| Blenheim International Horse Trials. CCI*** and CIC***
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Blenheim Palace, Woodstock, Oxfordshire.
10th-13th September 2009.
by Rosemary Cooper.
CCI***
After the mud bath that caused cancellation last year, the weather and going at this very popular event were perfect. For the first time it featured two competitions, with the added bonus of a CIC three-star for 8 and 9 year olds running alongside the CCI three-star. The CCI provided Lucy Wiegersma's ride, Granntevka Prince, with his first three-star win. He lay fourth after dressage but took the lead after a clear round across country, and went into the final phase with less than a fence in hand over second-placed Emily Baldwin and Drivetime. Four show-jumping faults each left the placings unchanged. Granntevka Prince is a bay nine-year old by Grannex out of Showgirl Ditton Peace, bred by his owner Mrs Geraldine Mills.
USA rider Allison Springer and Arthur led after dressage, with a score of 36.9, but a run-out and time faults across country, followed by four show-jumping poles down spoiled their chances. Arthur, a ten-year old liver chestnut thoroughbred, was rerouted here after being eliminated at Burghley for three stops on cross-country. Emily Baldwin and Lady Pauline Harris' bay gelding Drivetime, by Rolls Royce, lay second throughout the entire competition, being the only other combination to score under 40 in dressage, but picking up time faults across country. New Zealander Neil Spratt and the striking grey Upleadon, winner of the CIC three-star at Bramham earlier in the season, were third after dressage, but were eliminated when Neil fell off at My Wine Club's Butt and Barrel Bar.
Izzy Taylor and Briarlands Matilda showed the biggest improvement after dressage. They were one of only two combinations to have clear rounds across country and in showjumping, which brought them up from 31st place to third. The most experienced horse in the competition was Daisy Dick's grand old campaigner Spring Along, now 16 years old, who rose from 21st after dressage to finish fourth with just one
showjumping fence down. Andrew Nicholson and the grey Mr Cruise Control lay seventh after dressage, but four time faults across country and one showjumping fence down left than in fifth place. Melanie Wilder and Minuteman were the only other combination to go clear across country and in showjumping, which brought them up from their dressage placing of equal 33rd to finish sixth.
Chinese rider Alex Hua Tien had a very successful first trip to Britain, jumping clear in both phases, with only time faults to add to his dressage score on both his rides, the chestnut gelding Jeans, who finished seventh, and the grey mare Magenta, who finished twelfth. This performance qualified nineteen-year-old Alex for the World Equestrian Games, the first Chinese rider ever to compete there.
The cross-county course was jumped in reverse order and problems were spread fairly equally around the course, although the crowd by the lake were disappointed if they hoped to see anyone getting a soaking.
CIC*** 8/9 year olds.
CCI cross-country finished in the middle of Saturday afternoon to be followed by CIC showjumping. Sunday visitors were treated to CIC cross-country over a shortened course. Piggy French's ride Flying Machine, a bay 8-year-old owned by Anne Marling, Belinda Keir and Sue Wilkinson, won with only one cross country time fault to add to his dressage score, leaving him just 0.3 points ahead of Andrew Nicholson on Rosemary Barlow's grey Avebury, who jumped clear to finish on his dressage score. Oliver Townend, fresh from his Burghley triumph and not competing in the main event, led after dressage on ODT Master Rose but six showjumping faults left them in third place.
In fact all the top placings were filled by well-known riders educating young horses, with Pippa Funnell, Ruth Edge, Jeanette Brakewell and Mary King also being high up in the placings. So ended a very happy event, enjoyed in wonderful sunshine unlike so many shows this year. Its main sponsors are British Eventing, Protexin, Oce, Joules, Amtrust, Darbys, Petplan Equine, Ariat Equine Insurance, and The Oxford Times.
RESULTS, CCI ***
1. Granntevka Prince & Lucy Wiegersma, (GBR) Dressage, 45.4; Cross-country, 0 time, 0 jumping; Show Jumping, 0 time, 4 jumping. Total 49.4 penalties.
