Lihou wins his own trophy

TERRY LIHOU was the big winner on the opening day of the BSJA Guernsey Spring Show.

Saturday saw the showing competitions at the Chemin Le Roi showground and it was the freelance riding instructor who won the Hunter Championship before taking the Supreme Showing/Working Championship.

Lihou was riding Passe Partout.

He was clearly tickled pink with Simone Renouf's horse afterwards.

'He was very good,' he said.

'He went really well and gave a really strong forward ride. The judge said she would like to hunt all day on him.'

In claiming the Hunter Championship, Lihou won the Vanuatu Trophy, which he had dedicated after his old horse.

In the other big class, the Working Hunter Championship, Laura Breban was the champion on Lucelli.

But in the head to head final between Lihou and Breban, it was Lihou who came out on top.

He was full of praise for Lucelli.

'That's a really nice, quality animal,' he said.

In the other class of the day, Becky Travers won the Show Pony contest on Burside Thunderbolt while Sarah Jackson on Whinfell Tom Kitten took the reserve pony accolade.

The competition was overseen by one of the top judges in the UK, Ann Hooley of Herefordshire.

Hooley is off to Australia at the end of the year to judge at the Royal Melbourne Horse of the Year Show.

She gave special credit to Passe Partout.

'He's a very beautiful horse,' she said.

'He's beautifully balanced and he gave a very good ride.'

Hooley said she last judged on Guernsey five years ago and that there is always a lovely atmosphere at the showground.

'What strikes me is the sportsmanship,' she said.

'The competitors are such good sports. It's a pleasure to come here.'

The only dampener on the first day of the three-day Spring Show was the weather.

It rained incessantly throughout the afternoon.

Despite that, the chairperson of BSJA Guernsey, Ken Carre, was pleased with the numbers.

'I think the turnout was fantastic,' he said.

'It's our best for this time of year. We've got a record turnout for Sunday and Monday.

'The rain dampened a few spirits but everyone performed to the best under the circumstances.'