STRATFORD’S Carron Nicol jumped to victory in the Equitop Myoplast Senior Foxhunter second round at The College Equestrian Centre in Keysoe, Bedfordshire.
With 53 starters all keen to claim one of the two direct qualifying tickets on offer for the Equitop Myoplast Senior Foxhunter Championship Final at the Horse of the Year Show in October, the production of a treble clear was very much at the forefront of every competitor’s mind.
Over the technical course, the first two rounds saw poles fall until just ten talented combinations were left to contest the jump-off and all eyes were on the clock to decide the winner.
Nicol, on board her own six-year-old dark brown stallion Galerius, made the decision to take a slower line on the newly-shortened course and it paid dividends as they left all the fences standing to claim the only treble clear of the competition in 60.55 seconds.
Scooping second place was Jay Halim from Burford, Oxfordshire, riding his own eight-year-old bay gelding Jaque Mate. This pair cruised around the course in 50.80 seconds but had a pole down midway through to finish with four faults.
With the top two taking the direct qualifying tickets for the Equitop Myoplast Senior Foxhunter Championship Final, the combinations in third to fifth took home the chance to compete at the British Showjumping National Championships.
The Horse of the Year Show will take place between October 4-8 at Birmingham’s NEC.
