Piggy French and Cooley Monsoon
An Eventful Life filmed all competitors (except ERM) on cross country at
Land Rover Blair Castle International Horse Trials - find out more here
It was a double whammy weekend for Piggy French in the CCI2* at the Land Rover Blair Castle International Horse Trials with Cooley Monsoon taking the win on his dressage score of 25.1 and Castletown Clover also finishing on his dressage score for third place (30.7)
Cooley Monsoon’s owner Jennifer Saunders was on hand to watch the win; it was her first visit to Blair castle and she was entranced by not only her own horse and Piggy’s performance but also the location (although maybe not the weather on the final day)
“It’s just amazing – Piggy is an absolute genius,” she said at the prize giving “Watching your horse at an event is exhausting though – I’ve barely been able to breathe, I’ve been so nervous!”
“It’s my first time here and it’s glorious, I think I might be slightly in love with this event. There’s so much to see and do – hopefully we’ll be back again next year as I’d love to bring the family.”
While Cooley Monsoon has been in Piggy’s stable for a while, Susannah Paybody’s Castletown Clover has come to eventing later in his career as Piggy told us at Rockingham Castle, but is obviously relishing the change of pace
Tom McEwen and CHF Cooliser
For Tom McEwen, Piggy’s team mate on the British squad heading to the WEG in Tryon, it was another ‘bridesmaid’ result here at Blair, finishing second on CHF Cooliser in this class as well taking second place in the CCI3*.
The eight-year-old mare chestnut has had a great end of season, winning the Intermediate Championship at the Festival of British Eventing and a very strong finish at Blair on her dressage score of 28.7
“She’s done for the season now” said Tom “Blair was our goal and she’s done everything we’ve asked of her. She’ll have a good break now and then we’ll spend the winter working on flying changes so she can step up to 3* level next season.”
Daniel Scott and Alvescot Mr Nice Guy
A fence down proved expensive for Matthew Heath and Lockroy to drop from fourth place after cross-country to eventual 14th. However Emilie Chandler riding Jemilla took advantage of this to move up into fourth place. It was a double whammy weekend for Emilie too with Gortfadda Diamond taking sixth place behind Daniel Scott on the coloured horse Alvescot Mr Nice Guy
Emilie took over the rides on the two horses from Ireland’s Mark Kyle after injury stopped him riding for a while and she will miss the talented pair when they go back to him
Emilie Chandler
Emilie Chandler and Gortfadda Diamond
