Andrew Nicholson and Swallow Springs won the Advanced 8/9 YO class
It was a case of from Aachen to Advanced at Aston Le Walls (3) when the popular event hosted a list of riders that read like a Who’s Who of eventing and nearly 300 riders competed each day
With the FEI European Championships in Strzegom, Poland fast approaching many were out for a good pipe-opener to see how their preparation was going and for Nicola Wilson, it seems that it is going very well
Nicola has been nominated on the British squad with One Two Many and Bulana who came first and third in the Advanced Section X with her two horses being split by Lydia Hannon and My Royal Touch in second place. Tina Cook then took fourth and fifth places on her two European listed horses, Billy The Red and Calvino
It was a long day with Ros Canter tweeting that it was possibly her latest ever cross country start
“Well I think 8pm is the latest I've been set off on the XC, but hats off to Aston for putting on another great event” said Ros.
But her two listed horses, Allstar B having his first start since their fifth place at Badminton and Zenshera both added just cross country time penalties to their dressage scores to finish in ninth and 12th places
Ros and Pencos Crown Jewel, 9th in the Advanced 8/9 YO class
Another British European team hopeful competing was Gemma Tattersall who finished just outside of the top ten on Arctic Soul and Quicklook V while Ireland’s Jonty Evans, who should be a shoe-in for the Irish team, was competing here on Cooley Rorkes Drift but a cloud hangs over the future of the combination due to the possibility of Cooley Rorkes Drift being sold to the USA. Jonty seems to have another promising horse coming up however in Gambesie who won the Intermediate Section Q on a great score of 25.7
Vittoria Pannizon withdrew Borough Pennyz from the Advanced but she won the Open Intermediate Section U on Argentinus with the only sub-30 score of the class while the British/Australian young rider Greta Mason won the Open Intermediate U21 Section S on Tinker’s Pearl. Greta seems to be making her mark at this level, having won the Open Intermediate U21 on Chillout Girl at Rockingham (Australian selectors may need to take note before she completely defects to British ranks!)
Greta Mason and Tinker's Pearl
Matt Heath fended off his partner Gemma Tattersall to win the Intermediate Section P on another very good score of 22.5 on One Of A Kind II. This was another class jam packed with top riders with Gemma finishing second on Billy Senora, Austin O’Connor on Kilpatrick Knight in third and Mark Todd, having hot-footed it back from Aachen, in fourth on Kiltubrid Rhapsody
Sir Mark Todd and Dusk Till Dawn in the Intermediate
It was a huge three days of eventing at the Aston Le Walls Equestrian Centre but, even with long days, the event ran smoothly and well. Congratulations not only to the riders who took home the ribbons but well done too to the organisers and volunteers who kept it all rolling along!
Special congratulations too to our cross country video class winners whose videos will be coming up soon so some great footage to look forward to. They are;
Open Novice A: James Somerville and Shadow Inspector
Novice D: Jodie Amos and Fernhill Dreamaway
Advanced G: Izzy Taylor and Perfect Stranger
AU25 Section I: Millie Dumas and RF West Indie
Advanced Section L: Paul Tapner and Yogi Bear VIII
Open Intermediate P: Matthew Heath and One Of A Kind II
Open Intermediate U21 Section S: Greta Mason and Tinkers Pearl
Advanced Section X: Nicola Wilson and One Two Many
In the meantime, here’s a little video wrap up across the three days
