And the Wessex Awards Winners are!!!

The results are in!!! And they have been counted and verified by the legendary Terry Selby who so kindly keeps the “scores on the doors” for us.

Only one Award has yet to be completed which is the inter-Area Award, the Brian Armstrong and Peter Mansell Memorial Trophy which looks like it could be heading to Jeremy Hill’s Dollanstown. He’s 13 points clear of Follow My Order who scored a second at Bratton over the weekend but that horse is running out of time to secure enough points to change position.  Carrillo (a great 3^rd up at Aintree in the Point to Point bumper but the points do not count) looks like finishing an honourable third

The Spillers Leading Large Trainers title literally went down to the wire with a nervous Will Biddick harassing the Area Secretary as to whether he had done enough to win after a winner and second at Cothelstone on Wednesday evening. His big rival  Chris Barber also had a winner but Will just scraped the win by one point for a first win in this category to deny Chris a sixth straight win.  Josh Newman who is currently in the running for a National title finishes in third. 

1. Will Biddick 112 points
2. Chris Barber 111 points
3. Josh Newman 87 points

In the Spillers Leading Small Trainer, an even closer finish also decided at Cothelstone when Teresa Clark came with a devastating late run to nail Bea Coward on the line by half a point when Ninth Wave and Granny Smith gave her the necessary points.  Sam Loxton is also close up in third spot.

1. Teresa Clark 42 points
2. Bea Coward 41½ points
3. Sam Loxton 40 points

There’s been a good battle too in the Spillers Men’s Riders title and after Cothelstone Ed Doggrell’s two winners propelled him past Josh Newman to bag his very first title with National Champion James King back in third.

1. Ed Doggrell 94 points
2. Josh Newman 91 points
3. James King 85 points

Another new name on the roster is Aimee Jones who takes the Spillers Ladies Title with Anna Johnston second while Lucy Mager is in third.  This is a considerable performance as Aimee is a Novice rider too.

1. Aimee Jones 21 points
2. Anna Johnston 15 points
3. Lucy Mager 12 points

The Spillers Novice Rider’s title goes to Jack Stenhouse overall winner with Lucas Murphy in second and Aimee Jones just edging into third.

1. Jack Stenhouse 36 points
2. Lucas Murphy 25 points
3. Aimee Jones 21 points

The Spillers Leading Owner has finished as a worthy dead-heat after Peter & Kathy Musgrave’s Ninth Wave stole a Ladies Open at Cothelstone to join Joan Hitchings’ Grace a Vous Enki.  Duc de Bourbon who chased Ninth Wave home at Cothelstone grabs some more points to take third.

1. Ninth Wave & Grace a Vous Enki
2. Duc de Bourbon

Jeremy Hill’s Dollanstown takes the Wincanton Novice Horse Championship capping a fine season with 3 wins and 2 2nds. Make Idaho Great is second while J’Envoievalserenki is third

1. Dollanstown 45 points

The Greenslade Taylor Hunt Trophy goes to Ninth Wave with Far Out West finishing a gallant runner-up for The Hot Toddie Partnership

1. Ninth Wave 37 points
2. Far Out West 28 points

Lucy Mager has won the John Dufosee Trophy (best Owner/Rider) for the 4^th time while Josh Newman has already secured the Dick & Sue Woodhouse Trophy (Leading Rider at Badbury Rings & Milborne St Andrew)

A HUGE congratulations to all the winners and placed runners.  We are very grateful that you choose Wessex to be your number 1 Area!  The website gives all of the results in full and we hope all of those who are mentioned are available to come to the Awards evening on Saturday 4^th July in its brand new venue of Wincanton Racecourse (full details on the Wessex website) as there are prizes for the first three in each of the Spillers awards so bring your friends too as it’s a great evening!!