2. Drivetime & Emily Baldwin, (GBR) Dressage, 38.5; Cross-country, 0 jumping, 8 time; Show Jumping, 4 jumping, 0 time.
Total 50.5 penalties.
3. Briarlands Matilda & Izzy Taylor, (GBR) Dressage, 53.9; Cross-country, 0 jumping, 0 time; Show Jumping, 0 jumping, 0 time.
Total 53.9 penalties.
4. Spring Along & Daisy Dick, (GBR) Dressage, 50.0; Cross-country, 0 jumping, 0 time; Show Jumping, 4 jumping, 0 time.
Total 54.0 penalties.
5. Mr Cruise Control & Andrew Nicholson, (NZL) Dressage, 46.2; Cross-country, 0 jumping, 4 time; Show Jumping, 4 jumping, 0 time.
Total 54.2 penalties.
6. Minuteman & Melanie Wilder (GBR) Dressage, 54.6; Cross-country, 0 jumping, 0 time; Show Jumping, 0 jumping, 0 time.
Total 54.6 penalties.
7. Jeans & Alex Hua Tian, (CHN) Dressage, 47.3; Cross-country, 0 jumping, 8 time; Show Jumping, 0 jumping, 0 time.
Total 55.3 penalties.
8. Salerno & Sarah Bullimore; (GBR) Dressage, 46.0; Cross-country, 0 jumping 10.4 time; Show Jumping, 0 jumping, 0 time.
Total 56.4 penalties.
9. Crown Farm Consort & John-Paul Sheffield, (GBR) Dressage, 48.5; Cross-country, 0 jumping, 4.4 time; Show Jumping, 4 jumping, 0 time.
Total 56.9 penalties.
10. Chilli Morning & Nick Gauntlett, (GBR) Dressage, 50.8; Cross-country, 0 jumping 8 time; Show Jumping, 0 jumping, 0 time.
Total 58.8 penalties.
RESULTS, CIC*** (8/9 year olds)
. -
1. Flying Machine & Piggy French, (GBR) Dressage, 45.2; Show Jumping, 0, Cross-country, 1 time, 0 jumping,
Total 46.2 penalties.
2. Avebury & Andrew Nicholson, (NZL) Dressage, 46.5; Show Jumping, 0, Cross-country, 0 time, 0 jumping.
Total 46.5 penalties.
3. ODT Master Rose & Oliver Townend, (GBR) Dressage, 44.0; Show Jumping, 2 time, 4 jumping, Cross-country, 0 time, 0 jumping.
Total 50.0 penalties.
4. Mirage d'Elle & Pippa Funnell, (GBR) Dressage, 47.7; Show Jumping, 0, Cross-country, 3.6 time, 0 jumping.
Total 51.3 penalties.
5. Nick of Thyme & Ruth Edge, (GBR) Dressage, 47.1; Show Jumping, 0, Cross-country, 5.2 time, 0 jumping.
Total 52.3 penalties.
6. Take It 2 The Limit & Jeanette Brakewell, (GBR) Dressage, 47.7; Show Jumping, 4, Cross-country, 0.8 time, 0 jumping.
Total 52.5 penalties.
7. Fernhill Urco & Mary King, (GBR) Dressage, 47.9; Show Jumping, 0, Cross-country, 7.2 time, 0 jumping.
Total 55.1 penalties.
8. Optilas & Andrew Nicholson; (NZL) Dressage, 49.0; Show Jumping, 1 time, 8 jumping, Cross-country, 0 time, 0 jumping.
Total 58.0 penalties.
9. Rocket Science & Nick Gaultlett, (GBR) Dressage, 58.3; Show Jumping, 0, Cross-country, 0 time, 0 jumping.
Total 58.3 penalties.
10. Lebowski & Benie Stirgis, (GBR) Dressage, 59.8; Show Jumping, 0, Cross-country, 1.6 time, 0 jumping.
Total 61.4 penalties.