Nicole takes the double at Welsh Home Pony event

An Aberdeenshire rider has dominated the Blue Chip Pony Newcomers second round.

Nicole Lockhead Anderson from Banchory dominated at the Welsh Home Pony at the David Broome Event Centre in Monmouthshire, commandingly taking the top two places.

A mammoth field of 90 competitors contended the first round over course-designer Raf Suarez’s testing and technical track with 21 coming forward to the second round and just eight reaching the jump-off.

It was Nicole’s day. She took charge on Christine Graham’s Portuguese-bred nine-year-old gelding Epee Nazar to fill the top spot.

She said: ‘It was long to the last fence in the jump-off but I knew I could trust him to jump it as he’s so careful.’

Underscoring her superiority in this jump-off, Nicole eased Sofia Coope’s Nightgirl Van Het Sonnishof Z, a six-year-old Belgian-bred mare she has ridden since February, into second place with 3.09 seconds separating the two.

The riders and ponies that finished in third to fifth took home the chance to compete in the Blue Chip Pony Newcomers Masters at the British Showjumping National Championships.

Blue Chip Pony Newcomers second round:

1, Nicole Lockhead Anderson & Epee Nazar – 0/0/0 – 48.76 seconds.

2, Nicole Lockhead Anderson & Nightgirl Van Het Sonnishof Z – 0/0/0 – 51.85 seconds.

3, Toby Fry & Zucan V – 0/0/0 – 58.93 seconds.

4, Jessica Howard & Tinkas Gentleman Jim – 0/0/4 – 43.84 seconds.

5, Molly Potts Fowles & Ginger T – 0/0/4 – 51.86.

The Horse of the Year Show 2018 will take place from 3–7 October at Birmingham’s NEC. The British Showjumping National Championships 2018 will take place from 7–12 August at the National Agricultural and Exhibition Centre (NAEC), Stoneleigh Park, Warwickshire.