Bianca Fedele wins FEI World Challenge

BIANCA FEDELE, riding her horse Dusty, turned in a flawless display to win the FEI World Show Jumping Challenge at the Kingston Polo Club, Caymanas Estates, last Sunday.

The 17-year-old Hillel student completed an amazing four clear rounds to win the title, a feat no other local show jumper has accomplished in a long time.

According to national coach Betty Wates, "Bianca was so precise in her jumping that she was able to withstand a strong challenge from young Justin Vaz over the first three rounds to win impressively in the end. It was a truly outstanding performance in open company," she said.

Fedele finished ahead of UWI student Julian Hyde aboard Mr. Shine, a former racehorse at Caymanas Park who he has been training for this the horse's first show-jumping contest.

Significantly, both Fedele and Hyde are coached by Wates. Vaz, who kept up the pressure on Fedele for most of the way, got three knockdowns in the final round aboard his regular horse, Shabba Ranks.

Challenge fizzled

His challenge thus fizzled, but this being his first foray at this level, the 14-year-old Campion College student, who rode much too aggressively in the speed section, will have gained from the experience.

Vaz, who is coached by Yvonne Melville at the St. Ann Polo Club, Drax Hall, did not finish the day empty-handed. He proceeded to turn the tables on Fedele in the final leg of the Hi-Pro Grand Prix, thanks to a clear round aboard Shabba Ranks.

Vaz totalled 28 points to capture the Hi-Pro Trophy, six clear of Fedele who in turn was one point ahead of 13-year-old Adam Black-Charlebois aboard Tai Pan. Twelve competed. The Grand Prix winner is determined by points accumulated in three different competitions, culminating in Sunday's final leg. The championship trophies were presented to Fedele and Vaz by visiting Barbadian judge, Ann-Marie Tarravaccino.

- O.C.