Angus rider Lucy Guild and her “superstar” gelding Titi D’Oase were crowned Young Masters champions at the close of four glorious days of Royal Highland showjumping competition.
Full of praise for the “electric atmosphere” generated by unprecedented spectator support around the main arena at Ingliston, Lucy said the 2014 Highland generated the “most amazing” atmosphere she had ever experienced over her years of British Showjumping.
“It’s the first time I’ve ever won a class at the Highland,” reflected Lucy, who won the 1m30 open at Fife Show in the run up to the Highland with the Burgraaf-sired 14-year-old.
“I’ve had my fair share of second placings over the years, but to take a class win here in front of a home crowd was just so incredibly special.”
Last to go in the James Smith Fencing sponsored championship final, Lucy was safe in the knowledge that with no double clears from the field that had gone ahead of her maintaining a clean sheet would secured her the 2014 title.
“It’s always easier said than done though,” said Lucy, “But Titi proved what a real superstar he is when it really mattered.”
Despite taking the Young Masters title, it will be Titi’s performance in the Saturday’s Grand Prix that will live long in Lucy’s memory.Going into the arena immediately after world number one Scott Brash and his ride Hello Sunshine II, who appeared to have set a title worthy time, Lucy put her foot on the pedal when the commentator remarked she was in contention coming out the double in the middle of the jump off track.
“The atmosphere was just phenomenal,” she said. “Even just thinking about the gallop down to the last fence in front of the grandstand crowd gives me shivers down my spine. It was just unreal.”
Punching the air with excitement when she learned she had bettered Scott’s time, Lucy was ultimately denied the win by the next, and last, rider in Jemma Kirk and her 19-years-young ride Wexford, which shaved a clean second off Titi’s time.
Fresh from wins in France, Portugal and Austria, the result puts to bed a long wait for the Royal Highland’s Grand Prix title for Jemma, after it has eluded her for many years.
“It was as though he knew it was game on,” said Jemma.
“He tried his heart out at the Highland it obviously means as much to him to win here as it does to me,” she added.
On Friday, a hugely popular win went home to Kirkcaldy with HorseScotland Coach of the Year, David Harland, who took the Grade C Championship win riding Suzanne Craighead’s grey gelding Fauber.
“Time faults actually proved highly influential across the first round,” reflected David after the Highland.
“From relatively early on in the class it became clear that riders really had to keep moving forward to get the time.”
With penalties proving the undoing of a number of riders, only two combinations made it through to the jump off final.
David, who has been riding the eight-year-old gelding for the last three years, taking him up through the levels from a standing start in novice classes, said ultimately Fauber just “flew round”.
“I can really rely on him to keep moving he so capable and he’s got such a huge stride.”
He said jumping a couple of classes on the Thursday at the Royal Highland really helped to settle the gelding for the championship final.
“He’s the kind of horse that really picks up on the atmosphere of a big show like that.
“He’s still relatively young though and he really has come so far over the last two years – he’s turned a real corner in his performaces recently.”
David and Fauber recently won the Grade C qualifier at Fife Show, granting them passage to contest the final at the Highland.
The new feature speed class at Hopetoun International now stands next on their horizon: “He’s certainly capable of continuing to progress up the grades,” David said.
Although former 138cms champion Emma Crawford, from Cupar, was unable to retain her title for 2014, she was delighted to take second and third placings with her two ponies Glen Wave and Mitchel Troy Welsh Express.
“It would have been nice to have won the championship again for a second year, but it wasn’t my day,” she explained, having sat in first and second positions until determined riding from Zander Stormonth stole victory with Shappen Pilgrim.
“Both ponies jumped really well though,” she added.
For the 14-year-old St Leonards pupil, who trains in Fife with Sandra Low Mitchell, the last fortnight has proved something a whirlwind but has secured her a double of highly sought after HOYS qualifications.
Ahead of the Highland, the Crawford family made the journey south to the Hand Equestrian Centre, in Clevendon, near Bristol.
Here, Emma contested the 80-strong class, which progresses from 1m15 to 1m25 over three rounds.
Drawn first to go each time with Glen Wave, Emma nailed the first of what was to prove only 20 double, then seven triple clear rounds.
