An Eventful Life filmed all riders on cross country at Gatcombe (1) on Sunday - find out more here
The disappointment of losing Saturday’s competition due to wet ground and bad weather at the Land Rover Gatcombe Horse Trials was slightly mollified by the sun making an appearance and the Intermediate classes getting the go ahead on Sunday
Several combinations in these classes were Badminton-bound and it is now becoming imperative to give these horses some good runs before the event as event cancellations due to weather are playing havoc with riders’ preparations. Izzy Taylor is one heading to Badminton, however it wasn’t her 4* horse Perfect Stranger who took the honours at Gatcombe but three of his stable mates picked up the top spots in the Intermediate Section G (Tregolls), the Intermediate Section H (Direct Tullyoran Cruise) and the Open Intermediate Section K (Impromptu II).
Izzy is already leading the British Eventing Rider points table and these three wins should add to her commanding lead over Piggy French in second place and Oliver Townend in third
In her usual style, Izzy certainly wasn’t hanging around on course with fast, clear cross country rides on all three and, if you’ve ever wondered about how different each ride is on the same course for a ride, it may be worth watching Izzy on board Tregolls and Direct Tullyoran Cruise
You can watch all three of Izzy’s rides on the links below
https://www.an-eventful-life.com.au/ride/izzy-taylor-impromptu-ii-gatcombe-1-2018
https://www.an-eventful-life.com.au/ride/izzy-taylor-tregolls-gatcombe-1-2018
https://www.an-eventful-life.com.au/ride/izzy-taylor-direct-tullyoran-cruise-gatcombe-1-2018
Gatcombe based Tom McEwen on CHF Cooliser
The locally based Tom McEwen had five horses competing and won the Intermediate section I on Royal Roxey. This is a nine-year-old mare that Tom has brought along since an unbroken four-year-old and he was also riding Zara Tindall’s BGS Class Affair and Watkins whilst Zara is pregnant
Watch Tom’s winning ride on Royal Roxey here
Ben Hobday’s Shadow Man II obviously has a soft spot for the Gatcombe terrain, having won the British Novice Championship at the Festival of British Eventing here last year and now taking the Open Intermediate on HRH The Princess Royal and Patti Biden’s cross country course which caused plenty of problems for other riders, especially the corners at Fence 7. However Ben and Shadow Man II breezed around the course and, although they only added 6.8 time penalties, they look to be handling it with ease. Watch their full cross country round here
Chris Burton and Quality Purdey weren't in the placings but at least got a cross country run
Australian riders were also busy preparing for Badminton with two past winners competing; Paul Tapner on Bonza King of Rouges finishing fifth in the Advanced Intermediate and Sam Griffiths on Paulank Brockagh taking 12th in the Advanced Intermediate but it was another former Badminton winner, Andrew Hoy who took the win at Gatcombe in the Advanced Intermediate
Andrew not only won the class (watch his full cross country ride here) but also finished third on board the horse he bought from France’s Tom Carlile last year, Vassily De Lassos. The pair had an eventful show jumping round, being followed round the entire course by a small barking dog but both horse and rider were unperturbed and jumped an impressive clear round
Andrew also finished 10th in the Open Intermediate on Basmati who he now takes to Tryon in America for the 3* competition at the WEG Test Event, The Fork at Tryon
