It was a final day to remember at the 2025 Defender Bramham International Horse Trials, when Suffolk-based rider Bubby Upton sealed a dominant victory in the Defender CCI4*-L riding the Five Time Syndicate and her own Its Cooley Time. Meanwhile, Bramham’s traditional curtain closer, the Wetherby Skips Grand Prix, was claimed by local rider William Whitaker riding Millfield Quickstep after a hard-fought six-horse jump-off.
DEFENDER CCI4*-L
Final Horse Inspection
The day started with the final horse inspection. A total of 42 horses came forward in front of the Ground Jury of President Christian Steiner (AUT), Nikki Herbert (GBR) and James Rooney (IRL). Two were sent to the holding box and subsequently withdrawn by riders Thomas Hawke and Matthew Heath, which gave 40 horses the chance to contest the final jumping phase over Jason Abbs’s technical track.
Clear rounds win prizes
The forecasted showers were kept at bay as the jumping got underway and, despite the conditions being ideal, clear rounds proved elusive. It took 12 rounds for a faultless performance in the form of Gubby Leach, who delivered with Damage van Berkenbroeck Z. Clear rounds continued to be few and far between as we approached the sharp end and, with a fence separating 10th to second, only a clear round would keep combinations in contention.
The first combination to make a claim on a top placing was Tom Jackson and his first ride in the top six, Helen Scott’s Hawk Eye. A fantastic round in yesterday’s cross-country had promoted them up the order from 13th after dressage to sixth. Running out of order so Tom had time to warm his second horse up, ‘BB’ jumped beautifully and looked very fresh – it was clear all the way and put them in a strong position.
Irish-based Brit Daniel Alderson and Blarney Monbeg Pepper had enjoyed a seven-place jump up the leaderboard yesterday to fifth – they also were clear in the jumping, but stopped the clock one second over the time allowed to earn 0.4, which was enough to retain their placing. Tom Jackson was up again on his better-placed horse, United 36, owned by Michael Stenning, who occupied fourth after the first two phases. However, a single rail lowered them out of the top placings.
It was then into the top three and first up was Caroline Harris and Cooley Mosstown, owned by Gail Sinclar, Karen Dunford and Dinah Posford. This duo has impressed all week with their consistency and ability, and today was no different – an immaculate clear guaranteed them a place on the podium, but which step it would be was still to be decided.
Next in was Izzy Taylor, a two-time previous winner here, and Jane Timmis’s SBH Big Wall. The duo was third after a snazzy dressage test and moved up one place over Saturday’s cross-country track, thanks to adding just 0.8 time to their tally. A single fence down would draw them level with Caroline, so there wasn’t really any margin for error. Sadly, they lowered the first fence, which immediately ramped up the pressure and, as they progressed, two further rails fell to drop them outside the top 12.
Then, it was down to our final pairing – Bubby Upton and Its Cooley Time, who have been in dominant mood all week and given an impressive performance in each phase. Bubby has been honest about the cheeky grey’s chequered past and how her faith in his precocious talent has kept her focused on realising his potential, so getting today right was her ultimate reward.
Bubby cantered into the Defender Arena knowing that she had the cushion of one fence and some time in hand but, being the consummate professional, her aim was a clear to finish on her dressage score and take the biggest win of her career to date.
Its Cooley Time looked fresh as a daisy, with no sign the previous day’s exertions, but could Bubby keep his exuberance in check and his mind focused on the task at hand? They started well, with Bubby keeping quiet in the saddle and allowing the grey to do the jumping. They took a long shot at fence three, but managed to safely clear it. She expertly kept the pace to make the time without rushing the rhythm, with super-still hands to let the gelding jump without any interference. As they rounded the left-hand turn to the influential treble, they were still clear. Part a, b and then c stayed in the cups, then it was down to final two fences. The penultimate upright was successfully negotiated, then six strides to the final Defender spread fence. A cursory glance to the big screen to check their time revealed that the pair was inside the optimum, before a huge smile erupted across Bubby’s face, followed by a celebrator punch of the air and plenty of praise for ‘Finn’. Victory was hers.
Bubby won the U25 section here in 2023 with Magic Roundabout, adding to the U18 and U21 National titles already on her CV. However, in the intervening two years, she’s had to essentially rebuild her life after breaking several vertebrae in her back just months after taking the title. Plenty of rehabilitation and a steely determination has helped her not only to return to the sport, but to be better than ever.
“He’s sheer class and it fills you with so much confidence as a rider to be sat on the horse with his calibre. I owe him so much and he’s very new to this level, but already such a star and I just feel so lucky to be the one that gets to ride him and have days like this on him,” Bubby enthused.
