Izabella Rogers bounces straight into form in the Pony Showjumper of the Year at Bicton Arena
Tuesday 20 June 2023
 cropped.jpg "Izabella Rogers bounces straight into form in the Pony Showjumper of the Year at Bicton Arena")
Izabella Rogers zeroed into the Pony Showjumper of the Year at Bicton Arena’s Summer Pony Premier in Devon following Queen Star’s mini four-week break to take a commanding victory.
Five of the original 25 competitors came home clear to go forward into the jump-off, Izabella and the Belgian-bred 10-year-old shooting straight into the top spot with almost three sec in hand.
Katie Bradburne netted second place on the already qualified Ardough Boy with Georgia Cooper-Hall claiming third with the only other double clear aboard the 13-year-old Saxton Freedam. Tabitha Klye picked up fourth and a HOYS pass on the Flipper D'Elle 11-year-old Merlijn VD Bisschop and Tilly Bamford seized the final qualifying spot with Lapislazuli.
The talented Tabitha Kyle clinched a victory double and added two more HOYS tickets to her growing tally. Coppenagh Khaleesi claimed the Blue Chip Pony Newcomers Second Round for Tabitha and Running In Heels stepped up to the plate in the pony Foxhunter Second Round.
Tabitha laid claim to the pony Foxhunter second round on Ryan Dorise’s Running In Heels, the consistent eight-year-old who won the Blue Chip Pony Newcomers second round with diminutive Poppy Dorise, 9, two weeks earlier.
Thirty-two competitors came forward over the 11-fence 1.20m track but only eight provided initial clears, these reduced to five contending the jump-off and chasing four HOYS places. Only one clear was evident third time out, Tabitha not only leaving all the fences intact, but posting the fastest time of the class to underscore her win.
Katie Bradburne was the fastest four-faulter for second on the 10-year-old Little Flexible with Hollie Gerken filling third on the nine-year-old Jonkers Keyano. Lauren Wilkins, also on four faults, claimed the final ticket and fourth place with the nine-year-old mare Eloclea Ro Del Colle San Marco.
Tabitha is going all out to retain her HOYS 2022 Blue Chip Pony Newcomers title with last year’s winner, her mother Tanya Kyle's Coppenagh Khaleesi, after topping the second round.
Abigail Jupp slotted the 8-year-old Lucky Clover Boy – already at HOYS in the Leading Pony Showjumper of the Year – into second place in the 18-pony decider. Emily Page took third on the 8-year-old Tresais Legacy and Jocelyn Jeary claimed the final ticket on offer with the Vincent 11-year-old stallion Vincenzo NRW.
The double win adds another two HOYS passes to Tabitha’s list – Oakley III is a Pony Foxhunter contender whilst Atomic Du Bary, Nightgirl Van Het Sonnishof Z and Merlijn VD Bisschop – fourth at this venue – are Leading Pony Showjumper of the Year finalists to total six so far.
The Foxhunter third place gives Hollie her sixth HOYS ticket – she has Keyano and Ballycarrow Mirahs Sparrow in both Blue Chip pony newcomers and pony Foxhunter finals while Another Barney and Sligo De Mormal contend the HOYS 138cm.
Nellie Lock claimed two of the four finalist places in the HOYS 138cm second round, winning with River De La Courance. The 44 starters were initially reduced to 12 over the 1.15m track with nine reaching the third and final round against the clock. The competition was fierce, Nellie and the 18-year-old River De La Courance edging ahead by 0.14 sec to win. Nellie also picked up third on the 10-year-old mare Diva Des Augustines, sandwiching Michael McColm and the coloured 14-year-old AG Dynamo into third with Christina Cotton claiming the final qualifying place in fourth on the 12-year-old Mayfly Black Pennell.
Agnes Kerr secured her place at HOYS with victory in the 128cm second round aboard Dunbarover IV.
Thirty-two competitors tackled the 1.10m course with seven jumping clear rounds, Lucia Caroline claiming three of them. As she had already qualified Living The Dream, Lucia opted to withdraw him at this point and concentrate on her other two rides.
The six were reduced to three for the final jump-off, Agnes winning with an easy clear on the 14-year-old Dunbarover. Charlie Simcock was 0.70 sec in arrears for second with the 22-year-old Peppino Il Grande and Honey Bowes, more than 12 sec in front of the winning time, dropped to third with four faults on the 13-year-old Coreys Princess. Lucia landed the final qualifying spot on four faults in round two aboard the 10-year-old Desdemone De Marquais.
Cheska Kirby lifted the top spot in the pony British novice second round on Cottage Steel. The 11-fence 85cm track reduced the 17 starters to six for round two, these halved to three for the jump-off, with Cheska and the 13-year-old Cottage Steel commanding the win with the sole treble clear. Sophia Parry made just one mistake to finish second on four faults with Brondinas Quattro Turbo and Ava Nicholl slotted Hillviews Princess Anne into third.
NB: Qualifications will be updated pending official grading of results.
1inbbkeu36fgo.jpg "Zara Nicholls Races to Top Spot in the STX-UK Pony British Novice Second Round at Weston Lawns")
.jpg "Marcella Johnstone and Will Brown Reach for the Stars in the second NAF Five Star Bronze and Silver League Qualifiers")
7y6b55koibbj.jpg "Brian Thompson and Alex Hewett are winners in the Nupafeed Supplements Senior Discovery Second Rounds")
