The four day British Open Show Jumping Championships galloped into action at the Hallam FM Arena in Sheffield today and visitors flocked from far and wide to enjoy a full day of top-class equestrian entertainment and competition from one of Britain’s premier indoor equestrian events, and they weren’t left disappointed.

The foreign contingent got off to a flying start in the international show jumping at the British Open with the first three places in the opening class, The Steel City Shield, going to Geir Gulliksen of Norway, Samantha McIntosh of Bulgaria and Harry Smolders of the Netherlands. Geir Gulliksen snatched the £1,000 prize for first place on his bay mare, Cortaflex Kristel with a double clear and an unbeatable time of 31.14 in the jump-off. Harry Smolders, who was third in the British Open Championship behind Nick Skelton and Robert Smith in 2004, got off to a promising start to this year’s Championships with third place on Rodenburgh’s Indiana. The best placed British riders were James Davenport in fourth place and Mark Armstrong on Rex in fifth place.

The first leg of the British Open Championship kicked off today with the first round going to Germany’s Franke Sloothaak, who clearly had his eye firmly fixed on the richest single purse in the country – the £25,000 first prize which will go to the overall Champion after the Final on Sunday. The British riders also got a foot on the championship scoreboard with last year’s runner up, Robert Smith, taking second place and the 2003 British Open Champion, Robert Whitaker, taking fourth place. The reigning British Open Champion, Nick Skelton finished in sixth place on Russel.

Nineteen year old Tim Gredley from Newmarket cemented his place as one of the most talented, up and coming young show jumpers in the country when he sealed an impressive victory in the World Class Start & Potential British Young Riders Class, one of the most competitive classes for under 23 year old riders in the country. Tim also won the Young Riders Class in 2003 on the same horse as in today’s victory, Medrano. For the first time at the British Open, Tim will also be competing in the international classes after gaining a place in the line-up through his spectacular performance at the British Open Qualifier held at Addington Manor earlier this year.

Aside from the jumping there were several other equestrian sports in action today under the bright lights of the Hallam FM Arena. The focus changed from jumping poles to polo balls and the British Open’s first ever experience of Arena Polo was definitely a memorable occasion and one which thrilled the crowd as they gained an insight into this thrilling sport. Beverley Polo Club supplied two fantastically skilled teams, named Beverley Blue and Beverley Yellow, who fought a very exciting match which ended 3-5 to Beverley Yellow. The teams included some of England’s top Polo professionals as well as some talented, up and coming younger players. The main players on either side were Jack Kidd and Dean Lines who were constantly battling for the play of the ball. The first match of the Zinc Management European Horseball Challenge was played between Portugal and the European All Stars with the latter team taking the honours.

There are still three action packed days left of the British Open Show Jumping Championships and much, much more to come including the famous Puissance on Saturday Evening and the Championship Final on Sunday daytime plus an array of displays including a breathtaking stunt show by movie stunt rider, Daniel Naprous. Tickets are still available from the Box Office on 0114 256 56 56. More information on the British Open can be found on www.britishopenshowjumping.com

The Hallam FM Arena in Sheffield was the place to be to see some memorable show jumping action as the second day of the British Open got underway today and there is still a full weekend of world-class equestrian entertainment to come!

Seventeen year old Hannah Paul from Hertfordshire won the BEF World Class Start & Potential British Young Riders Classic on Lucky in the opening class of the day. The Young Riders Classic at the British Open topped off three months of intense qualifying competitions held throughout the country for riders under 23 years of age. The victory was an invaluable one for Hannah, not only for the £350 first prize, but also for the £750 training voucher she received. Eighteen year old Sophie Broome from Gwent, who is niece to the legendary show jumper David Broome, was runner up on Carantina. Hannah and Sophie were the only double clears in the class leaving the fastest four faulter, John Crippen from Buckinghamshire, to take third place.

The international riders were in full force in the Accumulator which was contested by riders from all over Europe but it was Keith Shore from Cheshire who snatched the £2,500 first prize with an unbeatable round which saw him gain 65 points in a speedy 50.63 seconds. With a one second slower round, Harry Smolders from the Netherlands was second on Rodenburgh’s Indiana and Geir Guilliksen from Norway took third spot on Clear Round’s Than Party. Yorkshire rider Robert Whitaker, on Karina, was well on course to beat Keith Shore’s time but was unlucky to knock down the all important joker fence and finished well down the placings.

