CCI2* dressage on the lawn in front of Chilham Castle
An Eventful Life filmed all competitors on cross country at
Chilham Castle (2) - find out more here
Chilham has been unlucky with the weather for the past few events. After several very wet events, Chilham Castle (2) had a heatwave in the lead-up but then the weather gods had a little giggle by still throwing some wet weather Chilham’s way.
The Castle in Kent was not as unlucky as the Castle in Cheshire where we were also filming the cross country as Cholmondeley Castle Horse Trials was abandoned on Sunday due to the wet ground and continuing rain. But by Sunday afternoon at Chilham Castle, the sun started to peep through and the ground was absolutely spot on for the horses
Sadly, it was the last time that Chilham will run an international class but the CCI2*-S riders enjoyed their last hurrah on the beautiful lawn below the Castle for their dressage test. It certainly is a fabulous spot to do a dressage test in and even the final warmup at the side of the Castle is impressive
Christina Wiederkehr and Lila’s Girl
Jennifer Rowlinson and Come Along Springtime led after the dressage with a score of 27.3 ahead of France’s Gaspard Maksud on Master Utah (28.3) and Switzerland’s Christina Wiederkehr on Lila’s Girl (30), making it a very international affair, but all three riders dropped a rail apiece in the show jumping while Claire Fielding riding Ferdinand IV left all of the coloured poles up and then put in a double clear cross country round for their first International win on their dressage score of 30.2
The 10-year-old gelding Fernando (Nando) is by Charming Boy and is owned by Paula and David Evans, also the owners of young star Andrew Hoy’s Vassily De Lassos
“I’ve had him nearly two years” Claire told us “He was brought for Paula and David’s daughter, but things didn’t go to plan, so I took on the ride”
The pair finished well in the Tattersalls CCI2*-L earlier this year and ‘he came back a different horse’
“He was more confident in his ability and brain and we had good bonding time there as it was just the two of us - I have a real soft spot for him! Although we had good results last year it’s taken time to have total trust in each other and now we’ve had our first International win – both for me and for us as a partnership. We’ll now run in the Intermediate at Aston-Le-Walls and then Somerford Park”
Claire also won the BE90 Section D aboard Helen Whitley’s six-year-old (appropriately named) Walk In The Park, finishing on their dressage score of 25.3 and, not surprisingly, Chilham Castle is one of the Stansted-based rider’s favourite venues
“It’s such a pleasure to ride in front of the stunning Castle. The grass surface in the dressage arena was amazing, better than any arena and it held up very well. I don’t have an arena at home and we’re used to riding in all weather conditions, so the pouring rain throughout my test wasn’t a problem, other than getting flipping soaked!”
“I’ve competed here a fair bit over the years but this was my first time in the 2*.The cross country course was fabulous and I love those hills; it makes you really think how to ride each fence, because of the ups and downs and it poses lots of good questions but is very inviting. My horses have come back with even more confidence from it”
“The new layout is good (although keeps you fit walking up and down the hill to the lorry park from the main arena and secretary!). It is such a lovely venue. Thank you so much to Chilham and all the volunteers who are fabulous and super friendly. We’re definitely looking forwards to next year ….”
Gaspard took second and third places on Cado Louvo and Master Utah – he told us more about his horses and his weekend at Chilham in our interview here.
It was a busy weekend for the young French rider who also dashed up to Hickstead on Saturday evening to compete in the #10forTim team relay run to raise money for the Tim Stockdale Foundation
Sarah Bullimore and Coroyale (above) and Naomi Lawrence and Jaguar SF - winners of the 5 Year Old class (below)
Gaspard also won the Novice Section J while Sarah Bullimore, who has a stable full of homebred young stars, won the Open Novice on Coroyale, the six-year-old mare who added this win to those at Buckminster Park and Rockingham International. Coroyale is out of Sarah’s 4* mare Lilly Corinne as is Coraguar, who was competing in the 5-Year-Old class to finish in fifth place.
Sarah’s Coraguar is by Jaguar Mail, also the sire of the 5-Year-Old class winner, Naomi Lawrence’s Jaguar SF who won on his dressage score of 30.5 ahead of Georgie Strang’s Speedwell and Molly Faulkner’s Jozikara.
These youngsters ran across the BE100 track which saw Katie Preston and Temple Juno win the BE100 Plus on their dressage score of 28.5, Daisy Hills and Taurmore Buster win the BE100 Section N, Sam Sweeney and Burntwood Sorrell win the Section O and Emily Baldwin riding Fune D Or M take the BE100 Open
Katie Preston describes herself as being an ‘amateur rider’ despite having competed at 4*/5* level at Luhmuhlen, Burghley and Badminton in the past year and the full-time equine vet not only competed at Chilham but also assisted on vet duty
“Being a vet pays for it all!” laughs Katie “I was on duty at Chilham on the Saturday from 8am to 7.30pm but the whole team there is great and so lovely to work with it’s a privilege to be asked to help and be a small part of a fabulous event. Seriously though I love my job and my horses and really believe you can make time if you want to - having ridiculously talented horses helps with the motivation too!”
Her winning mare Templar Juno isn’t related to Katie’s 5* horse Templar Justice, but both were bred at Templar Stud by Amanda Rolfe
“Templar Juno is amazing, at just five years old she has won twice (both at Chilham) and already qualified for the 5-Year-Old championships at Osberton. She is by a lovely thoroughbred stallion, Templar Spirit (who is Hand in Glove x Primitive Rising) out of an Advanced dressage mare. I purchased her as a yearling and backed her myself, she is very laid back, super chilled about everything and finds it all very easy. She is also very cuddly and loves everyone!!”
“It was our first BE100+ and she struggled a bit with the more advanced dressage movements and with her balance in the small arena on grass so the fact that she still led after the dressage shows how classy she is! The show jumping was foot perfect and I couldn’t fault her cross country either; it was the first time she really galloped well and felt properly grown up. We very nearly went too fast which is a nice way to have her. The galloping nature of the course and the amazing going helped, the course flowed really nicely and helped horses gain in confidence as they go around so thanks as always to the huge team and all the volunteers who make it happen”
The weather on Saturday was not quite so kind but the competitors braved the elements and at least it wasn’t freezing cold! Melissa Joannides was one of the BE90 winners, taking the BE90 Open on board Woodfield Gold, a seven year old that has been owned by Melanie Gatt since he came over from Ireland as a three year old
“I’ve been riding for Melanie the past two seasons, last year on Craan Bob and this year Woodfield Gold and he came to me in June in order to kick start his British Eventing career so Chilham was only our second event together, having done Little Downham the week before (where he was 5th). This was also his second time ever competing at BE90 so we are all thrilled at his win!” says Melissa
“He is a lovely horse with such a genuine and willing attitude and he made my job very easy! I always love the cross country at Chilham, I think the terrain makes it exciting and really teaches the young horses how to find their balance. The jumping itself is always well built and up to height but inviting with a nice flow”
The four BE80T classes included a Regional Final for next year’s BE80 Championship at Burghley, and it will be Maddison Peries and Outward Bound who will be taking part, having qualified at Chilham (2). Suzanne Ashwell and Rhomantic have already qualified and added another BE80T win to their record at Chilham (2), taking the BE80T Section F, adding just 1.2 time faults on cross country to their dressage score of 23.1
Watch our interview with British Eventing Ambassador Hannah Craft at Chilham here (when things didn't go quite to plan!)
Hannah Craft and 'Sid'
