Turner takes the spoils
CLAIRE TURNER and Corgary Pronto (Jager) celebrated a first novice win when they trumped the opposition in section G.
Claire described her only event horse as “a bit of a comedian”.
“He’s a real clown. He has a habit of throwing his water buckets around the stable and soaks me on a regular basis,” she laughed.
“I’d like to take him to Bicton for the CIC*, but I have no idea how he’d cope in temporary stabling away from home. Everything within his reach has to be stapled to the floor.”
Claire, who works with thoroughbred racehorses at Glanvilles Stud, near Andover, bought Jager four years ago from Ireland.
“He showjumped before he came to me, but ironically that’s been our weakest phase,” she said.
“The showjumping here was on an all-weather surface, which suited us well. In the past he’s not been very confident jumping on grass, but this year, with the help of my trainer, Justin Clubley, we’ve tackled the problem. I realised that I had been riding him differently and so we’ve worked hard on building our confidence.”
Claire is aiming for next year’s Corinthian Cup at Gatcombe, where her goal will be to improve on this year’s 13th-place finish.
Emma Sutton and her “one-in-a-million” partner, Coltstown Glider, clocked up their third BE90 win of the season.
“He’d had very little work running up to West Wilts as I’d been away on holiday, but he knows his job,” explained Emma, who works in box office sales at the New Theatre in Cardiff.
“He has a pretty chilled life with lots of variety in his work. He goes hacking on the beach and, recently, has benefited from hydrotherapy.”
Holly Osborne, 19, topped a competitive intermediate novice with Little Maestro and, in doing so, gave herself the best possible preparation for her impending intermediate debut.
“Little Maestro came from Izzy Taylor, who had competed him to CCI2* level. He’s tricky in the dressage, but he’s a brilliant jumper and has taught me loads,” said Holly, who hopes to build up a string of horses that will enable her to event full-time from her base in Bourton-on-the-Water.