By Susan Cook

SNEC hosted 3 Highland show qualifiers over two days with some strong courses sorting out the winners.

Di Beaumont’s track for the B+C qualifier certainly sorted out the 24 starters when only one rider finished the first round fault free.

Fife’s Emma Crawford steered her own 8year old Ustinov gelding Ferragamo L round inside the time and clear to find herself watching as fences fell throughout leaving her the winner without the need for a jump off.

This pair has already jumped double clear in a previous qualifier to finish just outside the placings so this was a bit of a surprise to them.

Mad at herself for going so slow but happy to qualify with one time fault in second place was Claire Leitch who has returned to the ring after a break having a family and looks back to her usual winning ways already. This time she rode the family favourite Warhol Wulfselection Z.

This was to be Emma’s first of two qualifying tickets on the day when she found herself in third place in the 1.30m/Young Masters on Frauke De Bonheur. A pole in the jump off saw them miss out on a win but still earn their ticket for being eligible for the Young Masters section.

Dee Anderson was second with her own fabulous mare Queen Bee JX who left everything standing in 52.35.

Douglas Duffin has only had two competitive outings since his own Quidam BZ returned to him from Richard Howley but they look ready to head off to Belgium with a comfortable win in a time of 48.39.

Douglas was also seen at the head of the Foxhunter line up with the Belgian bred 8year old Kung Fu Van’T Heike.

A total of 30 came forward for the popular Aurora Hotel 1.20m RHS qualifier with 3 recording double clears.

Fastest of these was Sophie Currie recently returned from riding and working in Holland with her own Condor III.

Now at home near Airdrie and being helped by Richard Duncan and Declan Irvine Sophie warmed up with a win in the 1.10m before just shaving just four tenths of a second from the leading time to win the qualifier and see her compete in this final at the Highland show for the second year running.

Craig Hamilton was only just in arrears with Ron Brady’s Dynamc II a daughter of his top jumping mare B Dynamic with Craig the only other double clear in third with Ron’s Vieillefond.

Ailsa Black looks to have found another useful partner in the shape of the very attractive Endyana EH Z.

This 7year old flashy bay mare is by the very desirable sire Emerald Van’t Ruytershof out of a Farmer mare playing with the newcomers fences for a win.

Nicola McArthur has had a quiet year competition wise but her hard work outside the ring has paid off when she qualified and set up as an Equine Sport Massage Therapist.

Getting back in the saddle she popped her open horse Amaretto round to win a 1.10m open at their first show for a while.

Mark Turnbull featured in a few line ups with Carthino G, Jim Kerr’s HBF Detroit, Corina X and Ashton Dakota before taking another win in a 1.20m Open on the handy Beseeka Red Hot Chilli Pepper owned by the Orr family.

LEADING awards

SNEC RHS

British Novice-1, Venice, L McCabe; 2, Carastone II, K Diamond; 3, Rollox, J Reid. 90cms Open-1, Copper V, A Blackwood; 2, Moll Mor, G Taylor; 3, Kilhallie, A Gardiner. Discovery-1, Giant CI, M Farm; 2, Don Quessant, C Timmins; 3, Noukie,S Lohoar. 1m Open-1, Copper V; 2, Valdiron, G Taylor; 3, Kilhallie. Newcomers-`1, Endyana Z, A Black; 2, Serata, D Harland; 3, Emirati Van De Vallei, S Curran. 1.10m Open-1, Amaretto, N McArthur; 2, Don Karlos, G Gressett; 3, Corina X, M Turnbull. Foxhunter-1, Kung Fu VanT Heike, D Duffin; 2, Perrotta JX, H Aird; 3, Havall, A Barr. 1.20m Open-1, Beseeka Red Hot Chilli Pepper, M Turnbull; 2, Enola Van Shutterhof, D Duffin; 3, Born To Fly, E Pilkington. RHS B+C qualifier-1, Ferragamo, E Crawford; 2, Warhol Wulfselection Z, C Leitch; 3, Carthino G, M Turnbull. 1.30/Young Masters-1, Quidam BZ, D Duffin ; 2, Queen Bee JX, D Anderson; 3, Frauke De Bonheur, E Crawford. British Novice-1, Whos Vision, C Meikle; 2, Mission Accomplished, S Henderson; 3, Killosery Kameo, W Gatherer. 90cms-1, WKD Cosmopolitan, L Forrest; 2, Cyrena Du Carel, L Forrest; 3, Donn Quessant. Discovery-1, Ignegena, D Harland; 2, Guidam Duke, K Hamilton; 3, Grand Kannan, D Irvine. 1m Open-1, Cyrena Du Carel; 2, Harleys Revenge, R Aitken; 3, Whiskey Girl, A White. 1.05m Open-1, Cruella De Revel, C Rogan; 2, Antonio Vp Wisbecq, D Harland; 3, Harleys Revenge.Newcomers-1, Emily Little, S Low Mitchell; 2, HBF Detroit, M Turnbull; 3, Chacoa Cross Cruise, A Ogilvie. 1.10m Open-1, Condor, S Currie; 2, Dynamic II, C Hamilton; 3, Quin Kannan, L Paton. Foxhunter/1.20m-1, Wyona, L Hutt; 2, Baquito, D Irvine; 3, Ashton Dakota, M Turnbull. RHS 1.20m qualifier-1, Condor II, S Currie; 2, Dynamic ii, C Hamilton. 3, Vieillefond, C Hamilton