Keysoe 2* International Round-Up
Saturday 12 June 2021
Annabel Shields claimed victory from the front with a sizzling round in a fast, hotly contended jump-off with Wet Wet Wet in the feature Gold Tour 2* Grand Prix at Keysoe International which ran between the 10 - 12 June.
It marks the return to top competition for the Mr Blue x Royal Feu 18-year-old Wet Wet Wet – Annabel’s self-confessed horse of a lifetime and favourite of the yard.
“I tried to give him an easier life and drop him down to 1.30m classes but it wasn’t for him – he likes to be the main man,” she said.
An entry of fifty-eight competitors initially tackled course-designer Paul Connor’s 12-fence, 15 jumping efforts track which contained three doubles – the first two unusually coming straight after one another in an early committed line of oxer to vertical double four strides to a vertical to oxer double. The line caught out several although the subtle but fair course caught riders all over the track with seventeen of them finishing on just one mistake. Fifteen riders found all the right answers to return for the jump-off.
It was hot from the off, Annabel setting off at a relentless pace matched by her eager 18-year-old partner to stop the clock under 35 seconds – the only pair to do so. And it earned them £10,230 as first prize.
Several five-star riders chased her in vain, William Whitaker coming the closest for second place on Philip Tuckwell’s home-bred Cornet’s Stern x Balou Du Rouet 11-year-old Galtur 0.57 seconds in arrears while his cousin Robert Whitaker slotted Catwalk IV – winner of 5* world cup competitions – into third.
“I knew I had to do something special with the calibre of those behind me and ‘Blue’ wanted to win as much as I did and he never missed a beat, the strides were there when we turned and he was so smooth,” said Annabel, who found jumping the smaller classes didn’t suit.
“He wasn’t ready for that and hated it but he’s older now so I had to make sure he was fit. This was only his fourth show this year because of lockdown and his first in the bigger classes for two years and it was like he’d never been away. We know what each other is thinking and I have so much confidence in him. He strutted his stuff as if to say ‘Game on!’ when he went in the ring,” added Annabel, who had only just returned from competing in Mullingar at the weekend.
“He jumped the 1.30m classes in Ireland, had two hours in the field, a bath and we were off to Keysoe! He’s thoroughly spoilt but he’s my best friend.”
Tim Gredley claimed the top spot in the initial Gold Tour 1.40m two-phase, outpacing his 69 rivals on the Plot Blue 10-year-old gelding Unex Garcon De Lui to win by 1.44 seconds, pushing Megan James and Top Dollar VI into second.
Harry Wainwright came to the fore in the middle day’s Gold Tour 1.45m with the British-bred Pinheiro Beech. Thirty-seven contended this speed class with Harry taking tight lines and all the turn options on the It’s the Business x Cantero 12-year-old – bred by Geoff Glazzard and Derek Morton – to win by 1.59 seconds.
George Whitaker topped day one’s Silver Tour with Special Warrior. An entry of seventy-three riders came forward in this two-phase 1.30m with George edging ahead on the Warrior x Caretino Glory 11-year-old bred in Sussex at Brendon Stud for a 0.37 seconds win.
This mare is the usual ride of George’s cousin Louise Whitaker with George taking the reins a month ago.
“Louise has two young children and is concentrating on producing young horses and Special Warrior is her only older horse. I was looking for another older horse to run along mine so my uncle John [Whitaker] offered me the ride and it is working well. She just needs building up again now,” said George.
Not to be outdone by his brother, James Whitaker claimed the concluding Silver Tour 1.35m two-phase with a speedy round on Catherine and Merna Merrett’s Beach Ball sired 13-year-old Lammy Beach. Fifty-two came forward with mid-drawn James earning the top spot by 0.80 sec.
Jude Burgess headed the Silver Tour 1.35m speed with the 13-year-old Comeback De Fremis (Ugano Sitte x Orlando), outrunning his 71 rivals to win with 1.16 sec to spare.
Cerys Withey and Adrian Speight dominated the first two days Bronze Tour competitions. Cerys stormed into the top spot in day one’s 47-strong 1.20m two-phase with the 16-year-old Apart EA, winning with 0.45 seconds to spare over Adrian and Sue Lincoln’s Happy Boy.
On day two, the results were reversed. Adrian galloped into the top spot of the 55-horse 1.25m speed on the Kannan x Kimball 14-year-old Happy Boy to register a 1.67 sec advantage over Cerys and Apart EA in second.
Husband and wife team Adam and Jessica Botham lifted the top two places of the final day’s Bronze Tour 1.25m two-phase. Adam’s long-time lead on the Don Diablo HX x Ustinov eight-year-old Irmette Balia PJ – third twice in the previous days classes – remained ahead despite several challenges to take the win by 1.55 seconds. Jessica came the closest for second on Jane Starkey’s home-bred Carnaby Mirah 10-year-old Isabelle Mirah.
Megan James compounded her consistency of clear rounds and equal first places on days one and two to lift the top two places in the 5-year-old final with John and Laura Renwick’s Labatt and NFS Angelina.
Eighteen of the original twenty-nine starters reached the jump-off but Megan outpaced them all. She claimed victory on the Otangelo x Orlando gelding Labatt – a full brother to Laura’s former top ride Bintang II – with NFS Angelina in second, 1.15 seconds separating the two she has ridden for the past two months.
Long-time leader Laura herself was denied victory with Kiara in the 6-year-old final in the latter stages of a 17-horse decider as Millie Allen wrenched the top spot out of her grasp with BH Gringos Legacy. Laura set an early target with the Otangelo x Orlando mare Kiara – full sister to Bintang – and remained ahead as the only double clear for most of the jump-off. Until Millie entered the ring and proved that bit tighter on the turn options with the Irish-bred Tullibards Bennys Legacy x Gringos Colourfield mare to win by 0.82 seconds.
Full results
Image: Annabel Shileds & Wet Wet Wet competing at the British Showjumping National Championships in 2017 (Credit - 1st Class Images)
.jpg "Thrilling Weekend Kickstarts the STX-UK Pony British Novice Championship Second Round")
