Top trio for Event Rider Masters 2017

      Rain, what rain? Sir Mark Todd, Gemma Tattersall and Sarah Cohen celebrate

 

Britain’s Gemma Tattersall was crowned the 2017 Event Rider Masters Champion at the series finale held at the SsangYong Blenheim Palace International Horse Trials last weekend. 

At the seventh and final leg of the £400,000 series, Gemma produced another competitive performance, finishing fourth riding Chico Bella P after clocking up two wins and various placings throughout the season

 

Results:

Leg 1:  1st at Chatsworth International Horse Trials riding Quicklook V

Leg 2:  Did not compete. Wiesbaden

Leg 3:  7th at Barbury Castle International Horse Trials riding Pamero 4

Leg 4:  4th at Haras de Jardy on Chico Bella P

Leg 5: 1st at Gatcombe Park Festival of British Eventing riding Arctic Soul

Leg 6: 4th at Blair Castle International Horse Trials riding Pamero 4

Leg 7: 4th at Blenheim Palace International Horse trials

 

Gemma made history at Leg 1 by becoming the first female rider to win. At Leg 5 she produced a remarkable cross country performance clocking just 1.2 time penalties, the quickest in the competition to secure her second win.

Commenting on her series win, Gemma said

“I have enjoyed the pressure that the series has created and embraced it.  Since I left school at sixteen I have been working toward this and it’s exciting to have so many horses able to compete at this level”

Sarah Cohen (GBR) secured second place in the series accumulating 93 points.  She competed in six legs on her horse Treason, securing five top ten finishes, including winning Leg 2 at Wiesbaden, Germany.  

 “I am so proud to have finished second in the series” said Sarah “I decided not to run Treason cross country today as it wasn’t going to impact on our overall place in the series.   I want to look after him for the future as I couldn’t have asked more of him this year, he has been an absolute star. He means the world to me as I bred him and he and my children’s pony are the only horses I have.  Maybe I’ll now be looking for another to also compete in the series next year!”

The former double Olympic champion and FEI rider of the 20th century, Sir Mark Todd also added third place in the overall ERM series to his impressive CV.   Completing in ninth place at the final leg with Kiltubrid Rhapsody, Todd delivered four top ten ERM performances in 2017, securing a total of 87 series points.

 “I failed to get on the ERM podium last year, and I am delighted things have gone better this series and I finished third”said Mark “It’s a brilliant series, the competition is really tough and its very satisfying when you do well and I am looking forward to targeting ERM again next year”.

Chris Stone, CEO of the Event Rider Masters is looking forward to next year and the continuation of the series

“By embracing technology and innovation we’ve also helped bring the sport of Eventing closer to a global TV audience.  We are very grateful to everyone who has helped make the series happen and we are looking forward to it being even bigger and better in 2018”