This year’s Derby was a community supported affair, that despite the reduced number of entries compared to previous years, proved to be a great and sold-out spectacle for us all to enjoy. Throughout the week the atmosphere was fun and friendly, with top show-jumpers sitting in the stands to support their fellow riders. Today was no different. The crowd got behind the riders and the championship classes were all full of suspense.
The big 1.5m class proved the most exciting of all, with Liam Stevens and the wonderful Nissan Wanda going clear as the first competitors into the arena. When Rainer Korber also produced a clear as only the third competitor in the class, it looked like it might be a big-jump off. However, the only other clear throughout the entire class was Carl Boonzaaier on Callaho Casparon. Kelly O’Connor, last year’s winner, on her special mare Hera van der Bien finished in tied fourth alongside Dominey Alexander on Athena and Ronnie Lawrence on Gillian van Orshoff. They all had four faults.
In the jump off Liam Stevens was first to go, and had an unlucky pole down leaving him on four faults. Rainer Korber and Clouny 3 entered the arena next and went clear. Carl Boonzaaier unfortunately also had a pole, and a refusal at the final fence, leaving Rainer victorious in Derby 2019 with the only double clear of the show. Congratulations Rainer and Clouny 3!