The Grandstand Classic went to lady rider Samantha McIntosh from Bulgaria on Calvaro Star leaving three Yorkshire riders lined up behind her with Robert and John Whitaker taking second and fourth place respectively and Paul Barker in third.

Following their victory against England yesterday, France once again were in unbeatable form in the Zinc Management European Horseball Challenge winning 6-2 against the Portuguese team.

Later tonight the second competition of the all important British Open Championship will take place and all eyes will be on Franke Sloothaak to see whether he can remain at the top of the championship leader board after yesterday’s impressive victory in the first competition.

There is still an entire weekend of action ahead at the British Open Show Jumping Championships and much, much more to come including the famous Puissance on Saturday Evening and the Championship Final on Sunday daytime plus a whole host of spectacular equestrian entertainment including horseball, scurry racing and stunning displays. Tickets are still available from the Box Office on 0114 256 56 56. More information on the British Open can be found on www.britishopenshowjumping.com.

Following Franke Sloothaak’s win in the first competition of the Championship on Thursday, the riders went into the second competition last night in a determined mood, knowing that the points accrued would play an important role in determining if they would go through to contest the Final on Sunday. The world-class standard of the field was apparent when an incredible seventeen riders went clear over the large, technical track in the first round. The competitive jump-off consisted of seven foreign riders including Markus Fuchs, currently ranked third in the world, plus some of the most talented British young riders in the form of Tim Gredley and the Davenport brothers, Richard and James, along with British show jumping legends John Whitaker, Nick Skelton and Robert Smith.

It was the Norwegian, Geir Gulliksen, on Love Z who proved unbeatable in a time of 40.84 but the defending British Open champion, Nick Skelton, was a nail-bitingly close second, on Arko III, in 40.98 and last year’s Championship runner up, Robert Smith, took third place on the in-form grey gelding Kalusha.

The third competition of the British Open Championship will be held during today’s daytime performance, after which a ‘cut’ will be made and only the top twenty riders on the Championship scoreboard will go through to the Final on Sunday. These twenty riders will be jumping for a slice of the £89,250 prize money available for the Championship with £25,000 going to the overall winner.

For full results from the British Open Championships see www.britishopenshowjumping.com

The pressure mounted in today’s third competition of the Championship as the scoreboard standings after this class dictated the twenty riders who would make the ‘cut’ and go through to the Final tomorrow. It was Germany’s Franke Sloothaak (Aquino), winner of the first Championship round on Thursday, who jumped to victory in a time of 56.58 in this one round speed class. Franke was almost seven seconds quicker than Switzerland’s Markus Fuchs (Silver) who finished in second place in 63.50 and Mark Armstrong was a close third in 63.66.

Attention now turns towards tomorrow’s final and it is the young Irish rider, twenty eight year old Billy Twomey whose name will head the scoreboard but he has three of the leading names in international show jumping hot on his heels. Former world champion, Franke Sloothaak, Markus Fuchs, who is currently ranked number three in the world, and British number one, Robert Smith will all go into the Final on just half a penalty behind Twomey. Defending champion, Nick Skelton, will start on three penalties and is still in with a definite chance of recapturing this prestigious title and the £25,000 first prize on his Athens Olympic ride, Arko III.

For full results from the British Open Championships see www.britishopenshowjumping.com

Billy Twomey goes into tomorrow’s British Open final in the lead and Ben Maher wins the British Open Puissance on day three of the British Open Show Jumping Championships at the Hallam FM Arena in Sheffield.

The pressure mounted in today’s third round of the British Open Championship as the scoreboard standings after this class dictated the twenty riders who would make the ‘cut’ and go through to the Final tomorrow. It was Germany’s Franke Sloothaak (Aquino), winner of the first Championship round on Thursday, who jumped to victory in a time of 56.58 in this one round speed class. Franke was almost seven seconds quicker than Switzerland’s Markus Fuchs (Silver) who finished in second place in 63.50 and Mark Armstrong was a close third in 63.66. However, it is Irishman Billy Twomey who will go into tomorrow’s final at the top of the Championship leader board, just half a penalty point ahead of Franke Sloothaak, Markus Fuchs and British number one, Robert Smith. Defending British Open Champion, Nick Skelton is just behind these, on three penalty points, and is by no means out of contention to defend his title and snatch the £25,000 first prize.

