The hugely popular Scottish HOYS showjumping event drew a record entry of competitors to Gleneagles Equestrian Centre.
Universal in their praise not least for the efforts of the show organisers but also of the central venue – competitors described it a “shame” that Gleneagles is not used more often for British Showjumping.
Courier Country rider Kelly Connor made the vast 1 meter 65cms wall look easy to snatch the win from Saturday’s Puissance contest on-board her 10-year-old upstanding chestnut gelding, Why Me II.
“I’ve not been nervous showjumping for a long time, but I was definitely worried about that class,” explained Kelly, who showjumps from her base at Cardenden, outside of Kirkcaldy.
Why Me – known as Boris at home – has been produced by Kelly since he was a five-year-old. She purchased the son of Nassau, which was bred out of an Animo mare, from George Babes whilst he was competing at discovery level.
After rising through the ranks, the Grade B showjumper now competes regularly at 1m40 level – recently taking the Grand Prix win from Blair Castle.
Last year he was the only Scottish horse to stand in the final line-up of the Speedi-beet Grade C championship final at HOYS.
“I train and work with Douglas Duffin on a daily basis and he has a played a huge part in all the success that I’ve been having with Why Me,” explained Kelly, who said she uses Boris’s scope to her advantage as, at 17.1hh, he isn’t the quickest horse across the ground.
Between Blair and Scottish HOYS they travelled south to Bury Farm to contest HOYS wild card qualifiers: “He competed for three days over 1m45 to 1m60 courses and he jumped really well, but was unlucky not to win any prizes.”
Kelly and Boris went to Gleneagles never having taken part in a puissance before: “I had no idea what he was going to think of it but thankfully he seemed to really quite enjoyed himself.”
Kelly said at 1m65, she felt Boris had scope to go even higher: “Ultimately, he felt like he jumped it easily. He never felt like having it down. I’d love to see more Puissances as feature classes at top shows like the Royal Highland.
“Scottish HOYS is a great show to have at Gleneagles – it’s such a shame that the venue is not used more often,” added Kelly.
Scottish HOYS, run by committee members of the Kirkintilloch and Campsie Pony Club, provides a great platform for competitors preparing to travel south to Birmingham for the Horse of the Year Show.
It provides the mounted games teams – with Strathearn branch of the Pony Club hoping for a third time lucky win in the Prince Philip cup – showjumpers and showing competitors with the chance to acclimatise their horses and ponies for an electric indoor atmosphere.
Showjumper Nicola McArthur brought her HOYS qualifier Amaretto VI to Gleneagles ahead of the Newcomers Final.
Nicola has ridden for David Kerr now for just over two years and both Amaretto VI and stablemate Cadavloro were in the money at SHOYS.
Cadavloro, an 11-year-old Holsteiner, by Caretino, out of a Bacchus mare topped the 1m30 class on Friday after also taking a 1m30 win at Ingliston the previous weekend.
He also finished fourth at Scope in the 1m25 class from a starting sheet of more than 100 qualifiers and previously topped the amateur final at the Royal Highland.
In the adult 1m championship, the win went to the relatively new combination of Sophie Brady and her eight-year-old Heartbreaker Dutch warmblood, Avenue Sow.
Sophie purchased the mare from Stephen and Angus Lohoar, outside St Andrews, in June this year.
Although they have been placed on most of their outings, this was their first win and Sophie, who is in her third year of studying to become a Physical Education teacher at Edinburgh University, said she hopes to progress to Foxhunter classes by the end of the year.
Before reaching Sophie, Suzie was initially campaigned with Andrew Wilson, before a stint with Andrew Hamilton and was most recently competed by Lucy Guild, with whom she was just pipped to a RHS Foxhunter qualifier at Fife Show this year.
At the end of a marathon junior day on Sunday, St Leonards pupil Maddie Anstruther, who hails from the East Neuk, stormed round the scurry track to set an unassailable lead.
Maddie, and her “nippy” grey gelding Gallway Jetsetter had already proved their impressive turn of speed when they took the Liz Fox JC final win at the Royal Highland earlier this year.
Although when they first forged their partnership the 14-year-old gelding didn’t take instantly to the showjump arena, Maddie’s mother Kate said she was “thrilled” to see how far they have come together.
Maddie, a member of Fife Hunt Ponyc Club, trains with Lisa and Gary Hood – and Kate said Gary’s eagle eye and ability to help Maddie to find the turns in a jump off course proved fundamental to their win.
Meanwhile, Lisa herself enjoyed SHOYS success with a first placing in the 1m10 adult open on the Friday on-board her own horse Crailyn Clover Bay.
Also reaching the podium top-spots from Courier Country were Edenside’s Alister Gatherum and his own Gabor, which topped the Newcomers; event rider Emily Ryder and her international two-star ride Zippo, which won the intermediate championship; and Balcormo’s Sandra Low Mitchell with the consistent Westmur Daniel, which took another Foxhunter win.
“It was an excellent show and Gleneagles is a great venue for showjumping, it’s such a pity Scottish HOYS won’t be back there next year because of the Ryder Cup,” commented Sandra.
Her eight-year-old winner Westmur Daniel, which had won the feature Six-Bar class at Blair, also recently won the Foxhunter class at Kingsbarns and was second in the Foxhunter championship at the Highland.
