Current Isle of Man Sportswoman of the Year, Yasmin Ingham, notched up her first British Eventing Senior title at the Burnham Market International Horse Trials in Norfolk last week.
This event was put on to replace Blenheim Palace Horse Trials, which was cancelled this year due to the Coronavirus pandemic, which hosts the British Championship for 8 and 9 year old horses, as well as a CCI4* long Autumn three day event. Like every Sport, Eventing was suspended during the Spring and early Summer, and recommenced in July, under very strict COVID-19 rules.
After notching up some very impressive results on her string of horses, owned by Island Resident Sue Davies, Ingham had three horses entered at the event. Rehy DJ, on whom she won the Under 21 British Championship in 2018, and Sandman 7, who she partnered to victory in the under 25 British Championship at Bramham last Summer, who both contested the CCI4*L competition, and Banzai Du Lior, a French bred 9 year old gelding, who has already won two national events since the recommencement, and started as one of the favourites to win the 8 and 9 year old Championship.
After posting a career best Dressage score of 22.3 on Banzai Du Lior, leaving them in second place after the completion of this phase, they went on the following day to post a clear around the very influential showjumping course. The final day’s cross country phase was run in reverse order, with Ingham, and then leader Izzy Taylor riding Hartaker, knowing that they had to complete the 6 min 45 second course clear and under the optimum time.
She duly kept her cool and produced a very flowing round on the long striding Banzai, and came home well within the time, leaving the pressure on Taylor, who was going very well until half way round the course, when her horse picked up 20 penalties for refusing an obstacle. This handed the win, and the British title to the 23 year old Manx woman, who is the youngest rider to win this very prestigious Championship, former winners being mostly Olympic medallists – William Fox-Pitt,, Mark Todd, Jonelle Price and Piggy French. This class is usually an indicator of the up and coming horses being produced for the top level of the Sport, and the Paris 2024 Olympics are on the radar for Banzai Du Loir and Yasmin.
In the CCI long format competition, where the Dressage runs over the first two days, and then a longer cross country test on the third day, with showjumping on the final day, both Rehy DJ and Sandman 7 scored sub 30 Dressage Tests, leaving them in the top 15 going into cross country.
Both horses posted clear rounds, well within the optimum time, which moved Sandman 7 into 8th place and Rehy DJ into 11th.
After passing the final horse inspection, again both horses posted clear rounds in the showjumping, which again proved very influential, and after riders above had poles down, Ingham finished in 6thplace with Sandman 7 and 8th place with Rehy DJ.
These results have pushed the young Manxwoman into 7th place in the overall Senior British Eventing points rankings for 2020, just behind current World Champion Ros Canter, and multiple 5 star winner Oliver Townend, and she has 3 horses ranked within the top 13 in the 2020 Top Horse Points League, with another month of the Season remaining.
Yasmin said of her success “ I am thrilled to win this very prestigious Championship on Banzai Du Loir. He gives me goosebumps when I ride him, as he is so talented. I’m so excited to see what the future brings with him, as I feel he could go all the way to the very top. I cannot thank Sue and Janette enough for giving me the ride on him”
“In Eventing it is so rare to get all three phases perfect in one competition, so I feel extremely satisfied to finish on my Dressage score on all three horses, as well as them all finishing in the top 10. I am making the most of it for sure!”
Follow Yaz on:
Twitter @YasminEIngham
Facebook: YasminInghamEventing