Her round proved clear and fast enough to stay in pole position, until fifth in again on Mitchel Troy Welsh Express her 2013 Royal Highland champion she took two seconds off her own time.
Her qualifications, however, very nearly did not happen.
“We left at 5am,” explained Emma’s mother Lynn, “But four miles into the journey a warning light on the lorry quickly curtailed our plans and we had to re-route quickly to our local garage.
“It turned out to be an electrical fault, and fixing it added three hours onto our journey, so we finally arrived 12 hours after we left our drive.
“We wondered several times whether the effort was really worth it but it most certainly was in the end. I hope it proves inspirational for others to keep hanging on in there,” said Lynn.
* A new feature class for the 2014 Royal Highland came with the addition of the NSR Communications’ Mini Major contest, which took place in the main ring on Friday evening.
A thrill a second for the spectating crowd, the class saw leading junior and senior riders paired together, competing united in what was effectively a race against the clock for pole position.
With each pair seeming to go into the arena and better that of the pair preceding them, the class crescendoed to a thrilling finale.
Drawn last to go, but nailing the win on the head to emphatic crowd applause, Fife’s Douglas Duffin and Aberdeenshire’s Nicole Lockhead Anderson clinched the win.
equestrian@thecourier.co.ukResults
Bedmax Highland Challenge: 1 Jemma Kirk, Tchoupi Pironniere; 2 Richard Howley, Westpoint Baros; 3 Timothy Page, Steady The Helm.
Lochore Meadows A and B Stakes: 1 Robert Bevis, Courtney 6; 2 Jemma Kirk, Wexford; 3 Carron Nicol, Mr Visto.
Andrew Hamilton Foxhunter Final: 1 Iain Warnock, Harperland Micky Finn; 2 Lucy Guild, Castro; 3 Gillian Anderson, Congeniality B.
International Stairway: 1 Timothy Page, Santa Cruise II; 2 Kelly Connor, Why Me II; 3 Robert Bevis, Pebbles IV.
Power & Performace Grace C Final: 1 David Harland, Fauber; 2 Aileen Craig, Amadeus VII; 3 Douglas Duffin, Hi Midnight Millie.
Andrew Black Grade A and B Championships: 1 Victoria Young, Nethertowns Valentine; 2 Louise Saywell, Hello Whisky Mac IV; 3 Richard Howley, Westpoint Baros.
NSR Communications Mini Major: 1 Douglas Duffin and Nicole Lockhead Anderson; 2 Richard Howley and Emma Crawford; 3 Jemma Kirk and Fraser Reed.
Dannys Snacks and Sign Co 148cms Championship Final: 1 Nicole Lockhead Anderson, Just Dolce; 2 Graham Babes, Park Avenue II; 3 Rory Aird, Unorthodox Blue.
Dannys Snacks and Sign Co 138cms Championship Final: 1 Zander Stormonth, Shappen Pilgrim; 2 Emma Crawford, Glen Wave; 3 Emma Crawford, Mitchel Troy Welsh Express.
Dannys Snacks and Sign Co 128cms Championship Final: 1 Shaunie Greig, Bellfield Banjamin; 2 Atlanta Vailionis, Birtley Chesters Lad; 3 Mya Roxburgh.
Grand Prix: 1 Jemma Kirk, Wexford; 2 Lucy Guild, Titi D’Oase; 3 Scott Brash, Hello Sunshine II.
Liz Fox JC Championship Final: 1 Alex Mchattie, It’s A Puzzle; 2 Amelia Palmer, Jiminy Cricket; 3 Alex Mchattie, Expressive Hopscotch.
Chemcem Accumulator: 1 Joanne Mcglory, Camielo; 2 Timothy Page, Duc D’Arsouilles; 3 James Smith, Tyson Uno.
Aurora Hotel Collection Amateur Championship Final: 1 Lea Brash, Annan VHB; 2 Christopher Moorhouse, Hamilton H; 3 Gillian Anderson, Congeniality B.
The James Smith Fencing Ltd Young Masters Championship Final: 1 Lucy Guild, Titi D’Oase; 2 Jemma Kirk, Tchoupi Pironniere; 3 Timothy Page, Steady the Helm.