This was a relatively quiet week on the international showjumping calendar — a rare spell with no five-star competitions — but Joe Whitaker took his chance to shine in the Netherlands and a brand new partnership made their competitive debut a grand prix-winning one.
Here is your weekly round-up of just some of the international sporting action from the world of showjumping.
Whitaker and Hulahupe JX land first grand prix
Joe Whitaker and the 10-year-old Hulahupe JR (VDL Bubalu x Indoctro) landed their first big win together in the CSI2* 1.45m grand prix at Peelbergen Equestrian Centre, the Netherlands. The pair have long shown immense potential and were part of the winning Nations Cup team in Italy recently, and it all came together in Saturday’s grand prix, where they snatched a 0.06sec advantage to win their first big class.
“He’s been knocking on the door for a long time and it’s his first year stepping up to this level so he’s still getting used to it all and mastering it,” Joe told H&H. “It was a very tough grand prix; 75 starters and some of the best horses and riders in the world. They made it a very tight time with a few tough lines — the fences were coming down all over the course and only 12 went clear.”
(Image credit: creditUnknown)
Joe and the Bullock family’s Hulahupe were drawn sixth in the jump-off and a change of bit proved to be a winning formula.
“Pedro Veniss [who finished third] had already put in a very fast round and I thought he was the one to beat, then Harrie Smolders and Monaco went in and couldn’t beat him, so that was saying something! So I had to take the risks, take out every stride and turn as tight as I could, and he answered very question. I’m very proud of him,” said Joe, who will now be giving his horses a break over the summer after a very successful run of shows abroad.
“I’m delighted for Hulahupe’s owners, the Bullock family, who are are lifelong friends of ours and have always thought a lot of the horse,” added Joe. “They bought him as a four year-old and I’ve had him between six and now. They’re delighted and very supportive, big equestrian enthusiasts, it’s great a good horse has come through for them.
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“The plan is to keep stepping him up — he shows such ability and I really believe he can jump five-star grands prix.”
At the CSI3* Tryon Resort, USA, Saturday’s $139,000 Earl Scruggs Music Festival grand prix went to Chilean rider Samuel Parot riding Captain Z, beating their 32 rivals by an impressive 4sec margin as one of only two double clears after a five-way jump-off. Samuel described his Zangersheide gelding Captain Z (Calvino Z x Voltaire) as “fantastic”.
“It was a very difficult course, not easy at all,” said Samuel. “There were a lot of very tight turns and rollbacks everywhere except for the last line. You needed to do U-turn after U-turn, and it was very difficult, but good for my horse.”
This is the pair’s first major victory.
“He’s jumped clear in FEI classes before, like in the two-star,” said Samuel. “But he’s young, he’s nine years old, and he’s really becoming better and better. He’s amazing and I’m so happy because he’s new and he has everything he needs to be a top, top horse — the scope, he’s careful, he’s fast, but needs experience.”
New combination make their competition debut – and win the grand prix
After a short hiatus, sport returned to Hubside Jumping Grimaud, St Tropez, where the CSI2* grand prix was won by Carlos Lopez at his first competition with a new horse, Important De Muze, a former top ride for Ireland’s Darragh Kenny.
“Sadri Fegaier has ridden him for the past two years and he entrusted him to me only three weeks ago,” said Carlos. “So I had no idea of his behaviour in a jump-off when I started today. I made the choice to gallop, telling myself ‘We will see!’ So I’m glad he played the game! He has already brought a lot to Sadri Fegaier and I would not be surprised if he is soon among my best horses.”
At the CSI2* Megeve, France, Great Britain’s Chloe Aston returned to the winner’s enclosure with her tremendous partner Amigo T, who is still flying at the age of 17, while Nicola Wilson (Naomi 55) and Florence Polland (Katie Bell) also found winning form at the show.
British rider Alex Gill, rider for the VDL Stud, finished runner-up in the CSI2* grand prix at De Wolden in the Netherlands. He was riding the nine-year-old Kannan gelding Incanto VDL. The winner was Dutch rider Jur Vrieling with KM Chalcedon.
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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.
