Hobday leads record entries for Skipton trial

A RECORD number of entries have been received for the Skipton Building Society Horse Trials which take place on June 26 and 27.
By The Newsroom
Published 15th Jun 2010, 23:59 BST
Updated 15th Jun 2010, 23:59 BST

A total of 518 riders have registered to take part which is a 10 per cent increase on previous years, say the organisers.

Among some of the well-known names competing will be Cumbria's Ruth Edge.

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She was placed fourth in the CIC three-star event at Bramham International Horse Trials riding Carnaval Prince 11.

She was on the reserve list for the 2008 Beijing Olympics and is hoping for a team place in 2010. On her last visit to Skipton in 2005, Edge took top spot in all three classes she entered.

Skipton regular Ben Hobday will be returning to defend the BE100 class title he won last year.

A former Under-21 eventing champion, Hobday was a member of the British gold medal winning team at the Young Rider European Championships in Germany.

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Competing alongside him will be James Somerville, 22, from York, who has been competing at Skipton since he was 15 and has finished first on four occasions.

The former Olympic rider Karen Dixon will be taking the opportunity to give one of her novice rides some experience on this course.

She competed at the Seoul Olympics in 1988 when the British team won silver and was part of the gold medal-winning team at the World Championships in Stockholm.

"There have been some exciting changes to the cross country this year by our course designer, Gary Podmore, who has been busy improving the layout and making it more challenging for riders," said event director Paul White.

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The North and East Yorkshire Show held at Richmond Equestrian Centre recently, organised by Pat Dorman, Heather Hume and their team, produced over 12 hours of top class showing and working hunter courses designed by Jennifer Brooks from Kirklevington.

The Randy Allison Area 3A Members Championship was won by Alice Newsome riding the six-year-old Tidkin Royal Mannequin by Harroway Harlequin and bred by Stephanie Towers. Alice took the British Skewbald and Piebald Championship qualifying for the International with the horse which is produced by James Hunton from Nunthorpe.

The reserve champion was six-year-old Freddy Welford riding Amanda and Stephen Welford's cradle stakes-winning mount Milford Funtime by Daimur Figurehead, bred by Kim Mooney from Ripon. Freddy was also reserve supreme in both the Coombehill Fabio Mountain and Moorland Supreme and the overall supreme championship.

Both supremes were won by Cheshire law student Katy Seedhouse riding Riversdale Ritzy Mix, who took the HOYS working hunter tricolour and reserve with her other ride, Springfield Razzle Dazzle. Freddy took his 122cm show hunter pony ticket for HOYS at Midland Counties, Uttoxeter, riding Littlebriars April Louise.

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The 122cm HOYS working hunter ticket went to Olivia Lyall riding Mary Carr's Helsington Goody Tiptoes who will be making her debut at Birmingham. Tiptoes has won five championships already this season.

Kristine Hall Jackson, 13, from Dewsbury, won the 143cm Open International working hunter qualifier riding the 12-year-old Chilham Panache which qualified at the Winter Championships and is owned by Kristine's elder sister Danielle. Kristina also got her ticket in the 133cm section after a second with Diamond Smuggler.

Four-year-old Anya Potter riding the nine-year-old Tallares Tiptop took her International ticket in the Heritage Lead Rein and championships at Scottish Welsh and East Midlands.

Laura Aitken took her first ridden ticket riding Brynvale Cinnamon and Molly Munnelly, riding the 18-year-old Bradmore Claudius, won the Premier League.