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Oasby (2) 2020 - order or view videos here
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Hang up your number bibs, put away your studs and stop your event watches. Just like that, the 2020 British Eventing season is complete and what a year it has been.
Oasby (2) played backdrop to the final event of the BE season and, after some wet weather on the first day as competitors took to the ground in Lincolnshire, the weather treated us to some fantastic autumn eventing.
“BEDE Eventing did a fantastic job as ever and the ground at Oasby held up amazingly all weekend” said professional British event rider, Willa Newton, winner of the Open Novice Section G on her gelding Cock A Doodle Doo.
Rewind to earlier this summer and the notion that Willa would have been competing in 2020 would have seemed a little distant at best. In June, the week before British Eventing was about to recommence, Willa had a fall whilst out cross country schooling and broke her pelvis.
Willa Newton and Cock A Doodle Doo
“It was very frustrating for everyone as we had worked so hard during lockdown” she said “But I have had so much help and support during this time and I’m so grateful to my owners and so many people that have helped with the horses”
German Olympic eventer and dressage diva, Bettina Hoy, had been riding the two horses, Cock A Doodle Doo and Freckleton Mythago, that Willa took to Oasby last weekend.
“I have been very lucky that these two horses have stayed with me. I have had Bettina Hoy, who trains me on the flat, come over and ride them and also JP Sheffield has jumped them for me.
“I have had amazing help from the Injured Jockeys Fund performance team at Jack Berry House too and I definitely wouldn’t be riding this quickly without them” said Willa, who also owns Quality Time who placed third in the 5 Year Old Championships at Oasby, ridden by JP Sheffield (more to come on the 5-Year-Old Championship soon)
The Novice Section F saw 5* event rider, Imogen Murray, win on Violetta B, a 7-year-old mare that stepped up to YH2* level at the British Eventing Young Horse Championships last year. Imogen also took the win in BE100 Section W on Jeu Carla-H, a 6-year-old mare who is new to eventing this year and a new ride for Imogen too.
The Novice Section N saw Brazil’s Carlos Parro and Watusi take the win on a fantastic dressage score of 23.3 and Sam Ecroyd led the way in Novice Section O on Chapel House, a 6-year-old gelding by Sibon W.
Sam Ecroyd also took two second places on Tullaher Sunrise (above) and Harthill Bahri in the Novice sections
If you want to play the eventing game, you’ve got to be prepared for everything that comes with it. But winner of ONu18, Jemima Shaw, wasn’t quite expecting to be ‘going viral’ in her first season of competing in British Eventing.
“I did my first BE90 on Cranny Volt last September and then progressed to BE100 with a second place at Swalcliffe Park in the BE100Ou18, where he disgraced himself by deciding to get down and roll in the mud just before his dressage test” said Jemima, who has now been shared numerous times on social media stood next to a rather muddy horse.
“It was my first 100 and pouring with rain, I was a bit nervous and suddenly Brian just stopped and sank to his knees as the rain made him itchy. My mum cleaned us up and plonked me back on, while he looked pleased as punch” she laughs.
Jemima spent a lot of time training virtually during lockdown with Karen Nicholas Eacock. Her mum, iPad in hand, ran around the arena recording Jemima and Brian, who has now, quite rightly, earned himself the title of Naughty Brian at home.
Jess Corser and Moangarriff Duke
The OIu21 win went to Jess Corser riding a former ride of Willa Newton, Moangarriff Duke, Ludwig Svennerstal took home the red in the Open Intermediate Section D riding Balham Mist and 5* event rider, Angus Smales, had a great weekend winning the Intermediate Section A on Gido G, as one of only three combinations to go inside the cross country time in the section, as well as taking home the win in BE100 Section L riding Jacqueline Russell’s, Galteemoor Samuel.
As Dumbeldore would say “It matters not what someone is born, but what they grow to be” and the £1,000 ex-racehorse, Alamein, certainly did just that this weekend for Italian rider, Roberto Scalisi.
“Showjumping has always been Alamein’s weakest phase” said Roberto, who bought the horse the day after his last race.
