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From nervous beginnings to London LGCT success: British rider continues phenomenal winning streak

Jennifer Donald Jennifer Donald

    • The British national anthem rang out once again on Sunday morning (21 August) at the London leg of the Longines Global Champions Tour (LGCT) as 21-year-old Arianna Kuligowski won the opening CSI2* 1.15m class with the extraordinarily consistent mare Ivascalle.

    A mammoth field of 22 came forward to jump-off in the competition sponsored by Waddesdon Wine The Rothschild Collection and, as Arianna said, “If you didn’t kick on, you were going to be nowhere” which resulted in a high-octane thriller to decide the honours.

    But Arianna, who has won a string of amateur championships at Hickstead, most recently at the Royal International meeting last month, rocketed home with the daughter of Baltic VDL to win in 33.64sec.

    British riders filled the top four placings, with barely a second separating them all. Kathryn Fanshawe (Bow House Red) took the runner-up spot, with Michaela Whitaker third on Lingala and Isabella Beecroft-Luckett claiming fourth on Dahar.

    London LGCT debutantes Arianna and the Horsepower Motor Centre-owned Ivascalle had finished sixth on day one behind Aisling Byrne, then rose to fifth to victor Rachel Gredley the previous day, culminating with a tremendous victory on day three.

    “What a way to finish! I feel like I was quite nervous the first couple of days because I’ve never done anything like this before,” said Arianna. “So I probably could have gone a bit faster on the first couple of days. But I was easing myself in a bit. Then today I just thought, ‘I’ve nothing to lose’. She’s jumped two wonderful clears so I might as well now take a chance and absolutely go for it.”

    As well as their titles at Hickstead, the ultra-consistent pair won the 1.25m one-star grand prix at Wellington in June and triumphed in three classes over the two shows at Bolesworth this year.

    Arianna bought the mare as an unbroken three-year-old from Brightwells Auction after seeing her loose jumping.

    “It’s such a gamble but she’s turned out to be a good one,” said Arianna. “I know her very well now and she’s always been a quick horse. She’s so fun to ride, just very easy, she goes in a big, fat snaffle and you just kick her on and she’s off – she doesn’t take much encouragement! She’s like ‘Right, I know what I’m doing’.”

    Arianna describes the 17hh mare as “like a dog” in the stable.

    “She’s no trouble at all and never mare-ish,” she said. “She could stand there with no headcollar and not go anywhere.”

    After a break following the London LGCT, Arianna and Ivascalle will be returning to their happy hunting ground of Hickstead for the September meeting before heading to Vilamoura, Portugal for three weeks.

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    Jennifer Donald
    Jennifer Donald

    H&H showjumping editor
    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.
    Jennifer Donald

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