Grand prix track? Too easy! ‘Horse of a lifetime’, who is blind in one eye, proves an out-and-out winner

Wow! As this photo clearly shows, Jennifer Billington’s super scopey “horse of a lifetime” Flipper Darco UK Z is more than capable of jumping bigger courses.

But at Kelsall Hill’s recent Winter Classic in Cheshire, the talented gelding made light work of a highly technical track set by course-builder Raf Suarez to win the £3,000 top prize for the Audevard grand prix.

“We’ve jumped a lot bigger but at every fence you had to be on the ball, you didn’t have time for a breather,” said Jennifer. “They pulled out some spooky jumps, and you couldn’t just canter up to them, every fence you had to decide whether you were riding forward or short.”

The first-round track reflected the generous winner’s purse – twice that of most Winter Classics – and allowed just seven from 42 starters to access the second phase.

The jump-off also posed its challenges, with first out Anthony Condon (LMD Marko) having an uncharacteristic stop at a water tray off a turnback, a fence which second-to-jump Ted Bastian-Mason, making an impressive debut, also lowered.

Ryan Page and BP Ko Jax’s faster four-fault round was strong enough to hold the lead until the final throes, when the last two to jump – Anthony on his second horse Oviedo S and Jennifer – posted quick clears.

Flipper Darco UK Z: “I’ll never find another one like him”

Anthony Condon’s round on the 11-year-old stallion Oviedo S was classy but no match for Jennifer and her huge-striding and prolific 14-year-old Flipper Darco UK Z.

“I don’t think I’ll ever find another one like him,” said Jennifer. “After you’ve sat on him, every other horse feels like it’s not good enough.

“I was originally drawn second-to-last but Michael Whitaker on Oscar Kan Duresses moved up one or two spaces, which left me last to go, which was great. I knew Anthony would be quick enough but I didn’t want to go too crazy.

“The jump-off didn’t really suit my horse as he’s blind in his left eye and most turns were left-handed, so I couldn’t go as fast as I liked, but he has a massive stride and it always gives you options. Where we had to turn wider, we could make it up by taking a stride out.”

The pair also won Friday night’s 1.40m open, delivering exactly the same result as Paul Sims had 12 months earlier, when he won both that class and the grand prix.

“They told me that when I went [into the office] to see them before the grand prix,” said Jennifer, who is based just 30 minutes from Kelsall, near Wrexham. “I didn’t expect the show to go as well but he feels on really good form at the moment.”

A great partnership

Jennifer Billington, 20, has been riding the Flipper D’Elle x Darco gelding for nearly five years, taking over from Olympic rider Holly Smith. He was bred in Kent by Caroline Phillips of  Stud UK Euro.

Jennifer and Flipper Darco UK Z represented Great Britain at the young rider European showjumping Championships last year, finishing 12th individually behind team-mate Olli Fletcher, as well as contesting the Nations Cup youth final in Belgium. They finished the year with a third-place finish in the Evoke Under 25 British Championship Final at the London International Horse Show.

“We have a great partnership and I know him so well, he runs off my trust and he’s always preferred to go on a forward stride,” she said. “The young rider European courses were so strong last year and I’d love the chance to go back in my final young rider year.”

You can read the full report from Kelsall Hill’s Winter Classic II in this week’s Horse & Hound, in shops Thursday, 16 January.

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