SOLIHULL’S Mennell Watson leads the International Stairway Series at the halfway stage after claiming victory at the Royal Norfolk Show.
Watson clinched the win on Whisper In The Wind – Euro Sport Horses’ 14 year-old bay stallion.
Course designer Kelvin Bywater set a challenging first round track with all eight starters picking up faults.
Watson and Whisper In The Wind were the only pair to jump clear, picking up a single time fault, as the combination jumped clear again in the second round.
This saw them cross the finish line in 56.78 seconds to take top spot with Timothy Davies and Lisa Volk‘s Neilson in second and Phillip Miller with Breandon Stud‘s Don Royale in third.
And the pair finished second at the following event in Devon to lead the overall standings by a single point with two shows remaining before the final.
The International Stairway takes place across a number of county shows where winning combinations accumulate League Points that count towards the Final which takes place at the British Showjumping National Championships in August at Stoneleigh Park.
And the series culminates with a high-profile championship where three Horse of the Year Show International Wild Cards are allocated as well as the National Champion being crowned.
The International Stairway is supported by the British Showjumping Partnership with funding from sponsors including Charles Owen, KBIS Insurance, NAF and Zebra Products.
