Robert Whitaker and Lacroix 9 Win Blue Chip Grand Prix

Robert Whitaker from Huddersfield, West Yorkshire was the clear winner of the Blue Chip Grand Prix on Friday night, at the Blue Chip Winter Championships held at Solihull Riding Club in the West Midlands, by nearly 7 seconds. 23 year old Robert rode his mother, Clare's, 11 year old German bred gelding Lacroix 9 in a superb jump off, where only three riders went clear.

Lynne Bevan from Abergavenny was first to go in the jump off on her own 12 year old gelding Monline and was clear in a time of 43.03 seconds. Claire Robertson from Oakham, Leicester was the third rider to have a clear round on board Jaine Robertson's Retreats Uppercut, but was unable to match Lynne's time and Robert rode a terrific round in a time of 36.24seconds to win. Robert has come close to winning the title before, when in 2002 he was second on Quinten II and last year he was fourth on Karina.

Results as follows:

Grand Prix

1 Lacroix 9 -  Robert Whitaker
2 Monline -  Lynne Bevan
3 Retreats Uppercut  -  Claire Robertson
4 Vilja - Guy Williams
5 Cassabachus - Geoff Billington
6 Boyram -  Ellen Whitaker

The THB British Equestrian Star Championship was won by Emma Jo Slater from High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire. Emma Jo rode Kim Barzilay's 9 year old mare Tinka's Serenade, with whom she came fourth in the 2005 Horse & Hound Foxhunter Championship at Horse of the Year Show.

1 Tinkas Serenade - Emma Jo Slater
2 Amore  - Julian Mincher
3 Zeus Valentino -  Kim Ashley
4 Montero II  -  Sarah Hibbert
5 Zerro -  Michaela Russell
6 L'Image - David Austin

The Blue Chip Pro Sparkle JC/JA Championship resulted in a dead heat for first place between 14 year old Annabel McKain from Walsall, West Midlands and Joe Clayton from Huddersfield, West Yorkshire who both had double clears in a time of 27.50 seconds. This was a great result for Annabel who has only been riding her mother's 15 year old gelding, Sir Watkin since January. It was also a good result for Joe Clayton who is in his last year riding ponies and was also in fourth place on his other ride, Beckendale Farms, B Minor.

1 Sir Watkin  -  Annabel McKain
1 Stainsby Irish Mist - Joe Clayton
3 Killyfassey Freddie - Sarah Louise Sutton
4 B Minor -  Joe Clayton
5 Paddy Power - Oliver Evans
6 Skybourne II - Mary Grose

Nicole Pavitt from Guildford, Surrey won the BSJA Winter Grade C Championship in a close jump off with Lance Whitehouse from Melton Mowbray, Leicester. Nicole rode her mother's 10 year old gelding Maestro de Rend Peine to beat Lance, on-board Susan Neath's Verbena VZ by 0.33 seconds.

1 Maestro de Rend Peine - Nicole Pavitt
2 Verbena VZ - Lance Whitehouse
3 Santa Fee - Peter White
4 Allegro - Tristan Meager
5 Jools - Anthony Condon
6 Amaryllis - Nicol Pavtitt

The Blue Chip Dynamic B&C Championship was won by Accenture Young Show Jumper of the Year 2005, Georgie Strutton from Steyning, West Sussex who rode the 8 year old mare Little Miss II, owned by Old Lodge to a clear advantage of 2.62 seconds.

1 Little Miss II - Georgie Strutton
2 Fantasia II - Carron Nicol
3 No Nonsense T - Carolyn Anderson 
4 Baretto - Frederick Bergendorff
5 It'll Be Me - Emma Shaw
6 Vista Grande - Michael Potter

Ellis Belcher from London won Saturday's Kitt-Kraiburg Junior Novice Championship on board his father's 10 year old mare, Homewood Heidi to beat 13 year old Megan James from Chelmsford, Essex on Charlene Nathan's Sprite II.

The Kitt-Kraiburg Junior Discovery Championship was won by Abbie Goring from Gainsborough, Lincolnshire out of 81 starters. Abbie rode Elaine Briggs' 11 year old gelding Rutlands Rebel to their biggest win yet.

Adam Valks from Northallerton, North Yorkshire won the Kitt-Kraiburg Junior Sapphire Championship for JC and JD ponies who have not won a total of £250. Adam rode Janet Valks' 7 year old gelding Afon Lad, and was closely followed by Rosie Chinery from Halstead, Essex on-board G.E.C Delight.

The last class held at the Blue Chip Championships on Sunday was the Kitt-Kraiburg Junior Coral Championship which was won by Hannah West from Stevenage, Hertfordshire riding McFly III. Joe Clayton was second on-bard B Minor.