Olivia Brightmore enjoys a successful Scope Pony Festival
Tuesday 29 August 2023
.jpg "Olivia Brightmore enjoys a successful Scope Pony Festival")
Olivia Brightmore supplied the sole double clear to take the Scope 1.20m Championship on Cisco Bay II at the Scope Festival for ponies at South View Equestrian Centre.
Nine tackled course-designer Gillian Milner’s track with five providing initial clears to go forward into the jump-off. Clears proved scarce second time out, Olivia the only rider to come home with a clean pair of heels on the 19-year-old Cisco Bay.
“I was early to go and knew we had to go for it, but Cisco is a naturally fast pony who covers the ground well, so it paid off,” said Olivia. “He wants to win as much as I do; he’s made all my dreams come true this year.”
As a tall, still growing 13-year-old, the decision to move Newark, Nottinghamshire-based Olivia off 128cm ponies and straight into 148cm was made at the end of last year and Cisco Bay arrived in December as a schoolmaster for the bigger tracks.
“Olivia hadn’t jumped the big 128cm courses and Cisco has done an amazing job showing her the ropes. He’s buzzy, knows his job and has qualified for the Pony Showjumper of the Year at HOYS. Olivia will be the fifth rider he’s taken to HOYS and now he’ll have a home for life,” said Olivia’s Mum Rachel.
Olivia also featured in the Dunglenn 1.48cm championship. Only two riders posted first round clears over the 11-fence 1.25m course and ultimately opted to share first place – Olivia on Kobra Van Orchids and Cate Kerr aboard the Dutch-bred 16-year-old Cindy VI taking the honours.
The Kanshebber x Ronaldo Van Orchids 16-year-old Kobra was purchased from Holland unseen.
“We liked the look of him on video. It’s taken Olivia a little while to get to know him and he likes to let everyone know he’s a stallion but he’s so easy and focuses on his job in the ring. Moving onto 148cm ponies was the best decision,” added Rachel.
Connie Mensley lifted the 1.15m title from the front with Teagan Arla Rose in a head-to-head with Ella Kay.
Only two riders contended the jump-off with Connie drawing the short straw as first to go. But she set a sizzling target on the 13-year-old mare that proved unbeatable. Ella chased hard on Little Flexible and beat the time by almost four seconds, but when a pole rolled out of the cups, she had to settle for second place.
Emily Gulliver convincingly landed the top two places in the Scope Adventurer Championship. Emily returned the only two round one clears over the 1.10m course and opted to share at this point rather than jump-off against herself. Thus, she won with the 7-year-old Lucky Choice 1 (Aktion Pur Z x For Pleasure) and the 6-year-old Renkum Kickstart.
Nellie Lock claimed a commanding win in the Scope 138cm Championship on Diva Des Augustines. The 16 competitors were halved to eight for the jump-off by course-designer Gillian Milner’s 11-fence 1.10m track, Nellie claiming two of the rides. She posted the winning round on her second ride in the penultimate draw, the French-bred 10-year-old mare maintaining an even yet swift rhythm to win by a handsome 4.39 seconds. Hugo Boman provided the only other double clear for second on Fancy A Baileys.
Hugo and Fancy A Baileys went one better in the Graham Heath Equestrian 138cm Championship to take the win. The 10 starters were halved to five for the jump-off, Hugo and the 12-year-old mare jumping ahead by 0.60 seconds to relegate Portia Taylor-Wilson and Whitehorn Smokey to second spot. Connie Mensley posted the only other double clear for third aboard Dycott Masterman.
Portia claimed her own win in the Graham Heath Equestrian 128cm title on Uli Van Duyversputten. Five competitors contended the jump-off with Portia taking two bites of the cherry. Clears proved elusive in the jump-off, Portia claiming the win from the final draw as the fastest four-faulter on the 7-year-old mare Uli, 3.56 seconds in front of nearest rival Tabby Morgan-Evans on Rathcoole Rupert.
Agnes Kerr claimed two of the five jump-off places in the Scope 138cm Championship and duly won by posting the first clear mid-draw on the 20-year-old Taggarts Express with 2.61 seconds to spare. Charlie Simcock followed on Peppino Il Grande to slot into second place with the only other double clear.
Annabella Williams clinched the Tiny Tots title with Kitty in a hard-fought 13-pony decider. Annabella and the evergreen 29-year-old mare flew into the top spot with 1.02 seconds over second-placed Owen Leitch and Barracurra Jellybaby.
Holly Coward-Talbott trusted Lottea III to gallop to secure the win in the Scope Pony Progessive Championship. Ten of the initial 18 starters came forward into the jump-off and, coupled with two inside turns, Holly and the 8-year-old mare were crowned Scope Pony Progessive Champions.
Jocelyn Jeary secured the Bright Star Championship with a confident round on Vincenzo NRW. Seven of the original 30 competitors claimed a place in the jump-off and, despite the short, sharp shower, Jocelyn used her final draw to maximum advantage to guide the Vincent 11-year-old into a 1.09 second win.
Sienna Palin topped the Novice Masters 90cm Championship with Mikado Van Den Dael with a comfortable lead. Nine of the 42 contenders accessed the jump-off with Sienna using her opening round to smoothly angle over vertical and oxers alike on the Belgian-bred 5-year-old to forge ahead by 2.51 seconds.
Amelie Bradshaw jumped to victory in the Cats & Pipes 128cm Debut Championship on Just Dandy. A total of 43 competitors came forward over the 11-fence 75cm track with 27 reaching the jump-off. Amelie set out to win from the off on the nimble 23-year-old Just Dandy and executed every tight line and inside option to win by 0.31 seconds. Owen Leitch steered Barracurra Jellybaby into second.
Alfie Bailey beat his four jump-off rivals in the Cats & Pipes 138cm Debut Championship on Little Maggie May. The pair were drawn first in the jump-off but that didn’t deter Alfie and he cut the corners to the quick on the 16-year-old Maggie with 2.21 seconds in hand over second-placed Elsie Drea and Myerscough Maple.
Image: Phil Hillier/Landscape and Horses Photography
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