Becky Moody, one of Britain’s top producers of young dressage horses, carried off the £2,000 first prize for winning the NEXGEN seven-year-old championship at Hickstead, West Sussex, on her impressive homebred Jagerbomb.
The Dante Weltino x Jazz gelding - winner of the seven-year-old title at the British National Championships - was awarded a final mark of nine by NEXGEN judges Isobel Wessels and Spanish Olympic rider Severo Jurado Lopez. This was the top score of the three-day show (23-25 September). Becky said: “He’s a total legend. As a four-year-old he was actually a little bit plain and boring, and I nearly sold him - I’m so glad now I didn’t. He was almost lazy when he was very young, but he has a real talent for the grand prix work, and that is what is making him sharper and sharper as he gets stronger. He has the most incredible heart and is such a trier - you can’t fault his temperament. “He went well today - we didn’t quite have the power in the extensions he can sometimes have; they are his weakest link at the moment, and they are a strength thing. But, for a seven-year-old, he’s very solid in the changes and the pirouettes and so on - he finds it very easy. “I really liked the instant, honest but positive feedback from the judges - it was brilliant - and it was great to win such good prize-money. That’s so rare in our sport.” Becky also took third place on Jo Cooper’s Electron x Diamond Hit gelding Jack Diamond with a mark of 7.94. Slotted in between her mounts in second was Sara-Jane Lanning on Hawtins Lirica, a Lemony’s Nicket x Dimaggio mare owned by Nicola Seale. They scored a final mark of 8.26. Dante Weltino also sired the NEXGEN six-year-old dressage winner Swanmore Dantina, who posted a final score of 8.94 under Sadie Smith. Out of a Charatan mare and British-bred by Ben St John James, Swanmore Dantina is owned by Sadie and Steve Reading, and she was another to win her class at the British National Championships recently. Sadie said: “I’ve really enjoyed riding in the NEXGEN series. The specially-written tests are inviting, and I liked the option as to whether to do a flying change or a simple change, depending on what suits your horse at this stage of its training. I took the risk of the flying change today, which obviously paid off today. “I was really pleased with my mare, and this is a great venue with a good atmosphere.” New Zealand rider Sarah Wilkinson was close behind Sadie with a final score of 8.46 on her own Desperado x Johnson mare Koko. Dylan Deutrom took third place in this hotly-contested final with Helen Bell’s King Boy (Dream Boy x United) on a mark of 8.30. The NEXGEN four-year-old championship went to Kerry Mackin and Milano 111. Sandra Baxter’s Dream Boy x Jazz gelding was awarded a final score of 8.44, giving him the edge over second-placed Anna Burns, riding Jo Cooper’s Governor mare Magic Dream, who finished on 8.34. Third was Melissa Chapman on her own Majesteit TCE, an In Style x Tango gelding who scored 7.94. The final class of the show, the NEXGEN five-year-old final, was won by Sarah Rogers. She claimed first and second places on the Bechtolsheimer-bred and owned pair, Full Moon II and Forest Hill, with scores of 8.50 and 8.26 respectively. Full Moon II (Fürstenball x Gribaldi ) was the novice gold winner at the recent British National Championships, franking the form of these NEXGEN finals - which are only in their second year - once again. Sarah, who spent five years working for Klaus Balkenhol and then three in Paris with Marietta Almasy, said: “We’re delighted with both horses’ progress. For such big horses, we are not pushing them too much and bit by bit they feel like they are giving us more and more. “Full Moon is a real gentleman. He loves attention in the stable - he’d be happy if someone would just stay in his stable and cuddle him. We see huge potential in him and love his way of going. Both of the horses go out in the field every day, go hacking, go on the water treadmill - we try to keep it varied for them and give them a happy life. “The NEXGEN series is a great concept, and the final is inviting for these young horses; they get to experience enough atmosphere without it being too overwhelming.” The NEXGEN series of classes for young showjumpers, dressage horses and eventers was launched last year, and riders have praised its format and the excellent prize-money on offer for each of the four age classes at the Hickstead final. NEXGEN director Victoria Wright said: “We’ve had a brilliant three days with great feedback from riders and owners. This is a new series showcasing the very best of British-based equine talent in the three Olympic disciplines, and we have big plans and high hopes for the future; we’d like to emulate Germany’s Bundeschampionat, and we will keep working towards producing an event of that significance. “We were fortunate to secure very well-respected judges for all the disciplines, and spectators particularly enjoyed listening to Severo Jurado Lopez’s insightful and educational feedback after each dressage test.”
