New records set at the Blue Chip Championships
New records were set and tears of joy
were shed. It was the annual, everpopular Blue Chip Championships,
and a capacity crowd created a great
atmosphere for the Gala night.
Mark Bunting brought one horse for one
class – and headed the top-billed Blue
Chip Grand Prix with UB One.
“He’s been knocking on the door” said
Mark, who started riding this Namelus R
son in 2010 after originally meeting him
five years before when training owner
Shayla McInulty.
Sammie-Jo Coffin slotted Willem De Lux
into 2nd with Sam Hutton’s Cornetta 10
in 3rd.
Kerry Brennan clocked an amazing
championship double with Wellington
M, taking both Blue Chip Pro challenge
and Dynamic B and C.
Young riders gained the upper hand in
the Pro challenge, with Alison Barton’s
CS Online in 2nd.
“Wellie’s been jumping well over 1.40m,
technical tracks” said Kerry, 19, who has
young rider European aims with this
Quidam Du Revel-sired nine-year-old.
Danielle Joliffe led all the way on the
impressive Explosief Van De Heffinck,
but Blue Chip B and C victory was denied
by last-to-go Kerry on Wellington M
– one of only two grade B’s in the 12strong jump-off.
Geoff Luckett powered Old Lodge’s Final
Strike to Blue Chip Karma performance
victory, pushing Emily Davies into
2nd and 3rd with Fernando and King
Carnute.
Geoff has produced this seven-year-old
steadily since the gelding’s purchase
from Brightwells Sales at Addington
three years ago.
“He’s coming into his own now” said
Geoff, on the Hickstead’s B and C and
British Masters grade C finalist.
Jessica Botham clinched the Halsall
Electrical 1.25m with Claire Beecroft’s
Zininova, a Lupicor-sired eight-year-old
previously ridden by Geoff.
“I bought her three years ago, but she’s
too quick for me, and she’s a ladies’
horse so not suitable for Geoff” said
Claire.
Jessica was thrilled to get the ride in
content with that, she also headed the Horsequest UK Pony Coral for Zirina to head
two Championships.
“It’s my final pony year, next year someone else will get the chance” said Beth, 16, whose previous JC/JA winners are Falaza and Cinderella Girl.
January.
The eight-year-old Zirina, 2011 Pony Sapphire Champion, was
bought 18 months ago through
Beth’s coach Liane Smith, and will
be aimed at HOYS Newcomers and
Foxhunter this year.
Mark Bunting on UB One
“I can’t thank them enough” she said,
“Zininova’s careful with a big stride.”
Beth Tuff took the Blue Chip power RLF
championship with Sally Ellyatt’s Britishbred No Promises II.
“Liane is top trainer” said Beth.
“She’s low mileage, we’ve taken it
quietly this winter” said Beth, who has
produced this six-year-old Armitage
daughter since September, “but she’s
easy.”
Relegated with Trina Lewis’s homebred
Nick Of Time, a determined EmmaJo Slater found tighter turns in
the 37-strong jump-off to take the
Horsequest novice title on Kim Barzilay’s
Olympic Lux seven-year-old Tantrum II.
“I thought I’d done enough first time”
said Emma-Jo, who won the 2011 novice
on Spot Of Business.
Emma-Jo’s opener in the Joshua Jones
discovery put Tantrum into 3rd, with Tim
Page’s slick round on William Stewart’s
Steady The Helm winning by 2 seconds.
The seven-year-old, winner of four
classes at Hand’s premier, joined Tim in
January.
“He’s only in discovery, but he’s
consistent and naturally quick” he said.
Risking a flyer to the last double,
Norman Proffitt headed the Tri-Zone
Airlite star championship for the second
consecutive year aboard Audrey Evans
and Castell Stud’s Patent.
“He was so good” said Norman of his
multi-veteran and amateur national title
winner, “He slipped but picked up and
carried on. He wants to win as much as
I do!”
Ponies
Record-breaking Beth Vernon scored her
fourth consecutive victory in the Blue
Chip Pro Sparkle JC/JA. Not Beth Vernon on Zirina IV
Cornwall-based Kayla Setford, 14, and
the seven-year-old Diptford Stardust
triumphed in the Horsequest UK
sapphire.
“She’s always eager to get in the
ring” said Kayla, who trains with Zoe
Gwennap, “but I was nervous.”
On her Blue Chip debut, Kent-based
Charlie O’Conor, 13, scored her biggest
win in the Equitility pony novice on
Aughnacliff Boy.
The Irish-bred ten-year-old was bought
two years ago.
“He was wild, but we knew he had
scope, so we persevered with lots of
flatwork” said Charlie, who trains with
Chris Moyce.
3rd in the novice, Ashlea Silk-Jones
went two better for the cool, calm and
collected discovery title with Majestic
Melody, a part-Welsh cob bought as a
wild two-year-old.
“We needed a lasso to catch her” said
Ashlea, 15, who is based at Brook Farm
Training Centre, Stapleford Abbotts,
Essex, “She’s still lively, but more
manageable.”