The English team emerged the strongest in the first round of the easibed Home International Challenge with all four team members finishing in the top five. The class was won by Lance Whitehouse (England), second place was taken by Andrew Hamilton (England), David McPherson (England) was in third, Emma Shaw (England) in fourth and Sophie Tobin (England) in fifth. The Final of the easibed Home International Challenge will be held tomorrow.

The Thomas Bates & Son International Classic was won by Belgium rider Kristof Cleeren who took the £2,000 first prize. Geir Gulliksen, who has rarely been out of the placings this week, was less than one second slower than Cleeren and finished second on Clear Round’s Than Party. Robert Whitaker picked up his best place so far in this year’s Championships by taking third place on Karina.

An excited, packed crowd got behind the riders in the International Knockout where two riders race against each other over an identical course. John Whitaker on the grey, Lactic II, was the firm favourite with the crowd who cheered him on loudly but although he was fast enough to make it through to the final he found one too speedy in Cheshire’s Keith Shore on Pakko who took the honours.

Going into today’s match in the Zinc Management European Club Horseball Challenge both the French team and the European All Star team had been undefeated following their victories over the Portuguese and English teams and they came out of today’s match still undefeated after drawing five all. England performed well later in the day to score a victory over Portugal in a 10-4 win.

Fourteen riders faced the six foot wall in the first round of the British Open Puissance which included the current indoor Puissance world record holder, Franke Sloothak, whose record stands at 7 ft 10 inches. The class went to five rounds by which time only John Whitaker (Exploit de Roulard) and Ben Maher (Eperlaan de Fouquet) remained in contention but only Eperlaan De Fouquet found the scope to clear the substantial wall which stood at 7 ft 2.5 inches (2m.20). This was a popular win with the Sheffield crowd, many of whom remember Ben winning the HOYS Puissance last year on Eperlaan De Fouquet at the pair’s first ever attempt at this class.

For full results from the British Open Championships see www.britishopenshowjumping.com

In a thrilling climax to the British Open Championship this afternoon, Robert Smith, riding the foot perfect Kalusha, went one better than last year to become the British Open Champion 2005, much to the delight of the packed crowd.

Going into today’s Final the British Open Championship was wide open with Billy Twomey just half a penalty point ahead of three big guns in the shape of Franke Sloothaak, Markus Fuchs and British number one, Robert Smith. The defending British Open Champion, Nick Skelton, was still in with a chance of recapturing his title on a score of three penalty points. However, it was Yorkshireman, Robert Smith, who held his nerve, annihilated the world-class competition with two flawless rounds, and was rewarded with the £25,000 prize and one of the most prestigious titles in British show jumping.

Nick Skelton, on Arko III, was unable to defend his title after a fence down in the first round but did enough in the jump-off to merit second place. Billy Twomey (Anastasia II), runner up in the Championship two years ago, finished in third place after having a fence down in both the first round and the jump-off. Although Markus Fuchs (Granie) went into the jump-off in joint first position with Robert Smith, two fences fell and he was relegated to fourth place, leaving an elated Robert to lift the trophy.

The Yorkshireman was clearly delighted with winning the title in front of his home crowd and only had positive things to say about the British Open, “There were great crowds here today, it was an exceptionally good competition and it is clear that this show is really taking off.”

Other results of the day included a win for the English team (Lance Whitehouse, Emma Shaw, Sophie Tobin, David McPherson) in the easibed British Home International Challenge and Belgium’s Kristof Cleeren (Cardoso Van De Helle) followed up his win in yesterday’s Thomas Bates & Son International Classic by taking The VCR Addington British Speed Stakes. His time of 50.92 was a fraction of a second faster than Jurgen Stenfert (BMC’s Kupido) whose 51.12 was good enough for second place. Franke Sloothaak’s time of 52.30 had held the lead for most of the class and initially seemed unbeatable, finished in third place.

For full results from the British Open Championships see www.britishopenshowjumping.com

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