Romelus De Muze is best of the Seven Year Olds

Ireland’s Jessica Burke added another Hickstead title to her collection today at the British Young Horse Championships, winning the Breen Equestrian British Seven Year Old Final with Romelus De Muze.

Burke has been on spectacular form at the All England Jumping Course this season, having recently won the Queen Elizabeth II Cup at last month’s Agria Royal International Horse Show. Today she rode Romelus De Muze, who is by Bamako De Muze and out of Chatel De La Pomme, to take the feature class on the penultimate day of the show.

Eight combinations had made it through to the jump-off, with five producing a double clear. Jessica went at the half way stage of the second round, and her clear in a time off 36.32sec was enough to put pressure on her rivals – Ireland’s David Simpson was faster with Mambo Nr 5 B, but an early fence down dropped them to sixth.

British riders Daniella Johnston (Tina IV) and Lottie Tutt (Billy Pronto) were fractionally slower than Jessica with times of 36.76sec and 36.92sec respectively, putting them in second and third spot, and they also shared the British Showjumping £4,000 bonus for jumping clear in both qualifiers as well as double clear in today’s final.

“I’m delighted with the result,” said Jessica. “We bought Romelus De Muze on the Sunshine Tour as a five-year-old, and we’ve produced him very slowly - we haven’t really asked him to win any classes yet, as we’ve targeted the rideability instead, so I’m really glad it came together today.”

The pair picked up their qualification for next month’s FEI World Breeding Championships in Lanaken in Belgium. “That was a big goal for the horse for this year, so now we’ve got our ticket we’re one step in the right direction,” added Jessica.

In the Al Shira’aa British Four Year Old Championship, 19 of the 39 starters produced a double clear to take a share of the £2,000 British Showjumping bonus. The second round was judged on style and performance by Carron Nicol and Robbert Ehrens, who scored the horses based on their jumping technique, natural ability, future potential and rideability.

Their chosen winner was Jade Meager’s British-bred stallion Picture Perfect MJ Scaldia (by Hardrock Z and out of Esielottie), ridden by Louie Cunningham. “He has all the qualities of a future championship horse,” said Louie. “It’s only his second official show for this horse but the atmosphere was perfect, he felt amazing in the warm-up and he put on an absolute show for everybody.”

The Wrexham-based rider was full of praise for the new home of the British Young Horse Championships. “I think the Hickstead team have done a phenomenal job of taking over the show, and making it special. The rings are incredible and my horse felt unbelievable here jumping off the fantastic surfaces here at Hickstead.”

In second place was Nicole Pavitt and Umberto 11 Van Het Geinsteinde, with Nicole Lockhead Anderson and Commeet Van Het Dingenshof Z taking third.

The Billy Stud put forward a £5,000 bonus prize for the highest placed four year old bought from one of their auctions, which went to Chris Warren’s Billy Everything, ridden by event rider Isabelle Cook, who is the daughter of Olympic rider Tina Cook.

Thirteen horses shared the £2,000 British Breeders' Prize for British-bred horses who jumped double clear in the final.

The first competition to take place in Equine America Ring Three was the Six & Seven Year Old Consolation Final, which went to Maggie Hill and Al Shira’aa Farm’s SS North Star, who is by Big Star and out of Tolita.

For full results, click here.