Katie Bradburne races to a HOYS Blue Chip Pony Newcomers win
Katie Bradburne scythed ultra-tight turns and a breath-taking final gallop to the last to secure the Blue Chip Pony Newcomers title at Horse of the Year Show with Claire Crossman’s Shovern Inca.
It marked the second Blue Chip Pony Newcomers victory in two years for the Bradburne family; Katie’s elder brother Thomas won the 2021 title on Derryinver Rocky.
“I’m so happy, especially with the pony, he’s still very novice,” said Katie, emotional over her first HOYS title. “The atmosphere and the crowd are amazing, it’s something you never forget.”
The 10-year-old British Bred Shovern Inca – bred by Jill Webb – is by Eros, the stallion son of Diarado and out of a Wrayton Boaz mare.
Twenty-seven hopeful competitors came forward over course-designer Ben Townley’s 1.20m track with five negotiating every fence cleanly to qualify for the jump-off, an on-form Hollie Gerken bringing two ponies through.
Hollie set a sensible target on the promising but still novice Velini 6-year-old Velini’s Silver Star but Katie slashed the time by more than three and a half seconds with daring turns and a risky, gasp-inducing gallop to the final vertical, the punchy line executed at an acute angle.
“My coach, Fiona Hobby, told me to go for the last. I was nervous in the jump-off but even more nervous when Hollie went in [last to go on her second ride],” said Katie, 15, who used all her skills learned from racing parents, ex-jockeys Mark Bradburne and Gee Armytage. “I definitely want to stick to showjumping, not racing.”
Hollie chased hard on Jennifer Hudson’s 11-year-old Ballycarrow Mirahs Sparrow and was deceptively fast following similar lines but stopped the clock 0.46 seconds in arrears to slot into second ahead of her other ride Silver Star in third.
“I thought at one time Hollie would catch me, but I was so quick to the last and that’s what got it [the win],” said Katie, who started riding the Eros III 10-year-old ‘Inky’ in January, taking over the reins from Thomas.
“He was very green when Thomas rode him, and we struggled with the rideability but we’ve worked on it and he keeps improving – it showed today! I’m so proud of him,” said Katie.
Hollie Gerken claims her second HOYS title in the Equine Rescue Services 138cm with Another Barney
Hollie Gerken has enjoyed a tremendous Horse of the Year Show and captured her second major title in two days with the Equine Rescue Services 138cm Championship on Another Barney.
Only two days earlier, Hollie was crowned Leading Pony Showjumper of the Year with Ramiro High Society.
Twenty-three hopeful competitors tackled the 1.25m course but only three answered every question to qualify for the jump-off.
Portia Taylor-Wilson looked to be setting a serious target for the following two riders but the audience broke out with cheers as she approached the final fence and Whitethorn Smokey toppled the top rail of the vertical.
Hollie, who had claimed an amazing 10 qualifying HOYS places, also picked up second in the Pony Foxhunter and second and third place in the Pony Newcomers, looked cool and confident as she rode into the ring aboard the 9-year-old Another Barney, who finished second in this Final two years ago with Tabitha Kyle in the saddle.
Another Barney is by West Country Sport Horses’ Filesco, the stallion son of Boss VDL, who traces back to Indoctro and Nimmerdor with Phin Phin on the dams side, and out of pony mare Patch, breeding unknown.
Hollie exuded assurance and self-possession as she executed smooth yet tight lines, posting a clear round and beating Portia’s time by 1.62 seconds. It proved to be the only double clear, last to go Alfie Diaper faulted on Go Fast D’Argan to finish third.
News Kindly provided by British Showjumping
Images courtesy of 1st Class Images
