensky x Diamant De Semilly bloodlines used his pace to secure victory by 1.62 seconds.
“He’s a real funny chap with loads of character and attitude at home and in the ring but that works in his favour against the clock because he’s brave, gamey and happy to give it a go,” said Thomas. “The first round was tricky and technical but it was a forward, big canter jump-off which suited us as he’s good at going fast but he does struggle with his turns.”
Jessica Cunnington claimed a victory double with winter 5-year-old and Children-on-Horses titles.
Jessica fired a warning shot with a win in the 5-year-old direct qualifier and duly claimed victory in the Winter 5-year-old Championship with Aredis Cicero.
The fourteen starters were halved to seven for the jump-off with Jessica claiming a 1.27 second advantage over Robert Murphy in second on Billy Earp.
The British-bred Cicero Z Van Paemel x Dollar Du Murier gelding was purchased as an unbroken 3-year-old with Jessica, 15, who is based at Forest Edge Arena in Norfolk, doing all the work since.
“This was the biggest track he’s jumped and it was technical. He can be sharp in the warm-up as he’s horse-shy but once in the ring, he settles, operates and does his job,” said Jessica, who discussed jump-off tactics with Dad Matthew – “I didn’t know how it was going to go and didn’t expect to win.”
Jessica’s second win came in the Winter Children-on-Horses Championship where only three came forward, Jessica winning from the first round on four faults with her mother Samantha Hemsley’s nine-year-old stallion Iminko 5 (Kannan x Numero Uno).
Patrick Hickey made his first show with Team Z7’s Z7 Porsche a winning one with the Winter 7-year-old Championship. Nine of the twenty-seven starters accessed the jump-off with Patrick on the Emerald Van’t Ruytershof x Cancara Z stallion to win by 0.92 seconds, pushing Chris Smith into second on Messarado Blue.
Patrick has recently joined Shane Breen’s team based at Hickstead.
“I joined the Breen Team two weeks ago. Porsche is a lovely, easy horse with a great attitude. The course was big enough but fair and the jump-off competitive. I got a very good turn from the double back to an oxer and went on six strides to the last,” said Patrick.
Lancashire-based Rebecca Marsh didn’t have far to travel to her local show to claim victory in the NAF Five Star Winter Silver League Championship Final in a tense jump-off with Adorus.
The twenty-three starters were reduced to eight for the jump-off with Rebecca the only rider to take two horses through. First ride Stevie G faulted but she used her penultimate draw to maximum effect on the Argentinus X Atego 14-year-old gelding Adorus, beating the only other clear to push Emily Morris on Bean Cruising into second place by 0.46 seconds.
“I knew where I was going after jumping my first horse and I knew if I kept Adorus in a rhythm and rode him properly he’d jump clear,” said Rebecca. “I work during in the week and I’d already qualified [for the final] on points so I popped my horses around Wednesday’s clear round just to give them a round in the arena.
I’ve had Adorus for a year; he’s a bit grumpy and likes his food a lot but he’s willing to do anything.”
Shannon Wilson made the four-and-a-half-hour journey for her first visit to Northcote Stud worthwhile as she claimed the NAF Five Star Winter Bronze League Championship with a super-charged round on Casallasca.
Just six of the twenty-seven starters returned for the jump-off with Shannon finding the shortest route to win by an impressive 5.35 seconds.
“The combination in the first round was our most difficult bit as there was an entry gate alongside which was quite distracting and he’s not very big so the getting the distances right was hard,” said Shannon. “The jump-off was his time to shine, I just kick on and he does it – you could show him the course plan and he’d take you round.”
Shannon acquired the German-bred Casall x Alasca 16-year-old gelding nine years ago.
“His terminally owner gave him to me. He’d had a year off before I had him and was with Michael Whitaker but he wasn’t going to stand up to the work. I started exercising him and was told to take him home, get him fit and we’ll sell him. He came home for eight weeks and never left,” said Shannon.
The NAF Five Star Bronze Final proved a perfect class for Shannon and Casallasca.
“When it is time for a horse that has jumped bigger classes to step down it is difficult to know which direction to take and it is nice to have something to aim for with a big final at a nice big show,” added Shannon.
Full results
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