Scottish showjumper James Smith snatched the win from the SEIB Winter Novice Championship Qualifier at the Scottish National Equestrian Centre.
The Kirkcudbright-based 22-year-old topped the class riding Parkhill Legacy, which he had purchased from fellow rider Stephen Lohoar, of Drumcarrow, outside St Andrews.
With the top two qualifying places for the final which takes place at the Longines Royal International Horse Show in July proving highly sought after, a total of 51 horse-and-rider combinations jumped in the first round from a drawn order of 57 for the class.
Whilst 18 partnerships notched up a first-round clear to reach the jump-off, only six achieved an all-important clean sheet.
James, who had four cracks of the whip in the class with additional rides on Zontender, Josephina Z and Just Max was the eighth rider to navigate Diane Beaumont’s track.
Nailing a fast clear with Parkhill Legacy, their time of 42.18 seconds proved good enough to take pole position and proved unassailable for the remaining 10 competitors.
Legacy, a 10 year-old bay Grade C gelding sired by Ludwig, has been competed in the BS arenas for the last three seasons: initially by Sarah Hamilton, who took him from 80cm to Discovery; and then by Laura Hopkins, before he more recently progressed up to Newcomers level with Angus rider Lucy Guild.
James gained the ride in November last year.
Stopping the clock 1.65 seconds in James’s wake, Lanarkshire rider Moira Williams filled the second and third podium spots.
Taking the second of the crucial qualifying spaces was her own eight-year-old Irish-bred Captains Cloualier Artist.
This gelding, sired by the Artist and bred out of the Captain Clover mare Captains Clovalier Touch, joined Moira last year but has showjumped extensively up to 1m20 in Ireland.
Taking third position was his stablemate Ankaras, a 10-year-old gelding by Montreux, again owned and ridden by Moira.
The show also hosted the Winter Amateur Qualifier providing four tickets for a final this May at Arena UK. Leading the way on his first real outing since he broke his arm falling from a young horse was Kirkcaldy-based rider and 2013 HorseScotland Coach of the Year David Harland.
He topped the leaderboard with hugely consistent partner Fauber, which is owned and kept at home in Edzell by Suzanne Craighead.
Fauber, a 10-year-old son of Tauber Van Het Kapelhof, which was bred in Belgium, last year took the Power & Performance Grade C Championship title for David at the Royal Highland before narrowly missing out on qualification for the Foxhunter final at HOYS by an agonising one place at the BS Scottish Branch Summer Extravaganza, where they finished in third.
Returning to the competitive arena, Fauber has been brought back into work with lots of hacking around the Angus countryside, whilst David has been honing his jumping skills courtesy of the Angus RDA’s indoor facility at Inverarity.
Conceding the qualification isn’t “the one” that he and Fauber are really aiming for this year, he went for a “good double clear” over the track set at a first round height of 1m20.
“I can really rely on him to keep moving he’s so capable and he’s got such a huge stride, but I knew I had a faster horse to follow him,” David said.
Indeed this horse the 2014 Blair Castle Six Bar winner Nux D’Amour, by Darco, clocked the fastest time of the class, but an “unlucky rub at the last” saw him finish in ultimate third.
Following his win at the weekend David plans to work Fauber towards Grade C qualification again: first for the Highland where they could do the double by defending their championship title; and again for that elusive ticket to HOYS at the NEC Birmingham arena.
A further opportunity will present itself at the Highland with the advent of a qualifier for the Talent Seekers Final on the grass at Ingliston.
“Fauber has come so far over the last few years, but you can tell he has got the scope to go a whole lot further still,” he added.
equestrian@thecourier.co.uk Results
Saturday 1m15 open: 1 Rachel Duff, Zonieke II; 2 Jamie Raeside, Buddaire; 3 Harriet Ross, BF Adelaide. Winter Amateur Qualifier: 1 David Harland, Fauber; 2 Julie Mcclelland, Coppers Dream II; 3 David Harland, Nux D’Amour; also qualified 4 Jamie Raeside, Buddaire; and 5 Sarah Hutt, Bishopstons Corsiro Z. British Novice: 1 Karen Low, Abba Gold DTF; 2 Julie McAnish, Lady Elsinore; 3 Ailsa Black, Lilliana. Discovery: 1 Alex Mchattie, Sonata; 2 Nancy Kirkpatrick, Toulaman; 3 Eilidh Whiteford, Flash Steel. 1m05 Open: 1 Emerson Sender, Valdiron; 2 Aimee Gardiner, Kilhalle; 3 Abby Thompson, Everyway. Newcomers: 1 Ailsa Black, Indy IV; 2 Aimee Gardiner, Kilhalle; 3 Andrew Jacinto, Carcadia Van De Vallei.
Sunday 1m05: 1 Laura Templeton, Vurelise; 2 Laura Templeton, Novella; 3 Alex Mchattie, Sonata. SEIB Winter Novice Championship: 1 James Smith, Parkhill Legacy; 2 Moira Williams, Captains Cloualier Artist; 3 Moira Williams, Ankaras. British Novice: 1 David Brown, Cytha Van De Neerheide; 2 Mark Turnbull, Ashton Dawn Rose; 3 Mark Turnbull, Zellanos Rubin Uhs. Discovery: 1 Moira Williams, Papas Dream Boy; 2 Mark Turnbull, Ashton Dawn Rose; 3 Mark Turnbull, Ashton Duchess. Newcomers: 1 Morven Pringle, Dunbog Gypsy Rose; 2 Ellen Giacchetto, Hello Romeo; 3 Lea Brash, Montys Bay. Foxhunter: 1 Emerson Sender, Van De Bay Girl; 2 Alex Mchattie, Rhodanites Rowenberry; 3 Laura Hutt, Wyona. National 1m30 Open championship qualifier: 1 Laura Hutt, Zidane X; 2 Scott Brash, Hello M Lord; 3 Alex Mchattie, Rhodanites Rowenberry.