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IRISH PUT ON STYLISH DISPLAY AT BRAMHAM

written by Katie Neat

Hot off an Irish Nations Cup win at Millstreet, a strong Irish contingent headed to the 50th Anniversary of Bramham Horse Trials, a crucial event for the Paris 2024 team selection.

Guided by HSI High Performance Director for Senior Eventing Dag Albert, who has represented Sweden at two Olympic Games, two World Equestrian Games, and five European Championships, Irish riders secured four of the top ten spots in the CCI4*-S after the first day of dressage. 

Joseph Murphy achieved a personal best with Calmaro at the four-star level, scoring 27.8. Felicity Ward, with her championship gelding Regal Bounty, and Caroline Clarke, riding the 15-year-old Touch Too Much – whom her mother purchased at the Gorsebridge sales when Caroline was 15 – were placed in seventh and ninth, respectively.

With Isazsa in third place overnight on 27.8, Austin O’Connor continued his form on Friday with successful 2023 campaigner, The Salty Syndicates Colorado Blue and Susie Berry followed suit, improving on a 30.6 with Wellfields Lincoln with a 28.4 from an in-form-looking John The Bull

In the CCI4*-L, Susie with Irene Leva and Padraig McCarthy with Lady Ophelia stood 24th and 25th, respectively, after dressage. With the challenging Ian Stark cross country course ahead, the competition remained intense on Saturday.

Both would tackle the course efficiently and without error, incurring only time penalties. Meanwhile, clear rounds were abundant in the CCI4*-S show jumping. Six in total from Austin with Isasza and Colorado Blue, Susie with Wellfields Lincoln and John The Bull, Padraig with Pomp N Circumstance, Felicity and Regal Bounty, Fred Scala and Everon Vivendi and Declan Cullen and Ultimate Quality. No Irish rider had more than one fence down.

Austin and ‘Salty’ had one of the best cross country rounds of the day, clear inside the time to finish in second place; just 0.8 off the win. Following their win at Maryland’s five-star event last autumn, this performance solidifies their contention for a senior team spot. Austin also secured a top ten finish with Isazsa.

Susie Berry’s two clear rounds, with 3.6 time faults for Wellfields Lincoln (7th) and 7.2 time faults for John The Bull (11th), earned her a commendable ‘seven-eleven’ finish despite being under the weather.

Padraig and Pomp N Circumstance improved to thirteenth place, thanks to a lovely clear and just 4.4 time penalties, making him the recipient of the George Lane Fox Memorial Trophy and Joseph and Calmaro finished inside the top twenty with one down in show jumping and 7.2 cross country time faults

Aiofe Clark and Sportsfield Freelance narrowly missed the top twenty, with Aiofe returning to top form after the birth of her son. Having finished seventh individually in the London Olympic Games, Aiofe knows all too well what it takes and means to get to an Olympics. Fred and Everon Vivendi produced flawless jumping rounds in both show jumping and cross country, no doubt he will have been overjoyed with the horses’ performance

Molly Evans, 24, piloted Wellan Graffiti to a sixth-place finish in the CCIU254*-L. After recovering from a broken pelvis that led to sepsis and anaphylactic shock, keeping her away from the sport for two years, Molly is poised to become a future star for Team Ireland

The groundwork has been laid, and the riders have put in solid performances. Now it’s up to the selectors to announce the squad on Monday!

10/06/2024 0 comment
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EventingNews

King reigns to claim a second Bramham title 

written by Katie Neat

British Olympic hopefuls Kitty King and Vendredi Biats certainly gave the team selectors a clear message with their storming victory in the Defender CCI4*-S section at the Defender Bramham International Horse Trials. 

It was fellow Paris 2024 contenders Ros Canter and Archie and Michele Saul’s Lordships Graffalo who started the day in pole position, following a super clear in the morning’s showjumping phase. However, Ros elected to give ‘Walter’ a steady round across the country rather than pressing on for a competitive finish. It was a classy performance nonetheless and will have showed their prowess ahead of final selection for the Paris trip. 

