By Susan Cook

HOWE Country Centre just outside Giffordtown, in Fife, is offering the riders something a bit different this winter – it's running one weekend every month with a category one show on the Saturday and a two on the Sunday.

Each class is run as single phase which means everyone goes through to the jump-off section immediately after their first round, whether they have faults or not, allowing those with younger horses to get more experience.

Classes on the category two day will see points awarded for double clears and these points being added up over the shows culminating in a championship final in April.

It's a brilliant concept for consistent partnerships and anyone serious in producing their horses correctly. The idea came about through local rider and trainer, Sandra Low Mitchell, who is also responsible for the ‘Jumpaholics’ evenings, which offer tuition round courses at Howe throughout the winter setting horses and riders up for oncoming qualifiers.

The series is being sponsored by Avant who produce machinery ideal for working in and around yards. With the approval of all riders, plus centre manager, Tom Myles, this is a breath of fresh air on the circuit.

Junior rider, Sandy McLean will have his work cut out to go to many of them as he divides his time between junior and seniors with the junior Premier circuit taking precedence over everything else.

Managing to make his way to the December show he not only clocked up a couple of double clears but also stood at the top of the line in the 1.3m open ahead of his much more experienced rivals, Sandra with Eccosse and Stephen Lohoar on Dante.

Riding the 11-year-old Warhol Wulfselection Z, a son of Whataboy Ter Linden Sandy has been borrowing the ride for the last two years from his sister, Claire Leitch, claiming the under 16 title at Scope last year.

Sandy travelled off to the 148cm premier at South View, leaving Claire to steal her horse back for the first time since the birth of her second child and prove she’s not too rusty by winning both her classes on the Saturday, a 1.05m and a 1.1m gaining qualification and points.

Stephe Lohoar and girlfriend, Lucy Guild, head off on the sunshine tour with a team of horses soon, but not before they added some points with a few wins between them.

Stephen rode the home-bred Je T’Aime Flamenco mare, Gucci LSH, into the lead in a newcomers.

Lucy was on form in the 1.25m classes with Hugana Vant Heike but was also seen in the money in the 1.3m class on Titi D’Oase.

When he leaves the fences intact there are not many who can beat Ryan Leavey on his good 14-year-old mare, Mandalay. Careful and quick, they have won three classes at the first two shows, two 1.05m opens and a 1.1m open.

Having moved from Sligo to Edinburgh, Fintan Hunt has been out and about on the Scottish circuit recording three wins at the January show. His nine-year-old Broomhall Freddie warmed up with a win in an 80cm open before heading a national amateur 85cm.

Stablemate CES Seamanchip came from Moira and David Williams a few months ago, with this son of Chippison already being placed in British novice classes at Blue Ridge and SNEC before winning here.

Scottish Equestrian Award nominee, Kirsty Aird, is enjoying her jumping before the show season starts, heading two line ups with the British-bred AES mare, Valentines Praline, a daughter of Renkum Valentino out of Victoria Lillington’s Caramelle KLT. Her Breckenridge was in the money in a 1m open while the working hunter, Eleanor of Aquitaine won a British novice.

Andrew Blackwood’s mare, Copper V, may not be big but she’s competitive, winning both her classes in December, a 95cm NatAm qualifier and a 1m open.

Douglas Duffin has taken the ride on the six-year-old Crespo VDL from Jamie Wingrove, collecting double clears in the newcomers at SNEC before going to Howe for another double clear and heading the class.

