William Fox-Pitt and Clifton Signature
An Eventful Life is filming all competitors on cross country at Barbury International 2017 (except ERM) - find out more here
“The big shock of Barbury was somehow winning the 3* today on Clifton Signature” admits William Fox-Pitt, back in the winner’s circle at Barbury
Let’s think about what happened this weekend at the St. James’s Place Barbury International Horse Trials because, as Andrew Nicholson pointed out in our interview after his Badminton win, there is little time to reflect in this sport with the next event upon us as soon as one is won or lost
The reference to Andrew Nicholson is apt in more ways than one because he is one of the phenomena of our sport that inspired this weekend. Another one was of course William Fox-Pitt and when you put the two of them together (along with top ten finisher Ben Hobday) the weekend’s results are even more remarkable
Not surprisingly, a huge cheer greeted William at the cross-country finish of the CCI3* class as he scored his biggest win since returning to the saddle after incurring a serious head injury in a fall in the autumn of 2015.
The leader after dressage and show jumping, Tina Cook on Billy The Red had withdrawn before the cross country leaving William in pole position on his new ride Clifton Signature, a horse previously ridden by Jock Paget before his return to New Zealand, and a horse that William has only ridden twice before in competition.
At Farley Hall William withdrew before the cross country to save mileage on the horse’s legs (although being ridden by William Clifton Signature, owned by Francis Stead is currently for sale) so they had only had one cross country start together at Nunney International where they completed a steady round together
The last to go on the Mark Phillips’s track at Barbury, William had the opportunity to watch the earlier riders and had realised that the time was achievable.
“I set out to have a go and he really felt up for it and on the job, so I kept going and he finished just over the time, with 1.6 time faults to keep hold of his lead. This was a real added bonus as I was really hoping to just have a nice run on him and get to know him a little bit more. I had watched a couple of people going around inside the time earlier and I have to admit to be quite surprised that I was as close to the time. He is a very good cross county horse and gave me a superb round, he is good fun to ride and made my life very easy” says William on his web site
Three riders made the time and one of those was another man defying the odds - Andrew Nicholson on his rising star Swallow Springs. Everyone knows that Andrew has an amazing record at his local event at Barbury (just read back through our previous years’ reports to see how significant this has been) but the fact that Andrew is also a rider who has come back after such serious injury is amazing. It also well known that William and Andrew are not the biggest of the buddies but the parallels in their lives are uncanny.
The two other riders to complete the cross country course under time were Oliver Townend on Note Worthy, finishing in third place and another horse that is also for sale, Murray Lamperd’s Under The Clocks ridden by Tiana Coudray. This off the track thoroughbred that is a bit of a legend in Australia proved he had it in spades at Barbury where he finished fifth in the 3* with Tiana and now he has done it again – moving up from 35th after show jumping to romp it home on the cross country to finish in seventh place
Tim Price and Ringwood Sky Boy
Tim Price on Ringwood Sky Boy and Ben Hobday on Ciletto H both came home with 7.2 time penalties for fourth and fifth places.
Ben was sporting a Willberry Wonder Pony on his back around cross country of course and again, this is another great story of the sport; it is wonderful to see Ben on the 10 year old gelding up there in the results when just two years ago he was diagnosed with cancer that he not only bravely fought but also inspired others to fight
“2 years today -29 June 2015 - things fell apart” posted Ben on his Instagram page recently with a photo of his doctor at a check up “Here with one of my doctors Emily, who put it all back together again for me”
Yes, the doctors were amazing but so too is the patient.
At the start of this year we looked at how Motivation is the driving force that not helps us get started but also spurs us on when things get tough – these three guys, William, Andrew and Ben, have once again shown what it’s all about at Barbury
Ben Hobday, with Willberry the Wonder Pony on his back, and Ciletto H
