HELLO SAILOR MAKES HIS PRESENCE KNOWN. INTERNATIONAL ROUND-UP
Monday 25 February 2013
AL AIN, UAE – FEI CSIO5* SHOW (UAE) - 20-23rd February
Following Great Britain’s second place in the Furusiyya FEI Nations Cup on Thursday, Tina Fletcher with Lady Harris’s 14-year old chestnut gelding came out all guns blazing in Saturday’s Al Ain President Cup-Longines Grand Prix.
It was a field of thirty seven horse and rider combinations that contested the technical first round which saw only five jump clear. With Tina being the only British rider qualifying for the jump off she was competing against the Netherlands, Germany, Saudi Arabia and Italy for the title. Producing yet another foot perfect clear within the time allowed, Tina was one of only three riders to achieve two faultless rounds, however her time of 54.17 just wasn’t enough to secure her above Dutch rider Maikel Van Der Vleuten who took the top spot riding his stallion VDL Groep Verdi and German rider Holger Wulschner with Cavity G who took second.
Secondary classes also saw the British riders in their line-ups with Robert Smith taking 5th in the 1.45 Abu Dhabi Sport Council Challenge riding his own 13-year old grey gelding Balourado. They also took 5th in the 1.45m Emaar Speed Challenge. Yazmin Pinchen riding her own Umorkas finished 8th in the 1.45 Abu Dhabi Sport Council Challenge and Joe Clee riding his own 9-year old bay stallion Utamaro D’Ecaussines finished 6th in the 1.45m Longines Qualifier.
VEJER DE LA FRONTERA, Spain CSI 3* - 19-24 Feb
Great Britain had a strong presence, with British Riders being placed in every class. In the Sunshine Tour Grand Prix, Robert Whitaker riding Claire and John Whitaker’s 10-year old bay stallion Catwalk IV took the top spot with a double clear and in a time of 38.61. Phillip Miller with Peter Eccles, Di and Penny Cornish’s 13-year old grey gelding Cartier Z were 3rd with a double clear in a time of 41.58. William Funnell, Dan Neilson, Simon Crippen and Guy Williams finished 7th, 8th, 10th and 12th respectively.
Tim Page riding Justin Skinner’s 10-year old chestnut gelding Duc D’Arsouilles was 3rd in the 1.30m Grand Prix Tour, Tim Davies riding Jessica Tillett’s 8-year old black gelding also finished 8th.
Tim Page then went on to win the 1.35m Accumulator this time riding Sue Hodgson and Justin Skinner’s 8-year old bay gelding Steady the Helm. Phillip Miller riding Di and Penny Cornish’s 15-year old bay gelding Very Versace finished 5th and Simon Crippen riding his own Long Meads Minoa came in 6th.
The 1.40m Grand Prix Tour B had 5 British riders being placed. 2nd was Mark Armstrong riding his wife Emma’s 8-year old bay mare Petrushka III, Abbie Squires riding Helen West’s 8-year old bay mare Vilka B was 3rd, with Laura Renwick, Gemma Plumley and John Whitaker finishing 6th,7th and 8th respectively.
Laura Renwick was equal 1st in the 1.45m Grand Prix Tour C riding John and Marian Renwick’s 11-year old bay gelding Kavanagh IV. David McPherson riding his own 8-year old bay gelding Octavio finished 4th.
Laura riding John and Marian Renwick’s 12-year old dark bay gelding Roller Coaster took the top spot in the 1.50m. William Funnell riding Julie Slade’s 11-year old bay gelding Billy Grand finished in 3rd place. Tim Davies and Tim Page also finished 5th and 6th.
In the second 1.50m class, Britain’s Mark Armstrong riding Zagahorn and Dan Neilson riding Varo M finished 6th and 7th respectively.
In the 1.30m Grand Prix Britain’s Tim Page riding Duc D’Arsouilles finished 3rd, Mark Armstrong with David Wenman’s 13-year old bay mare Lavaletta II was 4th with Phillip Miller riding Very Versace finishing 7th . Mark was also 3rd in the 1.30m – 2 Phase again riding Lavaletta II.
In the 1.35m Tim Page riding Steady the helm took the top spot and Dan Neilson riding Alvin Only was 3rd. In the 1.40m Table A with Jump Off Tim Davies was 3rd riding Alure III, with Gemma Plumley riding Kobie just behind him in 4th. Guy Goosen riding Zwalbe was 7th.
The 1.35m Grand Prix saw William Funnell riding Billy Stud’s 8-year old chestnut stallion Billy Mexico finished equal 6th. The 1.40m Grand Prix saw John Whitaker riding his own and Gaynor Kingston’s 10-year old grey stallion Cornetto King and Laura Renwick riding Bingtang finish 7th and 8th.
Dan Neilson was 2nd in the 1.45m Small Grand Prix riding Stacey Willsone’s 9-year old black gelding Zigali P S. Tim Page riding Sue Hodgson's 9-year old grey gelding Santa Cruise II was 3rd. Guy Williams riding his own 12-year old black mare Belinka VH Ovdgoed was 4th in the 1.45m against the clock.
Laura Renwick and Roller Coaster took the top spot in the 1.50m. Guy Williams riding his own and Charlotte Baines 13-year old chestnut gelding Titus II was 2nd, Tim Page riding Elaine Tague’s 15-year old chestnut gelding Quentin Tatantino also finished 3rd. Phillip Miller with Cartier Z was 4th and John Whitaker riding the 7-year old bay gelding Maximillian was 8th.
VESTFOLD, Norway - CSI 3* - 21-24 Feb
Great Britain’s Nick Benterman riding his own Kentucky took the top spot in the Puissance. Nick also went on to finish 6th in the 1.35m riding his own Oman De St Maudan. The same combination went on to finish 7th in the 1.35m Felleskjopet Champion.
VILAMOURA , Portugal - CSI 2* - 18-24 Feb
Chloe Aston riding her own 11-year old bay gelding Kolibri Classic was 1st in the 1.40m-1.45m Grand Prix qualifier. The following day in the same class saw her being pipped to the top spot by Anna Edwards riding Terry Payne’s 10-year old bay gelding Diaghilev.
The Grand Prix saw Britain’s Keith Shore riding his own 10-year old bay gelding Mystic Hurricane placed 7th and Anna Edwards riding Diaghilev finish 11th.
.JPG "Chris Smith Clinches Back-to-Back Wins in the International Stairway at Royal Highland Show")