France’s Julien Epaillard scored in the mistletoe speed stakes, the concluding class of Monday afternoon’s London Horse Show showjumping, on Vitalhorse Ebbadya Hero, a new ride he has had just three weeks.
“It’s only my second show with her so it was a little bit of a surprise,” he said. “I didn’t have a good turn to the FEI jump [fence five], so I tried to win some time in other places by taking some risks.
“She has a lot of blood and scope. It’s not easy to have her focused on the fences at the moment. She doesn’t have much experience in this type of atmosphere, although she’s 12 years old. But she jumped super today and is a nice mare for the future.”
The daughter of Erco Van De Roosakker, who is owned by SAS Ecurie De Theyss and SASU Vitalhorse, is low mileage for her age as she has been used for breeding. The 2022 season is her first in international competition since 2018, bar one show in 2020.
Britain’s Jodie Hall McAteer was just under a second slower to take second on her mother Mandy Hall’s Kimosa Van Her Kritrahof, having been the sixth rider into the arena.
“I was early to go so I just wanted to do a smooth round, not go over-fast and leave the fences up and put pressure on the others,” she said. “I could maybe have been a little faster in the beginning, but I wanted to make sure I didn’t get too quick by the end. I’m really pleased with her.”
Jodie, 22, is having an incredible debut week in the London Horse Show showjumping, including taking third in yesterday’s World Cup qualifier. She is currently in line to be named leading rider of the show.
“It’s not very often that you have weeks like I’m having this week, so I’m making the most of it and it’s a great way to end the year,” she said.
Another rising star of British showjumping, Joe Stockdale, put up a strong challenge from last draw in this class and looked to have won it as the crowd roared him home, but Bingo Du Chateau took the front rail off the final oxer to drop to 11th.
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