Sophie Campbell takes her place in the HOYS Foxhunter Final as we round up the qualifiers in the last week of July
Monday 31 July 2023
Sophie Campbell is off to Horse of the Year Show with victory in the Pony Foxhunter Second Round at Wales and West on Oakley III.
Sophie, 15, only started competing the Belgian-bred 9-year-old a week earlier but hit an instant rapport with her after taking over the ride from Tabitha Kyle. Tabitha qualified Oakley with a win at the first qualifier of 2023 with a win at Arena UK but Sophie has now qualified in her own right.
Thirty-seven competitors contended course-designer Raf Suarez’s 12-fence 1.20m track but only six answered all the questions with a final five taking on the jump-off to chase after the four coveted HOYS qualifying places.
Sophie was one of only two treble clears, securing the win by 1.33 seconds. Katie Bradburne steered Shovern Inca into second place. Two four-faulters claimed the final two places, Darcie Nobles taking third on Carmelia’s Girl while fourth-placed Rosie Smith is hoping to follow in mother Holly’s footsteps and score a HOYS win on Junior X.
Tabitha claimed victory in the Pony Showjumper of the Year with her Arena UK winning ride Atomic Du Bary, owned by Su and Gordon Hall.
The 29 competitors were reduced to five over the 12-fence 1.35m course but two opted to withdraw this point after achieving their main qualification aim, leaving a three-way decider. Tabitha secured the top spot with more than six seconds to spare on the speedy 13-year-old Atomic with Abigail Jupp posting the other double clear for second on her South View winner, Lucky Clover Boy. Ruby Barrs came home on four faults to put Faith X into third with Hollie Gerken on Brooklyn Granit and Emily Page’s Qrevette Gii sharing fourth place. Time faults affected two riders in round one, Maisie Allsop picking up just one frustrating fault to deny her a jump-off chance on Attyrory Rebel and Cate Kerr finished on three faults with Cindy VI to take sixth and seventh.
Ella Kay topped the HOYS 128cm Second Round with Red Alert III, a winner at Arena UK.
Twenty ponies from a field of 35 jumped initial clears with 15 accessing the jump-off. Ella sped ahead on the 20-year-old mare Red Alert to win by 5.27 seconds. Annabel Widdowson, fresh from her glorious 128cm Final win at the Royal International Horse Show, Hickstead, steered Bunbury Conquest into second with Tabby Morgan Evans in third on Rathcoole Rupert. Lucia Caroline slotted Desdemone Du Marquais into fourth.
Michael McColm jumped to the top of the HOYS 138cm Second Round on AG Dynamo. Seventeen of the original 49-entry touted first round clears with 14 making their way into the jump-off. Michael proved the fastest on the coloured 14-year-old Dynamo to win with 1.02 seconds in hand. Raphaela Dawson slipped Ardnacashel Little Dreamer into second with Emily Gulliver onTekila Du Bary in third and Lexie Lane also jumped a treble clear to take fourth on Riot Del Pegulil.
Over at Vale View in Leicestershire, the final HOYS Newcomer and Foxhunter Second Rounds were completed, with Joe Davison scooping up the top spot of the HOYS Foxhunter on Fledder Z.
The 39 starters were initially reduced to 16 for round two with seven vying for the two qualifying places on offer in the final jump-off. Joe found the shortest route on the Fly x Numero Uno 8-year-old to win with 0.68 seconds to spare.
Anthony Condon snatched the second finalist place aboard the 7-year-old British-bred mare Ashdale Allstar (Big Star x Luidam).
Just a week after registering Events Through A Lens Talentseekers qualification at Field House, Harry Wainwright claimed a second HOYS place with victory in the Newcomers Second Round on Lady O.
Twenty-two of the field of 56 horses returned clean rounds to access round two with an eventual 11 reaching the third and final jump-off. It was all about jumping as only two treble clears were realised to fill the much sought-after HOYS places, Harry taking his place at the top of the leaderboard by 2.43 seconds on the Carrera VDL x Veron 7-year-old Lady O.
Daniella Johnstone was also penalty-free to claim her HOYS place aboard Tina IV, a 6-year-old by Valentin R (former ride of Michael and Jack Whitaker) and out of a mare by Whinnie Jackson – a former top ride for Billy Twomey.
Image: Sophie Campbell and Oakley III. Credit - Showground Photography
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