DESPITE being the newest combination in the championship, Polly Coles and Bloomfield Valhalla teamed and gave a polished performance to clinch the 2018 National Hunter supreme accolade at Addington Manor.

Jayne Ross originally rode Valhalla and Bloomfield Excelsior (Jack Of Diamonds) to win their respective open middle and heavyweight classes.

Both horses have recently been purchased by Coles mother Debbie Harrod, so as Ross elected to stay on Excelsior for the championship, the reins of Valhalla (stable name Richie) went to Coles.

Having already ridden Valhalla in a recent championship at Three Counties Show, and with growing confidence, Coles upped her game to take the open title, which gave them entry into the final evening performance for the National overall supreme championship.

“There’s nothing like being thrown in at the deep end. I haven’t done a supreme show for eight years, so I had to think fast. Richie has wonderful paces and exceptional manners, so I just used the whole arena to show everyone how good he was,” said Coles.

The pair certainly impressed supreme judges Rosemary Hetherington, Mary Low and Jane Pybus, as they awarded Bloomfield Valhalla the winning score of 26 out 30 marks.

Both horse and rider had upgraded in style, as Coles was amateur hunter champion eight years ago with Redwood Ash (Buzz), who retires at the end of the season and Valhalla was novice champion here with Jayne Ross last year.

The open hunter divisions were brimming with Irish-bred horses and gaining top three places were the Windsor winner Church Rock Cashel (Cuileog Cashel) in the small division, second placed lightweight Ducketts Grove (Golden Master) and the James Nash-bred Bloomfield Bespoke (Future Trend) who came third in the heavyweights.

A real star

Novice classes also sported plenty of Irish breeding and Camilla Davies seems to have found a real star in her amateur home-produced champion Glenkeeran Dance In The Deep (Fintan).

On his fifth birthday, this son of Crosstown Dancer, who was bought from breeder Maria Melvin at Dublin last year again went beautifully and turned many heads.

After a winning start at North of England on his British debut, this mannerly and free-moving chesnut has steadily been amassing an enviable ribbon haul.

“I’ve waited a long time to find a horse like this. Fintan has a real zest for life,” said Camilla.

Two new age classes boasting a top prize of £1,000 for the winning four and five-year-olds were eagerly awaited.

Sadly, just two four-year-olds came forward, some riders thinking this championship came a little too early in the season for the younger horses.

However, Robert Walker has had good results with Jill Day’s four-year-old winner Northern Pride (Power Blade).

“He’s a real gent and nothing seems to faze him,” said Walker. Heather McCloy’s runner-up KBF Knockmore is another showing great potential, this upstanding youngster is by KEC Maximum Joe out of Garrison Nancy.

Claire Oliver topped the five-year-old section riding Emma Gibson’s novice lightweight winner Lackaghbeg Augustus Star. The son of Emperor Augustus was originally bought out of Gorsebridge as a foal by Freda Newton and Gibson purchased him a year ago.

“He’s really matured and deepened over the winter and we hope to do some autumn hunting soon,” said Gibson.

Both the champion novice and reserve came from the heavyweight division, Jayne Ross taking the tricolour with Jill Marsden’s Ricardo Z six-year-old Twinshock Warrior, with Martin Skelton standing reserve aboard Vanessa Ramm’s Lucky Jack, a five-year-old bred by Billy Twomey out of his show jumping mare Latina.

Working hunter classes again proved popular and contenders faced a few tricky lines jumping in and out of the arena.

Despite surviving an awkward jump at number two, Cindy Burnett (nee Henson) topped the HOYS qualifying lightweight class with Scarthill Kingdom.

The Kiltealy Kingdom nine-year-old hunts with the Grove and Rufford hounds, Burnett regularly field mastering from him.

Louise Lyons, made another successful trip across the water to ride Paulette Cooper’s very much in form MJM Laszlo and after finishing second in the heavyweight class to Matt Cooper riding Toronto AZ, Lyons went on to win the working hunter Grand Prix with the son of Classic Vision.

Owner and rider gained another win when the Bramham champion (flat) hunter First Rate (Obelix) topped the novice division.