Equestrianism: Composed Grannus enhances Renwick's reputation

JOHN RENWICK'S reputation for producing young show jumping horses was further enhanced yesterday, when he rode Grannus Lady to win the Aon Six-Year-Old Horse Championship on the opening day of The Horse of the Year Show at Wembley Arena.

The German-bred Grannus Lady, who arrived in Renwick's Essex yard in March, won a total of five classes at the two Hickstead meetings this year. Yesterday, competing indoors for only the fourth time, the mare showed commendable sang-froid to defeat Jo Pay on Ballinor by a margin of 1.35sec.

David McPherson on Shearwater Leon II, the horse Renwick regarded as his biggest threat, filled third place some 2.68sec behind the winner.

This was the third Wembley victory for the 27-year-old Renwick, who first competed here at the age of 11. Though a regular winner on the home circuit, the Essex rider has yet to make his mark among the leading internationals. Renwick might have reached the top of the ladder with Temple What For, but this horse (his best mount so far) shattered a pastern bone at Dulwich two years ago when hitting the back pole of a spread fence. Grannus Lady could prove a real star but, at six, she still has a long way to go.

Louise Pavitt, from Kent, rode another mare, the pony Ballykissangel, to win the Squibb and Davies National Foxhunter Championship by a comfortable 3.73sec. Having won the Welcome Stakes on Tuesday evening, this was the 13-year-old's second Wembley win.

n Jackie Stewart has joined the International Eventing Safety Committee, which will report to the International Equestrian Federation and the British Horse Trials Association following the five rider fatalities this year. Lord Hartington is chairman of the committee, which also includes David O'Connor (US event rider), Gerry Mullins (Irish show jumper), Dr Gerit Matthesen (German event team vet), Mike Tucker (chairman of BHTA standing committee on safety) and Christopher Bartle (event rider and trainer). A medical doctor from a "risk sport" will be appointed shortly.