Norfolk Showjumping Club held a two day show at Cherry Bee Farm, Hainford which included a KBIS Insurance British Novice second Round.

After fears that the ground would be hard, relentless rain made the warm-up class challenging and few of the KBIS British Novice hopefuls achieved clear rounds. However the skies cleared and 12 of 17 starters went forward to contest the first jump-off in the KBIS British Novice second round. Seven combinations proved their jumping ability to clear the 1.15m second round with course designer, Sue Peasley, posing questions in the final jump-off with several devious turns to 1.20 verticals.

Second to go Jo Gibbons, from Wisbech, riding her own striking silver maned black nine-year-old Silver Rhapsody, performed well to achieve a very fast time of 38.83 seconds and the only clear round to win the class and take the only available Cushionbed British Showjumping Scope Festival qualification ticket.

She was followed into the ring by another favourite to win, Leanne Rea's seven-year-old bay mare Ruby Two II, ridden by Suffolk based Colin Keeling, who tried to match Jo's turns but had an unlucky four faults at the double of wishing well uprights to take second place in a time of 51.62.

The double, on a potentially tight turn, proved to be the bogey fence. Penultimate rider Kate Clarke, an active NSJC committee member, aboard the promising Ulano HZ (5) took up the challenge and cleared the double, only to roll the second to last vertical in a time of 52.18 to take third slot. Fellow committee members Lauren Rayner and Dawn Bloyce also took the fourth and fifth slots.