OSCAR AND ANNABEL ARE NATIONAL CHAMPIONS AT BELSAY

Oscar Fitzgerald is the new British Junior National Champion, having won the Lycetts-sponsored class at Belsay on Juliet Donald, Lucy Allison and Vittoria Panizzon’s Super Cillious. Oscar, 17, is the son of former Grand National-winning jockey Mick Fitzgerald, but eventing is his chosen sport.

Oscar and 16-year-old Super Cillious were third after cross-country, but a foot-perfect showjumping clear thrust them up the order and will put them in contention for a place on the British team at the Junior European Championships.

“I’m absolutely delighted,” said a beaming Oscar, who completed on his dressage score of 28. “He was a superstar from start to finish – pretty foot-perfect. He was awesome across country; it was a testing track in places but the ground was superb, and he came out this morning fresh and well and jumped a beautiful round. 

“I’m really lucky to be riding him – the horsepower he has is unbelievable, and it’s a great opportunity. He’s a very cool character – he’s quite grumpy in the stable and he bites a lot; Mum was just saying he’s allowed to bite now he’s won this! 

“It’s been a brilliant event. I came here two years ago and loved it and wanted to come back; it’s a great test of jumping and fitness. Thank you to everyone at Belsay for running such a fantastic horse trials.”

A single showjump down dropped long-time leaders Lucy Standish and Global H to second, while Ella Howard jumped clear on Delauney for third place.

Annabel Ridgway and Akim De L’Arquerie took the Project Pony British Pony Championships, adding just 0.4 of a showjumping time-fault to their dressage mark of 24.6. They finished an impressive 7.9 penalties ahead of their nearest rivals, second-placed Maisie Greening and Kilnaspic Lily. Third was Alice Fraser, riding Bookhamlodge Pennylane.

Oxfordshire-based Annabel, 16, and the Project Pony-owned Akim De L’Arquerie were part of the British team that won bronze at last year’s Pony European Championships, and the 2025 Europeans are their aim for this season.

“I’m really excited and so happy,” said Annabel, who also finished fifth in the Junior Championships aboard Grey’s Village Melody. “I’ve had Akim De L’Arquerie for a few years and he’s very special. He’s literally my partner in crime. He’s very much the boss at home and has really come out of his shell at events now. 

“I was really pleased with his dressage; he’s not the flashiest pony, but he was very accurate and did a really nice test. Cross-country he could do with his eyes closed, he loves it so much, and it was so much fun. Showjumping is probably my weakest phase, but he tried so hard and I was thrilled to jump clear on the final day.”

Annabel is currently doing her GCSEs, and, as part of her plan to be a full-time event rider, is going to undertake an apprenticeship after leaving school this summer. 

Northallerton’s Lucinda Atkinson won the Barbour CCI2*-L on PRF Made In England, a seven-year-old mare by Jaguar Mail owned by Amanda Rowe, Jane Crossley and Lucinda. The pair led from start to finish and completed on their dressage score of 27.4.

Lucinda, for whom this was a first CCI2*-L victory, said: “I broke her in for her breeder, Pauline Fletcher, and I’ve done everything with her. Pauline wanted to sell her at the end of her five-year-old career and I thought she was rather special and wanted to keep her. I advertised and advertised, and I got someone who lives only five minutes down the road from me whom I didn’t know, who rang and said she’d like to own an event horse – Amanda Rowe, so she has three ‘legs’, I have half a leg and my long-standing owner Jane Crossley, who was my first-ever owner, many moons ago, has the other half a leg. 

“The mare has a very big heart and always wants to please, and she just makes it all very fun. She’s very proud of herself today! Her dressage and her cross-country are her strongest phases – she’s very, very good at both – and the showjumping is there; she’s been pretty consistent at this level, and she’s not really even seven yet as she was a late August foal.”

Both runner-up Eliza Bell (Macgyver) and third-placed India Wishart (BP Quinnton) finished on their dressage scores of 29.6 and 30.9 respectively.

A new partnership, that of Willa Newton and Hartacker, scored their first win on just their third full run together in the Hambro Sport Horses CCI3*-S. They started the day with a dressage mark of 26.6, showjumped clear and picked up only 0.8 time-faults round Adrian Ditcham’s challenging and varied cross-country track to hold off second-placed Wills Oakden and Mile Beach by 0.7pen.

Willa said: “I rode a young horse for Camilla [Behrens, Hartacker’s owner] last year. Hartacker had had quite a lot of time off with an injury and she was toying with what to do with him. It’s an amazing opportunity for me because I don’t have very many older horses, so I’m feeling very lucky to have him. 

“He’s quirky, and was very on his toes before his dressage, but he’s lovely. He felt amazing cross-country; the plan was to come here for a qualification, but the ground was fantastic and I couldn’t not give it a go. The course was big and bold, and I feel I’ve got to know him more as a result. I’d love to take him to Boekelo at the end of the season, but we’ll take each day as it comes and enjoy it.”

Willa, Wills Oakden and third-placed Michael Jackson (Girl’s Gamble) are now in contention for the 2025 Northumberland Challenge, which offers a huge prize-pot of £61,000 to riders who win or are placed in the CCI2*-S, CCI3*-S and BE100 at the three Northumbrian international events of Belsay, Alnwick Ford (18-22 June) and Burgham (24-27 July).

Belsay continues tomorrow (Sunday, 1 June) with the Houghton Country CCI1*, British Eventing national classes, the highly entertaining Jobling-Purser Ltd Inter-Hunt Relay, arena eventing and young horse performance classes. There is also a fun dog show, lots of children’s entertainment, excellent shopping and delicious locally produced food and drink available. 

To purchase tickets for Belsay and to find out more information, please visit www.belsayhorsetrials.com.

All the cross-country at Belsay will be shown on Horse & Country TV’s livestreaming platform H&C+.

IMAGES: Oscar Fitzgerald and Annabel Ridgway © ATHALENS