LAOIS show jumping rider James Chawke won two three-star classes at the Blenheim Spring Classic II in San Juan Capistrano, California, USA last Friday. Riding his own grey gelding Gamble, he galloped to victory in the $7,500 1.40m Silver Tour Speed Stake on Thursday before returning to lead the victory lap in the $25,000 1.45m Silver Tour Classic.

On their way to the win in Friday’s featured class at the Rancho Mission Viejo Riding Park, Chawke and Gamble were one of 19 entries to contest the first-round course set by course designer Guilherme Jorge, with four making it through to the jump-off.

First to go against the clock, Chawke guided Gamble to a fast clear in 41.44 seconds, leaving nothing to chance and winning and almost three seconds ahead of the USA’s Laura Hite with Chagall de Toscane (0/0 44.15).

Pressure

Speaking afterwards, Chawke said: “There were a couple riders like Matt [Archer] coming after me, and I didn’t want to leave the door open if I could avoid it. I wanted to put enough pressure on that they would have to chase me a bit. [Gamble] is quite a quick horse. He likes to run and jump as well; he doesn’t like to go more comfortably, even in the first rounds. He always tends to be running at all of it.”

While Chawke purchased the 12-year-old Dutch Warmblood gelding more than four years ago, it was only this past winter that the duo really started showing consistently, racking up top results at the Desert International Horse Park. “I got him at the end of his seven-year-old year when he was just turning eight. He’s always been one of those horses that has just always been on the backburner a bit – between Covid and different things and even the [EHV-1 outbreak] last year, we never really got to do that much with him consistently,” explained Chawke.

“This is kind of the first winter that I’ve done something with him constantly, rather than doing a show here or there and me travelling and him being left off for a while. We’ve been together a long time, but this is maybe the most consistent work we’ve done with him. It’s paid off in his results now with how consistent he’s been.”