Equestrianism Bradley jumps at her chance

Equestrianism

GENEVIEVE MURPHY

reports from Stoneleigh

Alison Bradley rode the stallion Endeavour to a comfortable victory in yesterday's Stoneleigh Grand Prix at the Royal Show, defeating Malcolm Pyrah on Itziweeni by 3.27sec.

These were the only riders to jump clear in the first two rounds and so reach the jump-off in which Pyrah, a member of Britain's winning World Championship team in 1978, was first to go.

Pyrah did not attempt a particularly fast time on the little nine-year- old mare Itziweeni and Bradley, who won her first international contest at Olympia last December, was left with an obvious chance which she seized.

Third place was shared by four riders who had one mistake in the course of the first two rounds. They were Paul Sutton on Tuesday's winner, Wessex Zakatak, John Whitaker on the grey stallion, Everest Randi, Marie Edgar on Winstar and Peter Murphy on Orthos.

Both Bradley and Pyrah will be competing in the French Nations Cup meeting in La Baule in two weeks' time, when they will be members of the British squad. The selection was made before they filled the top two places yesterday, since both had already shown good form this year.

Pyrah, who has recently returned to the international scene, jumped three clear rounds in the Lisbon Nations Cup on Itziweeni, whose name reflects her mere 15.1 hands in height. Bradley won two contests at the Lincolnshire Show and also captured the Area International Trial at the Wales and West.

The La Baule squad will be completed by Nick Skelton, James Fisher and William Funnell. Skelton also has engagements at Geesteren and Luxembourg, before he travels to the French seaside resort.

ROYAL SHOW (Stoneleigh, Warwicks): Stoneleigh Grand Prix: 1 Endeavour (A Bradley) clear, 45.69sec; 2 Itziweeni (M Pyrah) clear, 48.96; 3= Wessex Zakatak (P Sutton), Everest Randi (J Whitaker), Everest Winstar (M Edgar), Orthos (P Murphy) 4 faults in first two rounds.