For the second year in succession, strong entries and near perfect conditions led to stiff competition in the affiliated British Showjumping ring at Fife Show.
With four classes offering some of the last qualifications for this year’s Royal Highland Show, as well as two ever popular BS club level classes, good prize money and sponsored awards across the competition sections, the ring was kept
busy until 8.30 in the evening.
Courses, built for 2015 by Irishman Nigel Jess, whose father Raymond designs the BS tracks at Blair Castle, gave competitors plenty to think about, using the entirety of the generous but not flat grass arena.
First past the post in the Foxhunter Championship qualifier was local rider and trainer Sandra Low-Mitchell and her consistent horse Westmur Daniel.
Bouncing back into fine form, the 10-year-old gelding by Lux Z, which was bred out of the Cruising-sired mare Simply Chic, had been side-lined since October in 2013 when he tweaked his shoulder. His last outing that year had been to the Scottish Horse of the Year Show, at Gleneagles, where he similarly topped the Foxhunter line-up.
“He’s such a consistent jumper,” said Sandra.
“He’s only had two fences down since he started back this season. He really is the type of horse that if you have a fence, it is almost certainly rider error.
“The courses at Fife were brilliant too very challenging, but a great training ground for the championship finals ahead at the Highland,” she added.
Daniel returned to ‘work’ with a win at Highfield at Howe in April, before progressing to bag both a RHS Amateur qualifier at Morris last month and a Grade C qualifying ticket at Tillyoch the previous weekend.
In addition to his triple RHS qualification, he also holds his four Foxhunter double clears.
“It’s great to have him back,” added Sandra. “He’s really enjoying being back and he’s come out strongly this season.”
Meanwhile, last year’s Fife Show Foxhunter winner, Culross-based young rider Mark Turnbull this year bagged pole position from the ultimate class the 1m30 open and Young Masters qualifier.
His winner was 10-year-old mare Ashton Dolipierre sired by Tlaloc M and home-bred by the Turnbull’s out of world number one Ursula XII, now ridden by Scott Brash.
They came to Fife following recent top placings at the Chepstow CSI2* and 1m 30 wins at Burry Farm and Arena UK.
The two British Showjumping club and unaffiliated classes, which kick off Fife’s jumping schedule, attracted top entries.
Leading the way in the first class, set at 80cms, was Nicole Brown riding Warren, while the win from the 90cm class was secured by Balcormo working pupil Anna Zakrevska.
Anna took pole position riding one of the stud’s homebred mares Brunette III, which latterly added a second placing to Anna’s rosette haul from the 1m10 open. Brunette, a nine-year-old mare by Cavalier Royale, has previously competed up to Newcomers level.
Continuing this path of success, the partnership notched up a double of first prizes at Tillyoch winning the 1m 05 open class on both days of the competition.
“These classes are great to give local riders the opportunity to compete at Fife,” said Sandra.
“The high entries also help to subsidise the remainder of the show.”
equestrian@thecourier.co.ukRESULTS
80cms BS Club: 1 Nicole Brown, Warren; 2 Lucy Miller Todd, Nantymynydd Euros; 3 Jade Sturrock, Uptown Girl; 4 Emma Webster, Top Match; 5 Sheena Logan, Owenmore Bobby; 6 Elizabeth Fincher, Slaneys Last.
90cms BS Club: 1 Anna Zakrevska, Brunette III; 2 Jade Sturrock, Uptown Girl; 3 Sheena Logan, Owenmore Bobby; 4 Lucy Moffat, Tia III; 5 Rowan Laird, Little Cliff; 6 Nicole Samuel, Wish Buddy.
1m10 open: 1 James Lamont, Lynnbank Aragorn; 2 Anna Zakrevska, Brunette III; 3 Laura Templeton, Novella; 4 Lucy Guild, Bora Bora Van Het Kroonhof; 5, Laura Templeton, Omar Sheriff Z; 6 Mark Turnbull, Savana Gold II.
Foxhunter (inc. Andrew Hamilton Royal Highland Show Qualifier): 1 Sandra Low Mitchell, Westmur Daniel (Q); 2 Nichola Williams, Amadora JX (Q); 3 Laura Templeton, Calreise (Q); 4 Jodie Maher, Editor; 5 Craig Hamilton, Silverstone Z; 6 Sarah Hutt, Cierania.
Aurora Hotels Royal Highland Show Amateur Qualifier: 1 Laura Templeton, Novella (Q); 2 Trevor Nicholson, Cordoba (Q); 3 Leo Lorimer, Candela 50 (Q): 4 Nicholas Williams, Amadora JX; 5 Kathleen Hamilton, Lochrannus; 6 Nicola Mcarthur, Sooky Toory.
1m30 (inc. Equitrek Dumfries Royal Highland Show Young Masters Qualifier): 1 Mark Turnbull, Ashton Dollipierre (Q); 2 Jordan Thompson, Topflight True Carlo; 3 David Harland, Nux D’Amour; 4 Graham Babes, Boucheron; 5 Nicola Mcarthur, Ben Quicke; 6 Lucy Guild Titi D’Oase; also qualfied Blyth Brewster, Carthino G.