The early charge for a podium place was cemented by the consistent duo of Kazuma Tomoto and Vinci de la Vigne JRA for Japan, who purred round after a clear showjumping round to clock up just 6.8 time faults, which ensured they’d keep their third place at least.  

Ireland’s Austin O’Connor and the ever-popular Colorado Blue, owned by The Salty Syndicate, were the next pairing to secure a podium place with a classy round in Bramham Park in the effortless style we’ve come to expect from this pair – could it be enough to secure their place at the Games? They were just one of a few to make the time and finish on their dressage score – second place was theirs at worst.  

It was all down to the indomitable partnership of Kitty King and Vendredi Biats, owned by Diana Bown, Samantha Wilson, Sally Lloyd-Baker and John Eyre. They were faultless over the coloured poles in the Defender Arena, before heading out on the cross-country course knowing they had a margin of just 0.8 penalties or two seconds. Kitty was trialing a new bit because the usual combination she uses has been deemed illegal by the international governing body, so – just weeks away from a potential team call-up – she needs a new alternative that suits both her and the sensitive French-bred gelding.  

She started cautiously,but looked in complete control and entirely at ease. They grew in confidence and progressed as if on rails, meeting each fence in the perfect rhythm and jumping with ease. The clock was counting down as the fences were successfully negotiated and they cantered through the finish to stop the clock on 6.30 – well inside the time for the fastest round of the day. It was a second Braham win for the pairing, having already taken the CCI4*-L title in 2019. 

Kitty admitted to it being an emotional win; “We haven’t had the best build-up to Bramham with the news that the FEI banned my normal cross-country bit that he’s gone in for seven years, and it’s been tricky trying to find a new combination that works for us both. He also got pus in the foot ahead of Bicton, so missed that vital run so I knew everything was riding on Bramham. It’s also been a bad start to the week – I had to have my dog put down on Monday and a family member hasn’t been well at all – but I won on the Premium Bonds on Wednesday, so it’s got better, and ‘Froggy’ finished it really well. It was great to have a spin round on Louis [Crystal Fontaine] first – he was super. It really helped me know where to move and save a bit of time and he was much improved from Bicton.  

“It’s a massive relief and it’s fantastic he’s gone so well and pulled it out of the bag for me again. It was a good week – in the end,” she reflected. 

The final combination to take to the cross-country course, Aaron Millar and Alex Van Tuyll’s Count Onyx, had a great round with just 3.2 time penalties after a clear show jumping to rise from 12th after dressage to fourth overall. The top six was completed by 2022 winning rider Izzy Taylor, this time riding SBH Big Wall for owner Jane Timms in fifth, while Kitty finished sixth with her other ride, Cristal Fontaine, owned by Alex and Camilla Wakeley.  

For full results, please visit: https://bit.ly/DefenderBIHT2024timesandresults. 

09/06/2024 0 comment
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EventingNews

Defender Bramham: Day One

written by Katie Neat

Defender Bramham day one: a new champion crowned and dressage underway 

It’s billed as Thrilling Thursday and today duly lived up to the name here at the at the Defender Bramham International Horse Trials. The sun shone bright, but a keen northerly wind kept the temperatures down to provide perfect conditions for horses and spectators alike.  

NAF Five Star BE80 Championships 

After two days in between the white boards, we crowned our new NAF Five Star BE80 champions after a day of change on the leaderboard that saw well-judged rounds rewarded.  

IMAGE: FIRST CLASS IMAGES

A faultless day of jumping for Leicestershire-based rider Rachel Littlewood and her bay mare Fiancee promoted them one step up to the top of the podium and the 2024 championship accolade, adding nothing to their dressage score of 29.9. An emotional Rachel punched the air as she crossed the finish line of Ian Stark’s cross-country course, before giving her steed a big kiss after realising they’d taken the lead.   

