The Anglo European Studbook make their mark at the inaugural WBFSH Studbooks Global Champions Trophy
Monday 02 October 2023
.jpg "The Anglo European Studbook make their mark at the inaugural WBFSH Studbooks Global Champions Trophy")
The trio of British riders representing the Anglo European Studbook claimed second in the 7-year-old team final at the inaugural World Breeding Federation of Spot Horses (WBFSH) Studbooks Jumping Global Champions Trophy at Valkenswaard, The Netherlands, just three faults off winning.
A total of 10 studbooks contended the final over a strong 13-fence 1.45m track designed by Uliano Vezzani and not one clear could be found, the best leaving all the rails intact but picking up one time fault.
AES pathfinder Emily Ward returned on eight faults with Haddon Farm’s Wild Star HF (Big Star x Oklund and bred by Nick Ward) with Ben Bick on Abbie Summers’ If Evers Girl (If Ever III/Arko III and bred by Harry Whall) and anchor Leo Lamb, who won Saturday’s individual and finished fifth individually on Sunday, also returning on four with Carron Nicol’s Gmail (Cornet Obolensky x Diamant De Semilly) to finish on a team total of 16 faults. The KWPN Royal Dutch Sport Horse stood top of the podium on a total of 13. Selle Francais stood third, also on 16 faults but three seconds slower than AES.
Georgia Wells saved the day in the 6-year-old team final with her home-bred Heart of Cicero. Ten teams of three came forward over a 1.40m track in the battle of the studbooks final with Britain looking to be on form after topping the leaderboard in the first round.
But Emily Ward on Angela Hunt and Nick Ward’s Millfield Lottery (Plot Blue x Mr Blue, bred by Millfield Stud) and Leo Lamb on his mother Carron Nicol’s Comme Il Faut x Calido I stallion Chrysler Key SR both came home on eight faults. The final score for the Anglo European Studbook (AES) sat on Georgia’s shoulders. She justified her anchor position with a magnificent clear – one of only three in the competition – on Heart of Cicero (Cicero Z Van Paemel x Heartbreaker) put the team in third place on the podium on a team total of 16 faults. The effort also earned second place in the 30-strong individual competition, 1.92 seconds off the winner’s time. The Belgian Warmblood claimed the top podium place on five faults and the Danish Warmbloods took second on nine.
The AES team also claimed third in the 5-year-old 1.30m of 10 teams on a total of eight, just one fence behind the winners, Hanoverian Association on four with Zangersheide in second, also on eight. Katie Speller was the only Brit to jump clear on Z7 Pink Panther (Cuick Star Kervec x Obos Quality) with Tom Dovkants aboard Moneypenny (Golden Eye/Classe) and Danielle Ryder’s Espeshelli (Zambesi TN x Karandasj) both coming home on four apiece.
Leo hit top form to win the qualifying round of the 7-year-old individual with the consistent Gmail. Forty-six competitors came forward in this 1.40m speed with Leo hitting top gear on Gmail to win by almost two seconds.
Their round helped put the Anglo European Studbook team (AES) into a great position for the 7-year-old final on Sunday as the team claimed the penultimate draw behind the Selle Francais team.
Leo missed out on a victory double by less than half a second and had to settle for second in the 6-year-old qualifying round with Chrysler Key SR. Forty-six started in this 1.35m speed class with Leo finishing only 0.30 second behind the winner.
Image: Leo Lamb and Gmail. Credit - George Cunha
1xtpsebafdw52.jpg "Sienna Hutchings and Mia Pearson Soar to Success in the STX-UK Pony British Novice Second Rounds")
.jpg "Eva Dent from Durham is the latest NAF Shining Star")
