Tag Archives: Al Shira’aa Bolesworth Young Horse Championships

General

Bolesworth Announces Dates for New Summer Tour in 2024

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The Bolesworth International will return in June 2024 as a two-week back-to-back summer festival tour.

Taking place over the 6 – 9 June and the 12 – 16 June 2024, the first weekend of the event will have more of an industry focus, whilst the second will focus on attracting the public with lifestyle and entertainment elements like 2023, as well as an Eventing Grand Prix, Mini Major and Puissance class.

Both weekends will incorporate similar schedules with CSI 3*/CSI 1*/CSI Am/CSI YH (5, 6 & 7yo)/CSICh/CSIP classes, with riders able to take advantage of a total of six Longines Ranking classes over the course of the event, including two 1.55m Grand Prix. 

The Bolesworth Elite Auction will take place on Friday 7 June, with applications taken soon for foals due early in 2024, yearlings and exclusive implanted embryos.

The full schedule will be announced in due course.

The new format for the Bolesworth International means that the Al Shira’aa Bolesworth Young Horse Championships, incorporating the FEI World Breeding Championship qualifiers will unfortunately not take place in 2024.

Nina Barbour, Bolesworth Managing Director said: “We’re hugely excited by this new format and our plans for 2024, as our priority at Bolesworth remains developing equestrian events to a world-class standard now and into the future.

“The decision to not move forward with the Al Shira’aa Bolesworth Young Horse Championships was extremely difficult, and we are hugely grateful for the support we have had from the team at Al Shira’aa and all our other partners to date. All options were investigated to retain the event, but unfortunately, the need to consolidate and use infrastructure for two weeks meant finding a suitable date to run it back-to-back with the International was not possible.

‘We feel strongly that it’s so important for our up-and-coming riders and horses to have opportunities to jump at an international level over more than one week at the same venue; before this, riders have had to travel abroad to find, and look forward to hosting six ranking classes over the 11-day period, including two CSI3* 1.55m Grand Prix’s.”

Iain Graham, CEO of British Showjumping said: “We are very grateful for the backing of Al Shira’aa and the team at Bolesworth in the support and profile they have given to the Young Horse Championships. Next year will see Nina and the team at Bolesworth host two CSI 3* competitions in June, and we as a sport are very fortunate to continue to have the opportunity to compete at this level at this fabulous venue in Cheshire!”

Image courtesy of Bolesworth.

Al Shira'aa Bolesworth Young Horse Show
General Showjumping

Day One At Al Shira’aa Bolesworth Young Horse Show

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Day one of the Al Shira’aa Bolesworth Young Horse Show got off to a great start. Below is a summary of the highlights from the day.

Ashdale Sports Horses 4 Year Old Qualifier

43 of the 77 starters jumped clear in the Ashdale Sports Horses 4-Year-Old Qualifier and therefore have qualified directly for Saturday’s Final and have been placed equal first in this A1 class. The remaining 34 combinations will have to jump clear in tomorrow’s qualifier in order to qualify for the final.

Dallamires Stables 5 Year Old Qualifier

The second class of the day in the International ring was the Dallamires Stables 5-year-old qualifier, where 124 horse and rider combinations were hoping to jump clear and qualify for the Final on Saturday. 52 jumped clear and placed equal first. Unlike in the 4-Year-Old Qualifier, the competitors must jump both qualifiers and are awarded points depending on their finishing positions. Tomorrow’s qualifier will be a two-phase competition where each combination will jump against the clock in the second phase where the top 50 will be decided across both qualifiers and qualify for their final on Saturday.

Windmill Farm Estate 6-Year-Old Qualifier

Over in the castle ring we kicked off with the first of the Windmill Farm Estate 6-year-old qualifiers, where we had 110 starters in the two-phase competition. Benjamin Bick came out on top, riding John Renwick’s, “Michelob” just only 0.11 seconds over Nicole Pavitt in a second. The second qualifier will take place on Friday morning and will be when we find out which combinations qualify for the 6-year-old final on Sunday.

  • Benjamin Bick with Michelob (GBR
  • Nicole Pavitt with Cornet of Follyfoot (GBR)
  • Nicole Lockhead Andeson with Quanthargos PS (GBR)
Photos courtesy of 1st Class Images

Helite UK CSI1* 1.25

The first of our International classes was the Helite UK CSI 1* 1.25 in the Castle Arena. This two-phase was won by the ever consistent, Mark Edwards and Casque d’OR (owned by Amber Bundock) in a time of 21.76, beating Tallulah Mackenzie Smith in second and Lucille Jane Porter in third.

  • Mark Edwards with Casque d’OR (GBR)
  • Tallulah Mackenzie Smith with Karaibes (GBR)
  • Lucille Jane Porter with Lufrieda (GBR)

Al Shira’aa 7 Year Old Qualifier

A dominant performance once again from Ben Bick saw him and Diamonds Diabolo Z take the win in the Al Shira’aa 7-year-old qualifier where he also took third, with John Crippen snatching second. Out of the 79 starters, 23 jumped double clear and 16 combinations in the prize money. The second qualifier on Friday will determine the top 50 that will qualifier for Sunday’s final.

LeMieux CSI2* 1.30

The final class of the day in the Castle ring was the first of the LeMieux 2* classes. Kara Whiteway came out on top of the hotly contested 1.30 class out of 74 combinations, with a time of 21.92 just under a second ahead of Ireland’s Sven Headley and Philip Spivey in third.

Photo courtesy of 1st Class Images

All photos courtesy of 1st Class Images

General

Bolesworth Elite Foal Auction Set to Break Underbidders Hearts This Friday!

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An exclusive collection of elite foals and implanted embryos from black-type dams will be auctioned at Bolesworth this Friday 18 August at 8.30pm.

The Bolesworth Elite Foal Auction presented by Gallagher takes place during the Al Shira’aa Bolesworth Young Horse Championships, taking place at the historic Cheshire castle from 16th – 20th August.

The auction will commence with two charity lots offering semen for Ecclestone Z and Chacco Bay, in aid of Nature’s Safe, the charity masterminded by Tullis Matson.  These will be followed by two implanted embryos and 22 foals, with the foals available to view online now or in-person at the show from 17th August. An official preview will take place in the Bolesworth International Arena on Thursday evening at approx. 8.30pm, available to watch live on ClipMyHorse.tv.

Nina Barbour, Managing Director of Bolesworth said: “It’s an absolute privilege for the Bolesworth team and I to be showcasing this exclusive collection of foals and embryos out of black-type dams, destined for the top of equestrian sport”.

“Not only are these foals out of seriously well-related dams, many of whom have competed at the highest level of sport, we have some of the best sires ever represented in this collection”.

“It’s a Bolesworth first to be presenting a direct Heartbreaker foal, together with legends Chacco Blue, Diamant De Semilly, Cornet Obolensky, Aganix De Seigneur, and the late Conthargos represented to name a few”. 

To view the collection and to register to bid online, visit www.boleswortheliteauctions.com

The five-day Al Shira’aa Bolesworth International Horse Championship is free* to attend and showcase’s the UK’s rising talent as they compete for their place at the World Breeding Championships at Lanaken, Belgium in September. Top international names such John Whitaker, William & Pippa Funnell, Billy Twomey and others will be competing in international showjumping, with 1.45m Grand Prix on Sunday afternoon.

There’ll also be equestrian and lifestyle shopping, food, drink, kids activities and a dog zone with have-a-go agility.

*Please note a parking charge applies. Buy online ahead of the event for just £5 plus fees, or £10 on the gate.

Find out more at www.bolesworthyounghorse.com