An Eventful Life filmed all competitors on cross country at
JCL Insurance Kelsall Hill International (1) 2022 - order or view videos here
The JCL Insurance Brokers Kelsall Hill International in Cheshire attracted quality if not quantity (with Friday BE90 sections being moved to the weekend) and the statistics show that 50% or more jumped clear in the show jumping and at least 70% were clear on the cross-country courses.
The dressage and show jumping of the International sections were run on an all-weather surface and that all the National classes were also able to show jump on a surface was hugely appreciated.
The flags, atmosphere and water feature in the show jumping arena perhaps was more relevant to any faults than the fences and the cross-country too met with plenty of praise for its educational aspects.
Stephen Heal, who finished on the podium in both the International sections – being third aboard Quidam de Lux in the CCI-S 3* and third again with Hanleen Didjeridoo in the CCI-S 2* both sponsored by the title sponsors, said “I really liked the cross-country course – it wasn’t too twisty or trappy; there were plenty of big enough fences and accuracy questions but nothing like it was trying to catch you out.”
That said, poor Stephen, admits, “I did have one unfortunate dunking off a lovely mare, Hagonda, as she jumped so big off the brush drop into the water I was sent off for a little swim”, adding “But it was only her second intermediate and she will have learnt a lot.”
It was indeed only the second time Stephen has competed Hanleen Didjeridoo, owned by CG Eventing and who has come to Stephen to be sold.
“I had the best time on him”, said Stephen, adding, “He is like a bouncy ball to ride, little and compact but has the most super athletic jump, and is a lot of fun.”
Victor Burtin had the best of his five rides finishing in the runner-up spot in this section aboard Billy Bergerac, with the top spoils going to Rio Hall, finishing on her dressage score of 25.8 penalties aboard Georgie Girl.
“This is my third season with Georgie and our partnership is growing stronger and stronger” says Rio “She felt fantastic in the run up and incredible all weekend and I am absolutely over the moon – it’s particularly special as it is my first International win!”
Based with Sam Ecroyd and Emily King at Hafod Stables, her mentors also picked up plenty of spoils with Sam having four rides in the top ten across the levels and with Emily taking the top spot in the Reaseheath College Novice Section L with Sunny Side Up and the runner up spot in the big class, the CCI-S 3* with Imposant.
Phoebe Hughes and Top Biats, CCI3*-S winners Photo Courtesy Matt Nuttall Photography
The winner of the CCI-S 3* was Phoebe Hughes and Top Biats, who at just 18 has been based with Hector Payne for the past four years.
Taking over Hector’s ride, Top Biats in 2020, this partnership won the CCI-L 2* U18 Championships at Bishop Burton last year and so is no stranger to International success.
The pair are aiming for the CCI-L 3* at Houghton Hall and Phoebe, who is on a gap year before University, says, “It would be a dream to be selected for the Young Rider European Championships.”
Combining studying with eventing, is Anya Strilowski, 17, who is at Hartpury College studying Equine Business Management and a member of the Academy there.
Benefiting from consistent and regular training with the seven-year-old K, whom Anya has produced from a four-year-old, Anya clearly had a plan in place having walked the OIU21 cross-country course with her Mum.
Anya explained, “I the start box confidently, aiming to get ahead of the time in the early part of the course to allow myself time to set K up properly for the combinations as there were two challenging corner combinations that caused some penalties and two water combinations – one with a skinny and drop into water and one with a jumping effort in the water itself.”
Her pre-event preparation including a session in a water treadmill for K, paid off, and Anya said, “K was very bold and jumped confidently into the first water complex and was very straight through the box corner combinations, jumping on four strides and so he finished just under the optimum time.”
One of only three combinations to sneak under the time and the pair look well set towards their aim of challenging for a place on the Junior European Team and contesting in the Osberton Seven-Year-Old British Championship at the end of the season.
With an focused eye on Championships, Kelsall Hill was the final run for Abigail Unwin and Eden before the partnership head to next weeks’ Grassroots Championships at Badminton Horse Trials.
Taking the top spoils in BE100 Section N on their leading dressage score of 25.0 penalties, Abigail says, “I just want to ride at Badminton as it feels like a long time coming, but I’m feeling the pressure – I’m not going to lie.”
With Eden owned by Abigail’s best friend, Sophie Edwards, there is going to be quite the support crew at the event with Abigail, her mother and her Abigail’s toddler, Billy, all camping in the horsebox while Sophie and her husband, their two young children and the grandparents all coming along too.
“I actually think I’m crazy”, says Abigail, “Did I mention we’ve five dogs....”.
However, with top ten placings at every event in 2020 and a runner-up spot at the re-routed Grassroots Championships at Chomondley last year, the competition might be easier than the socialising.
Abigail admits, “I couldn’t compete without my Mum – she’s a saint, my rock and my sidekick!”
How fitting then that Abby’s mother, Alison, or GrannyAl as she’s affectionately known, also featured in the prizes at Kelsall – picking up the runner up spot in BE90 section Q aboard Castlelawn Hendricks Blue.
