Blue Chip Grand Prix Report
Published: 09-Apr-2024
The Blue Chip Championships took to its new home at Addington Equestrian Centre, Buckingham this year for its traditional Gala night. Jamie Wingrove had the audience on the edges of their seats, as he performed a perfect round in the Blue Chip Grand Prix to take the win on Viv Thompson’s Marvin II.
“I didn’t expect to win, and everyone took similar lines, I just kept tight and quick, there was nothing else you could do, but taking out a stride to the final Blue Chip oxer helped and Marvin didn’t feel like he was going to touch a fence,” said Jamie.
A competitive class of 41 competitors competed over a 12-fence 1.40m track designed by course builder, Nigel Jess. Sixteen of the starters posted a clear round.
To add even more excitement to the class PRB Horseboxes were offering and added bonus of £2,000 to the top three riders who placed in the Blue Chip Pro Challenge Trophy who went onto win the Grand Prix. Lucky winner Sandy McLean had two chances at becoming the bonus winner.
“The course wasn’t big, but it had wide oxers off the corners, you horse had to be ridable” Jamie said, who was first drawn to jump off so setting the bar high from the start for all other riders.
This daring rider tested Marvin II the Kannan x Wolkensdream 12-year-old with tight lights and an optimum pace.
He stayed ahead and went to win by 1.27 seconds despite the challenges. Two of the riders who were in the line for the bonus, Sandy on Eagele Z and Sam Oliver on Gluck both beat the winning time but at the expense of a pole.
The only other rider in line for the bonus, Phillip Miller, went on to place second on Don Royale with Adam Taylor just on his tail on Gangster II to take third.
Jamie and Marvin have only been partners for 18 months, with Marvin coming to Jamie at only Foxhunter level.
“He’s had a couple of good results in world ranking classes in Oliva Novo, Spain and this was his first big show since Christmas and a lovely show to get going for the summer season ahead.
There were plenty of fast riders in the jump-off, but he’s got a good stride on him, and it worked in our favour,” said Jamie.