Too Hot To Trot

The Dilmun Stables held its fifth show jumping league event on Friday and moved to a morning slot to enable some of the riders to get home before Friday prayers.

As it turned out to be an exceptionally hot day an even faster getaway was needed. The classes moved up a gear into all speed classes so the whole event moved along swiftly.

Some of the championship contenders were still away, leaving the remaining competitors champing at the bit to cause some disarray to the leaderboard.

Hamad Almalki was a superstar in his first ever show riding Leon. He claimed a clear round in the Green Class, a brilliant start for the pair. But it was the talented young Kathryn Spink that triumphed for the juniors. Her day started with a win on Spirit in the Junior 1 class, beating herself riding Billy to second place.

The rules for the league determine that any rider who gets placed more than once in a class can only take the points from their highest placing. However, this rule still leaves Kathryn firmly in first place in the Junior League - a clear six points away from her nearest rival, Aimee Keen who held her own at this event, with a third placing in the Junior 1 class astride the lovely Sedona.

Tamara Alomary, who took fourth place in Junior 1 on Skippy, moved into third position in the league, although very close on their tail, only one point behind, is Gabby Chakkos and Nelson as they secured fifth place in this first class.

Hannah VanDer Eyken, though absent from this event, retains her fifth place in the league.

It was Kathryn, Aimee and Tamara, again on Spirit, Sedona and Skippy respectively, that took the top three places in the Junior 2 class, moving them into their league slots. Kathryn is now on 37 points, with Aimee on 31 - making huge ground to be covered by the other contenders to catch up with them.

However, with the sixth league event this Friday, perhaps that ground can be covered. Undoubtedly there will be many returning contenders keen to take up the challenge.

Moving on to the adult classes, Andrea Gowdy riding Tashan, took pole position in Adult 1, and this moved her from fourth place into principal position in the Adult league. Also moving up was Jenna Blakeley rising from fifth to second place, after claiming fifth on Tashan and sixth with Mia Vita in this class, coupled with her third place on Kuwait in Adult 2.

Sharon Nicklin, though gaining points with her placings in the Adult 2 class riding both Mia Vita and Billy, has dropped from second to third place in the league. Fran Downes is now in fourth place, though, with her 20 points is only three behind the leader. The adult league placings are all very close, so anything could happen after Friday's show which again starts at 9am.

Prominent in the placings in the adult classes was Basel Aldossari who took second, third and fourth positions in the Adult 1 class, with Tayar, Spirit and Lollypopp Mann respectively, and again Basel took away the prizes in Adult 2 with his win on Spirit, his second mount of this class Kuwait came second.

Basel and Billy also claimed fourth in this class. Basel, as an instructor at the Dilmun, is entered into a separate league, which is why we don't see his name appear on the Adult league table.

Twin Palms Riding Centre is all set to host its second dressage show of the year, also on Friday. Starting at 9am, there are six classes to be run. The first two are the always popular Working Equitation classes A and B, which are open to all ages. The first includes tots being led but the second class is a bit more challenging with jumping involved as well as manoeuvring round the arena.

There will be 2 Preliminary Tests, again A and B, both open to anyone not previously placed and this week will see a Novice and an Elementary Test run.

Everyone has been practising and is eagerly awaiting the event.

RESULTS AND STANDINGS

Junior 1: 1st Kathryn Spink on Spirit, 2nd Kathryn Spink on Billy, 3rd Aimee Keen on Sedona, 4th Tamara Alomary on Skippy, 5th Gabby Chakkos on Nelson.

Junior 2: 1st Kathryn Spink on Spirit, 2nd Aimee Keen on Sedona, 3rd Tamara Alomary on Skippy.

Adult 1: 1st Andrea Gowdy on Tashan, 2nd Basel Aldossari on Tayar, 3rd Basel Aldossari on Spirit, 4th Basel Aldossari on Lollypopp Man, 5th Jenna Blakeley on Tashan, 6th Jenna Blakeley on Mia Vita.

Adult 2: 1st Basel Aldossari on Spirit, 2nd Basel Aldossari on Kuwait, 3rd Jenna Blakeley on Kuwait, 4th Basel Aldossari on Billy, 5th Sharon Nicklin on Mia Vita, 6th Sharon Nicklin on Billy.

Juniors (Top 5): 1st Kathryn Spink 37points, 2nd Aimee Keen 31, 3rd Tamara Alomary 23, 4th Gabby Chakkos 22, 5th Hannah Van Der Eyken 19.

Adults (Top 5): 1st Andrea Gowdy 23, 2nd Jenna Blakeley 22, 3rd Sharon Nicklin 21, 4th Fran Downes 20, 5th Hamad Fakhrawi 19.