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Scottish BE90 and BE100 Champions crowned
BE90 Championship top 10 finishers © Katie Neat Scottish BE90 Championship It was a Cumbrian 1-2 in the hotly-contested BE90 Championship. With just under four penalties separating the top 10 combinations, Annie Sandell and her 15.1hh Murrah Hall Midnight Maelstrom emerged the winners, completing on their dressage score of 32.2. Runners-up Emma Little and Alecon added just .4 of a cross-country time penalty to their two-phase score to complete on 33.2. Murrah Hall Midnight Maelstrom has only contested a couple of competitions this season, primarily due to Annie having to balance riding with the demands of caring for her 10 month old daughter while also expecting again. “I’ve carried on as normal as I trust him 100%,” said Annie. “I’ve had him since he was a yearling and also backed him so we know each other very well. He is the Bart Simpson of the equine world though – he’s an absolute nightmare at home but calms down at competitions.” “This is the first time he’s been stabled away from home and it’s certainly the biggest event he’s ever been to but he’s just been amazing and taken it all in his stride. We had an absolute blast across country and just went for it – I had no idea we’d come home inside the time though!” Runner-up Alecon is a Dutch-bred 14-year-old enjoying his first season eventing after rider Emma Little bought him from a showjumping yard last year. “It’s my first time riding here,” she said. “It was scary riding in the big arenas, but also an amazing experience. Alecon can have a cross-country time penalty so I kicked on today and we ended up picking up .4 for going too fast – we’ve never competed over three days before so he was full of it.” Gillian Edward and Benny Station completed on the same score as Emma and Alecon but took third place after the latter finished closer to the optimum time. Scottish BE100 Championship The top two after dressage and showjumping remained unchanged after the final cross-country phase in the BE100 Championship. Rose Macpherson retained the title she won last year, winning this year’s Championship with HHS Canya. Rose had described the track as “strong and technical” but the seven-year-old HHS Canya stormed round inside the time. “She keeps me on my toes,” admitted Rose. “She likes to look at everything and she’s as sharp as anything – if she sees something that she doesn’t think looks like a jump she’ll turn round and change direction – fast!” Local combination Eilidh Macaulay and Rockcon added just .4 of a time penalty to their two-phase score to complete on a very respectable 28.7 and finish second, with Keely Gordon and Thunder VII’s fault-free spin across country elevating them to a podium finish in third on 30.5. Follow...
read moreSimon Grieve Finishes 3rd CCI4*L at Land Rover Blair Castle Internationals
Main Image Courtesy of Julian Portch Well Simon set out postively on the cross country with Mr Fahrenheit and rode a lovely first half of the cross country though his ride looked strong and keen – which to be fair is a good thing at Blair with the hills. The second water Simon rode through just text book like and got mr Fahrenheit back on the way out of the water just balancing him beautifully. However fence 16 saw a sit tight moment and they were saved from an unscheduled dismount. they continued on through the course and was superb through the Topspin Quarry Angles just demonstrating how well trained the horse is who stayed on his life beautifully. He currently sits in third place going forward to the showjumping We caught up with Simon to hear what his thoughts were on his cross country round So clear cross country Simon, and a bit of a sit tight moment??!! There was definitely a sit tight moment , yeah he was very good to me. He left a bit of a leg which unseated me and then he put me back into the saddle over the next part and he jumped whereas most horses would have run straight past it, which was great The way you rode through the second water was text book He is quite a feisty little chap and by that point he was starting to become , well as its later in the course, a bit more rideable so I really enjoyed riding through there it was really good. Today saw Simon sail through the trot up Yes passed the trot up, which is always a bit of a nerve racking thing. What does Mr Fahrenheit show jump like? Sometimes he can mr careful and doesn’t want to leave a pole and won’t knock a pole and other days he can be a bit casual about it Simon Then went on to Showjumps later this afternoon in what was a beautiful day with the sun shining but the temperatures rose to over 30 degrees making it uncomfortably hot However they only had one pole and two time penalties to leave them sitting in third place Simon was really pleased with this result and we wanted to know his thoughts on his round and his future plans with Mr Fahrenheit It was a decent enough course in there, big enough and square enough in places and Freddy is a little bit tired and a little bit flat today, he had a slightly sore stifle and our little altercation with that fence yesterday and so he has come out and tried really hard so I am really happy with him. He really really tried, Its like driving a car with flat tyres and he really tried his best, so as long as they try I can never ask for more So what will be the next plans for Freddy? Well he qualified for Badminton at Bramham this year and we wanted to have a nice run here and wanted to see how he went and he really operated yesterday so I think hopefully Badminton next year as a ten year old would be brilliant and it would be so wonderful to take him as his mother...
