Bolesworth International Equestrian Summer Festival presented by Al Shira’aa, Cheshire
SHANE BREEN rose to the challenge of a testing 1.55m Al Shira’aa grand prix with assurance, partnering the hot, home-bred grey Scarteen to the fastest of just three double clears.
Course-designer Javier Trenor Paz created a real challenge for the 48 starters – while poles dropped everywhere on his first-round track, a combination across the centre became such a bogey that the crowd applauded every time a rider negotiated it clear.
“When I walked the course, I thought it suited my guy but I had to be careful not to have a time-fault,” said Shane, one of only four clears in that first round. Tim Gredley and Olympic hopeful Imperial HBF also remained faultless, as did James Davenport (One To Watch) and Seamus Hughes Kennedy with his reigning young rider European champion, ESI Rocky. They were joined by nine others as 13 went through to the jump-off.
Tim was the first of the faultless to jump and again left the fences standing, but his lead was swiftly overturned by Shane. He set a pace three seconds slower than the fastest round, jumped by Ellen Whitaker and Korlenski who totalled eight faults.
James had shaken his head when asked if he could match Shane’s performance as he entered the ring, but he put in a brilliant bid on the home-bred mare One To Watch, finishing clear just 0.12sec behind Shane to slot into second place.
“I’m chuffed to bits,” he said. “The only one I saw go was Shane before me and he was so fast and so smooth.”
On tactics, when you’ve jumped one of just a handful of first-round clears, James added: “It’s a hard decision to know what to do. It’s happened so many times, I’ve thought, ‘I’ll do a good clear and get a good placing’ and then nicked a rail somewhere and ended up 12th. This time I thought, ‘I’ll just go as fast as I can!’”
Denne historien er fra June 20, 2024-utgaven av Horse & Hound.
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Denne historien er fra June 20, 2024-utgaven av Horse & Hound.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
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'Sorry, but I wasn't feeling it'
Fresh from the opening meet, Tessa Waugh hasn't quite yet been bitten by the hunting bug. Without the crisp autumnal air and cheek-pinching cold she hoped for, it's a sluggish start
New pair pull off a win
A former European Championships pony is on form with his new rider, while elsewhere former showjumpers and eventers take ribbons
Lording it over the rest
Horses who have returned from injury, a second generation homebred and a long format specialist score on the final weekend of the British season
Smith hits flying form
A \"her way or no way\" mare helps Zoe Smith to an impressive ribbon haul and a rider beats his own boss to the top spot
Jankorado hits the jackpot
Paul Sims is triumphant despite his interrupted jump-off preparation and a borrowed horse comes up trumps
Peanut
From \"dangerous, scary\" to hedge-hopping brilliance, hunting has been the making of this unstable but very lovable equine character
She's a corker
Communication, says long-standing and highly respected Belvoir master Lady Sarah McCorquodale, is the key to all, as Catherine Austen discovers
Access all areas Cavalier Centre
The Cavalier Centre is a fully accessible, state-of-the-art equestrian centre designed to improve lives through horse-based activities. Ellie May Forrester pays a visit
'Use it or lose it'
Not everyone wants to reach for the pipe and slippers at a certain age. Becky Murray speaks to some veteran horse-and-rider combos for their secrets of human and equine longevity
A new way forward
Worm control in horses is vital, but established methods will not remain effective for much longer. Tim Mair FRCVS explains why and how we need to change
