Emily Ward Secures Victory in the Senior Foxhunter Second Round at Weston Lawns Equitation Centre
Monday 27 June 2016
Emily Ward from Neston, Cheshire claimed victory in the Senior Foxhunter Second Round at Weston Lawns on Monday, to register her exciting young prospect Vragance Manciaise for one of the most prestigious national finals. The win guarantees an appearance at Horse of the Year Show at the NEC, Birmingham, in October.
The seventy-one starters faced a formidable 14-fence track built by course-designer Steve Williams, including double and combination obstacles, meaning 17 jumping efforts in total. Twenty-six gained initial clears, but these were drastically reduced in round two, the first and the last fences, both tall verticals, proving influential and hitting the floor with the dreams of several riders crashing with them.
Only five reached the jump-off, and you could hear a pin drop as tension mounted and riders fought for the two coveted HOYS places. Only two treble clears were produced to fill the top two places.
Derek Morton from Stone, Staffordshire provided the first clear with Tanina Rushton’s relatively inexperienced Double Dutch CKV, but Emily easily wiped 1.30 seconds from the time on the seven-year-old Cassini II daughter Vragance Manciaise.
“She’s class, the best young horse I’ve ridden, she has all the scope you need and a good brain as well – rare to find in a young horse,” said Emily, who has ridden the mare, owned jointly by Michael Whitaker and Nick Ward, for eight months.
Derek was delighted with Double Dutch CKV, an eight-year-old he has ridden for just six weeks.
“She wasn’t ready to go against the clock at this height [1.40/1.45m] so the course suited us, she can jump big fences,” said Derek, on the Indoctro daughter bought five years ago by owner Tanina.
The other three in the jump-off, third-placed Robert Smith (Black Label), Chris Moyce in fourth on Daimond and Sarah Billington with Uforia JX, qualify for the Foxhunter Masters at the National Showjumping Championships, Stoneleigh, in August for another chance at qualifying for HOYS.
Weston Lawns Equitation Centre – Monday 27th June 2016
Senior Foxhunter Second Round
1st Emily Ward & Vragance Manciaise – 0/0/0 - 43.79 seconds
2nd Derek Morton & Double Dutch CKV – 0/0/0 - 45.09 seconds
3rd Robert Smith & Black Label – 0/0/4 - 39.26 seconds
4th Chris Moyce & Daimond – 0/0/4 - 44.46 seconds
5th Sarah Billington & Uforia JX – 0/0/8 - 42.95 seconds
NB: Qualifications will be updated pending official grading of results.
.JPG "Chris Smith Clinches Back-to-Back Wins in the International Stairway at Royal Highland Show")
