BORDERS Olympic prospect Scott Brash has been showcasing his talents in the USA over the last month, and making top dollar in the process.
Not content with winning the $200,000 FEI World Cup Grand Prix CSI4* in Florida at the beginning of March, the Peebles showjumper went on to notch up another big-money win Stateside.
Scott, 26, was riding his father Stanley’s 13-year-old gelding Intertoy Z. The partnership won the $25,000 Suncast 1.50m Championship Jumper Classic as part of the 2012 FTI Consulting Winter Equestrian Festival (WEF) on Sunday, March 25.
In the 13-horse jump-off, only four jumped clear, with Scott finishing less than half a second ahead of fellow British rider Ben Maher. In contrast to his much newer ride, Sanctos Van Het Gravenhof, Scott has been riding Intertoy since he was a 15-year-old.
This was the first class on the circuit in the International Arena to see no clear rounds, with all the jump-off riders on four fault scores.
“I don’t know what was so difficult to be honest,” said Scott. “It was just a bit different and quite a long course. The last line was a bit tricky and I think a lot of the four faulters were pretty unlucky.
“You get the odd class like that, but I think it still ended up being entertaining for the crowd. I haven’t been in that situation many times, but they are big, hard tracks here. I was just glad to come back out to do the jump-off.”
During this year’s FTI WEF circuit, Scott and Intertoy Z have racked up many top placings, including a win in the $50,000 Wellington Equestrian Realty CSI 2* Grand Prix during week two.
Scott has also won several classes with his other horses. He won a $25,000 Suncast 1.50m Championship Jumper Classic with Whisky Mac IV during week four, and the $200,000 FEI World Cup Qualifier Grand Prix CSI 4*W, presented by The Bainbridge Companies, with Sanctos Van Het Gravenhof, during week nine.
Scott has been competing in the USA since January and returns home this week for three weeks before travelling to compete in Europe with a focus on selection for the Top Level Nations Cup teams in preparation for the London Olympics.
The former Newlands Primary and Peebles High School pupil was given his first pony when he was seven and started jumping at 10 when he was a member of the Peebleshire Branch of the Pony Club.
“I still enjoy riding around Peebles during my time there,” added Scott who still lives just outside the town.
“It’s fantastic countryside with great hacking for the horses.”
Scott is currently on the British Equestrian Federation’s World Class Development Programme which works with talented riders to maximize success. The programme underpins World Class Performance and, together with the Equine Pathway, they comprise the Equestrian World Class Programme. It incorporates the three Olympic sports of dressage, eventing, showjumping and the Paralympic sport of para-equestrian dressage.
Scott is the number one Scottish showjumper and is ranked seventh in Britain. He has been described as a dedicated, fully-focused, talented and highly skillful rider – who is finding success his own way through sheer grit and determination – producing his own raw, young horses from novice to Grade A. All his successes to date have been gained through his own skill, talent and horsemanship.
John Ledingham, international showjumper and young rider’s coach for Scotland said of Scott: “You can’t teach people to have natural talent, you can only refine it. Scott has real instinct and intuition for horses. He is most definitely a star of the future.”