Becky Moody and her homebred Jagerbomb lead from start to finish to add the Prix St Georges to their ever-expanding list of championship titles. After winning the British 7-year old Championships in 2021, the pair now dominated the Prix St Georges "gold division" at the 2022 British Winter Championships on 13 April 2022.
The pairing came out in determined mood to set the arena alight from the get go and all three judges duly responded with an astounding but thoroughly deserved 76.07% The gauntlet was firmly thrown down but none could match the Yorkshire duo.
Jagerbomb (by Dante Weltino x Jazz), also known as ‘Bomber’, has clearly wintered well and spent time building strength and growing into his near 18hh frame.
“He’s still a baby really. It’s been a case of getting him stronger. He is a big horse, he’s only eight. He did the PSG at the Nationals as a seven year old and he was young doing that but things like the canter pirouettes are better, the things that require sit and engagement as he has the strength to do that now. And his extensions are better, I don’t have to help quite so much He’s a bit easier now in that work. He’s a very trainable horse – he’s on point!” explained Becky.
And did going first impact Becky’s game plan? “Not going to lie, first to go is never your favourite spot but you just have to seize it and go for it. Mum gave me a few words of advice at home yesterday as she said ‘you are going to let his nose out a bit more tomorrow aren’t you?’.” Thanks Mummy Moody, that pearl of wisdom did the job.
Bomber is a yard favourite; “Everyone hacks him at home – even when he was four he was the nanny for the young ones. He was quite boring then too and I very nearly sold him! I said to Hannah [her sister] ‘this one really is quite dull!’ but luckily I failed to sell him. He’s a real example that a horse with a good engine and a good brain but not exceptional movement can be trained to be exceptional.”
Becky has the future mapped for the horse who clearly has a huge place in her heart; “He’s qualified for the Inter I at this summer’s Nationals and is very close to doing an Inter II, maybe here at Hartpury in the Premier League.” However, we’ll be seeing them in action in the Superflex Inter I and Freestyle later this week.
Lisa Anne Hopkins and Liss La Belle, owned by Christian Landolt, came closest to Becky on 72.75% while Michael Eilberg was just 0.74 adrift with his rising star MSJ Dante VX, who he owns with Nicky Hannam.
Photo © Kevin Sparrow
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Becky Moody and Jagerbomb Win 2021 British Championship for 7-Year Olds