“He was really dominant all week and just focused – he’s all class and I’m so glad he got the win that he deserved. He’s been buzzing all week, but every time it’s been the case of putting his head in the game, he’s done that. The way he went and focused in the dressage was just incredible. After cross-country, he could have gone around again and just made it feel so easy, and in the jumping today he was quite extraordinary. It’s pretty impossible to describe the feeling that he gives me.
“He’s in the league of his own, to be honest with you, and I’m just so excited to see what’s to come. I’d say the future’s pretty bright with him in my string,” she added excitedly.
Only Kristina Cook and Terry Boon have won the age category class and long format competition here at Bramham, but there’s now a new name in that prestigious club today and it’s Bubby Upton.
The runners-up spot went to Caroline Harris, who said afterwards, “I’m very proud of him [Cooley Mosstown]. He’s actually a very good jumper, but I find him a little bit easier on the last day when he’s a little bit tired. He was not going to touch a fence. He’s only nine and we came here just to do his first CCI4*-L, so we had no expectations – I just wanted him to finish confident and happy, and he’s gone above and beyond. He deserves this result because he’s a phenomenal horse.”
The final spot on the podium went to Tom Jackson and Hawk Eye, who rose from 13th after dressage. “We’re really happy with him. He’s quite a new ride for me but he’s experienced – it’s his third time here. We’ve been working hard on trying to have him as adjustable as I can because he can get quite keen and strong, but he really felt like he was with me yesterday and I was super pleased with that. And today, he’s followed it up with a lovely clear,” said a chuffed Tom.
“This is our fourth event together, so hopefully he keeps going like that! It’s the plan to go five-star because we’re qualified now, so maybe there’ll be another ‘big B’ in the autumn,” he added.
So, Bubby Upton and Its Cooley Time are the latest names to be etched on the Defender Bramham roll of honour and this is certainly a duo with a bright future ahead of them – we await their next chapter, but will be proud to say that Bramham, as it has with a number of prolific combinations, gave them their break into the big time.
Wetherby Skip Services 1.45m Grand Prix
It’s been a tradition at Bramham since the 1970s to end the event with a Grand Prix and the Yorkshire crowd always stay to take in the top-flight action. This year’s Wetherby Skip Services-supported class gave them a real treat. With some 45 combinations coming forward, including a host of leading names, local talent and rising stars among the entries.
Some great jumping over Jason Abbs’ clever course yielded seven clear rounds, with two horses apiece for cousins William and Joe Whitaker, one for Guy Williams, one for Rachel Proudley and one for event rider and occasional showjumper Gemma Stevens. Gemma elected not to jump, so we were down to six.
Joe was first into the jump-off with his international horse Hulahupe JR, who set the bar with a fast clear in 37.12 seconds. William was next, riding Cristallo’s Double Take, and the big-striding grey was also clear, but not quite quick enough to better Joe. Guy Williams gave it a good crack with Uncle Braun DK Z with a clear, but just missing the time. Next up was North Yorkshire-based Rachel Proudley, who’s just 19 – could she take a back-to-back win, having claimed the title last June? She set off in a determined mood with Quality TJS and shaved every turn, moving quickly across the sizable Defender arena to leave all the poles standing in a time of 35.56, snatching the lead.
Joe Whitaker had a further chance in Icaterina, who again was clear, but just under a second slower. So, it was down to the final combination of William Whitaker riding Millfield Quickstep. William didn’t look to be pushing the bright bay mare, but rode in a great forward rhythm – he was clear, but what was the time? The commentator announced 35.50, meaning that the win was William’s by just 0.06 of a second.
William said; “I’m really delighted with Millfield Quickstep today – she really loves these kinds of shows that have got a really good atmosphere and plenty of people watching. She really rose to the occasion today. Bramham is a show that I always love coming to. It’s one of our locals, actually, so it’s one that, if we aren’t away in Europe, is definitely top of the list.”
SEE YOU IN 2026
Another Defender Bramham International Horse Trials is over – thank you to all the riders and their connections, our valued partners and sponsors, the hundreds of volunteers who make the event possible and, of course, the spectators who turn out and make the event such a special occasion every year.
The final scores, results and all the info you need is on the Defender Bramham International Horse Trials app – just download from your preferred app store or visit the website www.bramham-horse.co.uk. You can catch up with on socials too – we’re on Instagram,Facebook and TikTok.
Put the date in your diary for next year, 11–14 June 2026 – see you then!