EMILY DAVIES WINS THE WORLD CLASS DEVELOPMENT CHAMPIONSHIP CLASS AT THE BRITISH OPEN SHOW JUMPING CHAMPIONSHIPS

Cleveland based Emily Davies won the BEF World Class Development Programme Championship at the British Open Show Jumping Championships on Thursday 8^th April 2010, which were held at the LG Arena, Birmingham.

 

Emily riding Cougar II owned by Mr Charles Davies was sixth in the World Class Development Programme Pathfinder class the day before, the class that decides the order of jumping for the Championship. The Pathfinder class produced sixteen clears rounds, and the two top places were taken by Development Programme riders, Sam Hutton riding Astral 57 with a clear round in a time of 37.96 seconds and Joe Clayton with Saveur in a time of 38.83. Carian Scudamore riding Angel III took third place.

 

It was a different story in the Championship class, after the first round there were only three clears; Emily Davies, Anthony Condon riding EuroCommerce Lanapoule and the youngest rider in the competition, Yazmin Pinchen riding Ashkari, who in the jump off were clear in a time of 38.30 seconds. After a lovely clear round from Anthony in a time off 33.90, Emily had it all to play for and even with a slip coming to the penultimate fence, jumped clear in a time of 33.04 seconds.

 

Besides training vouchers and prize money on offer, there was also a John Whitaker bridle, supplied by David Dyer of Frogpool Manor as the prize for the ‘Style and Performance’ award. 

 

 

Will Connell, World Class Performance Director said: “The interest that the WCD Programme Championship class has generated among some of the best young show jumping riders in Great Britain signifies the importance they place on qualifying to compete in the Championship class. The high level of riding required in order to win this prestigious title demonstrates the value and importance of correct training and riding”.

 

As part of its sponsorship of the WCD Championship, The World Class Development Programme has funded the first place prize money at the seven qualifying competitions, as well as training vouchers to the top six placed competitors currently eligible for British Team Selection. The prize fund at the British Open totaled £3,000 with training vouchers to the value of £4,475.

 

The PCA Rising Stars Championship class saw Sam Hutton and Joe Clayton in first and second place, while in the Puissance class, fellow Development squad rider, William Whitaker finished second and fourth.

 

A number of riders from the Development Eventing Programme took part in the British Open Indoor Cross Country Competition, with European Young Rider team-mates, Georgie Spence and Laura Collett finishing in third and fourth place respectively.

 

The World Class Development Programme is Lottery & Exchequer funded via UK Sport and seeks to identify and develop riders who have shown the potential to reach the world stage. The Programme underpins World Class Performance and, together with the Equine Pathway, they comprise the Equestrian World Class Programme. It incorporates the three Olympic sports of Dressage, Eventing, Show Jumping and the Paralympic sport of Para-Equestrian Dressage.

 

 

For more information please contact: Debbie Lee, World Class Development.