Dumfries-based Ellen Bell landed her first ever victory at the Royal International Horse Show (RIHS) in the Polly Coles RIHS small amateur hunter championship riding her own and her father’s bay gelding Irish Invention.
The six-year-old, who is known as Jack at home, is by Gallant Cavalier out of Seren Du.
He impressed judges Ian Smeeth and Lesley Jones enough to reign over the second placed Wentworth, who was ridden by his owner, Jane Jones.
“He came over from Ireland last year and this is his second season under saddle,” explained Ellen, who works for Cornthwaite Group and keeps Jack with Scottish producer Kirstine Douglas.
Jack was a Horse of the Year Show (HOYS) finalist last term as a five-year-old. He qualified for this year’s RIHS with Ellen at Netherton Spring Show.
Kirstine was delighted with the duos’ performance:
“He’s a lovely, willing horse who always wants to please,” she said. “He’s still so young and has so much to give. He’s been the perfect horse for Ellen to move into horse classes from intermediates.”
It took Kirstine and her team eight hours to travel from their Scottish base to Hickstead.
“It’s a long way but we had a good run, with plenty of stops on the way,” she said.
Ellen and Jack will be back in the ring later today to contend for the overall Polly Coles amateur hunter supreme championship, alongside the winning lightweight, middleweight and heavyweight contenders who are yet to be decided.
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