The Blue Chip Winter Show Jumping Championships at Hartpury (8-12 April) provided us with some thrilling action and worthy winners. Here is the 2015 roll of honour.
1. Blue Chip Grand Prix: Nigel Coupe and Golvers Hill
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Nigel holds off a two-pronged challenge from William Funnell (Billy Congo and Roi) to take top honours on Friday night.
2. HorseQuest UK novice champions: Heather Broad and Caretina II BFZ
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“I’m so nervous, I shake,” says the winning rider.
3. Blue Chip Joint RLF power champions/Blue Chip Karma performance champions: Angie Thompson and Babette
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The mare may be “quirky and tense in the ring”, but that certainly doesn’t stop her winning.
4. Joshua Jones discovery champions: Emma-Jo Slater and Nina Phin
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This is Emma-Jo’s ninth Blue Chip championship
5. WOW Saddles star championship: Georgia Cabb and Quinara S
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16-year-old Georgia is enjoying a successful debut year in seniors.
6. Blue Chip Pro challenge: Matthew Sampson and Amadeouse de Hurtebise
Matthew Sampson and Amadeus de Hurtebise
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“He’s inexperienced against the clock, I was relying on my other two [rides], but I was too slow,” says Matthew, who bought the nine-year-old in Belgium.
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7. Blue Chip Dynamic B&C champions: Julian Mincher and Dolanda
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“I’ve been second 40 times over 24 years at this show,” says Julian, who notched up a championship winning double this year.
8. Halsall Electrical 1.25m champions: Julian Mincher and Dartbreaker
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The Heartbreaker x Lux Z stallion, a winter grade C and Hickstead B and C finalist, now visits Twemlows Stallion AI services for semen collection.
9. Haygain Hay Steamers diamond champions: Michaela Huntingdon and Drumhowan Cavalier
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“I’ve been every year since I was 12, it’s a brilliant show,” says Michaela.
10. Blue Chip pro sparkle JC/JA champions: Emily Ward and Ballybaloo
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For the third year in a row, Emily holds her challengers at bay to take the JC/JA title with an Irish-bred 11-year-old she only meets at shows.
11. Animo pony novice champions / Animo pony discovery champions: Megan Taylor and Mr Bojangles III
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“He just goes into cruise control,” says Megan, 14, who collected an armful of prizes for winning both championships, including a much-coveted blingy Animo numnah for the beautifully turned out Mr Bojangles.
12. HorseQuest UK pony sapphire champions: Lauren Roach and Westcoast Express
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This eight-year-old mare, owned by breeder Paul Kelly from the west coast of Ireland hence the name is by the German warmblood Fairman and out of a 13.2hh pony.
13. HorseQuest UK pony coral champions: Sophie Bennett and Killy Colour Code
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“Colour Code had jumped in a few Foxhunter classes when we bought him, but I hadn’t done much at all he brought me on,” says Sophie, who comes from Jersey.
Don’t miss the full report from the five-day Blue Chip Winter Show Jumping Championships in this week’s new-look Horse & Hound, out Thursday 16 April 2015
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Jennifer is passionate at showjumping and her role as H&H’s showjumping editor has taken her around the world reporting from shows and interviewing riders, connections and those involved behind the scenes. Since joining H&H from BBC Sport in 2005, she has written on every subject across the equestrian sphere — from turnout rugs to stable management — and has interviewed gold medallists, world champions and winners galore. She also has first-hand experience of working in the equestrian industry as a riding instructor and yard manager.