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Shirley Light’s Brendon Stud enjoyed great success in the showjumping classes on the third and final day of the 2021 NEXGEN Young Horse Championships (23-25 September) at Hickstead, West Sussex. Shirley bred the Coldstream Seven-Year-Old Final winner, Emma Ziff’s Klent Kick On, who took the £2,000 first prize under Ben Walker. The Warrior stallion is out of the British-bred Caretino Glory mare, Sussex Caretino, who won a lot with Philip Miller, with whom Ben is based. “We bought him as a four-year-old, and he’s quietly come along ever since,” said Ben. “Every show he goes double clear; every time I’ve put him up a level he’s always jumped clear. He’s got the brightest brain - you only ever have to teach him something once, and has the calmest, loveliest temperament. He’s the dream - he’s got everything. “That was probably the last class in which I will take him against the clock - I’m going to spend the next two weeks getting him ready for HOYS, where he’s got the Foxhunter and Talent Seekers’ Finals.” Ben added: “Philip won this class last year on this horse’s sister, so I was under a bit of pressure to do the same today! The prize-money here at NEXGEN is fantastic, and at a really busy time of year, that does help you decide where to aim your horses.” Klent Kick On’s full-brother, the Brendon Stud-bred Klent Spot On, was sixth in the Coldstream NEXGEN Five-Year-Old Final, and Brendon Stud also owned the Coldstream Six-Year-Old Final winner, Pandito Van’T Merelsnest Z. “Wifi”, as the Plot Blue x Larino stallion is known at home, was bought by Shirley Light as a foal, and comes from the same damline as McLain Ward’s 2008 Olympic team gold medal winner Sapphire. Wifi was ridden at Hickstead by Morgan Shirley, who said: “He’s always wanted to jump clear. He’s naturally quick and super-careful. I’ve had a bit of time off, so he’s given me a nice big win to come back to.” “He’s extra-special, and so easy - he has a beautiful temperament.” Shirley Light said: “I think NEXGEN is a brilliant idea, and I will do whatever I can to support it.” The Coldstream Five-Year-Old Final went to Keith Doyle and Renkum Oriana, a chestnut Baloubet Junior x Renkum Off Centre mare. Keith said: “She’s absolutely drop-dead gorgeous to do anything with - an old head on young shoulders. The good thing about her was that when the fences got a bit taller in the second round, she jumped even better than she had in the first round, which is very encouraging. “We’ve had a lot of interest in her, because everywhere she’s gone, she does everything with a smile on her face, which attracts clients. This was Keith’s first visit to the NEXGEN finals, which is in its second year. He said: “I love the format, the show has a great feel and it’s great to be jumping on this surface at Hickstead. The prize-money is great - it exceeds anything elsewhere, and I give a lot of credit to the organisers for that.” Canterbury-based Charlotte Foreman took the Coldstream Four-Year-Old Final and its £1,600 first prize on the Diamant De Semilly x Quickstar mare Diamantine Z. The NEXGEN series of classes for young showjumpers, dressage horses and eventers was launched last year, and riders have praised its format and the excellent prize-money on offer for each of the four age classes at the Hickstead final. NEXGEN director Victoria Wright said: “We’ve had a brilliant three days with great feedback from riders and owners. This is a new series showcasing the very best of British-based equine talent in the three Olympic disciplines, and we have big plans and high hopes for the future; we’d like to emulate Germany’s Bundeschampionnat, and we will keep working towards producing an event of that significance.” images - 1st Class Images   Jack Mantel (Jack Daniels) image: 1st Class Images Jack Mantel stormed to victory in the seven-year-old event horse championship at the NEXGEN finals at Hickstead on Jack Daniels.
