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championships, winners of each of the sections went forward to compete in three Supreme Championships for Ridden, Working Hunter and In Hand.
The Supreme Products Trailblazers In Hand Supreme Championship was claimed by Alicia Houlihan and Sunshine Goddess, known as Tia. This was 16 year old Alicia’s third visit to Trailblazers and the best one to date, competing in working hunter, dressage, in hand and ridden showing!
‘Tia’ is a 17 year old Haflinger mare who was imported from Belgium as a 7 year old and was a brood mare until she was 13 and was only brought into work when she was 14. “When we first got Tia she used to buck - a lot! I remember one of the first lessons on her I fell off six times!” said Alicia.
This year’s Supreme Working Hunter Championship went to Michele Daggers and Rhythm and Jazz. The 15.1hh lightweight cob is a full Irish Draught, has been with Michele for just 18 months and is ridden by both Michele and her husband. “She is fast, whizzy and a fun horse to ride, but she also give us both loads of confidence”, said Michele who is based in Lytham in Lancashire. We are both hoping to qualify for the finals
Timoney Orritt and Blackley Rolo, Albion Senior on Ponies Trailblazers 85cm Champions
next year as it was such a good atmosphere. I was amazed how friendly everyone was at the show and it seemed that people were there to have a good time regardless of the results.”
Having competed previously at Trailblazers dressage - this was Michellle Henson’s first outing in the showing and it resulted in her claiming the Supreme Ridden Championships with Broadstone
Darwin. Michelle qualified at Solihull and is aiming to return to Trailblazers 2018.
Following a turnaround of the show ground, the second half of the SEIB Trailblazers Championships commenced on the Wednesday 2 August.
Albion Show Jumping Championships took place over four days, again beginning with warm up classes. As always Trailblazers provided superb courses built by international course designers Paul Connor and Nigel Jess and included show jumps from 2012 London Olympics.
Griffin NuuMed Combined Training Championships were hosted on the Thursday and Friday. This discipline tests a rider’s proficiency in both dressage and show jumping. Dressage was competed in the Royal Arena with the show jumping held in the main arena and over the two days, points were awarded in round 1 and round 2 with Champions and Reserve Champions being determined on the Friday. All championships were hotly contested and in the presentation line up there were many emotions as riders relished their sense of achievement SEIB Trailblazers Championships.
This was the third time Sammie O’Brien has attended the SEIB Trailblazers Championships, and she finally secured a championship title, coveted rug and sash with Xanadu in the Albion senior 85cm. But the journey to get here with this home-bred Holsteiner xThoroughbred mare has been fraught with injury.
Gemma Butcher and Daintree April, Griffin NuuMed Trailblazers Combined Training Preliminary Champions
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“The first two years we came here we either had lots of poles down or we got eliminated but we then found out she had a
kissing spine – and frankly, I thought we’d never compete again,” said Sammie, who also celebrated her birthday at this show. The 12-year-old mare endured an operation where two dorsal vertebrae were removed and she took 10 months to recover. “She returned to work 12 months ago and was still having physio sessions and I really thought she’d never jump again, but this is a great comeback,” said Sammie, a PE teacher based in Essex.
Timoney Orritt claimed victory from the front with acute angles and tight turns to win the second round of the Albion adults on ponies 85cm on Backley Rolo, and the win secured the championship. “This win is a bit of a shock, I wasn’t expecting it, but he’s a star and always listens to me,” said Shropshire- based Timoney, 17, who has ridden the 13-year-old Rolo for eight years. When I went to try him it was pouring with rain and dogs chased him, but there was just something about him – he was five and I was nine, but we learned together.”
Penny Griffin made dreams come true winning the Albion seniors on ponies 65cm title on Kissemmie Sovereign. “I started riding aged 11 and always wanted to win rosettes but my ponies were never good enough, so when I got the chance I bought a good one. He did everything that was said on the advert and he’s never let me down – any mistakes are mine,” said Penny, who bought the 15-year-old 10 years ago.
She continued; “Sovereign was a handful at first. When we turned him out we couldn’t catch him for six weeks, but one day as I was gardening, he jumped the fence and stood with me; from that day on we clicked,” added Penny.
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