Scott Brash and Hello Jefferson showed their class in the Agria FEI World Showjumping Championships results with a superb clear keeping them in the silver-medal position.
Last to go of the British team, and overall, in today’s second qualifier for the team final, Scott and Lady Pauline Harris and Lady Pauline Kirkham’s 13-year-old added nothing to their day one total of 0.23 penalties to stay in second place, to France’s Julien Epaillard and Caracole De La Roque.
“Jefferson feels good, he’s really running,” said Scott. “He jumped great and still felt very good at the end of the course, so I’m delighted with him.”
Scott said he came to Herning feeling like his Tokyo Olympic ride was in very good form.
“He jumped amazing in Aachen and it feels like he can do anything so I was pretty confident coming here that he was in good shape,” he said. “But to come and to go well the first day, to keep all the poles up every day and inside the time allowed, is so demanding and so you need a bit of luck along the way as well. You never know what can happen but I was very happy with where he was at, in his fitness and our partnership leading into this championships.”
Scott said Jefferson has a “busy brain” and always wants to be doing something.
“He’s a lovely horse; the other horses can be sleeping in the stable and he’s got his head over the door, saying ‘Where are we going, what are we doing next’,” he said. “He’s very energetic, and everyone loves him. Anyone who walks past him is always clapping him and he’s lovely.”
Scott added that the horse, who Nick Skelton once said could tempt him out of retirement, was “tricky” to start with.
“I think just because he’s such a busy brain and he’s strong-minded, so he always thinks he knows best!” he said “It’s taken time to get a partnership. Very early on, a couple of months in, we were still having difficulties, the rounds weren’t brilliant, but [Nick] said ‘That’s an unbelievable horse’ and it was just trying to get that partnership and that rideability.
“Thankfully, that’s coming through; hours of training and hours working every day. They’re your soul mates at the end of the day, they’re who we spend most time with, like our family. I spend more time with them than my family!
“It’s just hours of training and practice and getting to know one another that’s brought out partnership.”
In bronze medal position overnight in the World Showjumping Championships results are Tokyo Olympic silver medallists Peder Fredricson and H&M All In.
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