Phillip Miller Retains the International Stairway Series Title at The Royal County of Berkshire Show

Phillip Miller, from Luton, Bedfordshire claimed a fantastic victory in the British Showjumping Business Partnership International Stairway Final at the Royal County of Berkshire Show this weekend (15-16 September). 35-year-old Phillip won the Final retaining the title with Nigel Eccles and Di and Pennie Cornish’s Caritiar Z. Phillip's outstanding ride at this year's final meant that he and Caritiar Z retained the International Stairway Winner's Title that the combination also won last year - a feat that has not been achieved by many International combinations. 
 

It was not just the generous £2,500 to the winner that was at stake here, but also the £10,000 worth of ranking bonus points that were up for grabs for the International Stairway Series League Table winner.
 

At first glance, Phillip did not appear to be in the running as he was laying equal fourth with Caritiar Z in the International Stairway League Table. It was Paul Crago and Dawn Cooley’s About Time V who were at the top of the table going into the final competition and they were sitting on 25 points, with Tim Davies four points behind with Barrett Watson’s Valentijn O.
 

During the first round of the class, About Time faulted at the combination and a costly pole down put Paul’s lead in jeopardy. Tim and Valentijn O also faulted over Phil Ashworth’s demanding, but fair course of 13 fences in the vast main ring in front of an appreciative crowd.

Five from the 16 starters jumped clear to go forward to the jump off, and this was to deny Paul the chance to gain more points. Paul and About Time were the fastest four fault combination in the first round, and they did take sixth position overall to accrue a further five points. This score left him on 30 points overall, but not out of the danger zone. Phillip would have to equal Paul’s overall score to ensure that victory was his as the rules state the highest placed competitor on equal points in the last qualifier will be the winner of the league.  
 

This meant that it was all there to play for and with the other riders all vying to win the £2,500 on offer; it wasn’t going to be an easy task for Phillip. 
 

First to go in the jump off was Tim Davies and he jumped another super clear on Sarah Chevenix-Trench’s 12-year-old mare Salome II. However, their round was soon demoted by Keith Doyle with his father Peter’s British-bred Walk Tall II.
 

Phillip then brought his other ride, also owned by Di and Pennie Cornish, a nine-year-old called Text Back, into the jump-off. Unfortunately, inexperience showed when the Dutch-bred gelding lowered a pole at an imposing oxer, a new fence in the jump-off.
 

“I’m still getting to know him at this level and I was a bit too deep into the parallel, but he’s still young and learning” said Phillip, who then had to warm up Caritiar Z and come back into the ring.
 

The pressure on Phillip and Caritiar Z was enormous, but Phillip stylishly brought the grey gelding home clear and into the lead “I’m so pleased with him, although the long run to the last fence was agony” said Phillip. “I started running down to it and then had to sit still and not pull to take him off his stride. I felt the pressure with every stride.”
 

But it still wasn’t over.  Cornwall’s Sammie-Jo Coffin was all out to win on Willem De Lux, but the combination pushed out a rail from the double and this put paid to their winning chances. Phillip had achieved the win and topped the league. “I left it to the last minute to win the league” said a very relieved Phillip afterwards.
 

World Class Showjumping Performance Manager Rob Hoekstra was watching keenly. “It was a very good result for the horses here and the county show crowd” said Rob. “The second round produced some nice double clears to get the top places and Phillip has proved very consistent with his horses.”
 

Third-placed Tim Davies’ consistency throughout the summer earned him the top place in the HOYS wildcard league and has now enabled him to compete for the week in the HOYS International classes.

For full ranking results from the British Showjumping Business Partnership International Stairway Series, please click here. Please note that the results from The Royal County of Berkshire Show will be added shortly.