The original plan for ‘Lottie’ this year was to qualify for the Badminton Grassroots Championships, but a slight injury meant Bramham became the focus in order to give the duo the best chance to get back to full fitness. However, coming to Yorkshire with no expectations of doing well made today’s win even more special.  

“It’s been absolutely fantastic, but incredibly nail-biting!” said Rachel after the prize-giving in the Defender Main Arena. “Dressage isn’t our strong point, so when we were second on day one I was overwhelmed with that! I was a little nervous going into today – the showjumps were a little on the small side for us and she’s prone to leaving a leg, but she was absolutely amazing! We had a few hairy moments cross-country, but she was still full of running at the end – I think she could have done it again! To do the lap of honour here has been something out of this world – I was in tears!” 

Second place went to 18-year-old Beth Jones riding Fantasy Chilli, who added nothing to their dressage penalty score of 32.3. It was Deborah Burrell and her own Imperial Tangle who completed the top three on a score of 32.6. 

Defender CCI4*-L 

Reigning European champion Ros Canter heads the leaderboard in the showcase Defender CCI4*-L section, with Lady Milnes Coates and Deirdre Johnston’s MHS Seventeen achieving the only sub-30 score of the day.  The athletic bay, known as Vinnie, was previously piloted by Sara Bowe and Nicola Wilson, but Ros has partnered him for two years. After a slow start to their relationship due to inclement weather and an unsuccessful four-star debut here last year, they’re beginning to forge a true partnership. 

A delighted Ros said; “I’m delighted with MHS Seventeen today. He did a personal best at Bicton and has come out and performed to that quality again. He’s a lovely horse who’s growing in confidence all of the time.” 

In second, it’s last year’s CCI4*-S victors, Selina Miles and the Rucker’s Cooley Snapchat. They were ever-consistent to impress the judges, who all landed on a 67% plus score to give the pair 32.2 penalties. The top three is completed by Olympic-nominated rider Tom Jackson with Plot Twist B, owned by Mary Harris and Ruth McMullen, on 33.5. 

Defender CCI4*-S 

There’s a truly international feel to the top placings in the 83 runner-strong Defender CCI4*-S, with Japan leading and a pair of Irish flags to follow. 

Bramham is being used as a key selection trial for the Japanese team ahead of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games – today marks 50 days until the Opening Ceremony – and there are a selection of leading combinations here to fight for their place. New pairing Ryuzo Kitajima from Japan and Be My Daisy, owned by Riding Club Crane, put in a late challenge to take the lead with a stunning display that featured a number of nines from the judges and a score of 24.7. They dislodged Ireland’s Josephy Murphy, riding his own Calmaro, who stole the lead before lunch with a 27.3. Countryman Austin O’Connor is half a penalty behind on 27.8 with Lesley Rose’s Isazsa. 

An elated Ryuzo commented: “I’m so pleased, so happy! I’ve just started riding her this year and I still have to know more about her. I was relaxed and she was relaxed, so it was good. To build our partnership, I started early this year and took her to Portugal so we could get qualified for Paris. She’s a mare, which can be good or bad, but today she was a princess!” 

Bramham U25 CCI4*-L  

The small but quality field in the Under-25 CCI4*-L got their campaign underway and it’s Britain’s Isabel White who paves the way riding her own Icarus. Their solid performance yielded a penalty score of 36.3 from the Ground Jury of Nick Burton, Angela Tucker and Xavier Le Sauce, who’s officiating at Paris this summer. Second spot is taken by Emma Thomas and The Buzz Factor for owners Pippa Williams and Rebecca Velarde, while Cassie Sanger from the USA sits third with her own Redfield Fyre on 42.4. 

Join us for Fantastic Friday, when the CCI4* dressage reaches its conclusion and we discover who holds the cards ahead of the decisive jumping phases.  

Results and start times on via  www.bit.ly/DefenderBIHT2024timesandresults and full details, including info downloading on the Bramham app, from www.bramham-horse.co.uk  

Keep up to date with us on social media – we’re on, Instagram, Twitter and Facebook so you won’t miss any of the news, updates and event info. 

