Taylor switches track to land Workers win

Showjumper Adam Taylor switched disciplines to claim his first showing title in the International Arena, riding Beverley Vaughan’s lovely eight-year-old Loughview Verdis Dream.

Last year the pair stood reserve to Craig Kiddier and the fabulous Mulberry Lane, but this time the positions were reversed, and it was Taylor who was given the nod in The Baileys Horse Feeds Supreme Working Hunter Championship, with Mulberry Lane taking the reserve.

“I do showjumping mainly but I’ve got this one amazing horse and one amazing owner, and we’ve been having fun this year, so we thought we’d give this another go,” Adam said. “Mulberry Lane is such a legend I never thought we’d beat him. I’ve been trying so hard with Verdi to keep bringing him on and he just feels bigger, stronger and better than ever. He always jumps good but I’ve never felt him jump like he did today, the power was incredible, I felt like I was on 'Verdi' airlines!”

Adam is no stranger to victory in the International Arena though — he won the SEIB Winter Novice Championship here two years ago with Basingwerk Imagine.

Ladies Man stepped up to the occasion to take his first De La Hey Family BSHA Supreme Riding Horse title for Jayne Ross.

“He’s been in the main ring once before as an intermediate but never as a riding horse,” Jayne said. “He loved it then but he really excelled today. He lowered and galloped, which I think is what won the class because one of the judges said he could probably have won at Royal Ascot!”

The 10-year-old, by Tiger Attack, is owned and bred by Danni Radford. “The owner’s three-year old daughter sits on him and plays around with him, so he’s a real family horse, but at the same time he can go in there and perform like he did today,” Jayne added.

Both will now be eligible for Sunday's Barberstown Castle Supreme Horse Championship. 

For full results click here.