Just for Schools Winter Championship Round-up
Friday 12 April 2024
The Dixie Grammar School Equestrian Team are a force to be reckoned with and Jack Owens is a double Individual winner at the Just For Schools Winter Championships.
The Dixie Grammar School Equestrian Team proved a force to be reckoned with in the Just For Schools Winter Championships held at the Cricklands home at the popular David Broome Event Centre near Chepstow, South Wales, with a hat-trick of Team titles while Jack Owens claimed a magnificent double in the Individual Finals.
Dixie Grammar Team Gold 2 proved foot-perfect in the Winter Teams 60cm Final as all riders posted a double clear to command the top spot on the podium. Adding another 10cm to the height did not deter the Dixie Grammar School Equestrian Team Gold 2 and they also seized victory in the Winter Teams 70cm Final, posting only one mistake to come home on an overall total score of four faults.
The third and final win for the Dixie Grammar School Equestrian Team Gold 2 came in the Winter Teams 1m championship, the team returning similar results to win on an overall score of four faults.
Team spirit and camaraderie were evident in the Winter 80cm Team competition as Bishopston Comprehensive pulled together to provide a clean sheet with all double clears to stand at the top of the podium while Stonar Blue School proved the best in the Winter 90cm Team Championship to proudly stand in the top spot.
Jack Owens excelled in hot competition to claim victory in both the Winter Individual Schools 1.10m and 1m Championships with Ashley VI.
Jack began his foray in the Winter Individual Schools 1m title, returning a double clear with the 19-year-old Larino x Corofino I mare Ashley to win with 1.81 seconds in hand. Maya Talbot-Chapman eased Nipura XX into second and Tolly Coleman riding Seppelino finished third.
The top three in the feature Individual title proved a mirror result. Jack and his ride of three years Ashley didn’t rest on their laurels and secured the podium top spot in the feature Winter Individual Schools 1.10m Championship, confidently taking the shortest route in the jump-off to win by an amazing nine seconds. Mya Talbot-Chapman again had to settle for second place with the only other double clear on Nipura and Tolly Coleman slotted Seppelino into third.
Jazzmine Rose Williams secured the Winter Individual Schools 90cm Final with Glenairley Miss Moneypenny, a 16-year-old mare she has competed for three and a half years, winning by 0.73 seconds. Summer Braine guided Miss Josie into second just ahead of Charlie Nunn in third aboard King Brian Boru.
Eve Giannotta secured the Winter Individual Schools 80cm title with 1.13 seconds in hand on the consistent coloured 13-year-old JA pony Oreo Patches, winner of the Pony of the Year Show Introductory Championship Final the following week. Summer Braine and Miss Josie again finished in the runner-up spot with Clementina Nottingham filling third place riding Westcoast Express.
Clementina and her partner of 12 months, the 17-year-old Irish-bred mare Westcoast Express, outpaced all her rivals to triumph in the Winter Individual Schools 70cm Final to win by 2.55 seconds. Oliver Thomas slipped Doylan Fairy Footsteps into second place with Skye Gowing riding Silverfield Monkey Love into a double clear and third.
Grace Rickards was crowned Winter Individual Schools 60cm champion on Talponciau Heirloom, claiming a handsome 2.74 seconds to spare. Hetti McLoughlin was nearest rival for second on Stormbreaker II and Sophie Girdley clinched third spot with Dykebeck Wild Lupin.
.jpg "Will Fletcher leads the way as a host of winning Brits took over week 5 on the Andalucia Sunshine Tour in Spain in this week’s international round-up")