07/06/2024 0 comment
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EventingNews

The Bramham Birthday Buzz builds… 

written by Editor

With football and cricket fever set to grip Britain in the coming days, the 50th anniversary Defender Bramham Horse Trials provides the perfect alternative sporting experience for all. Running 6–9 June at Bramham Park in Yorkshire, the event features top-flight eventing, entertainment for the whole family and a fantastic day out in a stunning setting. It’s our birthday year and the Paris 2024 Olympic Games are just a matter of weeks away, so the excitement level – otherwise known as the ‘Bramham buzz’ – is higher than ever.  

The organisers of the Defender Bramham Horse Trials are delighted to announce that HRH The Princess Royal will attend the final day and present the awards to the CCI-L 4 competition on the occasion of the event’s 50th anniversary. The Princess Royal, who competed at Bramham in its inaugural year in 1974, will join the celebrations on Sunday 9 June to watch the final showjumping phase of the competition before awarding the prizes. The Princess Royal is vice president of the event’s chosen charity for 2024, The British Horse Society, and we are honoured to have her in attendance. 

With over 130 entries from an international roster of 10 country flags, it’s a truly quality field this year, with riders from China, South Africa, Ireland, France, The Netherlands, Japan, Canada, Italy, the USA and, of course, Great Britain. The three sections of CCI4* eventing competition – the showcase Defender CCI-L 4*, the Defender CCI-S 4* and the CCI-L U25 4* are littered with riders who class Bramham as a happy hunting ground, with no less than 10 previous winners back for more. 

The entry list also contains seven of the nine British riders currently in line for Olympic selection so it’s a fantastic chance to see these combinations in action before the final team selection is announced in late June. Three of those hopefuls bring forward their potential Games mounts – reigning European Champion Ros Canter has Lordships Graffalo, Olympic gold and silver medallist Tom McEwen rides JL Dublin and European silver medallist Kitty King partners Vendredi Biats. The latter pair were winners at Bramham in 2019, while both Ros and Tom have topped the podium in the past. Reigning U25 British Champion Bubby Upton also features on both the Bramham entry list and the Paris 2024 nominated entry list, as do Emily King, Tom Jackson and Bramham regular Oliver Townend, who originally hails from Huddersfield.  

There’s particularly strong Dutch, Japanese and Irish contingents heading to Yorkshire, who look to have chosen Bramham as a good test ahead of their selection for the Games. 

Other previous winners making a welcome return include Zara Tindall, Izzy Taylor, Alex Hua Tian and Yoshiaki Oiwa. Last year’s CCI4*-S victors, Selina Miles and Cooley Snapchat, are also back, but this time around will be looking for top honours in the CCI-L 4* section. 

Local riders bidding for success at Bramham include Scarborough’s Phil Brown riding Harry Robinson in the CCI-S 4*, Dewsbury’s Kristina Hall-Jackson with hopes to better last year’s 18th place in the CCI-L 4* with Hawk Eye, and Bramham debutant Yarm-based Harrison Colling with Trevi Fountain. 

Alongside the international classes, Bramham is once again delighted to host over 60 of Britian’s ambitious amateurs as they bid to become the NAF Five Star BE80 Champion. The competition has its own dedicated area of the park, while still being an integral feature of the event site, and gives riders from all over the country their very own stage on which to shine. They start with two days of dressage on Tuesday 4 June, before the showjumping and cross-country action – which makes up part of a packed Thursday programme– decides the final placings and crowns a new champion.. 

While 2024 will be very much an event of anniversary celebrations, there will be another huge milestone to mark – the swansong year for course designer Ian Stark, who is retiring after 15 years of masterminding the feature fences and routes for which Bramham is renowned. Anyone that knows Ian will be aware that he wouldn’t want to leave without giving riders and spectators something memorable – and he hasn’t disappointed. Working with skillful course builder David Evans, Ian has set a fantastic test befitting of a birthday year and the perfect sign-off. The route and fences are currently being kept under wraps, but all will be revealed shortly on the CrossCountry App – download the app or visit the website and keep checking! 

