Smith hits flying form

A "her way or no way" mare helps Zoe Smith to an impressive ribbon haul and a rider beats his own boss to the top spot

- SARAH RADFORD

ZOE SMITH had a fruitful show, winning three 1.30m opens with Avanna, a 1.40m open with Berliner Luft WW and taking home four Blue Chip tickets.

“Avanna has been such a good horse for me,” said Zoe, who bought the mare from Ellen Whitaker seven years ago. “Everything is her way or no way, but I’ve never met a mare that tries so hard. She’s 14 this year and I have been saving her by jumping some smaller tracks, but if I need her to step back up, she can.”

One of these is Trevor Harrison’s Berliner Luft WW, who picked up not only a 1.40m win but also a ticket in the Blue Chip Dynamic B&C qualifier.

“He got picked to go to Valkenswaard this year on the AES [Anglo European Studbook] team and he learnt so much out there. He’s come home and is jumping well in national 1.40m classes,” said Zoe, who also netted two Blue Chip tickets with her first home-bred, gelding Cristelona.

“He’s qualified in the Calming performance qualifier and the B&C,” she said. “They’re the first classes he’s ever qualified for. The smaller tracks were never really stimulating enough for his brain and he’s better now they are big enough.”

Forest Edge-based Jessica Cunnington ensured her place in the Blue Chip Dynamic B&C final with a victory on Marlando Van De Heering.