The Open Show took place at Geldeston Hall on Sunday 19th June. Pre entries were very low but the good weather on the day brought competitors out and we had over 120 competitors and horses taking part.
It was also great to see so many of our own members doing well.
Sally Bircham & 'Jimmys Friend'
Show jumping was exceptionally busy keeping Tony Mallett (course builder) Stella and Georgia Cattermole (judges) and the rong assistants busy throughout the day. We trialed single phase in a few classes this year to try and ease the mad dash between showing and jumping. A 100cm class was also added to the schedule. Six competitors contested this class and it was our very own Thom Grayston and ‘Denser’ who took first place with a double clear and just 0.56 secs quicker than Thea Hall and ‘Fairy Story’.
In fact members took first place in all but one show jumping class with Davina Cattermole and ‘Hugo Boss’ doing particularly well winning two and being second in her three classes.
In the In Hand showing classes Angela Fleming and her beautiful grey arab ‘Daring Dream’ did well winning both the Youngster and Breed classes.
Anela Fleming & 'Daring Dream'Dream' did well winning both the Youngster and Foreign Breed classes.
Our long time stalwart member Ruth Harris and ‘Dan’ (who is 26 years young) had another successful show winning the In Hand and Ridden Veteran classes and the All Rounder. They then went on to take the Utility Championship with member Lauren Tattersall and her new pony ‘Little M’ taking the Reserve Utility Championship having qualified taking second place to Ruth and ‘Dan’ in the Ridden Veteran class.
Our Novelty classes were well supported and gave the judge, Tanya Rowe, a tough time making her choices. Best Young Handler was taken by Lauren Tattersall and ‘Little M’.
The Ridden Showing classes were significantly lower in entries this year which was a shame although the quality of exhibits was excellent. We introduced a Ridden Maxi Cob this year after several years of requests but disappointingly only one entered.
Carol Johnson & 'Noir Lad' Reserve Supreme Champion with Judges Lesley Bradfield & Tanya Rowe
The Ridden Showing Championship went to a beautiful grey Irish Draught ‘Noir Lad’ ridden by Carol Johnson who qualified by winning the Open Show Hunter class. The Ridden Supreme Reserve went to Kelly Chaston on ‘Uptown Molly’ who qualified by winning the Piebald & Skewbald class.
The Working hunter classes were also disappointingly low on entries with none being presented, for the second year, in the Nursery Stakes. Members again did well winning all but one of the Working Hunter classes with Kelly Chaston being particularly busy. She rode ‘Checkmate’ to win the Working Cob class, ‘Uptown Molly’ to win the Green Working Hunter 70cm class and Blue Topaz to win the Open Working Hunter 80cm class. I’m not sure how they then decided the Working Hunter Championship with Kelly having qualified three horses but she won the Championship with ‘Blue Topaz’ and Erin Reeve with ‘Aoife Star’ taking Reserve after winning the Green Working Hunter Pony class.
We are very grateful to the qualifying competitors that stayed for the Supreme Championship which took place at 4.30pm and was judged by Lesley Bradfield and Tanya Rowe. After careful deliberation Kelly Chaston and ‘Blue Topaz’ took the Supreme title and Carol Johnson and ‘Noir Lad’ the Reserve.
Congratulations to all our successful competitors and thank you to everyone that supported the show. We are extremely grateful to our ring sponsors E.H.Haylage (Show Jumping), Chapelfield Vet Clinic (In Hand), Phillips Bedding (Utility and Novelty), NFU (Ridden Showing) and Juddpurs (Working Hunters and Championships) and to Topcrop who provided the prizes for the Hunter classes. We must not forget to thank all our donors for their generosity in providing prizes for all class winners.
Thank you to our judges Mrs S Cattermole and Miss G Cattermole (show jumping)Mrs A Green (In Hand), Mrs A Monk (Ridden), Ms T Rowe (Utility and Novelty) and Mrs L Bradfield (Working Hunters). Also to all our stewards and other volunteers without whom we could not run the show.
Hope to see you all again next year.
Supreme Champions 'Blue Topaz' ridden by Kelly Chaston with judge Tanya Rowe
CLICK HERE for full results
Don’t forget that the Cattermole family have very kindly donated a new trophy in memory of their wonderful pony Greenlinks Portia who sadly passed away last year after many, many years of attending our club events. This will be awarded to the most successful junior member at the Open Show. It will be presented at the AGM & Presentation Evening in November. The points have as yet to be calculated.
Photos courtesy of Chris Doyles Photography. There are many more to view on his web site.
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Many thanks to everyone who worked so hard to make the show run so smoothly, before, on & after the day. Also, the amount of work that must have gone into the gaining of sponsors & prizes was phenomenal. They were very generous, especially all those pairs of very useful bamboo socks to all those placed in the all-rounder class given by Just Jumpers. Even the organiser in charge of the weather got it right!!!
Ruth
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