Blenheim buggies are the only way to get around, especially on cross country day
The phrase ‘time is of the essence’ was certainly true at the Blenheim Palace International Horse Trials today during the CCI3* cross country phase.
The last time that the course ran in this direction (clockwise), only one horse made the time so course designer Eric Winter was pleased with the results today
“This time I lengthened the track by 30 seconds to give provide more galloping on the flattest part. But the main reason that there are so many inside the time is that this is a very strong field – there was some lovely riding.”
Chris Burton and Nobilis 18
In theory the course should have become a little faster as the day wore on as cold, misty conditions gave way to beautiful sunshine, drying the ground out a little underfoot but several of the 13 double clear rounds came from early riders. Chris Burton riding Nobilis 18 was the fifth rider out in the heavy misty conditions and this combination easily made time to complete with the first double clear of the day moving him into the lead, where he stayed for much of the day. This is the first CCI3* competition for Nobilis 18, who is owned by Sue Lawson and Carolyn and Anthony Townsend, who are often seen at their daughter Alex’s beautiful property Wallaby Hill in Australia. Despite his inexperience at this level Nobilis 18 has put in very strong performances at CIC level including a win at Camphire recently and he certainly looked full of running as he finished the cross country.
Kevin McNab and Dustman
Another top class rider with a much more experienced horse, William Fox-Pitt and Cool Mountain, blitzed around under time shortly afterwards and Kevin McNab on his Australian thoroughbred Dustman also came in clear and under the time to move up the leader board from 33rd after the dressage to 17th. We spoke to Kevin afterwards - at which point I thought that he had a few time penalties - but Kevin was pretty sure that he hadn’t and was (of course!) proved right. The rider always knows best!
The experienced British competitor Tina Cook had a very good round on Calvino II, a horse produced by Nana Dalton and taken over by Tina in 2013. The bay gelding is only 16h but ate up the ground with his big stride, which Tina says feels like that of a 17h horse, to finish in tenth place while three other British ladies produced very good rounds; Kitty King and Ceylor LAN jumped clear for sixth place, Dani Evans and Raphael II had 6.4 penalties to finish in ninth while Flora Harris rode with determination and focus on Bayano to finish with only 2.5 time penalties, putting to rest her problems at Aachen which saw her dropped from the British Europeans squad.
Lauren Keiffer and Veronica
One of the visitors from across the Atlantic, Lauren Keiffer provided one of the saves of the day at the fence in the main arena but it didn’t slow her horse Veronica down too much and they finished the day with only 0.4 time penalties in eighth place
Lauren Keiffer
Another American rider to have a good round and move up the leader board was Will Coleman on OBOS O’Reilly with a double clear round moving them up from 35thplace to 19th. OBOS O’Reilly is by the stallion OBOS Quality, as is OBOS Cooley ridden by Piggy French who picked up 20 penalties on a technicality for crossing their tracks at Fence 9; added to their 14.8 time penalties, this dropped them from sixth after dressage to 59th so Piggy will be kicking herself
The only other rider that incurred penalties at Fence 9 was South Africa’s Camilla Kruger who was eliminated here but it was a very busy day for this fence judge as it seemed that almost every other rider dropped one of the flags on these skinny fences. This would have interesting ramifications for the overall results if the proposed new penalty system was to be introduced
By lunchtime the sun was shining strongly and the crowds were out in their thousands all around the course. Chris Burton was still in the lead after Sandra Auffarth riding Ispo, the second placed combination after dressage, opted to take a steady approach and come home with a good clear round with an eye to the future. Adding 15.2 time penalties to her score dropped her down to 23rd place, just above Bill Levett and Alexander NJ (below) in 24th, who moved up from 40th with a very strong double clear round.
Riders had by now realised that they could make some huge jumps up the leader board with a double clear round and there were a few tired horses towards the end of the course as the riders pushed to make the time. Oliver Townend’s Sandiman II looked a little weary as he approached the last fence and at the last moment decided that he just couldn’t do it; Oliver coaxed him over on the second attempt but it was a good job that it was only a few yards to the finish. The next rider Ibby McPherson also just made it over the last fence and would have been relieved to see the finish flags
Tim Price and his 'loan' horse
Tim Price’s ‘loan’ horse The Court Jester, usually ridden by Australia’s Sammi Birch (McLeod) who has had time off to have her baby, didn’t have any such problems. They were full of running at the end and Tim slotted into third place with a double clear round. The Court Jester is only one of Sammi’s rides here with catch riders – Tom McEwen is riding Hunter Valley II - but Tim has to give the ride back after tomorrow to Sammi
Andrew Hoy hasn’t had the best of runs on cross country recently but today he enjoyed a great ride on Cheeky Calimbo (above) to pick up only 3.2 time penalties and finish in fifth place while Gemma Tattersall moved up into seventh place on Quicklook with only 1.6 time penalties.
As Clark Montgomery set out on course he was the only rider that could beat Chris Burton and he did it in style. Finishing on their dressage score of 33.8 Clark and Loughan Glen (above) made easy work of the track and now have two fences in hand going into tomorrow’s show jumping
The final rider on course was Australia’s Kate Chadderton who has flown all the way from her base in America to ride here however she assured me that she didn’t feel lonely out on course! They picked up 12.4 time penalties to move up from equal 80th to 53rd, just behind Sam Griffiths on his two rides, On The Brash in 51st and Isle Valley in 52nd place
CIC3* 8/9 Year Old class
The sun was sinking low in the CIC3*8/9 Year Old class and people were gathering for a quick drink and catch up at the London bus bar by the time the CIC3* show jumping was over. Jonty Evans was one of those enjoying a refreshing beverage after jumping a clear round on Cooley Rorke’s Drift to move into second place but he couldn’t shift the overnight leader Jonelle Price on Cloud Dancer (below) who never looked as if they would touch a rail. Tomorrow Jonelle heads into the cross country phase with a few seconds up her sleeve, as she had hoped, to defend her title here
