Morgan Gallagher secures victory in the NAF Five Star Summer Bronze League Qualifier at Northallerton Equestrian Centre
Tuesday 04 July 2023
Morgan Gallagher took her first step towards HOYS with a win in the NAF Five Star Summer Bronze League Qualifier and is fervently hoping to reach the prestigious final again.
“We qualified last year but only found out five days before the Final as someone dropped out. We were totally unprepared – she’d been turned out and I had to drag her out of the field, we couldn’t miss this opportunity,” said Morgan. “It didn’t go to plan, but my horse of a lifetime achieved my dream.”
Thirty competitors tackled course-designer Tracey Strangeways’ 11-fence 1.05m track with 21 producing initial clear rounds and an eventual 12 reached the jump-off to vie for the three semi-final places on offer.
County Durham-based Morgan was drawn second on the Belgian-bred 23-year-old mare Anja but set a sizzling standard that no-one could match.
“With an early draw to get to HOYS you just have to go for it. It was the same at Field House the week before, I was drawn third, went fast but had a fence down. This was the last qualifier, everything was pinned on this show, and she jumped her socks off to win,” said Morgan, who bought ‘Annie’ six and a half years ago.
“She wasn’t easy at first and not everyone’s ride but now she’s forward and responsive – she’s the horse that got me into jumping British Showjumping. Three years ago, we found she had a fractured tooth from an old injury. She had the tooth out and we haven’t looked back,” added Morgan, who gave Annie to her younger sister two years ago to get her into horses on the British Showjumping circuit. “She had a fantastic experience with some wins.”
All hopes are now pinned on the NAF Five Star Summer Bronze League Semi-Final.
“She’s 23 but a young 23, no-one can believe her age, she comes out of the lorry like a 5-year-old, and I’m really hoping we can get to HOYS. It will be her last year, we’ll retire her in 2024 – I owe everything to this horse.”
Natalie Forsyth clinched second place on Alvaro Rouge with Tyne Doyle in third aboard Zahinha.
Northallerton EC – Sunday, 2 July 2023
NAF Five Star Summer Bronze League Qualifier
1st Morgan Gallagher & Anja – 0/0/0 - 38.86 seconds
2nd Natalie Forsyth & Alvaro Rouge – 0/0/0 - 39.37 seconds
3rd Tyne Doyle & Zahinha – 0/0/0 40.56 - seconds
NB: Qualifications pending official grading of results.
Image: Northallerton Equestrian Centre
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