The Irish-bred 17hh gelding is sired by Lux Z.
Results
British novice: 1 Cheyenne Patches, Craig Hamilton; 2 Marata, Craig Hamilton; 3 Davinci Coda, Kirsty Mccullough.
Discovery: 1 Cheyenne Patches, Craig Hamilton; 2 Sooky Toory, Nicola Mcarthur; 3 Charlie L, Miriam Brackenridge.
SHOYS 1m adult open championship: 1 Avenue Sow, Sophie Brady; 2 Beechfields Mastermind, Fiona Macintyre; 3 Charlie L, Miriam Brackenridge.
Newcomers: 1 Gabor, Alister Gatherum; 2 Fleur De La Vie, Leona Urquahart; 3 Hero II, Kelsey Smith.
SHOYS 1.10m adult open: 1 Crailyn Clover Bay, Lisa Hood; 2 Beechfields Mastermind, Fiona Macintyre; 3 Val D’Or De Muze, Basile Rubio.
SHOYS 1.20m adult open: 1 Mayfair II, Alex Barr; 2 Hojmarks Rosetta, Declan Irvine; 3 Amadeus, Trevor Nicholson.
National 1.30m adult open: 1 Cadavloro, Nicola McArthur; 2 Hojmarks Rosetta, Declan Irvine; 3= Ben Quicke, Nicola McArthur and Ayrton III, Trevor Nicholson.
British novice: 1 Gingero, Kara Blane; 2 Twilight Mystery, Lindsay Watts; 3 Ce Rocklands Cherry, Heather Blackie.
Discovery: 1 D’George, Georgia Stevenson; 2 JJs More Pleasure Du Rouet, Linda Jamieson-Cowan; 3 Carthino G, Blyth Brewster.
SHOYS Intermediate championship: 1 Zippo III, Emily Ryder; 2 Leam Golden Kestrel, Mary Ann Cerruti; 3 JJ’S One Fine Day, Linda Jamieson-Cowan.
Foxhunter/1.20m open: 1 Westmur Daniel, Sandra Low-Mitchell; 2 Ashton Landorina, Craig Hamilton; 3 Congeniality B, Gillian Anderson.
SHOYS Small open championship: 1 Van De Bay Girl, Greg Taylor; 2 Soistara Sandra Low-Mitchell; 3 Lennox II, Laura Swinnerton.
National 1.30m adult open: 1 Bally Knock Lad, Gillian Anderson; 2 Amaretto VI, Nicola McArthur; 3 Cadavloro, Nicola McArthur.
SHOYS adult Puissance: 1 Why Me II, Kelly Connor; 2 Mckenzie II, Ian Warnock; 3 Parelda Van De Kapel, Lucy Macangus; 4= Lynnbank Aragorn, James Lamont and Ben Quicke, Nicola McArthur; 6= Silverstone Z, Craig Hamilton and Speer, Leo Lorimer.
SHOYS Starter Open: 1 Cherry Pie, Charlotte Hamilton; 2= Champfleurie Crackerjack, Emma Woods and Tic Toc Boom, Verity Kennett.
Pony British Novice/80cms open (novice): 1 Rock On Raffy, Louise Hebdon; 2 Lindisfarne Whinberry, Corrie Hay; 3 Bounty II, Duncan Mcfadyen.
Pony British Novice/80cms open (open): 1 Swannieston Bell Of The Ball, Abbie Letham; 2 Solstice Hazel, Jenna Letham; 3 Cherry Pie, Charlotte Hamilton.
Pony Discovery/90cms open (Discovery): 1 Devils Advocate III, Rebecca Bowden; 2 Hazy Morn, Megan Mclaren; 3 Bradmoor Tess, Emily Macfarlane.
Pony Discovery/90cms open (Open): 1 Fair Enough II, Laura Mcginnis; 2 Sledgers Guinness, Abby Hay; 3 Aristo Justice, Shaunie Greig.
Pony Newcomers/1m open (Pony Rest Rider Q – Newcomers): 1 Bradmoor Tess, Emily Macfarlane; 2 Aquenna, Paula Paterson; 3 Landlord III, Meghan Ballantyne.
Pony Newcomers/1m Open (Pony Rest Rider Q – Open): 1 Thorndonpark Prince Charming, Patrick Williams; 2 Sylvester 60, Ellie Meldrum; 3 Llettycrudd Cardi Bach, Joe Argo.
SHOYS 128/138cms Handicap: 1 Cappucino IV, Shaunie Greig; 2 Lennon Princess, Alexander Mclean; 3 Sonas Barney, Nicole Lockhead Anderson.
Pony Foxhunter/1.10m open: 1 Applejack R B, Morgan Thompson; 2 Unorthodox Blue, Rory Aird; 3 Midnight Minuet, Matt Argo.
Scottish Pony Leading Showjumper: 1 Just Dolce, Patrick Williams; 2 Mini Cooper, Hannah Aird; 3 Gleneaskey Touch, Patrick Williams.
BS Scottish Branch pony scurry championship: 1 Galway Jetsetter, Maddie Anstruther; 2 Unorthodox Blue, Rory Aird; 3 Piedra Da Luna, Marie Campbell.