Third time's a charm for Robert
ROBERT Whitaker took the British Open Showjumping Championship for an unprecedented third time.
After four days of international competition, 23-year-old Robert led the pack with his mother Claire's French-bred gelding Lacroix 9.
Huddersfield-based Robert used the unusual tactic of riding 14-year-old Lacroix in all four elements of the competition, while other riders chose to use two horses, keeping their top horse fresh for the final.
The biggest threat to his third win was joint overnight leader French rider Kevin Staut but an early fall on the course put an end to his championship dream.
Nathalie van der Mei from the Netherlands, competing in England for the first time, finished second on Heechhiem's Springtime and in third was Robert Smith riding Vangelis S.
Over 20,000 people visited the event held at the Birmingham arena.
As well as show jumping, there was an indoor cross country competition won by Mark Kyle on Drunken Disorderly with Yorkshire's Oliver Townend in second.
In the finals of the barrel racing competition, Mark Taylor, from Garforth, Leeds came third riding Dakota with Trevor Holroyd, also from Leeds in fifth with Shiloah.
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Saturday 11 February 2012
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