Eventing Spring Round Up
by Helen Revington
The British eventing season is now in full swing and this year there is an added sense of tension as the world's top riders aim their horses towards the Sydney Olympics in September.
Already many of Britain's shining stars have had their first outings, including the reigning European Champions Pippa Funnell, Ian Stark, Tina Gifford and Jeanette Brakewell; all keen to catch the selectors' eye.
Last year British eventing was dogged by controversy and rocked by the deaths of five riders. Action groups have been working feverishly over the winter to devise new rules in an attempt to increase the safety of the sport. Many believed that speed is at the root of a large number of eventing accidents as riders try to achieve the optimum time, thus avoiding time faults. In order to face this issue the speeds at which horses are required to travel have been reduced at every level.
 |
|
Sally Gentle winner of the Open Intermediate section
at Penzance, here riding Deli Springtime
|
Also, riders competing at Pre-Novice and Novice level, and all riders under the age of twenty-one, have been banned from wearing stop watches whilst on the cross country. The theory behind this is that riders should be encouraged to "feel" a safe and correct pace rather than "clock watch".
The season opened with three events held during the first weekend of March. In the West Country the Wiegersma family hosted the Penzance Horse Trials, an event famed for its hospitality ... and its lively parties! The major class, the Open Intermediate section, was won by Cornish rider Sally Gentle riding Deli Sorella, a mare who is half Clydesdale!
In Surrey, the Stilemans Horse Trials, held over two days, were dominated by Pippa Funnell. Pippa won the Open Novice section with Walk On Star, and was second in a Novice section on Teddy Twilight.
At Isleham, held on the East Coast, all eyes were on Irish horse dealer Vere Phillipps, who was competing his late wife's horses for the first time. Polly's death whilst competing at The Scottish Championships was made all the more poignant as she was under investigation at the time, accused of doping her World Championship horse, Coral Cove. That Polly died under such a shadow was dreadful as she was such a wonderful person and a hugely talented rider.
Vere has determined to compete Coral Cove at Burghley this autumn and in order to do so he has to undergo certain qualifying criteria. His progress towards his goal has so far been smooth and Coral Cove notched up a fifth place in an Open Intermediate section at Poplar Park the following week; it was, however, rather spooky to see Vere riding in Polly's colours.
 |
|
A brave Sarah Bullen riding Double Trust to a 4th
place just one week after losing her wonderful stallion Rock King
|
Nicky McDonnell and her thirteen-year-old, William Hill, won the most important class at Poplar Park in Lincolnshire, the Advanced Intermediate section. In Advanced Intermediate classes the horses are asked to perform an Advanced dressage test such as they might perform at Badminton or at the Olympics, to jump an Advanced show jumping course and to jump an Intermediate cross country course. A tyre and palisade combination fence near the end of the cross country course demanded a great deal of accuracy and claimed a notable scalp when Olympic and World Champion, Blyth Tait, riding Chesterfield, was eliminated there.
In Hampshire, the first of four events throughout the season to be held at Tweseldown was staged the same weekend. Here three Open Intermediate sections topped the bill, which were won by New Zealander Andrew Nicholson riding Fenicio, William Fox Pitt riding Western Reef and local rider Helen Wilson riding Barons B-Line. The hearts of every rider went out to Sarah Bullen and her family when her wonderful stallion Rock King had to be destroyed after a fall at fence fourteen, a double of corners.
Spectators attending the Opus Insurance Aldon Horse Trials, held near Yeovil in the West of England, were treated to a host of top riders.... and a beautifully sunny spring day.
The top class, an Advanced Intermediate section, was dominated by Australian Gold Medallist Andrew Hoy.
 |
|
Andrew Hoy and Swizzle In - winners of the main
class at the Opus Aldon Horse Trials
|
Andrew had two horses in the section, Swizzle In, a brown horse on which he won the Bramham Three Day Event back in 1998, and his wonderful grey, Darien Powers, on whom he won a team gold medal in Atlanta. Andrew is bidding to compete in his fifth Olympic Games!
Swizzle In produced a wonderful dressage test and a clear show jumping round, and went into the cross-country phase with a four-point lead over Darien Powers and Moon Man, the ride of William Fox Pitt.
The perfect going allowed the riders to give their horses a really good run and several managed to complete the course under the optimum time. Swizzle In actually added three time faults to his dressage score of thirty-three penalties, but Darien Powers effortlessly came home within the time. Watching Andrew and D.P. in action it is impossible not to be spellbound by their unity and rhythm - you could set a metronome by them!
William and Moon Man, slower across country, had to settle for third place ahead of Pippa Funnell and her European dual Gold Medal horse, Supreme Rock. Pippa managed to get the time exactly right even though she was stopped on the course while another rider was extracted from the second water complex. "I was asked to stop just in front of the first water complex and I must admit that I was glad to be on such an experienced horse. To ask a greener horse to start again from there would have been quite interesting!"
Katie Parker has been given the ride on the stunning liver chestnut gelding Springleaze Macaroo. Mac had been ridden throughout his career by Simon Long who was so tragically killed at Burghley last year. Katie, who hopes to take Mac to Badminton, seems to be "clicking" well with the ten year old and the pair finished in fifth place ahead of New Zealander Andrew Bennie and Wottabert .
 |
 |
|
Andrew Hoy and Darien Powers float around Aldon
to take second place in the Intermediate - behind Andrew's other ride
|
A happy Andrew Hoy following the prize giving at
Aldon - with an evening's worth of bubbly!
|
