Keith Shore in great form at Blue Chip Championships

Keith Shore has a double chance to win the £1,000 bonus offered by Andrews Bowen Surfaces at the Blue Chip Championships after commanding the top two places in the Blue Chip A and B Challenge Trophy with Helen Ravenscroft’s Stranger and new ride of five weeks, Tony and Ann Scholes’ Zegreanne Z.

“As long as the jockey doesn’t ‘cock up’, Stranger keeps jumping clear rounds,” said Keith, who was placed in both PCA Rising Stars and British Showjumping A & B at the British Open last week with the 11-year-old. “I’m still at the experimental stage with Zegreanne Z. This was the biggest track I’ve jumped on her so far.”

The top three of the A and B Challenge Trophy have to win the Blue Chip grand prix, worth £2,000 to the winner, to claim the £1,000 bonus. Third placed Lee Williams is also in with a chance aboard Value T.

Quick it was, but easy it wasn’t as Alan Thomas secured the Blue Chip Karma Performance championship against formidable opposition with Quick N Easy.

“It’s my first ever win at the Blue Chip Championships” said South Wales-based Alan, who left no-one in doubt of his intentions from the start, “He’s quick, careful and turns like a gymkhana pony.”

Emma-Jo Slater and her favourite mare Utah Van Het Indihof landed the Devoucoux Star title, beating defending champion Mary Grose and Liska D’Aurore by the narrowest of margins.

“Mary was fast, I had to be committed at every turn” said Emma-Jo, who enjoyed a double celebration at this show. “My daughter Keira celebrated her first birthday yesterday, and this is her first show away.”

Narrowly beaten into second the previous day, Michaela Russell and Zula Maeva held a long-time lead in the hotly contended Joshua Jones UK discovery championship, but was again denied victory by just 0.05sec as amateur Tracey Crane claimed her first major title on Ballynut Clover Prince.

“He’s a genuine all-rounder; he hunts, events and showjumps” said Albrighton Hunt regular Tracey, who has temporarily claimed the ride while daughter Emily studies for exams. “Our cross-country experience helped in the jump-off.”

Blue Chip Championship results: day two

Devoucoux 1.20m.– 1, Fritz Luke (J Helm); 2, Hello Vegas (A Peruzzi-Smith); 3, Pimosa (H Rees). Joshua Jones UK discovery ch.– 1, Ballynut Clover Prince (T Crane); 2, Zulu Maeva; 3, Casimir II (E Slater). Devoucoux Star ch.– 1, Utah Van Het Indihof (E-J Slater); 2, Liska D’Aurore (M Grose); 3, Scandalous (N Emery). Blue Chip Karma Performance ch.– 1, Quick N Easy (A Thomas); 2, Valentine V (N Pavitt); 3, Oslo Du Pre Fleurie (J Andrews). Blue Chip A&B Challenge Trophy.– 1 & 2, Stranger & Zegreanne Z (K Shore); 3, Value T (L Williams).

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