Former world showjumper Graham Fletcher, now a highly-respected teacher, in addition to a breeder and manufacturer of younger horses, at the coveted Olympic spots and county display entries
We’ve got a powerful British workforce heading to the Paris Olympics – and we’re now within the countdown duration when the whole lot is on a knife-edge.
All was once going nicely in Aachen, with 3rd position within the International locations’ Cup, till later within the week Harry Charles had a crashing fall leading to a hairline fracture to his arm. Thankfully, Harry shall be again driving once more in beneath a fortnight and is indubitably at the Olympic showjumping workforce with Scott Brash, Ben Maher and trade Joe Stockdale.
The selectors had a specifically difficult job this time. Tim Gredley and Rob Whitaker, who each narrowly neglected out, are simply just right sufficient to have made the workforce had such a lot of just right applicants now not been ahead. They’ve rarely put a foot mistaken this 12 months; and Rob, who’s driving with nice adulthood at the present time, has an amazing partnership with Vermento.
Having been excited by a number of Olympics as a rider, trainer and selector, I will’t over-emphasise how a lot starvation there’s to be on a workforce. However in the case of sheer power to get there, the strain was once on every other degree for London 2012.
As it was once a house Video games, house owners and riders put their all into getting there, many making plans years prematurely. With 8 combos going into the general variety, I believed my spouse Tina and Hi Sailor had completed sufficient. Nevertheless it wasn’t to be. Even though Tina went to London, the place the Brits gained a genuinely-earned workforce gold, it was once in that heartbreaking position of first reserve.
Dublin adopted immediately after London with Tina and Sailor leaping one of the crucial few double clears within the International locations Cup. Mockingly, every other got here from France’s Olympic reserve rider Roger-Yves Bost. Double transparent in Dublin is a smart success. However, hand on center, it simplest made us bring to mind what would possibly were… that’s how a lot the Olympics imply to any rider.
Just right success to the workforce in Paris. We’ve had some super shape on the previous 3 Olympics – lengthy might the gold rush proceed.
At the wane
County presentations had been as soon as the mainstay of our recreation. No longer simplest did they provide the most productive prize cash, should you had any British workforce ambitions, your county display shape was once paramount. With the arrival of all-weather surfaces and centres striking on world presentations, their reputation with riders has waned. General, entries are down.
However, when there’s a just right usual of well-presented festival, showjumping nonetheless keeps the general public’s hobby and attracts just right crowds. It’s disappointing, due to this fact, to peer what number of county presentations have given up staging our recreation. Perhaps they simply want some encouragement or recommendation as a result of, for sure, a just right leaping magnificence isn’t as expensive to run as one of the vital dear presentations?
At Nice Yorkshire, the display’s large stadium-like grandstand was once utterly packed for the Cock O’ the North with each and every vantage level taken across the ring.
A lot credit score for showcasing showjumping right here is going to Charles Turbines, whose nine-year tenure as display director is ready to finish. As a committee member, I’ve discovered him an ideal guy to paintings with and extremely receptive to concepts for just right leaping categories.
In Charles’s generation, the prize cash has long gone up, we’ve constructed an all-weather accumulating ring and not too long ago the primary ring flooring has been massively progressed. Drafting in Adrian Kay, head groundsman at York racecourse, has been transformative for the display.
Even after a deluge on Monday night time that might have left the outdated flooring unjumpable, Tuesday’s competition agreed how nicely the going held up. Prolific winner Mark Edwards’ father Martyn was once so inspired, he stated he sought after to thank the organisers.
Just right flooring is so essential when more youthful riders and horses are introduced up on all-weather surfaces, to the purpose that they’re nearly deserting the county grass arenas. So it was once just right to peer a number of more youthful competition taking over the problem of the Yorkshire’s spectacular major ring. Rachel Proudley rode specifically nicely. Now beneath the steerage of Richard Howley, she’s indubitably one to observe.
● What would convince riders to leap at county presentations extra? Write to us at [email protected], together with your identify, nearest the city and nation, for the risk in your letter to look in a approaching factor of the mag
- This unique column can be to be had to learn in Horse & Hound mag, on sale Thursday 18 July
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Credit score: Peter Nixon
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