read moreDaisy retains the lead in the CCI4*S Day 2 of Blair
Images Courtesy of Menzies Breen and are subject to copyright – all rights reserved Well what can I say Daisy Berkley and Ballinteskin Cooper S where not letting the lead slip from their fingertips!! Their showjumping round had me on pins never mind Daisy or the general public I think I jumped every fence with them!!it was a pleasure to watch and there was no way Ballinteskin Cooper S was touching a pole thats for sure!! Daisy gives us her thoughts on her round Well I nearly got jumped off at fence three! It all seemed slightly wild but he was never planning on having a pole, he jumped absolutely brilliantly. Honestly at fence three I went up in the air both my knees and everything where above the saddle and I landed like a sack of spuds and my hat slipped over my face! and all I could think was I haven’t got time to waste! actually he did the time easy!,I did then maybe cut my corners but he is such a good jumper! I have such fun jumping him BS and I think he really comes into his own on a big occasion on grass. He was never planning on having a fence down, I was trying to fall of in a few places but no I am thrilled to bits with him. Well I will have to go really fast tomorrow and try not to run out!! Follow...
read moreBlair CCI3*L was not to be for Aimee Penny this year
Well the return to Blair for Aimee penny with Hirondelle de Fribios was not as she had expected. They set out well on the cross country and they set out with purpose! the mare looked to be jumping well and after her being dropped a level to regain confidence they looked like they were going to have a good run round, however this was not to be the case. They had a stop early on at fence 5 and then fence 6 the Timage Trakehner and straight after that another refusal at fence 7 the rail and ditch resulting in elimination. We caught up with Aimee later on to find out her thoughts on it not the run you were looking for Aimee? No not at all, she was going really well, she has lost confidence round 4star but just got to fence 5 and I don’t know what happened, she stopped, stopped at fence 6 and wouldn’t go near fence 7 so I don’t know. Well you can come back another day this is horses for you Yeah I mean I thought she has lost her confidence round 4 star as I say but I was planning on quite a good run here obviously its down a level and she was jumping double clear round a four star last year so its going to be a long road ahead i think Will you head out anywhere else now with her this year? Possibly Gatcombe and Osberton and just see how she comes out of she hasn’t done a lot, make sure she has a check over and see if everything is alright but that will be pencilled in I think This is a blow for Aimee but I am confident they will return to Blair with Vengeance next year Follow...
read moreGiorgia Burns gets burnt at Blair in the CCI2*L
Images courtesy of @Dave cameron – all rights reserved and are subject to copyright Eventing always has the highs and the lows and today was not to be for Giorgia and her horse Life in Time but what makes it so nice is that they were still in good spirits when we went to see them and find out what happened and it is that that attitude that separates good riders from the best riders. Well they set off cross country and life in time looked very keen and looked very strong at fences 4ab the James Jones logstack and Timber stack. Oh I forgot about 4 a&b , that was a lucky one! you know you have just jogged my memory! he worried me slightly at fence 4 a&b he just was not for listening to me there but i got him back and I took fence 5 on an a slight angle to just make sure I had him back again but then he got away from me at number 6 Then unfortunately had stop at second part of 6ab the Baileys horse feed brush corners again it just looked like struggling to turn and get the line they wanted , he ran off with me and was too strong I didn’t get the turn and the line that I wanted, so he wasn’t positioned on it where I wanted humbug then after that he was fine They then looked more settled through the first water Malcolm Lochran Barrels and seal at fence 10ab and it seemed to ride well for them. The first water I was delighted with, because I had sat and watched a few and it was not jumping well, the striding wasn’t looking good and I hadn’t even counted the strides because I thought it was fine as you don’t know where you are landing so I hadn’t even counted it and I was thinking it was not jumping well , but he did it foot perfect. I couldn’t have asked for a better jump through that first water from him. Though we didn’t get to see much of them on the screens and next we heard that they unfortunately had parted company at fence 12ab the House of Bruar bothy and gate. thus resulting in them being eliminated It was completely one of those things, the good old horse leaves a leg, there was no reason for it, he was dragging me up the hill, did the gypsy caravans and dragged me up hill got round and set him up for it and I knew it was going to happen as soon as he jumped it, we were on a good stride and he jumped stand I just heard the bang and I hoped that he had knocked the pin but no he hadn’t and I knew instantly, I didn’t even worry about the b part as I knew when we were going to land that he was going to land on his knees and sure enough he landed on his knees and I just evacuated out the side door. Both me and him are absolutely fine. We just have to put it down to one of these things So where will you head off to know with him ? Well...
