A stellar performance puts Mille Allen on top, while the ladies put the fizz into
the winter B&C qualifier and Paul Barker enjoys life in the fast lane
WHAT a round Millie Allen and
Balou Star produced to claim
victory in the Equi-Trek winter
grand prix.
“This is Balou’s first show back
after stud duty and he felt on
great form,” said Millie. “Although
I had to take risks, the way he
was jumping gave me a lot of
confidence.”
Raf Suarez set a tempting
jump-of course for the finale with
tight turns and long runs, and
the pathfinders in the 10-strong
jump-of, Emily Ward and
Millioninmind, produced a very
quick clear of 35.91sec.
After Jonathan Dixon
(Fireball) and Katie Pytches (CSF
Olympic Lady) produced slower
clears, penultimate-drawn Millie
Allen set of in overdrive.
Following a swift run over
the first two fences, Balou Star
continued his full-on gallop on
a sweeping turn to a double of
uprights which he flew. After two
tight turns and a gallop to the last,
Balou finished in 33.94sec.
“We got going down the first
line and where I would normally
take a pull to a double, I knew
Balou would be careful enough
and that’s where we made up most
of the time,” added Millie, who
had the ideal preparation here for
some two-star shows in Holland
and Belgium.
With four tickets on ofer to
the Royal International (RIHS),
competition was keen in the two
qualifiers hosted here. Just a week
into his partnership with Barbara
Beercock’s working hunter
Parkmore Rowan (Russ), Allan
Birch set an unbeatable target to
win the SEIB winter novice.
Pathfinders in the 19-strong
jump-of, Alan capitalised on
pulling of two early turns to claim
their Hickstead ticket. Just over
a week before, the eight-year-old
son of Russel jumped clear to gain
eighth place in the working hunter
final at Horse of the Year Show
(HOYS) for Ginny Rose.
However, the big-jumping
grey has always looked to have
great showjumping potential and,
after some winter competitions
over the last couple of seasons,
he confirmed that here over a
tough course that tested the
chasing pack.
“I took him home from HOYS
and he jumped double clear in a
newcomers last weekend and this
is our second show,” said Allan.
“Drawn early, we had to take
chances and, although I knew he
would jump the fences, I didn’t
know how he would cope with the
turns, but he did.”
Taking the final ticket to
Hickstead was next-placed
Anne-Marie Clarke riding the
home-bred Little Man IV (see box,
above right).
CONSISTENCY PAYS OFF
IT was a case of ladies first in the
first Champagne Cave winter
B&C qualifier, Katie Pytches and
Beth Vernon finding the shortest
routes riding CSF Olympic Lady
(Orange) and Fenix (Mia).
Katie made full use of her late
draw to post the winning time of
33.60sec with Orange, who took
fourth in the Talent Seekers at
Birmingham the week before.
“She’s such a consistent mare
who was bought to teach me how
to go against the clock, and she
was so quick and nippy,” said
Katie, who came to showjumping
from an eventing background.
With a good standard set from
the outset, riders had no room for
complacency and, after taking the
direct line to the second and third
fences, Katie kept moving all
the way.
After first riding Orange for
Holly Smith, Katie bought her
Luidam eight-year-old 18
months ago.
Positive riding by mid-drawn
Beth Vernon saw Fenix go into the
lead temporarily .
“We had a good season last
summer competing in a few
rankings classes and I have been
stepping her up to this level,”
explained Beth.
While Storm Callum’s high
winds prevented John Whitaker
from travelling the previous day,
the Yorkshire rider made his sole
start here a winning one, when
JB’s Hot Stuf topped the
Equi-Cure 1.30m grand prix.
Just 11 combinations from a
field of 60 made it through to the
jump-of, where John was the only
one to chance a tight turn inside to
the Jockey Club oxer.
“This was a tough 1.30m and,
although it’s only the second show
I have ridden her at, she is very
experienced and she’s my type of
ride as she is quick and forward,”
said John.
“I didn’t think we were
travelling fast enough to win, but
she likes short turns and we had
good strides of every corner,”
added John, who was aiming
Jayne Bean’s home-bred Locarno
12-year-old at the World Cup
in Verona.
The upper-height classes all
proved hotly contested throughout
the weekend and local rider Emily
Ward was quickly of the mark
riding Remi Cavalleri, who topped
the winter 1.35m.
Emily reported that the
daughter of Handel II felt much
more relaxed after the 12-year-old
mare had undergone a successful
wind operation.
“This is the first time I felt I
could really go against the clock
and use her long stride to full
efect without fighting with her,”
said Emily.
There was a blanket finish
to the Jackson Property 1.40m
where Keith Shore and Iron Lady
Van’t Meulenhof had to be at their
brilliant best to post the winning
time of 23.62sec.
The agile Parco nine-year-
old mare had recently picked up
places in Lier, Bonheiden and
Opglabbeek.
“She’s a real little winner who
loves to be dared,” said Keith.