Riders from the length and breadth of the country gathered at Hartpury Arena, Gloucestershire for five exhilarating days of competition at this year’s Blue Chip Winter Showjumping Championships. In its 25th year, these Championships can be where dreams are won or lost and this year has proved to be no exception.
13 year-old Jessica Howard from Huntingdon, Cambridgeshire hit a winning streak. She gained the Pony of the Year Show Novice title with Claire Darwin’s Rocky Robin, a 9 year-old grey gelding and just days later, scored an amazing double here at the Blue Chip Winter Showjumping Championships.
The pair won the Animo Pony Novice Championship title by an incredible five seconds, coming home in just 29.20 seconds. They then went on to claim the Animo Pony Discovery Championship producing another double clear in a time of just 24.69.
“We have so much trust in each other, I knew I could pull off the tight turns and he has a great length of stride,” said Jessica, who has ridden the Irish-bred nine-year-old since July.
