Carl Hester and Nip Tuck won the international dressage Grand Prix on the second day of the Royal Windsor Horse Show (Thursday).
On form
The team silver medallists team at last summer’s Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games have been on great form of late, and yesterday they produced a polished test to go ahead of Fiona Bigwood and Atterupgaards Orthilia.
This was the third international win for Carl and Nip Tuck this year, although their score fell just half a percent short of the score they achieved in March in Barcelona. “It felt like a personal best to me,” said Carl who owns the Dutch-bred gelding with Jane de la Mare. “I think that is the best he’s ever gone. Last year here he felt so green and this year he felt like a really experienced horse.” The pair are now aiming for selection for this year’s FEI European Championships in Aachen.
Showjumping teen
Britain’s Jordan Marshall claimed her first senior international win at Royal Windsor Horse Show, riding Unique in the CSI1*Thames Speed Stakes. The 17-year-old was drawn late to go in the speed contest and finished with 4sec in hand over runner-up MacKenzie Ray (Audrey). The USA’s Laura Kraut and Thalis de la Rougue claimed their second national show jumping win of the week in the Land Rover GradesB andC Handicap.
Mavis Spencer and Marchello took the Olympic Star Spotters top prize, while fellow Brit Max Routledge (Carus Royale) claimed the Grades A and B Jumping competition.
Showing doubles
For the second year running, Lisha Leeman landed the in-hand coloured championship, this time with the tw-year-old Kellythorpes Kinky Boots.
Russell Skelton, who is based in John O’Groats, took reserve with Freckleton Unbelievable. In the working hunter ring, Oxfordshire-based Libby Cooke took the overall title for the second year running with Douglas Reid-Scott’s Harley Foxtrot.