Carenza celebrates Deer Park success

EMILY CARENZA clinched victory at Deer Park Cross-Country Course's first competition of the outdoor season.

Carenza, whose mother Jill runs the Cotswolds Riding school in Stanton, headed the Open 3ft 6in section on her six-year-old Irish Sports Horse Ricardo, who was a split-second quicker through the timed section than runner-up Kerry Fleming.

"The course at Deer Park was really good and very inviting," she said. "They'd worked hard and I hope to go to their next event.

"Ricardo also did his first point-to-point recently at Paxford where he finished fifth, with all thoroughbred racehorses in front of him.

"I team chase and event him too but loved point-to-pointing, although my mum thinks it's too dangerous."

Carenza also teamed up with Broadway solicitor Tony Hine to finish third in the Open Pairs class.

She rode another young Irish sports horse, the five-year-old grey mare Wanda, and Hine partnered her mum's horse Cracker.

Cotswold Riding student Daisy Ritblat, 10 and from Chipping Campden, went close to a double on her 14.2hh grey pony Pasta.

She was runner-up in the 2ft 3in class, less than half a second behind winner Nikki Weatherley, and then won the first Pairs class.

Her partner was Vicky Morris, 20, who works at the riding school and rode the 15hh Grey Jack.

Temple Guiting duo Sarah Hughes and Linda Hill won the Open Pairs class, on the Irish skewbald horse Mr Skew and the seven-year-old bay Rufus.

Hughes said: "It was Rufus's first time in such a competition so I gave him a lead and we had no problems.

"The course was quite tricky, with a narrow jump under an archway at fence two and several drop fences, and it asked questions all the way.

"It was beautifully built and all the take-offs and landings had been re-done which was very much appreciated."

Results, 2ft 3in: 1 Solito, Nikki Weatherley; 2 Pasta, Daisy Ritblat; 3 Ned, Phoebe O'Hara; 4 Gypsy, Rory Langsbury; 5 Marvin, Olivia O'Hara; 6 Bobby, Jacob.

Cox Pairs: 1 Pasta and Grey Jack, Vicky Morris; 2 Marvin and Wanda, Matt Worrell; 3 Ned and Arc Lion, Matt Worrell; 4 Bobby and Gypsy, Oscar Langsbury; 5 Nickel, Charlie Phillian and Spice, Matt Worrell; 6 Diaplo, Kate Perry and Whitley, Pate Pearce.

2ft 9in: 1 Fancy, Victoria Moore; 2 Tigger, Ian Paxton; 3 Fly by Night, Sheena Bragg; 4 La Mia Bellezza, Maddie Cantrill; 5 Maesing Minuet, Lorna Fizor; 6 Jigsaws Rigo, Victoria Moore.

Pairs: 1 Mr Skew, Sarah Hughes and Rufus, Linda Hill; 2 Angel, Kate Wixon and Lilly, Anna McDonagh; 3 Wanda, Emily Carenza and Cracker, Tony Hine; 4 Jonny, Louise Beach and Dexter, Hannah Risdale; 5 Topsy, Lynn Graham and George, Andre Gardiner; 6 Regardless, Rosemary King and Freddie Fox, Natalie Diamond.

3ft 6in: 1 Ricardo, Emily Carenza; 2 Murphy, Kerry Fleming; 3 Oare House Laura, Samantha Jones; 4 Peggy, Dominique Winpenny; 5 Herbie, Victoria Stinchcombe; 6 Pippin, Georgie Lloyd.