Guernsey junior captain Tiffany Gervaise-Brazier and Clover Dash clear another fence at Chemin Le Roi. (Picture by Adrian Miller, 0625560)
JERSEY begun the Horse of the Year show strongly, leaving the Guernsey host riders in their wake.
But, with the end of the first day of the annual event fast approaching, the home riders came good with Maddie Wilson, Shelly Tostevin, Jodie Travers and Penny Freeman scoring good class wins.
The visitors had seized control by winning most classes as well as taking the lead in the prestigious inter-island Junior Team Trophy event.
Guernsey really needed a good start to the team event, but their first horse Kilrea Boy, ridden by Freeman, accrued eight faults after Jersey had started off faultlessly.
However, with the weakest of the four scores not included in the overall tally, there was still chances of a recovery and after Jersey’s Jack Clackett, riding Caramella, produced 12 faults, the scores were effectively level going into the final rider.
After the Caesareans’ Mr Snoopy, ridden by captain Emma Pallott, made no mistakes, the pressure was on Guernsey captain Tiffany Gervaise-Brazier to level the scores going into Sunday’s second leg.
All was looking well, until her pony Clover Dash lurched at the penultimate fence, earning four penalty points, which was the difference between the teams.
However, it is a deficit that is by no means insurmountable and both teams are still in with a strong shout of claiming the honours at the weekend.
In the individual events, Guernsey’s first triumph of the day came in the third class when Kiera Hanley was victorious in the nursery jumping for 128cms and under ponies.
She was followed by Shelley Tostevin, on Cadnam Catnap, who won the junior novice jumping for ponies and then delivered a clear round in the team event.
The final Guernsey victor was Travers, another faultless performer in the team event, who won the junior intermediate jumping for ponies class.
Show secretary Sarah Mills thought that the first day had gone well. ‘We have been very lucky with the weather, which has helped the day. The team event is also very close, so there is still plenty left to play for. With a lot of the big events at the weekend, it is looking good,’ she said.
Article posted on 21st August, 2008 - 3.15pm
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