Migasiuk sets the grade in open trial jump-off

NICKY MIGASIUK and Stonewood Derry Castle showed the grade A combinations the way home in the big event of day one of the BSJA's annual Derby Show. Conditions at Chemin Le Roi were far from ideal for quality jumping, yet Migasiuk guided her grade B mount to victory in the Senior Open Derby Trial.

Eight of the 10 entries initially went clear, the only casualities being Sue Brown on Brownslaws Landgraf and Pipper Parsons on Panama O'Hec.

Brown, who was to enjoy success late on in the day, was eliminated at the fifth of nine fences, while Parsons' mount brought down the sixth.

Come the jump-off, Migasiuk and Nicky Heywood's Oxalette were the only two to go clear a second time.

Heywood clocked 47.45sec., but Migasiuk went almost three seconds quicker to take the honours.

Heavy drizzle marred much of the day and after some respite, it was back for the day's final three the Senior Grade A, B and C classes which featured a new hurdle in the MX2 fence.

The new fence accounted for both the Grade A entries.

Neither Harijke (Emma Dorey) or Holy Knight (Sally Hargreaves) fancied it and were eliminated at the seventh fence of the two-phase competition.

Only two entries contested the Grade B competition and only one went through to the second phase after Migasiuk and Stonewood Derry Castle brought down the penultimate barrier of the first eight-fence phase.

That left the way clear for Brown to win on Brownslaws Landgraf.

Brown cleared the first 10 fences and although she brought down the 11th and refused at the last, it did not matter.

The Senior Grade C was split into two sections, one for horses with winnings of £100 plus and the other for up to £100.

Heywood on Oxalette took the former despite collecting four faults at the 14th and last, while Emma Dorey on Snaffles Purple Patch eased to win in the other half, going clear.

For a long while the BSJA's most experienced jumper, Richard Count, looked like challenging for the honours in the other Grade C section, but having eased over 10 fences on his new horse Palermo Van Het Varenhof (Randi for short), the 11-year-old Belgian warm-blood refused at the 11th.

But it remains early days for this new combination.

Count, 64, has enjoyed ownership of Randi for only three weeks and despite a tendency for the horse to lower its head going over fences, it showed enough ability to give the club stalwart hope of safe and successful rides to come.

Among the juniors, it proved a succsesful day for the Gervaise-Brazier girls, Tiffy and Gaby.

Tiffany won two classes on Springtide Pink Panther, while Gaby got in on the winning act, riding Westside Miracle.