Sunday saw Wellington Riding Centre in Hampshire play host to this year’s Winter Amateur Final. Following a competitive qualification campaign which ran between October 2015 and March 2016, qualified combinations and spectators were eager to find out who would ride away with this year’s Championship title.
Out of the starting field, five combinations produced a first round clear to progress through to the final jump off. With only one double clear being jumped, the remaining placings came down to the all-important clock.
Nicholas Edwards, from Leatherhead, Surrey on board Claire Edwards’ 8 year-old bay gelding, Contendann, was crowned Champion after producing two impressive clear rounds, the second of which was delivered in a time of 38.68 seconds.
Second place went to Rebecca Allison from Chichester, West Sussex with her 15 year-old bay mare, Rosa II. This combination was unlucky to knock a pole in their jump off round, but they did stop the clock at a lightning fast 35.06 seconds to scoop the runners up spot.
Martin Brake from Yeovil, Somerset took third place and he rode Karen Johnson’s 12 year-old bay mare Quenza Des Tuilieres. The technical course also caught this combination out and they returned home with four faults in 39.43 seconds.
Results:
1st Nicholas Edwards & Contendaan – 0/0 - 38.68 seconds
2nd Rebecca Allison & Rosa II – 0/4 - 35.06 seconds
3rd Martin Brake & Quenza Des Tuilieres – 0/4 - 39.43 seconds