HORSERIDING: WARWICKSHIRE’s Julia Helm scooped top spot in the National Amateur Second Rounds held in Droitwich, Worcestershire.
This year’s event was held at Gracelands Equestrian Centre and saw the final qualification seekers out in force to compete across the 0.85m and 0.95m Second Rounds.
With the National Amateur Championships, held at Aintree Equestrian Centre in Liverpool between November 16-20 looming ever closer, picking up one of the 12 qualification places on offer in each class was at the forefront of everyone’s minds.
The final jump off of sixteen eager horses and riders’ came right down to the wire as penultimate rider Julia Helm from Shrewley, Warwickshire produced an astonishingly fast double clear to cross the finish line on board her 17 year-old bay mare Helms Tolu in 28.59 seconds.
And with the final rider withdrawing, Julia moved straight into first place.
Isobelle Bradley carried over her good form from the 0.85m National Amateur Second Round to ride Charles Duncan’s 18 year-old chestnut gelding, Romero S, into second place with a double clear in 29.10 seconds.
Also showing her consistency from the earlier 0.85m National Amateur Second Round was Natalie Cull from Malvern, Worcestershire who went into third place on board her 14 year-old bay mare, Vienne VIII. This pair posted a double clear in 29.89 seconds.