The high-quality class, sponsored by Sulby Hall Stud, provided viewers with a thrilling finale to two days of these prestigious young event horses classes. Although world number one and Olympic gold medallist Oliver Townend led after the dressage phase on the lovely Le Lion-bound Valent mare Cooley Rosalent, 26-year-old Jack captured the class with a bold cross-country round and a tremendous final gallop. Les Smith, who judged the class alongside former European eventing champion Tina Cook, said: “Jack Daniels showed a lot of potential. He was perhaps ridden a little too speedily on the cross-country, but he could seriously gallop. You could see him galloping at the end of 10-12 minutes [on a CCI4* or CCI4* cross-country course], and he also showed a load of scope.” Jack Daniels, Dutch-bred by Indorado out of a Kojak mare, was bought by Jack Mantel and his partner Jack Thomas-Watson from showjumper Adam Gillespie last Christmas. Jack, Jack (and Jack) are based at Belsay in Northumberland. His rider said: “I’m absolutely thrilled with him. This was definitely worth the long trip south! “The horse hadn’t evented at all when we bought him; I think Jack [Thomas-Watson] thought he might be his field master’s horse, but not now! He’s been so consistent all year. He’s very talented and honest, and has got such a good brain. He did his first intermediate last week at Allerton and won there, so he’s had a super end to the season.” The pair’s final score of 92.1 gave them a clear margin over second-placed Cooley Rosalent, owned by Paul Ridgeon, who finished on 88.74. New Zealand’s Samantha Lissington took third on Joe and Alex Giannamore’s Senor Crocadillo, a son of Connor out of an Exorbitant xx mare. Oliver Townend also finished fourth on HK Sport Horses’ Monks Othello. Samantha Lissington had earlier won the Barrington Sport Horses five-year-old NEXGEN championship on her own and Sharon Honiss’s Uvera Z. The Quinlan Z x Andiamo gelding just edged out two horses from Wales-based producers GHF Sport Horses - Vicky Tuffs rode CFH Dakar Hill (Dakar VDL x Lux Z) into second, ahead of Fred Powell on Kingsborough Danica (Kingsborough Gladstone x Scribano xx). Samantha said: “‘Party’ was broken-in in December, so he was a late starter. I saw him soon afterwards, just lunged over one fence, and said, ‘Yup, that’s the horse for me’. I just love him to bits. He’s got such a wise brain on a young body. “What I love most about him is that he’s very intelligent but he never uses it against you. He’s super-careful and clever and learns from every little mistake. He was lovely here - there is a lot of atmosphere and he did so well.” This is the second year of the NEXGEN series for young eventers, dressage horses and showjumpers, and both the qualifying format and the Hickstead championships have been very well received by riders and owners. The finals - which continue tomorrow (Saturday, 25 September) at the West Sussex venue - are streamed live via ClipMyHorse.tv, as is the online auction of some of the NEXGEN finalists.
23 September 2021
Isabel White has a serious eventing star of the future on her hands in Kuno SMH, who won the Sulby Hall Stud six-year-old event horse championship at the prestigious NEXGEN finals at Hickstead, West Sussex, today. The Grand Slam VDL son, known at home as “Rolex”, received a winning mark of 84.48 from judges Pippa Funnell and Les Smith, leaving Isabel well clear of the rest of the high-quality field. Isabel, 22, said: “Tim and Antonia Brown brought him over from Holland as a three-year-old, and Ginny and Will Turnbull did a brilliant job in producing him. I got him at the end of his four-year-old career and he came here to the NEXGEN finals as a five-year-old. He’s been brilliant eventing this year; he’s done his first couple of CCI2*s and absolutely flown round. He loves his cross-country, and he was fantastic today. He’s really talented and super-brave. “We had a half-share in him last year, and in the last couple of weeks we’ve bought the rest of him, so now he’s all mine!” Pippa Funnell commented: “I loved the winner - I thought he was beautifully produced, and that Isabel did a great job. He was lovely and light on his feet, and one of the things that struck me from the word go was the horse’s attitude. He was the sort that you would enjoy riding every day. On top of that, he could shorten and lengthen, he was uphill, light on his feet, and galloped well. “I could see the second horse going round a CCI5* as well - I’d take home either of the first two.” Second was New Zealand rider Samantha Lissington, riding Megan Bailey and Toby Gardner’s Contendro gelding Fast Company. They finished on a score of 78.2, just ahead of JP Sheffield and the 2020 NEXGEN four-year-old champion Special K. “Because of Covid, he’d done nothing as a five-year-old, so he’s come a long way this season,” said a delighted Samantha. ‘He’s done five double clears in a row and has qualified for the World Young Horse Championships at Le Lion D’Angers next month. He’s a bit of a dude - a proper one, I think. He certainly ticks all the boxes so far.” This is the second year of the NEXGEN series for young eventers, dressage horses and showjumpers, and riders universally praised the concept and the way in which the Hickstead finals are staged. Samantha Lissington said: “NEXGEN is amazing - it’s so nice even to come and spectate, because you are comparing apples with apples. It’s great to come here and watch and compare all the horses, and educate owners about what we are looking for and what type of horses we might see at future championship events.” The 2021 NEXGEN four-year-old champions were Anna Stillwell and Watervalley Royal Guy. The Loughehoe Guy-sired gelding, owned by James Golob, scored 81.5 from judges Harry Meade and Jane Tolley, narrowly edging out Michael Jackson and Girls Gamble (81). Anna, who rides for Tristram and Connie Owers’ Stanton Park Stud, said: “We’ve only had him in the yard for a couple of weeks. He’s had very few outings, yet he’s been so good today - he jumped so confidently, and I’m super-proud of him. He’s a very chilled character who loves the attention he’s getting now!” Tristram added: “This series is a great concept and gives these young horses such an excellent grounding.” Michael Jackson, who also finished fourth on Clemmie Fraser and Pippa Hornby’s One Fine Day, said: “Girls Gamble is an athlete; very loose in his paces, jumps like a cat and has all the attributes you’d want from a horse to be able to train for the future.” Both of Michael’s horses came from fellow event rider Jodie Amos, who bred One Fine Day and found Girls Gamble in Ireland. Sandwiched between Michael’s rides in third was Eliza Stoddart, who scored 79.5 on the Global Champion TN mare Magical Touch. Judge Harry Meade said: “In these classes you are looking for the all-round event horse with the future in mind, and the winner didn’t have a weakness. He was an athletic type with good paces, a lovely jump and a great attitude. You could see him going up the grades in the future.” All the action from the NEXGEN finals (23-25 September) can be viewed live on ClipMyHorse.tv. There is also an auction of some of the finalists, which concludes at 8pm on Saturday, 25 September, for which bidding can be done via ClipMyHorse.tv. ENDS The attached pictures of Watervalley Royal Guy and Kuno SMH are free to use, but please credit 1st Class Images. For press inquiries, contact Catherine Austen. Tel: 07711362832, email: cfausten123@gmail.com The NEXGEN team are proud to present their inaugural auction as part of the NEXGEN Young Horse series from the 23rd to 25th September 2021. Since its launch in 2020 the NEXGEN Young Horse series has brought together the UK’s best four- to seven-year horses of the three Olympic disciplines which culminates in a young horse festival at the infamous Hickstead Showground. All finalists go through a qualifying process throughout the proceeding months and unify at the final to compete for an overall £52,000 prize fund!
New for 2021 the NEXGEN team will include the inaugural NEXGEN auction with a brand-new innovative concept: All auction horses are qualified finalists and will compete at the final at Hickstead where buyers can watch them live or on the livestream and bid for their favourite online over the three days of the show. Potential buyers will be able to see all horses in a Championship environment without any staged or re-shot auction videos - Total transparency! All horses have undergone a 5-stage vetting and radiography examination which will be available to view for registered bidders on www.nexgenauction.com. The Dressage lots consist of six dressage diamonds and is spearheaded by the 7-year-old KWPN Nourjev son Woodcroft Jamais Noubliez, a consistent young horse winner at 4-,5-, 6-and 7-year-old. He is no stranger to the competition ring and is qualified for the British Dressage 7-year-old Championship at the National Championships 2021. He impressed the judge in the NEXGEN qualifier with his paces and rideability as well as the confidence with which he mastered the challenges of the 7-year-old test - He is ready to compete at Prix St George. He is joined by three top 6-year-olds: The grey KWPN gelding SJL King, is from the dame line of Charlotte Dujardin’s Grand Prix horse Tatler as well as Carl Hester’s Ekitof, with great looks and rideability as well as scores in British Dressage Medium level up to 76%. He has competed at Young Horse Semi-finals, Regional Championships as well as Premier League shows and a top prospect for the future. The chestnut KWPN gelding Kastello by Blue Hors Zack is a beautiful model with three super paces. He is also a great campaigner in the dressage arena winning five out of six British Dressage classes with scores up to 75%. He has also started competed at British Dressage Medium level and is training at the higher levels. Another classy young dressage horse with a bright future. The group of 6-year-olds is concluded with the dreamy Finisterre (by Finest), a dark diamond with three big paces. Finisterre has been aimed at the young horse circuit and has competed at Myerscough Premier League consistently being placed in the top 6. Finisterre shows a huge amount of talent for the highest levels and is ready to take the dressage world by storm. The two rookies of the selection are the 4-year-old SJL Zapphire, a stunning BWP gelding by Blue Hors Zack. This gorgeous young dressage talent has impressed in the NEXGEN qualifier at Arena UK with total composure, showing three elastic paces and a polished performance. The sky is the limit with this young performer. Last but certainly not least in the NEXGEN dressage collection is the 4-year-old KPWN daughter of Spielberg, Marysette SK. Her sire Spielberg needs no introduction being also the sire of several international Grand Prix horses including Olympic Silver medallist Suppenkasper. Marysette SK herself showed her authority in the dressage NEXGEN qualifier at Felbridge Showground delivering a test full of poise, confidence, rideability and talent. This young mare will be a dressage force to be reckon with. If you would like to be part of this completely new auction experience and bid for your potential superstar, you must register to bid. The auction catalogue and bidding information can be viewed on www.nexgenauction.com. All the action from the final including the tests and rounds of the auction collection will be livestreamed on ClipMyHorse.Tv over the three days. Hospitality and general admission tickets as well as general information are available at www.nexgenhorses.com. NEXGEN- Bid for the future |
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