Eventing Blenheim, Allerton Park and highlights
Brits dominate the field as new face enjoys a fairytale result, and Laura Collett showcases her stars of the future with two top-three placings
ALTHOUGH some of the world’s best eventers were across the pond at the World Equestrian Games, the competition at Blenheim was still very hot. And this year, it was time for the old guard to make way for a new face at the top of the CCI3* leaderboard.
Twenty-four-year-old Bella Innes Ker led from start to finish, riding her mother, the Duchess of Roxburghe’s, Carolyn.
“This is a complete dream come true,” said an overwhelmed Bella. “I looked at the winner’s
rug on Thursday and I wondered if I would get hold of it, and now we’ve done it.”
Bella, who has grown up at Floors Castle in the Scottish Borders, was reserved about her chances after her 14-year-old mare posted a 24.4 first-phase score, saying that this horse “isn’t the speediest out there”.
But with good going helping to contribute to an unusual number of horses managing to get inside the optimum time (see box, p69), Bella managed to coax Carolyn round without time-faults for the first time since the young rider European Championships in 2015, stopping the clock bang on the optimum time.
“Chris Bartle has been so influential in helping me with my cross-country riding,” explained Bella, who now rides full time after completing a sports management degree.
“He’s taught me to be brave, drop my hands and trust my horse to get on with it, even though she can be heady and strong.”
The showjumping phase had a 22% clear round rate and, by the time she went into the arena, Bella found herself with the luxury of a fence in hand thanks to Pippa Funnell and MGH Grafton
Street, who had been in second, lowering a pole to drop them to eventual sixth.
“I was weirdly in a good place going in there, as Carolyn had already exceeded all of our expectations, so I would have been happy whatever happened,” said Bella, who used up her four faults at the second-last fence.
‘I THOUGHT THE PARTY WAS OVER’
MULTIPLE previous winner William Fox-Pitt said he thought
“that was it” after the dressage riding Oratorio II, owned by a syndicate, which left them in equal fifth.
“I thought the party was over, as he was slightly lacking in the dressage and we were part of a competitive field,” explained William.
But finishing on their 28.7 first-phase score was enough to catapult them into the runner-up spot on the final day.
“It’s my lucky day,” said William. “This horse is tough and a fighter and I’m very excited about him.”
Oratorio II, who was produced to two-star by Laura Collett, is just a nine-year-old and is by Oslo, a stallion William won Pau CCI4* with in 2011.
“Oratorio can sometimes be a little out of control, which is something we’ve worked hard on,” said William. “But I think after this, a four-star has got to be on the cards for him.”
Alex Bragg and the experienced Zagreb put a fall at Burghley firmly behind them, also completing on their dressage score to finish third.
“We were aiming for top three, but we didn’t know if we had done enough after the dressage,” explained Alex, who found himself in ninth after this phase.
“But a tight showjumping time put the pressure on riders, which helped us.”
Owned by Sally Ellicott, 14-year-old Zagreb showed no signs that his tumble at Burghley had affected him.
“It’s great to see him happy and so enthusiastic after Burghley, especially for his age,” said Alex.
A horse who really caught the eye was Iron IV, the fourth-placed ride of Selina Milnes. Owned by William Rucker, the 10-yearold was another to finish on his dressage score, rising from 12th after the first phase.
Selina bought the Aquilino gelding from Cooley Farm’s Richard Sheane.
“I thought he looked a bit foreign and slow at the time, but Richard said I would make him quicker as I’m a forward rider,” explained Selina.
“I had to give myself a pep-talk before my cross-country to tell myself not to pull and it worked with his big stride. I liked to think at the beginning of the week we