Vicky Tuffs' Max McInerney and Imogen Murray's Jezebel HDH - 5YO and 4YO Champions at Osberton
The London Capital & Finance Osberton International Horse Trials once again brought together the cream of young eventing horses to vie for the 4, 5, 6 and 7-Year-Old Young Eventing Horse titles as well as the CCI1* and CCI2* classes at the Osberton Estate in Nottinghamshire
The 4-Year-Old Championship was taken by Imogen Murray riding Jezebel HDH, a mare that Imogen found in Holland as a three-year-old who led from start to finish, despite her diminutive size of 15.1h.
“She is pint size” admits Imogen “But I absolutely love her and we’re hoping she’ll grow a bit. She moves really well, she loves to jump and is so easy to ride” (Our full report and interviews from the 4-Year-Old Championship here)
The 5-Year-Old Championship was won by last year’s runner-up in the 4YO class, Vicky Tuffs riding Max McInerney. At the other end of the height scale, the 17.1h gelding added nothing to his dressage score for the win against some big names in the sport with Emily King on Vamonos finishing in second place, Ros Canter and Izilot DHI in third, Samantha Jimmison on Iquitos in fourth, Kitty King on Fernhill Mohito in fifth and Piggy French on Cooley Candyman in sixth
Vicky has produced some very talented young horses in the past that have been sold to other riders but Max McInerney is one she is hanging on to with the aim of competing in the 2019 World Championships at Le Lion (listen to our interview with Vicky at Osberton here)
Oliver Townend and Weston Goodfella
The world number one eventing rider, Oliver Townend, took the win in the CIC1* 6 Year Championship riding Weston Goodfella. The pair moved up from third place after the dressage when the overnight leader, William Fox-Pitt on Grafennacht, added 10 penalties in the show jumping and the winner of the 5-Year-Old Championship, Vicky Tuffs riding Heartbeat in this class added 50 penalties on cross country
For Sarah Bullimore, the win in the 7-Year-Old Championship was extra special on board her home bred Corouet. Another ‘pint-size’ horse, the 15.2h chestnut gelding by Balou Du Rouet and out of Sarah’s 4* mare Lilly Corinne, led all the way and took Sarah for an exciting ride around the cross country
Sarah Bullimore and Corouet
“We have had a lot of people approaching us (to buy him)” said Sarah “He is awesome and he could go all the way. On the one hand he is a little bit small for me but on the other hand, good enough is big enough!” (read our full report on the 6 and 7 Year old Championships here)
Izzy Taylor claimed not one but two winners’ rugs on board MBF Harley Rebel in the CCI1* and Francesca Fitzherbert’s Conguistador II in the CCI2*. In both classes Izzy moved up from second place and took the wins thanks to two clear show jumping rounds
