Sophie Soars to Victory in World Cup at Champs

Sophie Soars to Victory in World Cup at Champs
 

Sophie Scott may have been the youngest in the field, aboard a horse she’s only competed aboard at five shows, but that didn’t stop her from putting on a winning performance in the POLi Payments FEI World Cup Qualifier at the National Young Horse Championships in Hastings this afternoon.
The 20-year-old from Palmerston North and her grey gelding headed home a small but quality eight strong field in challenging and rather boggy conditions at the Sally Apatu and John Bostock-sponsored champs at the Hawke’s Bay Showgrounds.
The combination sat on four faults after the opening round over the Roger Laplanche-designed course. Right behind them were former series winners Tegan Fitzsimon (West Melton) aboard Windermere Cappuccino and Maurice Beatson (Dannevirke) on Central Park who were both on eight faults, as well as current Olympic Cup holder Brooke Edgecombe (Waipukurau) on the well-performed LT Holst Andrea on 12. Daniel Webb (Hunterville) with WSJ Centaur on 13.
The torrential and very persistent rain eased off a little for the big class of the three day show, but left puggy and slippery ground conditions.
Five combinations came back for the second round where Brooke and Maurice both went clear, leaving the pressure on Sophie who produced a stunning clear to take the win.
“I am so excited,” she said. “He is the sweetest and easiest horse to have around.”
This is Sophie’s first World Cup season, and just her third start in a qualifier. “I just wanted to go well today, and stick to my plan. I never thought I would win a World Cup so fast and definitely not on Skynet!”
Sophie bought the horse without a trial during lockdown. Her mother Tania had loved the horse and said the previous owners to give her a call if they were ever interested in selling.
She credits a lot of her recent success to trainer Jeff McVean.
Sophie also competed aboard Glenbrooke Rich as Roses in the class but didn’t progress from the first round. “He is big, he really struggled in the conditions out there,” she said. “Waitangi Skynet is a lot lighter on his feet. The two are such different rides.”
The horse has previously done World Cup competitions in Australia, but that was some years ago. Maurice filled second spot, with Tegan third.
 
Wendy and Robyn Jacobs won the inaugural Tony Webb Cherokee Breeders Cup as the leading breeder across the age group championship classes. The twins, who own Double J Stud at Takapau had horses in the winning line-up of three of the four championships. They were over the moon. “To win this makes you feel you have made it,” said Wendy. They’ve won the accolade as top breeders at the champs before but this was the first year a trophy has been awarded.
“It is really nice to win,” says Robyn. They have been breeding showjumpers for 13 years and the twins say they hope the best is still to come. “We have some exciting young ones in the paddock at home, so the future will  hopefully be bright.”
 
Jesse Linton won the Leading Rider of the Championships on the back of two titles and plenty of placings. It’s his home show and one he has always done well at with a raft of titles. It is the first time he has won the leading rider crown and he was very happy with the win. “I love what I do,” says Jesse, “and especially with the young horses.”
 
The NZPH Four-Year-Old Young Horse Jumping Championship Final was won by Jesse Linton (Hastings) aboard Frankel who headed home a three-way jump-off for the win. In steady rain, Jesse and Frankel, a warmblood by Cassiano out of Cassablanca bred by the Winchester Trust finished the three days of jumping with a clean slate. The combination also won the style prize. It is the second time Jesse has won the four-year-old championship and just his third outing with the mare. “She is very rideable and easy to train,” he said. “She’s consistent, clean and seems very careful.”
 
The East Coast Performance Horses Five-Year-Old Young Horse Jumping Championship Final set the scene for a brilliant champs for Jesse Linton, bagging his second win in two classes. This time he was aboard Double J Larrikin and again it was a three-way jump-off.
Both he and the breeder Wendy Jacobs said the horse had been a bit of a project, however they agreed he was also a real character.
“He’s a bit unpredictable and very cheeky,” said Jesse, who only rides him at events with Wendy riding him on the farm between shows. “Wendy does a lot of work with him and she is quite the horsewoman, so it works well.”
 
A cool head gave Hannah Bodle (Morrinsville) and Haupouri Galileo NZPH the crown in the UltraMox Six-Year-Old Young Horse Jumping Championship Final (sponsored by Dunstan Horsefeeds). The Morrinsville combination could have won the title in the third round, but a rail at the last forced a four-fault jump-off. Again, she was last to go and held her nerve for the win, finishing with a clean slate. “G is pretty cool,” she said. “I’ve had him since he was a green five-year-old and have really enjoyed producing him this far. I am looking forward to what he does in the future.”
 
Julie Davey headed to her home show just hoping for a place, but instead she and her quirky but delightful LT Holst Freda won the Matthews Hanoverians Seven-Year-Old Young Horse Jumping Championship with the only double clear of the class.
The Hastings rider was very pleased with the efforts of the dapple mare, saying she surely has an exciting future. “It’s always lovely to win a title and quite an achievement for three days of jumping,” said Julie. “I still get nervous coming into these just because I don’t want to make a mistake for Freda.”
The combination also won the style prize. They have previously won the four-year-old title and placed in both the five and six-year-old championships.
 
The Isaac’s Electrical FEI Youth Jumping Competition went the way of Onga Onga 17-year-old Dylan Bibby aboard Magic Dragon who headed home Olivia Newsom (Tauranga) on Charmed Escudo MSNZ. They were the only double clears in the two round 16-strong class but Dylan crossed the flags in 48.42 seconds to Olivia’s 50.17.
A former race horse, Magic Dragon has been with Dylan for around nine months. “He’s a cool and calm horse,” says Dylan. “The plan for the second round was to go clear and faster than the others. It’s a good win – you don’t expect anything really . . . horses can do anything!”
 
Alex Loisell (Hastings) and Haupouri Da Vinci NZPH pulled off a super slick second round to take the bragging rights in the Tony Webb Memorial FEI CSI1* (with Webb Show Jumping). Thirty-one started the class with 15 coming back for the second round – 10 were clear, with the remainder carrying four faults
“Everything just aligned,” said Alex. “I backed myself to win – it is our home show and she was on yesterday. This is what we live for – moments like this. I love my girl. She is not the most conventional in jumping style but always gives maximum effort, likes to move and doesn’t like to touch jumps.” Alex was double clear in 58.85 seconds, with Olivia Newson (Tauranga) and Caretino Jewel the only other clean slate, filling second in 62.33 seconds.