read moreCompetition hots up on day three of Land Rover Blair Castle International
CCI4*-L Emilie Chandler proved a class apart across country in the CCI4*-L at Land Rover Blair Castle International Horse Trials, and has a sizeable lead going into the final showjumping phase. Leicestershire-based Emilie was much the fastest of the class, adding just 3.2 time-faults to her dressage score of 31.8 on Maria Doel’s 10-year-old Gortfadda Diamond. She has 13.1 penalties in hand over second-placed Rosa Onslow and Diamond Sundance. “I’m thrilled – he gave me a fantastic ride,” said Emilie. “He never really tired and kept galloping for me. I think he’s real class – an out-and-out event horse who’s good in all three phases. “It was a good cross-country course; very fair, and I like the way this year the course made sure they had got their blood up before they went uphill.” Rosa, 20, recently represented Britain at the Young Rider European Eventing Championships in The Netherlands on 13-year-old Diamond Sundance. This is their first CCI4*-L competition, and they were clear across country with 11.2 time-faults. Simon Grieve and Mr Fahrenheit III are in third place after collecting 13.2 time-penalties. CCI3*-L Tomorrow (Sunday, 25 August), could be a very big day for Eleanor Hope. It’s her 20th birthday – and she heads the CCI3*-L going into showjumping. Eleanor, who has travelled up to Land Rover Blair Castle from Aylesbury, was 13th after dressage on eight-year-old Limestone Romeo with 36.1, but a clear cross-country round within the time has propelled her up to first. “He was point and shoot today,” said Eleanor, a student at Reading University. “His dressage is improving, but he just loves to jump. He’s a good showjumper – I’m not so good. Hopefully he will help me out tomorrow.” Cross-country speed was significant in this class. Victoria Wilson, now second on Don’t You Know, just 0.6 penalties behind Eleanor, and Ashley Harrison (Zebedee IX), third, shot up from 14th and 15th places after dressage. French duo Astier Nicolas and Lumberton, leaders going into cross-country, had a run-out at the brush corner coming out of the water CCI2*-L Polly Stockton, who already has two international wins at Land Rover Blair Castle to her credit, is in pole position in the CCI2*-L with Sir Alfred II. She shared second position after dressage with Germany’s Josephine Schnaufer (Ronaldo IV) on 30.5; both riders went clear across country with no time-faults, but Polly was closer to the optimum time so officially took the lead. Josephine, who is also in fifth place on seven-year-old Viktor 107, said: “I bought Ronaldo IV from the Czech Republic as a seven-year-old. He wasn’t at all easy at the beginning but is getting better and better – he’s a real pleasure to ride now. “I thought it was a technical, tough CCI2*-L track when I walked it, but it was really fun to ride. The questions were clear to the horses.” This is Josephine’s third visit to Land Rover Blair Castle, and she said: “It is one of the nicest events, and really good preparation for horses for the future.” Hayden Hankey and the six-year-old mare Cartown Galaxy are just 0.1 penalties behind Polly and Josephine in third place. “I bought her last summer when I went over to Ireland to judge hunters at Dublin Show,” said Hankey. “She’s one of...
read moreSarah Brown Completes the SCBE90 Championship Showjumping
I know this is the phase that Sarah gets the most nervous about and I was sat waiting just as nervous for her . The showjumping takes place in the Main arena and so they soak up the full atmosphere of blair on a cross country day. It turned out I had no reason to be nervous at all and they jumped a lovely round just having a very unlucky pole which has cost them a few places after lying 38th they now sit 42nd going forward to the cross country. We catch up with Sarah after her round to find out her thoughts on the showjumping and for the cross country which lies ahead One pole down in the showjumping, you must be pleased with that? I am absolutely delighted because the show jumping is most definitely my worst phase, I get very very nervous before i show jump so the fact he has just gone in and jumped in that atmosphere and just had one pole down is amazing and I am really proud of him. we work really hard to try and stop him rushing, he has got a big massive stride for a little horse and we have to work really hard to not let him run on into his fences, he gets a little bit over keen and we miss turns and lines which can be a bit of a disaster So are you looking forward now to the cross country? oh yes definitely, I have had a quick walk round it last night but i will be walking it again because there is a couple of combinations that come sort of half way through the course that require you to turn back on yourself so it needs a second walking so i make sure i go the right side of the string What are your plans for rest of the day ? well I have the best of the day to relax and have a shower and walk round some of the stands, there is a couple of good trade stands out there worth visiting but think i will leave my purse behind! Sarah got back in touch with us after her final walk here is what she has to say about it : The first real test for us comes at fence 9, a trakhener jumping out of the woods to a left elbow brush as he is a bit ditchy and can fall through his left shoulder. 11 and 12, haggis to double of angled brushes will be a similar test as the ground falls away to the left. Water complex is relatively straightforward but there is a lot to look at so if he comes out spooky, which he can do, this might be more of a challenge than it looks. Overall lovely course and we will be aiming to keep a nice punchy canter to the combinations as he has a huge stride thay sometimes runs away with itself so need to keep his eye on the job at hand. Looking forward to giving it a go but whatever happens I’m so very proud of how he has gone so far and of how far he has come in a year! Follow...
