Sophia Hill and Humble Glory
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Hanson Tonimbuk International Horse Trials 2023 - order or view videos here
Victoria’s Sophia Hill riding her off the track gelding Humble Glory have done it again, taking their second CCI4*-S win of the early season.
After winning the 4*-S at Werribee in February, they have now won the VRW CCI4*-S at Hanson Tonimbuk International Horse Trials, thanks to a fast and clear round on Sunday’s hot cross country.
Sophia and the 12-year-old bay gelding added just six time penalties on cross country, making easy work of Ewan Kellett’s course that winds through bushland as well as open land and is notoriously hard for making the time, to win on a score of 45.30.
Only three riders completed this class, with David Middleton riding WEC In The Money finishing second (50 penalties) and the overnight leader, Will Enzinger riding Cairo Xtreme in third (58.7)
Sam Jeffree, who won the CCI3* here last year on Koyuna Tactician did it again this year on board Wimborne Conjuror. They were in ninth place of the Horseland Narre Warren CCI3*-S after the dressage but two double clear jumping rounds meant that they finished on their dressage score of 36.6 ahead of Molly Lines riding Tadpole (37.6) and Erin Callahan riding Danson Lincoln (42.30)
But, while Sam Jeffree did the double last year, winning the 3* and 2*, it was Sophia Hill’s turn this year.
As well as winning the 4*-S, Sophia won the Charlie’s Stockfeed CCI2*-S on board Tulara Baltango, who has now won his first three 2* starts in a row, finishing on their dressage score of 30.2. Yona Lloyd and Carlyle Park Bravo were not far behind in second place (33.6) while Will Enzinger took another third place, this time on Epic Xtreme (34.3)
It was a hot, sunny day at Tonimbuk and Sophia had several more rides with all horses taking home rugs or ribbons, including a win in one of the EvA95 classes
“I must admit, I was pretty tired at the end of the last cross country ride” says Sophia, who has a busy few weeks ahead with the horses at all levels, before heading to Adelaide for her first CCI5* “And I haven’t planned anything after Adelaide yet!” she says.
Watch our video interview with Sophia Hill here
