An Eventful Life filmed all competitors on cross country at
Frenchfield (1) 2019 - find out more here
What a weekend of typical Lake District weather for Frenchfield (1) with sunshine, wind, rain, hail and then some more sunshine.
It was a testament to the effort put in by the team at Cumbria Horse Trials that the ground held up so well all weekend and the event ran smoothly from start to finish, with one slight blip when Erin Macleod’s Murphy XVIII didn’t quite have the momentum to get all the way over the jump.
But quick work by the team meant that Murphy was freed promptly and with very little stress, in fact he stood solid as a rock while they dismantled the jump around him, a credit to his owner and Murphy’s phlegmatic character!
I'll just wait here quietly! Erin Macleod’s Murphy XVIII is unperturbed by some course re-design
The BE90 section A was won by Alice Brickell on Mystery Man owned by Robert Brickell, Douglas Crawford won section B on Blueside Boy and Rio Hall took section C on their own Blakeney Palomino.
Philippa Nixon won the Open Novice Section D on her own Arctic Cruising after getting her lowest ever dressage score of 19.8. Pip is thrilled with how well Arctic Cruising has come back this year having been out of competition in 2018, and she will now step him back up to Intermediate level. Pip also won the BE90 open section N on Dunloughan Whirlwind, affectionately known as Derry, who is owned by Flora and Ellie Vestey, and came second in the same class with her own half Clydesdale, Toms Bruce. Pip owned and competed Derry in the Novice Under 18 teams for the northern squad before she sold him to Ellie. Pip had the pleasure of riding Derry in this BE90 class at Frenchfield while Ellie was at school, but Ellie will be taking him to Richmond for their first event of the season together.
Rachael Lupton won the Novice Section E on the Newlands Sando Hit Owned by Vicki Fahey. Rachael had never been to Frenchfield before but had attended other Cumbrian Horse Trials Events (who also run Warwick Hall Horse Trials) before and so was pleased to see that the organisation and friendly team showed through in this event as well as it does in others. The 14.2h Sando is kept with her as the owner’s daughter events him normally but Rachael got to give him a run at Novice level to keep him on the ball. Rachael really enjoyed this ride, describing Sando as a “pocket rocket” who “jumps for fun”.
Rachael also competed on her own Shannondale Shagosha, a horse she bought in the Monart sale in Ireland as a 3-year-old. The now 7 year old mare wasn’t keen on the weather and didn’t perform to the best of her ability in the dressage but she jumped a fabulous double clear to come fourth in the Novice Section E. Rachael says she’s always very consistent and tries her best, even in some of the toughest conditions!
Dangerous Liaison, ridden by Sarah Graham, Top Newcomer in BE100 on Sunday
Bella Innes Ker won the Novice Section F on Highway II, owned by the Duchess of Roxburghe, who also won at Dalkeith earlier this month, meaning that he’s won his first two Novice classes of the season on the trot. Bella is very excited to have the ride on him, though she tells me he can be “cocky in every way” and “always thinks he knows best”. Having had some time off over the winter while Bella was in Ireland, Highway has come back stronger than ever and Bella says it’s almost scary how much he has changed and she has had to adapt the way she rides him to cope with his personality. He makes the team laugh all the time, but he’s so talented that they don’t mind his diva moments.
Life is moving at a very fast pace for Bella at the moment, as she prepares for a step up to Intermediate level at Richmond this weekend, and has her sights set on the 2* long format at Houghton International later in the month. There are whispers of a very exciting move for Bella in the near future, I won’t spill the beans just yet, but she is understandably bursting to tell people about the new opportunity coming her way… keep your eyes and ears peeled!
Martin Arnott won the BE105 Section G on Brookwood Braveheart, owned by Lyn and Robert McFadzean, who they are aiming to compete in the 1* at Blair Castle this year. Martin also placed ninth in the BE90 Section A on Jungle Drums, owned by the same couple. Frenchfield was only Jungle Drums’ second event, so Martin is very excited to see how this young horse develops. Martin’s own AJS Magic Moment took exception to the third jump on the course in the BE100 section I and they chose to retire but, having been placed 8th at Forgandenny (1) only last weekend, things are looking promising for this 6-year-old gelding.
Nicola Wilson won the BE100 Section H on her own Always Archie and Lucy Harley won Section J on Fernhill Inspector owned by Karen Harley.
The sun came out for Grace Lumley’s dressage test allowing Maigold Rose, owned by Bethany Slinger and known at home as Zeva, a chance to shine and they went on to win the BE100 Section I. This was Zeva’s first BE100 and only their second run as a pair, so Grace was over the moon with her performance. Grace also had rides in the BE90 Section A on After The Beat, owned by Jane Pighills, and Novice Section F on Rise N Shine, owned by Colin and Ann Slight in collaboration with Grace. Grace is looking forward to the rest of the season with her fantastic owners and inspirational trainer Sue Bagley.
James Oakden and Jupiter's Orbit in the BE90 Section P
Claire Light was delighted with her win the BE80 Section K on Curry Lucy, telling me that Frenchfield was her first run of the season so she was a little green in the dressage, but she really went for it on the cross country. Claire has been riding the 7-year-old old Connemara mare since last August while her owner, Amy Johnson, was pregnant with baby Oliver. Claire is very grateful to have been able to keep riding this pony for the Johnson family who she describes as being fabulous supporters of eventing, often helping out on the start box at other events, and she was pleased to be able to able to win at such a local venue.
The other BE80 sections were won by Lynsey Taylor (Section L) on Ocelot and Kate Risker (Section M) on Ballyneety White Lighting, both owned by their riders.
The last sections on the Sunday afternoon were won by Euan Hammersley (BE90 Section O) on Power Master, owned by George Hammersley, Brooke Douglas (BE90 Section P) on Castle Ellis Sophie, owned by the rider, and Kate Broatch (BE100 Section Q) on her own Trent Red Mexico.
Frenchfield was a hilly course demonstrating the fitness, balance and skill of the horses and riders competing. Organisers Douglas and Lucinda Weymouth were pleased with how smoothly the event had run, and they are already getting ready for their next horse trials at Warwick Hall on the 18th and 19th May 2019.
Congratulations to our cross country video winners who were;
Mirahs Skylark, rider Meabh Schaible
Ardristan Lass, rider Lottie Walsh
Ballyoskill Boy, rider Harriet Bagley
WSH Sacruz, rider Hannah Broadhurst
Smithies Bridge Gent, rider Catherine Parker
Dangerous Liaison, rider Sarah Graham
