Tracey Priest wins Kent's first major prize

Tracey Priest wins the Detling Stakes on her own Calle

Tracey Priest headed the first major class, The Detling Stakes, at this year's Kent County Show with her own Calle.

Kelvin Bywater's course produced six clears in the £1000-to-the-winner class. A double on a right-handed turn away from gate and following a water jump caused the most problems. Horses toppled the first element time and again due to the tough task of trying to get a good line to the vertical with so much to distract them on the way.

Quick start
Sam Hutton, 22, was first to go in the jump-off with Astral 57. He set off to set a tough standard for the rest of the field. As he approached the second last, Graham Fletcher, who was watching at the ringside said: "If he can jump these last two I reckon he's won the class."

But as soon as Graham said that, Astral 57 took off a bit too early over the penultimte oxer and had it down. Sam's time, however, remained the quickest of the class.

First double clear
Phillip Miller followed and produced the first double clear with Di and Pennie Cornish and Nigel Eccles' Caritiar Z. The combination currently sit second on the British Showjumping Business Partnership international stairway league table, courtesy of a recent win at Royal Norfolk.

Phillip's lead was shortlived as Tracey followed and was able to take almost a second of his time with a fast gallop across two-thirds of the arena between two oxers.

Runners up Phillip Miller and Brando van het Bruno'Shof

Tricky test
"It was quite a tricky thing to do really," said Tracey. "I had just asked him to gallop right down the ring, but then there was a big double to come after the second oxer. So, once I'd landed, I had to get him back quickly to clear the double."

She cleared it easily and although William Funnell (Billy Congo) and Phillip Miller (Brando van het Bruno'Shof) both went clear again, neither could catch Tracey's leader.

Phillip took second and third with Brando van het Bruno'Shof and Caritiar Z, respectively, and William finished fourth ahead of Sam and Daniel Mosely (Billy Grand), who both had four faults each.