BELGIUM (by Jo de Roo) At the conclusion of the showjumping WBCYH in Lanaken on Sunday, September 24, horses registered with German studbooks claimed the majority of the medals in the three age groups, in particular Oldenburg, Holsteiner and Brandenburg. However, two of the golds, for 6yo and 7yo, went to ISH and BWP, respectively, with SF and KWPN winning one silver medal apiece.
Starting with the youngest age-group, won by the five-year-old Chilli (Colestus x Colorit), it should be mentioned that the course was extremely difficult. Of the 46 horses, only seven remained faultless in the first round and qualified for the jump-off, with the double and triple combinations causing the majority of problems and faults.
In referencing the sires of the participants, Numero Uno was represented by three descendants, plus Arezzo VDL, Zirocco Blue VDL, Quality Time, Plot Blue and Casall each had two in the final.
After three days of competition, one of Great Britain’s young horse specialists, showjumper Pippa Goddard and the Brandenburger Chilli won the five-year-old championship title in fine style. Bred by Erich Schock, the pedigree of Chilli’s sire, Colestus, sees a combination of the progenitors Cornet Obolensky/ex Windows van het Costersveld, Stakkato and Pilot. According to Goddard; “I am from Canterbury, in the south of England and just ride young horses for a living, nothing older than seven. Chilli is amazing. She is super fast and super care- ful.” In partnership with Sally Hopkinson, Chilli participated in several CSI one-star lasses for young horses in Vejer de la Frontera, Spain before Goddard took over the reins during the summer. Since then they have finished second in a CSI-YH two-star class in Valkenswaard before their victory in the non-British-bred five-year-old final at the British Show-jumping Young Horse Championships at Adding- ton Manor, Buckinghamshire. Chilli’s owner, Thomas Williams, bought her in Europe as a three-year- old...
