"Don't worry mum, I can do this with my eyes closed" Sophie Byford's The Texas Ranger knows how to get the job done
The ladies started well at the Barefoot Estates Burnham Market International with Ros Canter, Piggy French, Izzy Taylor and Sophie Byford winning the four BE100 classes
Sophie won the BE100 Under 18 Section F on The Texas Ranger, adding nothing to their dressage score of 25.8 while Daisy Dollar and Daisy Proctor tussled for second and third places on close scores of 30.8 and 30.9
Izzy Taylor has a busy few days in Norfolk with 13 horses entered across the grades including KBIS Starburst, the recent winner CIC3* winner at Belton International who will be trying to win the second leg of the Shearwater Insurance Tri-Star Grand Slam here. They are currently lying equal 10th after the first session of the CIC3* dressage but it was the five year old MBF Harley Rebel who was the star of her stable, winning the BE100 Section C on a score of 26.8 at his first official eventing start
Piggy French and AKD Corline
Piggy French took the first two places in the BE100 Section D, winning the class on Fernhill G with a score of 24.4 and AKD Corline taking second place on 29.1 while Ros won the BE100 Open Section E on DHI Jura.
Ros Canter and DHI Jura jump clear
This is the second win at this level for DHI Jura this year so the nine year old gelding that lost one eye due to infection a few years ago certainly doesn’t seem to be letting it affect his performance. Ros starting riding him last year and re-introduced him to competition slowly to build up his confidence and, although the plan is never to compete him at high levels, it is rewarding now that he clearly enjoys his work despite only having one eye
“He’s owned by some wonderful people who just want to see him enjoy his life” Ros told us in an interview late last year “He’s got a heart of heart and it is just really rewarding to ride him”
Three of the Novice classes also completed today with Bubby Upton winning the Novice Under 18 on Cannavaro at their first start together. They did it in style, winning on their dressage score of 25.3 ahead of Alice Kilham and Jigilo Junior who recently won at Oasby (1)
Ben Hobday and Shadow Top Gun took the Novice Section H and Ben backed that up with a third place on Aberllanerch High Tide in the Novice Section I but it was the Burnham Master, Oliver Townend, who claimed his first title of the next few days in this class riding Sweeps Crystal Cruise
Oliver was lying equal 10th and 13th on Arctic Mouse and Ballaghmor Class in the CIC3* class incorporating the Shearwater Insurance Tri-Star Grand Slam but it was his friend Andrew Nicholson in the lead of the big one. Andrew leads on Byrnesgrove First Diamond on 37.2 ahead of Nicola Wilson on Annie Clover (40.7) and Andrew Hoy on Rutherglen (41.5) with the dressage for this class to continue on Friday and Saturday morning
And if you do happen to win at Burnham Market, there is plenty of local produce to celebrate with .............
The Toffee Vodka Bar awaits you with various delights .........
Or you can try the local gin in the bar near the scoreboards ..............
Or pop in to see the naming rights sponsor Barefoot Estates for a Bloody Mary!