“Two years ago, when he did his first Novice I actually had too many show jumping fences down to go cross country and I had a compulsory retirement. I thought to myself ‘why on earth am I bothering with this horse, he’s not good enough’”
Grid and canter work became Roberto’s best friend and now the pair have taken two consecutive wins at Intermediate level at both Dauntsey Park and Oasby this season.
“To go and win an Intermediate was phenomenal, and then to win another one the week after was just amazing. The boy has turned into a man” laughed Roberto.
With ten BE100 classes running across the weekend at Oasby, numerous combinations took to the cross country course designed by Stuart Buntine and Judith Shipton.
The BE100 Section U was won by Alex Hill riding the small and mighty 14.3hh Ardbear Ray, Ella Dalton placed first in BE100 Section K riding Stambrook Mastercard and Millie Bowes-Hall placed first riding Emma’s Choice on a dressage score of 28, marking Choice’s twenty-first eventing double clear in a row.
New Zealand event rider, Bruce Haskell, also took the win in BE100 Section I riding Pixie Thomas’ 5-year-old mare, Shannondale Zelda.
One of very few events in 2020 to be able to host both its horse trials at the beginning and the end of the year, Oasby runs over flat ground to be suitable for both first time runs and as the final run of the British event season.
The praise for the event continued from riders. “BEDE did a fantastic job, as usual, and the volunteers are so friendly and efficient there. The weather was even quite kind by Oasby standards” said Kitty Hamilton, winner of BE90 Section R on 15.3hh mare, Heregana, known as Hera at home.
Kitty Hamilton and Heregana
“Hera was bought from a video during lockdown as a recently backed 5-year-old and was my 40th birthday present to myself” said Kitty “She should have made her BE debut in August but a silly cut on her leg in the field meant seven weeks off, so she had a gentle start at BE80(T) at Norton last weekend and won on her BE90 debut at Oasby”
With such little experience and a very interrupted season, Kitty, who is also a mum of four and works in estate management, didn’t expect Hera to go home with the win at Oasby.
“I was really pleased with how Hera had come on from last weekend. She is still very green but I really hope she will be a very good horse for me. She showed a lovely attitude in all three phases and was brave and careful cross country, even when I didn't give her the best distances” said Kitty who is currently training with Ros Canter and hopes to aim for 1* next year with her other 15hh Connemara, Bruce Boy.
Phoebe Lyle and Ode Kingsborough
The win in BE90 Section S was taken by Ruth Edge on an outstanding dressage score of 21 in what was her mare, Ballyhale Black Magic‘s, fourth British Eventing competition ever. Georgina Holland took home the win in BE90 Section Q on Heather Bell’s Ruthstown Millfall Boy and Phoebe Lyle won BE90 Section P riding Ode Kingsborough, completing a fantastic first British Eventing season for the pair.
It was a day of firsts for numerous riders this weekend too as 15-year-old, Ellie Martindale, won the BE100Open on Little Indian Feather, owned by Birgitte Martindale and Sally Scott, after having the mare for only three weeks.
“My journey with her has been short but sweet this season, especially ending on a win,” said Ellie, who was aiming to get her eligibility requirements at 100 level before the end of the season.
Little Indian Feather, fondly named Jojo, stands at only 14.1hh but doesn’t let that stop her, flying around both the showjumping and cross country well inside the time.
Sophie Trotter and Montenagro II took the win in BE100Open Section T this weekend with Sara Bowe leading on Cavalier Clooney in BE100 Section X, finishing on their dressage score just 0.5% ahead of Imogen Murray riding Strandhill Boy, and Caroline Dyer led the BE100 Section V class riding 7-year-old mare, Curraghgraigue Quebec.
So, now here we are. At the end of a slightly unorthodox and very thrilling short season of British Eventing.
Here’s to the organisers, the volunteers and the supporters. The riders, the families and the grooms who have eventing running through their blood.
And most of all to the horses, who have kept us sane throughout lockdown and bring us joy every season.
Article by Kelly Aitkin
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