read moreSwanky Panky Showjumping at Blair in the SCBE100 Championships
Images courtesy of Lucy Hall Photography- all rights reserved and are subject to copyright Well after yesterday and the interview with Emily I did wonder what we might witness in the showjumping whether it would be a cricket score having had three plus poles but in fact despite showjumping by braille they had a super round and just had the one very unlucky pole which was at the first fence but perhaps this woke them up! We caught up with Emily after her round to hear her thoughts on her ride with Wickstead Swanky Panky You weren’t looking forward to this yesterday with potentially three or four poles down to be expected but just the one pole Emily! Only one down , I can’t believe it , i am absolutely delighted , I am also completely exhausted, but really really over the moon. what a super little horse i am so lucky. How did she feel in there as its got a bit busier this morning , is the atmosphere quite tense when you are going in to the arena? Well i think thats good for me, my problem tends to be that her showjumping is flat and long and so because of the atmosphere i think that picks her up and she got her hind legs under her and she was going a bit more, so actually thats to my advantage This fantastic round moved Emily up on the placings into 22nd place so we wish them all the best for the cross country course tomorrow Follow...
read moreBerkeley leads Blair CCI4*S going into the cross country
Daisy Berkeley and Ballinteskin Cooper S take the lead in the dressage today which a very smart test which looked relaxed and precise and the score reflected just that. They sit in the lead on a score of 30.4 with Polly Stockton, Nicolas Astier and Sam Ecroyd sitting less than one penalty mark away from them so its all to play for and will make the cross country time very influential We caught up with Daisy to see what her thoughts were on her test I am really pleased with him, there were a couple of little bits, like he had a jog in his walk, slightly my fault because after his walk pirouette I got a fly in my eye, always my right eye as well so I tried to grab the fly out my eye as I turned into my extended walk and he had a jog but I would rather he was a bit sharp than a bit lazy because they are no fun when they are lazy and he has a lot more presence when he is sharper, I was really pleased with him today and I hope they liked him Have you walked the cross country? I have had a couple of goes round actually as I have had nothing else to do all week well apart from lying in bed and taking my daughter to the Helter Skelter, It is always decent when you come here, it is obviously not as strong as the long four star but there is lots to do and the hills here a very testing but the ground is amazing, I was worried it wouldn’t run at the beginning of the week but blair is Blair and it gets its head down and pushes on through and comes out the other sideline this and it is lovely. What are you planning to do for the rest of your day today? Well it doesn’t sound very athletic but I might go and give my horse a big hug, potter back to the lorry and have a an ice cold Corona which is in my fridge and definitely one of them has my name on it! My working pupil is doing the 2 star long format so after my Corona i will go for a walk round the course with her and find her minute markers and set her a plan and tomorrow I only have to show jump so I will have another walk round then. I will support Lucy tomorrow and wave some buckets and sponges and then Sunday is the big Cross country day! Follow...
read moreSimon Grieve and Mr Fahrenheight sitting 6th in the CCI4*L at Blair
Image courtesy of @Lucy Hall Photography Simon Grieve rode Mr Fahrenheight yesterday in the CCI4*L section to lie 6th going into the cross country tomorrow we caught with him to get his thoughts on his test and the cross country course which they will tackle tomorrow How did your test go? I was really pleased with him, the judges weren’t his biggest fan but he’s very young, he’s only nine and he is the youngest one in the field and he is not really established properly on the flat at this level, but he tried very hard. I am a great believer in if they try really hard and I am very happy Have you walked the course yet? yes I have had a look and its classically Blair like, it’s a strong enough track, it is the terrain that is the real challenge here which I think this horse will cope with well, he is a thoroughbred horse , he has an amazing gallop, he is one that doesn’t like giving up either so i think he will relish those hills and rise to the challenge and there is some big fences out there as well! The ground is soft enough, i haven’t walked the course today and it will be interesting to see what it will be like having had a dry spell this morning, but it was soft enough when i walked it last time so it could be quite testing but we will have to see what the weather does! Follow...
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