LEADING awards

Club 70cm – 1, Jack Daniels, J McGregor; 2, Solomon V, P Liggett; 3, Nike, L McKenzie. Club 80m – 1, Balmyres Kizzie, E Reid; 2, Lussa Justice, A Hamilton; 3, JP Chopard S Warburton. 85cm – NatAm – 1, Desi I, A Jeffrey; 2, Goris DV, R Bannan; 3, Quimoon JX, K Brook. British novice – 1, Claragh Captain, L Laird; 2, Quimoon JX; 3, Dark Stranger, L Hood. 90cm open – 1, Suzie Q, P Tang. 95cm NatAm – 1, Copper V, A Blackwood; 2, Desi I; 3, Quadro, C Mills. 95cm open – 1, Lissyegan Cruise Dream, J Sturrock. Discovery – 1, Dorana, R Pinder; 2, Conqueror, C Ryce; 3, Scherzinger FB, A Hood. 1m open – 1, Copper V. 1.05m NatAm – 1, Floris, S Binnie; 2, Du Zinthe, G Kennedy. 1.05m open – 1, Valentines Praline, K Aird. 1.1m NatAm – 1, Crailyn Clover Bay, L Hood. 1.1m open – 1, Valentines Praline. Club 80cm – 1, Elody, A Hood; 2, Living For Livius, F Reed; 3, Hamlett B, S Lumgair. 90cm open – 1, Jigs And Reels, B Fairbrother. British novice – 1, Eleanor of Aquitaine, K Aird; 2, Five Star, D Harland; 3, Hamlett B. 1m open – 1, Eurostar, A Gatherum; 2, Jigs And Reels; 3, Checkbook Charlie, S Cruikshank. Discovery – 1, Csiko, S Low Mitchell; 2, Conqueror, C Ryce; 3, Zara Zing, A Black. 1.05m open – 1, Mandalay, R Leavey; 2, Triomf L, J Ault; 3, Chiquella, N Brogan. Newcomers – 1, Gucci LSH, S Lohoar; 2, Harry DV, L Milne Home; 3, Baltimore Landzicht, C Hamilton. 1.1m open – 1, Mandalay; 2, Kilhalle, A Gardiner; 3, Miss Rollo, B Kreigstein. Foxhunter/1.2m – 1, Dante, S Lohoar; 2, Fauber, D Harladnd; 3, Eccosse, S Low Mitchell. 1.25m open – 1, Hugana Vant Heike, L Guild; 2, Wyona, L Hutt; 3, Warhol Wulfselection Z, S McLean. 1.30m open – 1, Warhol Wulfselection Z; 2, Eccosse; 3, Dante.

Club 70cm – 1, Master Tom, L Cathro; 2, Edenside Bedazzled, P Steven; 3, Charlie, Y Dawson. 80cm – 1, Broomhill Freddie, F Hunt; 2, Bamalama Ding Dong, R Leavey; 3, Stella, E Crawford. 85cm NatAm – 1, Broomhill Freddie; 2, CES Seamanchip, F Hunt. 85cm open – 1, Dukes Of Hazzard, E Crawford. British novice – 1, CES Seamanchip; 2, Living For Livius; 3, Hirocco Scais, P Tang. 90cm open – 1, Edenside Coco, A Gatherum; 2, Baloubet Du Pleasur, A Crombie. 95cms Nat Am-1, Tia III, L Tunrer; 2, Jack The Lad, R Kane; 3, Briadlaw Star, I McLeish. 95cms open – 1, Goris DV, R Bannan. Discovery – 1, CE Rocklands Cherry, R Kane; 2, Lady Elsinore, J McAinsh. 1m open – 1, Copper V, A Blackwood. 1.05 NatAm – 1, Warhol Wulfselection Z, C McNaughton; 2, Ciploni BZ, J Smith. 1.10m NatAm – 1, Warhol Wulfselection Z; 2, Harry DV, Club 80cms-1, How Bizarre, C Ryce; 2, Crinstone, K Brown; 3, Lussa Justice, A Hamilton. 90cm open – 1, Shannondale Flight, B Walker; 2, Harleys Revenge, R Aitken; 3, Sarata 3, D Harland. 1m open – 1, Something Special, J Brown; 2, Castor, S Davis; 3, Breckenridge, K Aird. 1.05m open – 1, Mandalay; 2, Penny Blue, L Yeoman; 3, Shannondale Flight. Newcomers – 1, Gogobantos, D Duffin; 2, Gwendolin, S Lohoar; 3, Floris IV, S Binnie. 1.1m open – 1, Mandalay; 2, Brunette, G Roberston; 3, Hero, J Thomson. Foxhunter/1.2m – 1, Moonface JX, D Duffin; 2, Idem Dito VD Hemelse Breedte, S Lohoar; 3, Eccosse. 1.25m open – 1, Hugana Vant Heike; 2, Keeford Carousel, D Irvne; 3, Zorland, S Low Mitchell. 1.3m open – 1, Eclips VIII, J Thompson; 2, Titi D’Oase, L Guild; 3, Hugana VanT Heike.