Can Chloe Winchester Make It a Clean Sweep at Liverpool
Thursday 31 December 2015
British star and World No.1 Scott Brash has ensured that 2015 will be remembered throughout world showjumping as the year of his staggering Rolex Grand Slam feat.
But not only does young Suffolk rider Chloe Winchester already have something in common with Brash, she will arrive at this week's inaugural Equestrian.com Liverpool International Horse Show targeting a memorable clean sweep of her own.
In the space of 14-months, 21-year-old Winchester has won the Young Rider Championship of Great Britain at Horse of the Year Show, been crowned Queen Elizabeth II Cup winner at Hickstead and recently took the British Under-23 title at Olympia.
Liverpool's under-25 title this weekend - when she will compete against fellow exciting prospects like Emily Ward, Harry Charles, Jack Whitaker, Jake Saywell - is now in her sights, and it would represent a brilliant launchpad for 2016, when she hopes to challenge for senior Great Britain team representation at Nations Cup level, if she completes another notable victory.
Winchester's triumphs have all been on the brilliant 12-year-old mare Avoca Valkyrie - the combination also finished fourth in team and individual events for Great Britain at this year's European Young Rider Championships in Austria - and they will be a must-watch combination as world-class showjumping takes centre-stage at Liverpool's Echo Arena.
"The horse has been fantastic this year," she said. "We bought her from Ireland as an eight-year-old. She was jumping 1.30 metres there, and she also evented, and it was obvious straightaway that she was very special."
"I remember when we went down to Hickstead for the Queen Elizabeth II Cup, I thought it would suit her there with the big grass ring, and she did absolutely amazingly."
"And then she won at Olympia! It was a fantastic experience there. It is a class that you always dream to win - Scott Brash has won it in the past - and to do that meant it was just an amazing day."
Winchester has about 12 horses at the family-run yard in Grislingham, and after Liverpool, she will be heading abroad to compete in the Sunshine Tour.
"I am really excited about being part of the new Liverpool show, and then we are going on the Sunshine Tour, which is something we haven't done before," she added.
"I am hoping to jump on senior Nations Cups next year, hopefully, if my results are good enough. That is the plan, and it would be fantastic to achieve it."
The Equestrian.com Liverpool International Horse Show begins on Friday, culminating in Sunday's headline four-star grand prix, with a superb cast being headed by the likes of John and Michael Whitaker, Peter Charles, Laura Renwick, Guy Williams, William Funnell, Robert Whitaker and William Whitaker.
A considerable Irish challenge will be led by Billy Twomey, who finished third at this year's Paris Masters, plus the consistently-successful Breen brothers, Shane and Trevor, former Aachen grand prix champion Denis Lynch, Cameron Hanley and Dermott Lennon.
And the overseas representation is considerable, featuring Italy's recent London World Cup qualifier winner Emanuele Gaudiano, exciting Belgian prospect Constant van Paesschen, Sweden's Peder Fredricson, who was a member of Sweden's 2004 Olympic silver medal-winning team, Norway's Geir Gulliksen and Dutch rider Johnny Pals.
Besides top-class showjumping, Liverpool's slick, eye-catching production will incorporate scintillating performances from the ‘Bootleg Beatles,’ opera singers Bella Voci, theatrical stunt rider Clémence Faivre and the ever-popular Shetland Pony Grand National.
Fine dining will also be available, plus a champagne bar and many food outlets, in addition to an impressive shopping village retailing high-end clothing, equestrian accessories, giftwares, fine foods and beautiful things for the home.
It's not to late to book tickets. E tickets are available online or can be bought on the gate at the Echo Arena up until the last performance on Sunday, January 3.
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