Laura Renwick took her second major title of the easibed BSJA/Scope Festival 2008 when Sean Killoran’s Roller Coaster III won the Sports Horse Classic Blue Riband competition,which was jumped over three rounds.
After qualifying at Chester, Laura and her ride of just two months are Birmingham bound for the Horse & Hound Foxhunter final. “I’m amazed, no course proves too big,” she said.
Katie House also clinched a championship double, as her national 128cm primary winner My Little Pumpkin again stormed round to withstand the challenge of Yasmin Tanfield (Silver Wonder) in the Regan Willett 128cm championship.
The opening four junior classes attracted great spectator support, and the Jane Pownell 138cm championship also turned into a real thriller, Jessica Crosby and Fountain Ranger beating the pathfinders Lara Whiteway riding My Bugsy Malone.
It proved a day for new partnerships to triumph — Rachael Connor and Nicky Bell’s Connemara Kelly’s Mirah took the honours in the Independent Asset Management junior progressive championship. Taking full advantage of their last draw, they overhauled Stephanie Gunn (BH Iroko).
Amelia Green also had the best round with Up To Trix II in the Hand Equestrian Centre junior Adventurer championship. The Nottinghamshire rider has been riding Up To Trix II since May, and she used the agility of Peter Allen and David Miller’s grey mare to best advantage to relegate Jordan Nason (Another Dooley).
Just two months into their partnership, Guy Williams and Torinto De Middelstede ran out the winners in the High Offley Stud National 1.30m open championship. Always a hotly contested championship, Guy had it all to do to beat the fast finishing Andrew Davies and Taz Mania II.
Eighth drawn of 12 in the jump off, James Smith and Cumina clinched the Smith Equestrian national under 16 championship. A member of Great Britain’s 2008 European gold medal winning team, the Scottish rider produced a brilliant final effort from the 11-year-old mare to pip Tim Wilks and Mirage.
After thrills and spills galore, the loudest cheers went to Dave Quigley (Sabatini II) and Claire McNaughton (Urania De Walput) who won a fast and furious Cats & Pipes pairs competition.
Stay in touch with all the news from Scope on Horseandhound.co.uk and don’t miss H&H’s full report of all the action in next week’s magazine