As ever, Bramham isn’t just all about eventing. There’s a host of additional equestrian action, shopping galore, delicious eateries – including a dedicated Food Hall – and entertainment for all the family around the site and across our two competition arenas supported by Defender and Top Spec.  

Lunchtime on Thursday shines the spotlight on dressage, with Melissa Chapman and her team doing a dazzling display showcasing all the moves, while Friday will feature a stallion display. The fantastic Kirkborne Spaniels will be in action on Saturday and Sunday with their working dog display, as well as holding scurry and agility sessions for our canine visitors. 

Bramham’s 2024 charity partner, The British Horse Society, will host a road safety demo on Friday. Keeping riders and horses safe on Britain’s roads is a fundamental part of their work, including the ‘Dead Slow’ campaign, so this is a not-to-be-missed session for riders, cyclists and motorists alike. You can also visit them all week on stand 117 to learn more about all the work they do around lobbying, education, welfare and safety. With safety in mind, the on-event St John’s Ambulance team will be running first aid sessions at noon, 13.00 and 14.00 on both Saturday and Sunday – they’re stationed in the first aid area, behind the Secretary’s tent.  

The young-hearted amongst the crowd will want to head to the area below the Top Spec arena, where Fantastic Faces will be offering face painting and rosette making, alongside the trend sweeping the nation, Hobby Horse Adventures. 

Our bustling tradestand village features over 120 outlets for you to browse, sample and buy. There’s something for all tastes, wants and desires – from chutney to china, saddles to scarves, shoes to safaris, there’s plenty of choice. Our clothing partner Joules has created a range to mark our 50th anniversary, which will feature on their stand, number 79, or you can view and order online. Friday night is late shopping evening and you can join us for FREE from 4pm, with shops staying open until 20:00 – what better way to end the working week and get the weekend off to the perfect start.  

NEW for this year is the app, which is the perfect way to have the Defender Bramham Horse Trials lowdown in one place. There’s a version for both iOS and Android and it’s free to download. You can find out what’s on and when, build your own itinerary, navigate the tradestands and receive notifications. The top tip is to download before you arrive! 

Event Director Nicholas Pritchard commented; “The Park has been coming to life over the last few weeks and the Bramham team is currently putting the final touches in place to welcome everyone to our 50th anniversary celebrations. We’ve had good drying weather mixed with showers, with a reasonably dry forecast on the cards, so we’re anticipating the ground to be good. We have a world-class entry, the course is looking superb and the tented village is taking shape, so we’re ready for you!” 

For those who haven’t secured their Bramham tickets yet, prices will rise on Monday 3 June, so there’s only a matter of hours to secure the discount – and don’t forget, British Horse Society members get 25% off on Thursday, Friday and Sunday, too.  Make your arrival smooth and simple by buying your tickets online before you arrive on site. 

There’s a range of ticket options, starting from just £16 – rising to £19 on Monday – for the over-12s. There are weekend and season saver packages, as well as an upgrade to access our arena-side Members’ Area. Don’t forget to pop a commemorative 50th anniversary mug in your online basket, too – they’re limited edition, so don’t miss out!  

If you can’t join us on Saturday for the showcase cross-country, when the riders will tackle Ian Stark’s signature courses, worry not – you can livestream all the action with a subscription via Horse & Country TV. It’s just £5.99 per month, with a discount for British Eventing members, and no contract is required.  

Our website hosts the latest news and ticketing information or follow us on Facebook, X and Instagram. You can also sign up to the ‘Bramham Buzz’ digital newsletter – a daily update from the event with news, views and info – completely free! While you can opt out at any time, there will also be post-event news throughout the year and you can get ahead with planning your 2025 Bramham adventure! 

03/06/2024 0 comment
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