Robert Murphy Lifts Charles Stanley Winter JA Classic Championship Title
Monday 04 July 2016
Robert Murphy from Preston, Lancashire produced one of only two double clears yesterday to lift the Charles Stanley Winter JA Classic Championship title on Hans Christian Jacobsen’s 10 year-old brown mare Rainbows Mocha. The final ran during the last day of the Charles Stanley British Masters International at SouthView Equestrian Centre in Wettenhall, Cheshire.
The eighteen finalists faced a tough track designed by Mark McGowan, but six found the answers to access the jump-off. It wasn’t until third-drawn Robert that a jump-off clear was found, with the super-cool 15 year-old smoothly guiding his Horse of the Year Show reigning Leading Pony Showjumper of the Year Champion Rainbows Mocha into the top spot.
“My aim was to jump clear as fast as I could and leave all the fences up,” said Robert, who took out a stride between the first two fences and kept coming on an even stride to the final, tricky vertical to win by 0.80 of a second.
“She’s very brave and can be cocky, so I have to be the boss, but she’s amazing. I can’t thank Hans Christian enough for letting me ride her.”
Sixteen year-old Emma Crawford from Cupar, Fife was the final draw and she provided the second double clear for second place on the 13 year-old Irish-bred grey gelding Stars Surprise owned by Lynn Crawford.
Jodie Hall McAteer, aged 16, from Borehamwood, Hertfordshire provided the opening round in the jump off with The Little Squire, a 10 year-old grey gelding owned by Mandy Hall, and she went on to produce a fast four fault round for third.
Charles Stanley Winter JA Classic Championship Final – Sunday 3rd July 2016
1st Robert Murphy & Rainbows Mocha – 0/0 42.18
2nd Emma Crawford & Stars Surprise – 0/0 42.98
3rd Jodie Hall-McAteer & The Little Squire – 0/4 41.56
4th Allana Clutterbuck & Sultan Du Bary – 0/4 42.53
5th Georgia Blakemore & Toy Story III – 0/4 48.27
6th Jack Whitaker & Elando Van De Roshoeve – 0/8 49.38
Image: Robert Murphy & Rainbows Mocha with Charles Stanley Chief Executive Officer Paul Abberley.
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