Family affair as Robert denied record by Ellen

Ellen became the new British Open Show Jumping champion, taking the title from Robert in the final round after four days of competition.

Robert had been hoping to take the title for a record-breaking fourth time but Ellen, riding Equimax Occolado, was hot on his heels every step of the way.

Ellen completed the final round in 48.10 seconds with four faults and Robert, riding the lively USA Today, finished with a time of 51.65secs and four faults.

They are a competitive family but this is one of the hardest situations to be in.

"I took a chance in the final round and decided to go as fast as I could, knowing Robert's horse might get a fence down because he often bucks under pressure. It was the right decision on the night but it still feels odd not wanting one of your family to do well," said Ellen.

Ellen also won the Zinc Event Management British Speed Stakes on Kanselier in an amazing time of 49.93secs. Tina Fletcher was second and Laura Renwick, last year's winner, came third.

Ellen is now seventh on the BSJA's rankings list.

Fans of the 23-year-old rider will have a chance to meet her on Saturday when she will be visiting R and R Country at Hemingbrough near Selby. Ellen will be at the store between 1.0pm and 3.0pm. She has also recently launched a new website, www.elenwhitaker.com.

THE four members of a junior team from Northallerton Riding Club have been celebrating their success at the recent British Riding Club Novice Indoor Showjumping Championships which were held at Hartpury, Gloucestershire.

The team of Heather Bellis, 16, on Pebbles; Lucy Winn, 13, on Creagh Mazeppa; Christie Farren, 16, on Ballycahane Lad and Aimee Gascoigne, 15, on Bronty became the National Novice Indoor Show Jumping Champions after going clear in a three-team jump-off against Cropthorne RC and Purbeck RC.

The club took one senior team and two junior teams to the event.

The senior team of Michael Raper on True Blue; Carly Stephenson on Noble Party Popper; Christine Swiers on Mr Alfresco and Kathryn Williams on Friars Lucky Penny finished seventh out of a class of 28.

The second junior team of Jake Clark, 12, on Milagros Wilma; Harriet Bagley, 13, on Bumble; Hollie Brown, 12, on Castle View Bobby and Holly Brown, 12, with Stadmorslow Red did not make the top 10, although Harriet did well with two clear rounds on Bumble.

RICHMOND-based dressage rider Melissa Chapman, 22, won her class in style at the NAF Five Star Winter Dressage Championships at Hartpury, the culmination of the British Dressage winter season.

Riding DHI Work of Art, a seven-year-old Dutch-bred gelding by Sir Sinclair and owned by her father, Michael Chapman, and Marie Brown, she beat 22 other finalists to win the Albion Medium Restricted Championship with a score of 67.93 per cent. She also came third in the same class with the eight-year-old British-bred mare Amaze Me Grace, owned by Anthony Haigh, on a score of 66.94 per cent.

"I'm very lucky as DHI Work of Art is such a talented horse," said a delighted Chapman. "He''s very level-headed to train and has gone from doing nothing to what he's doing now in just 18 months. Although he's a big, strong horse at 18 hands, this hasn't posed any difficulties with his training."

The horse was bought as a five-year-old for Chapman and the pair train with Ian Woodhead.

She has been concentrating on dressage for the past two years but also plans to event her seven-year-old, Arctic Cruising.