Jersey’s Natalie French competing outdoors with The Nicest Thing

JERSEY show jumper Natalie French showed her class when up against some top competition at the Hartbury Spectacular International at the weekend.

The 26-year-old, competing on The Nicest Thing, finished sixth in the bronze tour event at Hartbury College which was open to riders on the first step of international competition or experienced riders on less established horses.

The first leg of the tour tested competitors over eight obstacles at a height of 1.25m and with French riding to a clear round she went into a jump off over six fences at 1.30m against a field of 75 riders and placed seventh.

On Saturday the second leg of the Bronze tour featured a speed and power class with horses tested against the clock before being challenged in a power section with fences of 1.35m. A double clear round brought French tenth place.

The two days of action were run on an accumulative points scheme so the top horses in each tour group (bronze, silver, and gold) qualified for the final on Sunday which featured French who progressed in 11th place overall.

‘In the final I was competing against all the big names such as Robert and Ellen Whitaker, Ryan Prater, William Frunnell, and Tim Stockdale,’ said French. ‘Of the 30 starters in the final, 13 jumped clear rounds to go though to a jump off and I jumped a fast, yet controlled, clear round to place sixth overall.’