Abigail says, “He’s enormous and Mum is tiny and she’s worked really hard with him as he has tested her out quite a bit.”
The pair are grateful for the help of Richard Long and with Kelsall just 40 minutes from their home it’s a favoured event.
Abigail says, “We love Kelsall and have been coming for years – so much so I could probably ride the course blindfold”, adding, “It is a good course and it makes you ride forward and whereas Mum has been educating her horse round other courses she could really put her foot down – we teased her not to have a cup of tea on the way round!”
Abigail Unwin and Eden Photo Courtesy Matt Nuttall Photography
That advice clearly paid off but for the winner of Alison’s section, BE90 Section Q, Rebecca Anders, it was the show jumping that she was more concerned with.
Rebecca says, “Downhills Storm Force can be quirky and show jumping is our worst phase but the course was lovely and inviting and I found it really helpful as he could flow more and move on.”
Getting to the new, much appreciated, show jumping arena was more of a challenge.
“I had to lead him as he was scared of the sand but we cheered a few competitors up along the way with his antics”, explained Rebecca.
Setting out on the cross country, Rebecca says, “He smiled from start to finish – the variety of obstacles has to be one of the best in the country with ski jumps, ditches, water and hanging logs.”
For Rebecca the ground was perfect and all interviewed said how much the appreciated the effort Kelsall had made to the ground after a recent dry spell.
Nina De Haas who moved to the UK from Holland to be based at Somerford Park Farm with Andrew Heffernan as part of her eventing career said, “The events are definitely tougher than the events in Holland and Kelsall was a good course with some difficult combinations but all the horses learnt a lot.”
All four of her horses had good runs with JVK Mr Maguire taking the top spot in the Equine 74 Novice Section K. “He’s a really talented horse but he’s not always easy and I’m really happy with his win this weekend” says Nina
Kristina Hall-Jackson, one of the Wesko Equestrian Foundation riders, also had multiple rides and took the win on Grey Finnsky, a new ride for her, in the Open Novice. Ruth Gregory caught up with Kristina and Mirium Haque, the owner of Grey Finnsky at the event
The Novice Section J was headed up by Max Warburton and United 36; Max featuring regularly on the podium throughout the weekend.
However, not to be outdone, all four of Wills Oaken’s rides finished in the top ten including taking the top spoils in both of the Equilatte-sponsored Intermediate sections.
His wife, Stephanie’s Keep It Cooley of whom the pair have high hopes and are considering syndicating, took the Novice Section C with his other ride in this section, the aptly named Goodbye to Money, finished in third.
And Wills’ new ride, Eluna, owned by Arianne Finlay headed up section B.
Arianne was placed in the top ten at all the partnership’s events together last year but sadly hasn’t the time to continue riding Eluna due to her Edinburgh University commitments and Wills said, “It is such a shame for her as she’s a great horse to ride – and a probable medal contender for a junior if we have to sell her.”
Wills followed up his Saturday success with two more wins on the Sunday at Forgandenny and when I caught up with him was loading the lorry on to the ferry, bound for Ballendenisk - ah the sedate life of an eventer!
Wills said, "I have to thank my team and headgirl, Sarah, for keeping the show on the road!"
No stranger to crossing the water, Abby Corlett started her campaign to Kelsall from her home on the Isle of Man on the Friday evening.
Abby explained, “We planned to travel over on the boat and go to Somerford Park for a cross-country school as there's only one cross-country schooling venue on the Island"
Thwarted by high winds preventing the horsebox from being allowed on the boat, Abby said, "I just came to the event hoping we’d cope!”
A regular to Kelsall, Abby says, “It is a fabulous event and there’s a few hills to test the fitness but they aren’t extreme so it helps get the horses going.”
Although a winner of a Novice section at Kelsall (2) last September, with little cross-country practice, Abby wisely entered BE100 Section O.
The Real McCoy IX did not disappoint finishing on his dressage score of 23.5 penalties and the partnership who have competed at HOYS and been placed at the Royal International Horse Show now have dreams of moving up a level or two.
“I want to do the dressage in a tailcoat”, says Abby, who left her Mum to bring the horses back on the ferry as allowed while she dashed back to return to work at Country Warehouse adding, “I must thank Country Warehouse, Epico Equestrian and IOM Steam Packet for their support to help me be able to travel to the mainland to compete.”
No doubt Abby will be featuring in the International sections in time to come and the efforts made by competitors, their teams, volunteers, sponsors and organisers is appreciated by all and their rewards with a win also went to;
Nicola Wilson (Equilatte OI Sec D); Ben Hobday (Equiport AI Sec F); Alex Hua Tian (BE100 Section G); Hannah Atkinson (Equine 74 BE100 Sec H); Shirley Cadwallader (Equine Products Section P) and Kristina Hall Jackson (ON).
Ben Hobday and his Badminton horse Shadow Man II enjoyed a great prep run in the Advanced Intermediate and you can watch our interview with Ben here
Article by Anna Bruce
Abby Corlett and Real McCoy IX
