The very scopey JL Dublin - winner Intermediate Section L
Oliver Townend reasserted his competition dominance during Saturday at Kelsall Hill with a swag of wins and placings (listen to our interview with Oliver here)
On Monday he flies to Kentucky to contest the first CCI4* of the season but on Saturday he took the win, and a £1,000 cheque, in the main class of the event, the Istanbul BBQ Chester Advanced Intermediate on board Cillnabradden Evo with the 12 year old black gelding adding nothing to his dressage score to finish on a score of 26.50.
He very nearly picked up second place too on board the Badminton-bound Ballaghmor Class but the big grey had a bit of fun in the Start Box, costing 1.2 seconds in time, relegating him to third place on 30.6. This enabled France’s Arthur Duffort to take second place on board Gredington Mailthyme who also finished on his dressage score of 30.30.
Arthur Duffort and Gredington Mailthyme
Local rider Paul Sims, a past winner of this class on board Mystic Million in 2016, took fourth place on Last Secret, jumping clear in both the show jumping and cross country but adding 3.6 time penalties to finish on 34.10
Paul Sims and Last Secret off the impressive ski jump at Kelsall Hill
Two other Badminton-bound combinations took fifth and sixth places with Ireland’s Aoife Clark in fifth place on Master Rory and Ros Canter on Allstar B in sixth place
Aoife took a tumble at Belton International so re-routed here for a confidence building ride to ensure that Master Rory, who started with a very good dressage score of 27.7, was still a happy camper on cross country. He was a very happy camper and all is still on track for the big event in two weeks’ time.
Aoife Clark on Master Rory (above) and Calling Card, with bridle parts still all in place (below)
Aoife also had Calling Card in the Intermediate Section N, who started with the phenomenal dressage score of 18.2 but a slight tack malfunction left Aoife without great steering on cross country
Aoife Clark
Ros Canter is very careful about her preparation for Badminton as Allstar B easily starts to anticipate the big occasions and, at 17h, he can easily tow the 5’ 1” Ros around if she is not careful. Last year they were fifth at Badminton and went on to be part of the gold medal winning British team in the European Championships and Allstar B finds the big events all very exciting
Ros Canter and Allstar B in full flight
“Allstar B is on flying form” Ros told us “He had a quiet run at Oasby then, with all the cancellations we’ve ended up coming to Kelsall for the AI run before Badminton. He was absolutely on form today, possibly a bit too keen, he nearly pulled my arms out on cross country, but he loved it and then jumped clear in the show jumping so he’s certainly ready!”
We have a full video interview with Ros coming up soon
The stunning Ulises and Oliver
Oliver may not have quite quinnelled the Advanced Intermediate but he did in the Open Intermediate with Ulises, a horse previously ridden by his friend Andrew Nicholson, winning on his very good dressage score of 24.10 and taking second place on Tregilder (28.4). Heidi Coy took third place riding Carrigsean Tigers Eye on 29.30
Blyth Tait and Havanna II
New Zealand’s Blyth Tait and Caroline Powell were both in this class with Blyth re-routing from a cancelled Ballindenisk and Caroline having a ‘post-Belton, pre-Badminton’ run. Blyth’s new ride, taken over from Lizzie Brown, Havanna II put in a very good test for 25.7, had a rail in the show jumping and added just 5.6 time on cross country for eighth place while Caroline brought Up, Up And Away for a little run after a problem at Belton International. Again, all seemed good and they finished in fifteenth place, adding just cross country time to their dressage score of 26.1
Caroline Powell and Up, Up And Away
Nicola Wilson’s European individual bronze and team gold winning mare Bulana and One Two Many both took a spin in this class but are not headed to Badminton this year and it was one of Nicola’s new stars, JL Dublin, who was the star of the stable at Kelsall Hill, winning the Intermediate Section L
The impressive jumper JL Dublin took second place in the CIC1* Young Horse Championship at Osberton late last year and has started this season well with two wins and a sixth place at Intermediate level so far. This is definitely a combination to watch in the next couple of years ….
Oliver Townend on Sweeps Crystal Cruise and Nicola on JL Dublin both started on a dressage score of 23.6 but Oliver added six penalties in the show jumping and 2.8 time on cross country while Nicola finished on 28 with just four cross country time penalties
Nicola Wilson and JL Dublin - ones to watch
