Three super horses and riders triumphed in the Thistledown Investments six-bar at Horse of the Year Show (HOYS) – one joking that he “could have done with a sixth round!”
Jack Whitaker (Equine America Q Paravatti N), Sebastian Hughes (Colorado Volo) and Guy Williams (Crispina Z) all cleared 1.95m (6’5”) in the fifth and final round to share the spoils.
Of 22 starters, only 11 jumped clear in the first round. Four went out at that stage, one in the third round and three in the fourth, including Izac Ketteridge and Killer Queen, for whom the final pole fell so late, they were past the in-gate, Izac with his arm aloft, before it hit the sand.
And the final three all made the huge verticals look easy.
“She was getting better as they got bigger,” Jack said of the 12-year-old mare owned by his father Michael and Ernst Hofschröer. “The best she felt was the last time; we could have done with a sixth round!”
The versatile mare has been jumping big grands prix, including at Windsor and on the global Champions Tour, but also came second in a six-bar in Abu Dhabi in February.
Colorado Volo, owned by Sebastian, Caroline McGann and Danni Auburn-Yildirin, has had a good year, including second place in the Hertfordshire County Show Area Trial and contesting their first Hickstead Derby, and Cock O’ the North at the Great Yorkshire.
“He’s such a versatile horse; this is our first international win here and it rounds off a wonderful year,” Sebastian said. “He’s a very sensitive horse – a lovable goof – and we have to manage him but he’s lovely. He settled after the first couple of rounds today and I could just ride him relaxed and jump for fun.”
Guy’s ride Crispina is also competed by her owner Tracy Holder, with whom she has had placings up to 1.35m this autumn, but Guy said six-bars are something she excels at.
Asked how his last round felt, he said: “Big!”
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