Catherine Vale is crowned British Showjumping National Minor Veterans Champion after securing victory from the front on Quiz IV
Friday 15 November 2024
Catherine Vale set a sizzling target from the front which could not be topped to take the National Minor Veterans Championship with Quiz IV at the British Showjumping National Amateur and Veteran Showjumping Championships, sponsored by Equiyd.
“She’s only little, a 15hh pocket rocket and only a six-year-old. This was a big track for us, she’s jumped a few 1.10m classes but this was a tough 1.10m,” said a delighted Catherine, who was making her Aintree debut, although she hadn’t made the most auspicious of starts – “I fell off yesterday, but today it came good.”
Thirty competitors, littered with former winners of this title, tackled course-designer Mark McGowan’s 11-fence 1.10m track with 12 answering every question to go forward into the jump-off. But it was all over by the first rider as Catherine hit top gear on the diminutive Quiz, scooting around every corner to storm home clear and quick. Beat that!
“She is little and careful but has a good stride and makes all the distances plus she’s very quick across the ground. I missed the one turn after the double and it was easier to scoot around but I think I won it on the gallop to the last – she wants the win as much as I do,” said Catherine, who won the Max Berry Six-year-old Hartpury Final earlier in the year with this mare.
Following riders had a very good try, with Samantha Baker coming very close with Billy Scarlett to take second place only 0.09 seconds off the pace. Victoria Douglas Jones also put in a good bid to take third on her 2023 Mini Veteran champion Zarelli X.
The Westpoint Quickfire x It’s The Business mare, bred by Sian Cadwallader-Hinkins, was bought as a four-year-old.
“She was on sales livery as I think she proved a bit too much for her first buyer. She’s always been a sassy character and was spinning when I tried her, but there was just something about her, she’s so special,” said Catherine, who later contacted her breeder Sian – “It was great Sian made the trip to Aintree to watch, and we won!”
Catherine, a member of the gold medal winning team at the 2018 Veteran European Championships, is based as Marlbrook Farm at the foot of the Malvern Hills.
“I’m a coach, physio, run a livery yard, back horses and run a caravan site – it’s a labour of love but I used to work in an office in London and now I thank every day I get to play with ponies,” she added.
Emily Morris adds another Amateur and Veterans Championships title to her tally
Regular Aintree competitor Emily Morris is no stranger to collecting a rug and sash at the National Amateur & Veterans Championships and this year was no exception as powered to the top of the Love2Swim 1m Mini Veteran Championship with the British-bred Searlait ML.
Sixty competitors came forward over a 12-fence, 14-effort 1m single-phase track and they were flying in a bid to secure the first title of 2024. However, no-one could catch the speedy Emily as she skimmed the wings at top pace on the Escape Z x J’Ai L’Espoir D’Elle five-year-old mare to win by 1.39 seconds. Two former champions had to settle for second and third: Alistair White was out to regain his 2021 Mini Veteran title with Hanleen O Tess but finished second and Julia Helm aboard her home-bred 2023 Minor Veterans champion and HOYS 2024 Bronze champion Helms Rossio took third.
Image credit: Majestic Photography
