Wexford takes the top spot

Wednesday saw the eighth and penultimate leg of the British Showjumping Business Partnership International Stairway series which took place at Pembrokeshire County Show.

 

Course Designer Peter Gillespie built a testing 1.55m course, which produced only 4 clears in the first round meaning the fastest 4 faulter also joined them in the jump off which always consists of a minimum of five competitors..

 

It was 21 year old Jemma Kirk from West Lothian, Edinburgh that took the first place prize money riding Robert Kirk’s 14 year old bay gelding Wexford. Jemma and Wexford produced a double clear in a jump off time of 39.93 seconds which proved unbeatable. This combination also secured Great Britain an Individual gold medal at the 2009 Young Rider European Championships in Hoofddorp.

 

Second place went to Oxfordshire based Tina Fletcher riding her husbands (Graham) 15 year old brown gelding Promised Land who produced the only other double clear of the competition. Tina has enjoyed many successes with Promised Land most notably coming second after a thrilling jump off in the Hickstead DFS Derby. With her other top horse, Hello Sailor who is owned by Lady Pauline Harris, Tina was a pivotal member of the winning British Team in the UK Leg of the Meydan FEI Nations Cup. In October Tina will travel with Hello Sailor to Kentucky where they are representing Great Britain in the World Equestrian Games.

 

 

The International Stairway series is aimed at identifying and assessing both potential and existing British Team competitors, taking in eight of the largest County Shows in the country. Funded jointly by the British Showjumping Business Partnership and the County Show venues hosting the classes, the series has a purse of £60,000 prize fund. In addition to the prize fund available there is also the bonus of £45,000 worth of Rider Ranking Points to the eight highest placed competitors on the overall league table that sits behind the series.

Suffolk County 2 – 3 June

Royal Norfolk 30 Jun – 1 July

Great Yorkshire Show 13 – 15 July

New Forest & Hants 27 – 29 July

Pembrokeshire 17 – 19 August

Royal County of Berkshire 18 – 19 September

 

In addition for 2010 a 'Wild Card' to compete in the International classes at the 2010 Horse of the Year Show (HOYS) is available via a points league encompassing both the International Stairway and International Trial competitions.

The British Showjumping Business Partnership has been created with a view of bringing like-minded companies and individuals together. Focused on creating an environment which will allow investors to form new business relationships and obtain exposure within the sport it also assists the sport to meet its own performance pathway objectives. These are a few of the organisations that have been brought together by the Business Partnership scheme; Marsh, Next, Champion and Chester Racecourse.

 

Further information on how to join the Business Partnership and to assist with the delivery of medals for Great Britain can be on the British Showjumping website www.britishshowjumping.co.uk