Helen and EPA Murray competing at Shelford Manor (1) 2021 where they took sixth place
An Eventful Life is filming all competitors on cross country at
After two days of dressage in the NAF Five Star BE80 Championships at Bramham Park, local rider Helen White leads the way with her own Irish-bred EPA Murray
Helen and EPA Murray earned 29.0, the best of just three sub-30 scores, to replace the overnight leaders Amelia Maycock and Carsdale Ghostbuster, now in second place on 29.5 while Philippa Skelton riding Brian Boru III completes the top three on 29.8.
Despite the leading score, Helen felt that she had ‘overcooked’ EPA Murray slightly in the warm up, and that “He’s a very correct horse – he could have had a bit more expression and a bit more pizzazz, then the mark would have been even better” she said
The pair also compete at British Dressage Novice level and Helen’s coach, Hannah Moody, has been keeping EPA Murray in work until recently as Helen fractured her ankle whilst walking a cross country course in April. Luckily a plate could be fitted, speeding up the recovery process for Helen who is a busy lady with corporate career but ‘my horses are my obsession!’
“I do like a traditional Irish-bred horse” says Helen of the nine-year-old gelding EPA Murray who was bought at the Gorsebridge Go For Gold sale in Ireland and has only had one start in 2022 due to Helen’s injury, taking third place at Norton Disney BE80 in early April
Heading into tomorrow’s cross country, featuring 26 jumping efforts and designed by the CCI4* course designer at Bramham, Ian Stark, Helen says that “It is getting more jumpable every time I walk it”
The Bramham course is renowned for its colourful fences such as the Ice Cream fence on the 4* course and the BE80 competitors also are in for some eye-popping fences such as the Suregrow Fertiliser Fish at Fence 16AB and the Lobster at Fence 17 which may have some of the BE80 horses taking a second look!
But with just 1.8 penalties between the top 10 heading into Thursday morning’s show jumping and the afternoon’s cross country phase, it is going to be a tight finish with plenty of opportunity for improvement (of otherwise) for all 53 competitors in the BE80 Championships at Bramham
