The Great Yorkshire Show is introducing a new Mini Major class to add to the existing highly acclaimed show jumping competitions.
The Main Ring – one of the finest arenas in the country – offers some of the best show jumping in England, and this year promises to provide yet another exciting display for the crowds.
The Mini Major competition is sponsored by Yorkshire Dales Ice Cream and is open to junior riders aged 12 and under. It gives an opportunity for the winning pony riders from three Yorkshire qualifying shows to partner up with some of the top riders in the country. There will be 12 pairs competing and the winning adult rider will receive a £1,000 prize.
The competition takes place on Thursday morning and is part of six different jumping classes at the show, which this year runs from Tuesday 12 to Thursday 14 July.
Geoff Luckett riding Monline, the 2010 winner of the show’s Cock O’ The North Championship
The popular Cock O’ The North Championship, sponsored by Ripon Select Foods, will be the final class and the climax to the three days’ action. This year the rules have been adapted to allow every rider to enter one horse in the championship, so that more riders will have a chance to win the coveted trophy – and there’s a total prize fund of £24,000.
Val Turner, Head of Show Jumping said: “We are looking forward to welcoming around 50 of the country’s top national riders, and it will be exciting to see some of them paired up with junior riders in this new competition.”
Some of the well-known and highly regarded national riders who have entered include John, Robert, George, William and Louise Whitaker, William Funnell, Geoff Billington, Tina Fletcher, Peter Murphy and Tim Stockdale. They will be supported by a host of up and coming national young riders including Pippa Allen and Tim Page. Overall entry numbers are strong at 203 compared with last year’s figure of 196.
“We are very proud of our show jumping supporters, who each year consistently offer their support and encouragement – particularly to our well known and highly esteemed Yorkshire riders.”
On Wednesday morning, the International Stairway class, supported by the British Showjumping Business Partnership will be held for the second year running. This highly regarded class will help the British Team Selectors to view riders to represent British teams abroad, a selection process which is only held at a few key events across the country.
This year will once again include the Badsworth Stakes Accumulator, sponsored by The Kimberley Hotel. Riders taking part accumulate points as they go over the fences and the winners will share total prize money of £2,250.
Elsewhere around the showground, HRH The Prince of Wales and The Duchess of Cornwall will be the guests of honour on Wednesday. Country Living Magazine is bringing its prestigious marquee to the event for the first time, TV star Kirstie Allsopp of “Location, Location, Location” fame is hosting her needlework competition at the show on Tuesday, and chef James Martin will be cooking up culinary delicacies on the Wednesday.
