This Is Guernsey

GRACE EPHGRAVE kept the family name to the fore in local equestrian circles by winning both the first classes of the day at La Carriere Stables winter jumping championships. It helps to have a fast runner/leader and Natalie de la Cour excelled by giving a helping hand to Pineapple and Ephgrave.

Pineapple is one of the oldest ponies at the stables and her job is to give the young beginners confidence and she certainly earned her supper on that day.

Ephgrave’s younger brother Ollie was also riding Pineapple and came in just a little more slowly to take two third places.

First time competitor Beth Evans came in a close second place in Angie Wilkinson’s leading rein or trotters class and was again well led, this time by Vicky Guillot.

Elsa Froome’s minimum jumping saw Sophie Forino riding Molly to head the line-up of a very hotly contested bunch. It was only a hair’s breadth that separated Olivia Smith on Pie, Georgina Prow on Willow and Carrie Rosamund on Ali.

Forino was on a winning streak and went on to take the Zip-Up minimus championship class, this time riding Angel.

Tia Gardner was on an even bigger roll.

She won the Alternative Risk Management’s single accumulator on Robin, clocking a very good time. Thomas Martin-Sarre finished a worthy second, just ahead of Louise Fitzhenry.

First to jump off in the Pete Ozanne Electric’s alternative championship class was Lara Cuddihee, who rode Alfie quickly and neatly.

It seemed good enough to win until Gardner came along again and covered the least amount of ground possible. She rode the course of her life and nipped into first place.

The pair have been having a friendly battle all season and they could not be split for the Lisa Copeland most points award in the restricted section.

The spoils were shared after that as no combination pulled off a double win, but the times were very close.

De la Cour won the Yorkshire Guernsey single accumulator class from the very nippy little Mockbeggar Samuel, ridden by Maddie Wilson.

Sophie Robilliard came in only one second slower than the winner, Nicky Fallaize, riding Drimcong Alfred in the Michelle Guillot’s 70cm class.

She must have been using that as a warm-up for the Greg Forino Flooring’s junior championship.

Riding her pony, Bracken, she was really determined and their time could not be beaten, although Melissa Boscher on Best Lad put in a game effort.

Coming in third was good enough for Wilson, riding the smallest pony in the class, Mockbeggar Samuel, to win the Inderwick family trophy for the best 128cm pony.

Tina’s Hair Studio’s senior novice championship class got faster as the jump-off went on.

First to go was Aimee Garnett riding her new, inexperienced pony, Pandora, to a good, careful round, which gave her seventh.

Then Nicky Fallaize, on Ballysimon Boy, rode a tighter, neater course but landed only fourth.

Fallaize bettered that on Drimcong Alfred. As the penultimate combination, they skipped around effortlessly.

But it was last to go Rachel Mauger, riding Galway d’Gohorel, who took half-a-second off their time to take the winner’s place and trophy.

In the Mandy de la Cour 75cm class, Garnett pulled out all the stops and rode Daniel for her life, but next-to-go Tracey Smith rode Seymour Savannah to perfection and half-a-second more quickly for victory.

Lisa Patch finished as a double winner, but on different horses.

Riding Zak first in the jump-off proved lucky for her as she sped around to leave Natalie Moorat on Henry in second place in the Summer Broe-Bougourd 80cm jumping.

Moorat had been winning the Bob Froome and Son’s senior championship class consistently all season, but going first in the jump-off with the pressure on, a very tight turn into the last jump caused Henry to slip and how Moorat regained her seat and her horse to its feet was a miracle.

Patch, this time on Midnight Stroller, came along and rode into first place.

Second was just good enough for Moorat to win the Yorkshire Guernsey Ltd’s most-points trophy in the open section, just one point ahead of nearest rival Robilliard and Bracken.