Second chance for horses who are off the pace

RACEHORSES which have retired or have not quite made the grade on the race track are being given a new lease of life in a number of equestrian disciplines.

Competition is hotting up in the show ring, where a number of special classes are now run for ex-racehorses.

There was a strong entry for the recent SEIB Racehorse to Riding Horse Show Championship qualifier which was held at the Osbaldeston Equestrian Centre in Lancashire.

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The class of 29 was split and judged in two sections by Liz Morley and David Bartram.

Chivola, ridden by Vicky Smart, the winner of the Tattersalls and ROR Thoroughbred Show Horse Championship at Hickstead last year, took the runner-up spot to qualify for the Horse of the Year Show. The class was won by Katie Jerram riding Night Prayers.

Vicky works with her husband, Bryan, at their racing yard at Hambleton, North Yorkshire, and re-trained Chivola for his new career.

“He had three months off after HOYS and then we concentrated on dressage, earning British Dressage points and going from Prelim to Elementary in five outings,” said Vicky.

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At their first outing this year, at the Barton Northern Spring Show, they won the small hack class and qualified for the Royal International Horse Show. They will defend their ROR title at Hickstead and also try to qualify for HOYS in the open hack classes.

The SEIB Search for a Star competition was held on the same day. This competition gives amateurs the chance to compete at the Horse of the Year Show, which is a dream come true for many of them.

Julie Everett from Barnsley and her horse, Sheer Ambition, who won the Show Hunter class, will be among the competitors.

Julie has owned the five-year-old bay gelding for 18 months having bought him as an unbroken three-year-old at the Cavan sales in Ireland. This was their first competition this year and Julie plans to do novice and lightweight amateur showing classes with the horse this season.

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The BSPS Area 3a East and North Yorkshire County Show took place at Richmond Equestrian Centre under the chairmanship of Pat Dorman.

The second day’s supreme title was won by Lancaster’s Camilla Jackson riding her Intermediate Champion, with reserve going to Lucinda Elliott with the five-year-old gelding Moluccas Cinnamon Secret by Kilvington Scoundrel – produced by Jerome Harforth from The Stanley Grange Stud, Great Ayton.

Lucinda, owned by Sue and Alan Grimshaw, also took the Randy Allison Area 3a Members Championship ahead of Sarah Hemsworth who was riding the 11-year-old Orleys Wishful Joker by Mayeath Royal Jester. Lucinda was second in the small intermediate riding type class with Rhyllandell Falcon bred by Janet Cox from Ripon.

Callum Potts from Whitby will be making his debut at the Royal International after he won the Anglo/Part Bred Ridden Arab 148cm section and he has also claimed another ticket for the international following his win at Hambleton in the 138cm show pony.

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Callum, in his first full season in BSPS, was riding the four-year-old mare Willowhill Forget Me Not by Strinesdale Matador owned by his grandfather, Ian Darcy and produced at Stanley Grange. Ian will also watch his daughter Caroline (Callum’s mother) compete in the amateur and open lightweight cob class. She also took the novice section at Area 3a with the six-year-old Randalstown Landmark.

Sarah Lambert from Hull, riding the six-year-old mare Chiddock Sky High by Harroway Mr Harlequin, was reserve champion in the skewbald/piebald section.

Other section qualifiers went to Harrogate’s Michaela Wood with Login Lucky Lad and James Hunton from Netherton riding the Swedish bred Sansiba.

The in-hand champion was the two-year-old filly Plumbuck Bunny Squibble owned by Adele Plumb and Geoff Buck from Doncaster.

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The Emmerson stable from Stokesley produced the reserve associate champion for Polly Coles riding the nine-year-old small hunter The Parson which took the International 153cm hunter ticket at Area 5.

The same stable also had the reserve mini-champion, Basford Ballerina, ridden by Martha Jobling Purser. Peter and Claire’s grandson, William, will be riding the lead rein heritage pony Thamevalley Black Jack after taking his ticket at the North East Counties.

Yasmin Black from Ripon had her first major win in the lead rein section with Lousan Rock N’Roll. The first day’s supreme went to Anya Potter Firth riding her International bound lead rein heritage pony Heniarth Dilyscious.

The 3a Champion was Driffield’s Sammy Jo Grantham riding Lotmolu Countryman. Storm Straker from Caldwell collected her second International ticket and with the 143cm pony Black September with good placings at the Lancashire Championships and Hambleton Show. She also had a reserve champion in the mountain and moorland working hunter class at Hambleton with Milford Fair Commander.

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Kirsty Ahern took the riding horse championship with the 10-year-old Royal Mirage 11, ahead of Easingwold’s Paul Langrick riding Another Statesman.

Huddersfield rider Joe Clayton, 21, comptes for Britain in the showjumping team in Norway this week at the Drammen three-star Nations Cup.

Joe, who is based at Michael Whitaker’s yard in Notts, will ride his own 12-year-old bay gelding, Saveur. The pair also competed in the Copenhagen Nations Cup last month.

Matthew Wright won the Eventing Express Series qualifier which was held at the Bolesworth Showjumping Classic in Cheshire at the weekend.

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The Nottinghamshire event rider beat stiff competition from Yorkshireman Oliver Townend who had been in the lead until the showjumping section. Wright, who won the first prize of £3,000 riding If You Want 11, will go through to the final of the series to be held at the Horse of the Year Show.