News

Douglas Duffin delivered the goods on Saturday to take the top spot in the Speedi-Beet HOYS Grade C Qualifier at the Blair Castle International Horse Trials and in doing so, he booked his Championship Final place at the Horse of the Year Show in a few weeks’ time.

Thirty-eight competitors battled it out on Saturday and the class was also the last opportunity to grab one of the three much coveted qualification places available for the Speedi-Beet HOYS Grade C Championship Final. The class proved challenging with faults being collected all over the course and following round one, just four combinations remained in contention. All four of these remaining horses and riders went on to achieve a fantastic double clear.

Douglas, who is from Dollar, Clackmannanshire, made sure that his journey to Blair Castle was worthwhile when he produced the fastest double clear for victory on board Chento D, a 9 year-old bay gelding owned by Fiona Burgoyne. Drawn as the penultimate combination to go in the jump off, Douglas and Chento D put in a tremendous effort to blast through the finish line in just 45.93 seconds with all poles still in their cups.

Alister Hippisley-Gatherum from St. Andrews in Fife took second place with his own 9 year-old black stallion Hitarco Versoe. The pair were drawn first to go in the jump off and they put down a nearly unassailable target when they secured their double clear in 46.45 seconds.

Third place was filled by Martin Arnott from Bishopton, Renfrewshire and he rounded off the podium with Queen Elisabeth, a 7 year-old bay mare owned by Jens Fredricson. A double clear from this combination in 47.67 seconds saw them take the third and final Horse of the Year Show place on offer.

Blair Castle International Horse Trials – Saturday 27th August 2016
Speedi-Beet HOYS Grade C Qualifier
1st Douglas Duffin & Chento D – 0/0 – 45.93 seconds
2nd Alister Hippisley-Gatherum & Hitarco Versoe – 0/0 – 46.45 seconds
3rd Martin Arnott & Queen Elisabeth – 0/0 – 47.67 seconds