Order or view Harden Horse Trials May CCN 2025 XC Videos
The Hilltops Council Harden Horse Trials One Day Event was a ‘second’ for cross country course designer Nat Blundell. Last year’s CCN1* winner and an integral part of the Harden organisation, Nat decided to leave the riding hat at home this year and wear just her course designer hat, making it just the second time in 30 years that she has not ridden at the event started by her family 40 years ago.
Following earlier floods in the area, that saw the famous ‘Harden Bridge’ fence on course swept from its footings, there was plenty of work to be done but a working bee organised by the Harden committee, now under its new President Don Brown, helped get things back on track for the May event with lots of new jumps and features.
Taking place on May 10th and 11th, the weekend following the Adelaide Equestrian Festival (where Nat won the now CCI5* in 1999) and the weekend of Badminton Horse Trials, Harden may not have had the same high levels of competition but, for many, an EvA50 completion can be the Badminton of their career!
There were quite a few newcomers to the sport taking part in the Nutriens Ag Solutions Yass EvA50 including Zoya Patel riding the beautiful Kenlock Lady Sky, having her first start in eventing and nowhere better than the friendly, fun Harden. But it was Junior rider Phoebe Marr riding Lilys Matilda who took top honours in this class, finishing on their dressage score.
Another, much more experienced rider, also associated with Kenlock horses is Hannah Klep. Hannah took third place in the CCI4*-S at Adelaide the week before on Tulara Chicouve and followed it up with a win here in the Donges IGA EvA80-A on board Redamancy while the Hallets EvA80-B was won by Liz Layard riding In Full Bloom, finishing on a very impressive dressage score of 23.10. Another well-known rider at higher levels, Jess Grossman won the Two Colours Property Maintenance EvA95 riding Duchy of Cornwall.
Brianna Harris riding Flynn Rooney went even better score-wise in the Emma Brown Legal EvA65-A, finishing on their dressage score of 21.9, a massive 13.1 penalties ahead of second placed Catherine Tranter riding Aspenview Aurora. Michaela Jamison riding Karl won the TBV Equestrian & Rural Supplies EvA65-B and Zahra Nash took the Britt Grovenor Photography EvA65-J.
A junior rider outclassed the seniors in the top class too, with Edie Hawke riding GE Dublin starting in 15th place after dressage but then adding nothing to her score of 38.6 to finish as winners of the Bendigo Bank Harden CCN1*, the only combination to come home double clear on cross country.
Full results here
