With only two Horse of the Year Show tickets on offer for this October’s Blue Chip Pony Newcomers Championship Final, each of the forty-nine combinations started the class with high hopes. After the challenges of the first two rounds just eight remained to go head to head against the clock in the final jump-off.
Fourteen-year old Courtney Young from Basildon, Essex secured her place at the top of the leader board after producing treble clear with Zucan V, a 12 year-old dark bay gelding owned by Phillip McCaul. This pair gave a turn of speed to knock a fraction of a second off their nearest rival’s time, stopping the clock in 46.73 seconds.
Jumping in to second place was Izzy Goddard, aged 14, from Canterbury, Kent riding Strawberry Rojo, a 9 year-old chestnut mare. This combination delivered the final treble clear of the class as they crossed the finish line in 46.86 seconds.
The riders and ponies that finished in third to fifth took home the chance to compete in the Blue Chip Pony Newcomers Masters at the British Showjumping National Championships.