Even the sun shone! Oliver Townend and Black Tie on their way to a win Photo: E.S. Photography
It was a relief for all of the riders to be able to get the season underway after the cancellation of so many events and, even though Thursday at Oasby had to be cancelled, the next three days of competition went ahead as planned on the ground which traditionally holds up well even at this early time of year. The cross country at Oasby is run over flat ground through one valley at Foxdale near Grantham in Lincolnshire and course designer Stuart Buntine specifically builds it as an early season event, suitable for the first run of the season.
Not surprisingly therefore it is a popular event at all levels and while many big names such as Paul Tapner, who won the Open Intermediate Section H, and Nicola Wilson were there for the Friday Intermediate classes, the BE 90 and BE100 classes were also packed with riders keen to get their horses out after the winter break. Local rider Richard Jones had a busy event with several horses stretching their legs and he picked up a win in the BE100 Section S2 riding Ramesses B, the six year old gelding by Ramiro B, and he followed that up with a win and second place in the Novice riding River Law and Killballyboy Bob
Richard Jones and River Law Photo: E.S. Photography
Oliver Townend ended 2015 as the leading rider on the British Eventing points table and he started the 2016 season on good form here with a win in the Open Intermediate Section I riding Karen Shuter’s Black Tie II. The Shropshire based rider had a busy event with several rides and he also picked up a ribbon for third on Dromgurrihy Blue and tenth on Samuel Thomas II in the Open Intermediate Section H. Oliver and Black Tie II will be heading across the pond to compete at Rolex Kentucky next month so this is a great start to their preparation
Tom March riding Jump Jet III also had a win in the Intermediate Section G, finishing on a score of 36.9, having added just 6.4 time faults on cross country to their dressage score. Jump Jet III had a good year in 2015 finishing second in the KBIS Young Horse CIC1*at Osberton and 13th at Le Lion d’Angers ridden by Tom’s partner Piggy French. As Piggy is now pregnant Tom has taken over the ride of the attractive seven year gelding by Captain Clover
Tom March riding his own Jump Jet III Photo: E.S. Photography
The ponies were out if force too with this little cutie, Craig Mor Tom ridden by Connie Warde-Aldam, winning the Charles Owen FEI Pony Trial Section O
The event organisers, Bede Events have made Oasby part of the fund raising efforts for Sports Relief in the past couple of years with the fun #rednoasby last year and encouraging the riders to Ride in Red this year. They hope to have raised over £2,000 by donating £1 per starter and also auctioning a limited edition Sport Relief T-shirt signed by international riders. The next competition on the Bede Events schedule is a big one at Belton International Horse Trials from 15th – 17th April and we’ll be there to bring the daily action from this popular Lincolnshire event where many Rio hopefuls will be getting well and truly into the season
