THE future of Guernsey show jumping is obviously in safe hands. The home junior quartet backed up their faultless performance from the opening leg of their Team Trophy match with another outstanding display on the final afternoon of the BSJA Guernsey Horse of the Year Show to overcome Jersey.

The Sarnians excelled over the David Cole-designed course with Jodie Travers on Pimms Parade and captain Tiffany Gervaise-Brazier riding Crystal Sword, both registering a perfect clear round.

Added to just four faults from Penny Freeman on Kilrea Boy, it gave the team, which also included Lockingne Daisy ridden by Shelley Tostevin, a 29-fault victory margin over their Jersey counterparts.

The Guernsey seniors came so close to emulating the juniors in the climax to the show, the second leg of the Ringer Memorial and Settyres trophies, but in the end just one fallen fence stood between them and victors Jersey.

The Sarnians matched the Caesareans over the second leg, both adding just four faults to their first leg totals.

Charlotte Breban and captain Amelia Jeffery both rode clear rounds on Papillon III and Loftsome Moonlight respectively, while Sanna-Liisa Valtanen and Larsen du Home had just the one minor blip.

That meant that there was enormous pressure on Alison Rogers riding Colwyn Odin as the last combination from Jersey.

The tired horse somehow managed to leave each fence standing, despite clipping several of them, to earn a deserved victory. The French and English teams came third and fourth respectively in the international match.

‘We certainly gave them a run for their money. I really thought it was going to go to a jump-off,’ said Guernsey’s chef d’equipe Rob Fearis.

But there was memorable individual success for Jeffery as she and Loftsome Moonlight enjoyed a magnificent victory in the senior showjumper of the year on championship day.

Their jump-off round was simply awesome.

Eight combinations of the original 22 made it through to the deciding seven-obstacle course and only two of those managed clear rounds so that in itself was a remarkable achievement. But for Loftsome Moonlight to cover the course in just 30.34sec. was incredible.

For a comparison, runner-up Emma Dorey on Snaffles Purple Patch clocked 41.82.

That victory helped earn Jeffery the Littlemoor Grey Dawn and Fantast 151 trophies for performances throughout the five-day show.

Another home combination delighted the crowd in the junior showjumper of the year.

In a jump-off with two Jersey riders, Freeman and Kilrea Boy had the added pressure of going last and following two clears, with a time to beat of 29.62.

They did it, amazingly, with only 0.38sec. to spare.

Having had an excellent show, it was no surprise to see that victory help seal the Carpenter and Duquemin trophies for Freeman.

Jersey’s young James Dufty and Master Bailey completed a brilliant five days in the nursery classes by winning the championship and also taking the Surcouf Trophy.

His fellow islander, Georgia Stevenson, tasted success in the 128cm championship.

In the senior graded classes, Pipper Parsons and Nervenfee proved what consistent performers they are once again in the A class while B and C honours went to Summer Rowes ridden by Jo Leonard and Dale Benest on Redhill Little John respectively.

The overwhelming consensus was that BSJA Guernsey had outdone themselves once again at HOYS and chairman Ken Carre was a happy man on Sunday evening.

‘It is a long time preparing for it and you almost dread it coming as it is so much hard work but, I think because we have been so busy, it has gone in a flash this year,’ he said.