Eventing Oasby and highlights
Now back on track with Cooley Rorkes Drift, Jonty Evans notches up a win and Sam Ecroyd leads from start to finish
AFTER a turbulent year, Jonty Evans and his championship horse Cooley Rorkes Drift notched a win in the open intermediate at Oasby. The pair led from the start to finish on their 24.3 dressage.
“It feels like we’re back on track,” smiled Jonty, referring to his “stressful” summer when he had to raise £500,000 through public crowdfunding to secure his ride on the 11-year-old son of Courage II after the original owner decided to sell.
“We’ve finally managed to regroup; something we hadn’t done when I took him to the CIC3* in Millstreet where I fell,” explained Jonty. “Then I took him to Blenheim for the CCI3* and he was so fresh, he was taking strides out — it was horrible.”
A recent change of bit has helped get Cooley Rorkes
Drift back under control. “His enthusiasm is part of what makes him great,” said Jonty, who now heads to Pau CCI4* with “Art”. “But going from a curb gag to a rubber ported Kimblewick for the cross-country has certainly made him less bossy and has meant I can keep galloping and bring him back more easily.”
Jonty said he is “so grateful” to everyone who contributed to his crowdfunding effort.
“Everyone has been so supportive and said that I should just ride my horse and enjoy it.”
New Zealand’s Mark Todd was second. He finished on his dressage score of 25.9 riding
NZB Campino.
GOOD DAY FOR ECROYD
SAM ECROYD continued a run of good form when taking the open intermediate under-21 section on his European young rider championship team horse, Tullaher Sunrise. They led from start to finish to wind up on their first-phase score of 30.
“He was quite sprightly, which he showed when he bucked in his medium canter,” laughed Sam, who led after the dressage at the Europeans but a fall across country put paid to their chances there. “It was tough coming back from that but we needed to get on with it so recently went back to Ireland to put our ghosts to bed, and we were third in the CCI2* at Ballindenisk.”
Sam credits a new saddle with some of their more recent success.
“He’s a funny shape and Selleria Equipe made a saddle for him,” explained Sam, who was also third in this section aboard The Quiet Man. “He used to be quite tight behind, but now he’s jumping better than ever. He’s the best horse in my string, but unfortunately he’s for sale as I need to fund my business.”