Piggy French and AKD Corkline, winner 4YO KBIS British Eventing Young Horse Championships
It was quite a day for Piggy French at Osberton International Horse Trials winning the KBIS British Eventing Young Horse 4 Year Old class on AKD Corkline and finishing second and third in the Five Year Old class on Ballycanu and Carsten of Westoak. The grey AKD Corkline, a horse with strong jumping bloodlines being by Corland and his damsire Lux Z, added nothing to his dressage score of 27 and had the second fastest cross country time of the day to win the class ahead of Annie Bellamy riding Shannondale Aston (30.10) and Vicky Tuffs on Goldwin (30.30).
Vicky Tuffs and Its Cooley, KBIS British Eventing Young Horse Championships 4 YO winner
It was Vicky’s turn to win ahead of Piggy however in the 5 Year Old class, maintaining her lead from Thursday on Its Cooley, finishing off a very good season with a win here at Osberton.
These young horse classes always bring up some interesting ones to watch in the future apart from just the winners; UK based Canadian rider Kathryn Robinson’s Calling Card made the biggest move up the leader board into the top ten to finish ninth on his dressage score of 30.3 and French rider Arthur Pottier’s My Squire de Reve, finishing in seventh on 29.8, both make a pretty picture over fences
We like the way these guys jump - Kathryn Robinson’s Calling Card (above) and Arthur Pottier’s My Squire de Reve (below)
When the horses are ridden by William Fox-Pitt, they are certainly ones to watch. William’s five year old Blickfield finished fourth in his class and last year’s second place getter in the 6 Year Old, The Soap Dodger is currently in third place in the CICYH2*(7YO). This class is currently led by Willa Newton’s chestnut mare Caja 20 that was recently third in the CIC2* at Gatcombe Park with Emily King and Dargun (who did lead the dressage at Gatcombe but took a little dip on cross country) in second and Selina Mills riding Iron IV in equal third place with William.
William Fox-Pitt and Blickfield
William is in second place in the CICYH1* (6YO) riding Little Fire, another German horse found for William by Philipp Kolossa, but it is Australia’s Paul Tapner leading the charge on Wickstead Kangaroo, a 16.2hh bay gelding by Chilli Morning that was bred by Paul and his wife Georgina, with a score of 37.5 (by the way, if you like the look of this horse, Georgina's share is for sale at a good price to keep the ride with Paul!)
In equal second place with William on 39.6 is Holly Bradshaw riding Archfield Echo. Tomorrow these classes complete the dressage phase and show jump while it is the turn of the CCI1* and CCI2* riders to head off on the cross country course designed by Event Director Stuart Buntine.
Stuart, never one short of great ways to liven up an event, has this year created the Director’s Challenge which also takes place on Saturday. In this, Stuart has decided to put those long-suffering grooms, the backbone of our sport, into the spotlight by being asked to complete a very simple mane plaiting challenge – however they will be blindfold to complete the task! For once the shoe is on the other foot and the riders will be required to assist their grooms in the arena in front of the rider’s bar during happy hour, when the final takes place. With a much-desired tool of the trade, a Nomad Washer worth £200, up for grabs we can imagine that many grooms have been wandering around blindfold for weeks .......... definitely not one to miss if you’re around
Finally, following up from our Thursday report, the mother and daughter team, Sue Browne and Nicola Baguley, were the big winners in the Oakham Veterinary Hospital In Hand Championships, winning the top prizes in two of the five in-hand classes as well as the title of In-Hand Champion.
Their Class 1 - Broodmare winner, the homebred Folklaw, sired by the Browne’s own Advanced eventing stallion, has been a broodmare all her life as well as a prolific winner in the show ring while another of the Browne’s homebreds, Dingle Dolphin, won the Class 2 - Foal. Dingle Dolphin is sired by the 5 year old Glencarrig Dolphin who was 10th in the 4 Year Old Championships here last year and has also been placed 1st and 2nd at BE 100 level.
With two second placings in the classes just behind Nicola and her homebreds were the Preci Spark Ltd stablemates and half-siblings Trengwainton and Treneare with Samantha Hobbs. Both out of the Advanced Event mare Spicy Lady, these two knew how to impress both judges, Chris Hunnable and Jane Holderness-Roddam.
Reserve Champion went to the 16.2hh Sport Horse GB gelding Demi Minutus who’s great-grandmother was the 4* mare Morag, and his grandmother was Miss Megan who was also ridden to 3* Level. Having won and been placed at numerous county shows since he was a yearling, winning the Reserve Champion here today cemented his place as a very exciting prospect for the future.
Results from Thursday’s In-Hand classes
