Sam Griffiths and the CCI 2* winner at Osberton, Angelo IV
Having young horses constantly coming through the grades is essential to any top event rider (ask William Fox-Pitt or Andrew Nicholson who constantly seem to have horses ready to move into top level) and the young horse events are a good way to see who is out there and what is coming up.
Based on that, Sam Griffiths and his wife Lucy must be delighted with the event horse prospects they have lined up at Team Griffiths Eventing. During the recent days at Osberton, Sam has partnered with Angelo IV, Favorit Z and Beaurepaire Nemo to finish first, eighth and eleventh respectively at the Osberton International Horse Trials in the CCI 2*. Although this was not one of the specific Young Horse classes, these are certainly young horses with a good future
Sam and Beaurepaire Nemo
Beaurepaire Nemo is a 17hh 9 year old gelding by Sandro Hit, Angelo IV is an eight year old sired by Phillips and Favorit Z is an eight year old by Favoritas XX who recently won his Intermediate class at Gatcombe Park after an unfortunate event at Blenheim (see their show jumping round below) where they were disqualified for wearing the wrong boots
In the 2* at Osberton the leader after dressage, Nicola Wilson, lost her lead to Sam with one rail down in the show jumping, leaving her in fourth place on Ngong Hills while Ireland’s Michael Ryan on Ballylynch Wizard moved up to second and Piggy French riding Seapatrick Dark Cruise was third
In the CCI 1* young British team rider Sophie How on her new ride Bojangles HRS was delighted with the win on a horse she has recently taken over from her brother, Tom. Second place went to Jo Clark riding Frankly while third place was taken by Emily Young-Jamieson with Nysa De Petra, a horse previously campaigned by Lucinda Fredericks
Tom Howe and Belco HR
Tom however was busy with his own win in the KBIS Young Horse CIC2* riding Belco HR, making it their third successive Young Horse Championship at Osberton, having won the Six Year Old and Five Year Old classes here. Tom, who rates the Belco as ‘the horse of a lifetime’ won on his dressage score of 39.3 ahead of Lauren Shannon riding Quality Purdey and Kitty King in third on Mo Cuiske.
Kitty King's Mo Cuiske was the top placed Irish Sport Horse in the CIC2*YH
Kitty also had success in the KBIS Young Horse CIC1* on another horse that also had success here last year. Ceylor LAN added the Six Year Old title to last year’s Five Year Old Championship and now heads to Le Lion d’Angers in France for the FEI World Breeding Young Event Horse Championship. With his previous success, including the Burghley Young Event Horse Five Year Old title in 2012, this must be one to watch
