Royal Windsor Horse Show proves lucky for Robert Whitaker

Capacity crowds enjoyed entertaining show jumping on the third day of Royal Windsor with a second win for Robert Whitaker in the opening speed class with Rusedski II.

His flying round clearly meant business from the start. After some tight turns on the early part of the course, a gallop across the arena to a tall upright drew gasps from the crowd.

Michael Whitaker took second with new ride It’s Super Girl, despite losing a shoe early on, ahead of William Funnell and the lovely grey Shadow Breaker.

The Accumulator went to Graham Lovegrove with Angel, with a maximum score after a careful jump over the Joker.

Fellow speed merchant Geoff Luckett came close with Brickfield Boy, with a bold galloping round, and in third was young Irishman Ivan Dalton, now based in Belgium at Neil Jones’ yard.

“Angel really travels across the ground, and I thought that if I could keep her on the right rhythm and leave them up we’d win,” said Graham.

Seven went through to the third jump off in the Pimms-sponsored Six Bar, with the last fence at just under 2m.

Peter Charles and Murkas Pom d’Ami were the only combination to go clear, with William Funnell just tipping the last on Cortaflex Billy Birr to share second place with Spain’s Pascal Levy and Olargo B.

A great clear round by Lieutenant Commander Kate Welch and It’s Himself sealed victory for the Royal Navy A Team in the Land Rover-sponsored Services Team Jumping Competition. Second place went to the Defence Animal Centre’s ‘A’ team, with the Army Medical Services ‘A’ Team in third.

Nicole Pavitt took her second class of the show with a daring round for victory in the Accenture Young Riders’ Accumulator. It was a gamble that paid off, putting her some six seconds ahead of Ryan Prater who had delivered a highly impressive round on Whisker.

Results

Freixenet speed

1. Rusedski II (Robert Whitaker)

2. Its Super Girl (Michael Whitaker)

3. Shadow Breaker (William Funnell)

Charles Wells Accumulator

1. Angel (Graham Lovegrove)

2. Brickfield Boy (Geoff Luckett)

3. Corcovada (Ivan Dalton)

Pimms Six Bar

1. Murkas Pom d’Ami (Peter Charles)

2eq. Olargo B (Pascal Levy)

2eq. Cortaflex Billy Birr (William Funnell)

Services Team Jumping

1. Royal Navy ‘A’

2. Defence Animal Centre ‘A’

3. Army Medical Services ‘A’

Accenture Young Rider Accumulator

1. Amaryllis Van De Heffink (Nicole Pavitt)

2. Whisker (Ryan Prater)

3. Quentin Tarrantino (Tim Page)

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