Winners Crowned as Week One Wraps at Bolesworth International, Presented By Al Shira’aa

Following Anthony Condon’s victory in the CSI3* Grand Prix on Sunday, attention turned to the final classes of the week 1 schedule, featuring Amateurs, Under 25s, 7 Year Olds, and the final CSI3* 1.45m Longines Ranking class of Week One.

In the CSIAm-A 1.05m Final, sponsored by Balfours, it was local rider Grace Wallace who reigned victorious, continuing her winning streak aboard Victoria Wallace’s 16-year-old mare, Eau Claire V.

Having claimed the same class in 2023 and narrowly missing out last year, Wallace reflected on what the win meant:

“I’ve been coming to this show with her for the last few years and she absolutely loves it here. She just lights up in the big ring. Taking the win again today is incredible – she’s an older mare that is still on top form and loving the job, and that means the world to me.”

In the hotly contested CSIU25 1.40m Final, sponsored by D&H, it was Harriet Hodge aboard Lethal Weapon who produced the only double clear in the jump off to take the win.

Having only partnered with the horse for ten months, Hodge was thrilled with their performance:

“It feels amazing – he jumped his heart out. He just loves it, which you can see as he’s going around. I couldn’t have asked anything more from him.”

Having qualified him on during Friday’s class where they placed 9th, Hodge planned to give him a couple of days off, plenty of grass, with the aim to keep him fresh, which paid dividends today.

The final Longines Ranking Class of Week One, the CSI3* 1.45m Jump-Off sponsored by Grosvenor Insurance, saw 77 combinations take to the International Arena. Just three managed clear rounds, seeing USA’s Skylar Wireman and Great Britain’s Joseph Stockdale and Michaela Scott go head to head in the jump off.

USA Skylar Wireman threw down the gauntlet producing a fast clear with Michaela Scott rolling a pole on an oxer, and Jospeh Stockdale racking up 9 faults seeing a win for the USA, the first time the American National anthem has been played at the show this year.

Fresh out of the ring, Wireman said she had a feeling that today might be her day, having had a fence down in the qualifying class, but ‘’he felt amazing and like he could take a win this week, having won a Ranking Class at Sentower Park last week’’.

With the horse being so naturally fast, and him usually being her speed horse, she knew she needed to lay down a solid, fast jump off round to stay ahead of the Brits.

Currently training with Laura Kraut and Nick Skelton, both encouraging Wireman to enter Bolesworth as a key show for her first year competing in European over the Summer, Skylar will be a key contender to watch as the show progresses into week 2.

All eyes now focus on CSI4* action, returning to Bolesworth for the first time since 2019 thanks to the extended partnership with HH Sheikha Fatima bint Hazza bin Zayed Al Nahyan and the Al Shira’aa team.

Reflecting on a fantastic week, Show Director Nina Barbour said:

” The standard of competition has been exceptional this week, and I’d like to thank all the riders, owners, grooms and visitors for their support. Enormous thanks also go to our title partner Al Shira’aa and HH Sheikha Fatima for their unwavering commitment to the show and to the development of the sport in the UK and beyond. We now look forward to a fantastic second week of top-class international CSI4* competition”