Hayden Hankey and Halcyon Graf
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After a ludicrously wet winter in the UK with too many storms with names and most early season events cancelled due to sodden ground, it was a stroke of luck and thanks to excellent ground maintenance from the team at BEDE that Oasby (1) managed to run last weekend. There were fantastic four days of competition, with the heavens opening only at the very end of the event.
The competition kicked off with the Novice classes, with Section A being won by Hayden Hankey on Halcyon Graf, owned by Claire Lambert. It was Hayden’s first event on this horse, so he was thrilled with the win.
Hayden also took third place in the same section on Heads Up, owned by himself and Catherine Witt, a horse that won the Open Working Hunter Championship at HOYS in October with Hayden so his new career has got off to a fantastic start
Hayden also won Intermediate Section I on Fools In Love, known as Joker at home, owned by himself and Philippa Heler.
Hayden bought Joker over from Ireland as a slightly naughty late five-year-old (hence his name) and he started his eventing career last season jumping his first BE100 in March, finishing the season winning the intermediate at Kelsall Hill and chosen as reserve for the 6-Year-Old World Championships at Le Lion, where Hayden rode Cartown Galaxy.
“To come out and win his first event of the season is so exciting, he’s getting better and better growing in confidence with every run! He’s a very fast gutsy cross country horse who always finishes with plenty of running. He will be aimed at the Festival of British Eventing and a 3* later in the year as well as Le Lion 7-Year-Old Championship”
A familiar story across the board, Team Hankey felt a little underprepared due to the storms forcing the closure of most of the cross country schooling venues so they had only managed to school the novice horses once on cross country prior to starting at Oasby, and the intermediate horses didn’t get schooled on cross country at all - a real credit to their training.
“It was so refreshing to come to Oasby and run on such perfect ground, even in the summer the ground often isn’t as good as it was this weekend!”
The Novice Section B was won by Angus Smales on Mount Corbitt Storm, owned by Susie Culloty and the Open Novice Section C was won by Amelia Walker on her own E Boy.
“I had two of my own horses and three for Dassett Eventing, who I started riding for last year” said Amelia “Dassett Rockstar, Dassett Select and Harbouring all did really well at Osberton last year as five year olds and they were all having their first run back. E Boy and Boleybawn Dassett Cruise had confident first runs as they will both aim for their first advanced this year”
“E Boy doesn’t like the mud that much as he's dressage bred, and even though the ground was pretty amazing, considering the weather, he did get a little stuck in the show jumping to rattle a fair few of the fences, so to come out with a clear and a win was a bit of a surprise!!”
“We started the day with a horse getting loose not once but twice around the lorry park because of the excitement of being at the first event, so it didn't all go swimmingly. I'm also happy to have got the first runs out the way as I felt very rusty and definitely didn't see the perfect stride at every fence!”
Piggy and one of the babies stepping up to Novice, Cooley Goodwood, owned by Susie Wood
Piggy March took the win in the Open Novice section D on Sportsfield Top Notch owned by the March Stud, and Novice Section O on I Diablo Joe, owned by Geoffrey Burton. Piggy also won Section I in the Open Intermediate on Brookfield Quality, owned by Alison Swinburn, and John and Chloe Perry, who also own Brookfield Inocent, who won Section L, also under Piggy.
The Intermediate classes were really ‘hot’, as James Rushbrooke, winner of the BE100 Section E1 on Carol Smart’s Castlesize Go Easy (who James is very sad to say is up for sale), pointed out
“Castlesize Go Easy is a lovely horse I evented last year, and I’ve spent time over the winter hunting him, which has helped him no end. I field master for the Badsworth and Bramham Moor hunts and he’s been roped in on many occasions which has been great for him because it’s made him really independent and able to pick his way through the bad going. He was class at Oasby and just skipped round.”
“My Open Intermediate horse was Zelandnew BK who finished in eighth place. It was a hot section, which I didn’t realise until I got back to the score boards. He, again, was brilliant, he’s only nine years old and went around Bramham last year. The aims for him are to get back to Bramham (as it’s my local big event) for the U25 4* class and hopefully do really well. I would really love to take him to Boekelo at the end of the year”
“My intermediate horse was Milchem Eclipse, he’s just so special. He’s eight years old and was double clear round many intermediate and 3* courses last year as a seven-year-old so the plan for him is to get to Bramham for the short 4* and then Blenheim 8/9yo 4* class. He’s a cheeky chappy and can be quite naughty at home, particularly spooking at puddles so, as you can imagine, this winter I have needed my neck strap an awful lot!”
11 rides for Oliver Townend at Oasby (1) included two wins and second place for Seychelle (above) in the Novice Sec O
You don’t get any hotter (so to speak) than the World Number One and the Open Intermediate Section H was won by Oliver Townend on his Burghley winner Ballaghmor Class owned by Karyn Shuter, Angela Hislop and Val Ryan. Oliver also won the Novice Section P on Glamour Girl, owned by Becky Shenton and Rosie Skinner.
Another hot prospect for 2020 is Heidi Coy, who is aiming for the Young Rider European Championships and hoping to follow up on her bronze medal on Royal Fury last year, won the Open Intermediate Under 21 Section J on Russal Z owned by David Ottewell.
“Russal Z is a fab mare that always tries her hardest” says Heidi “She has always struggled with the flatwork but with the help of Amy Woodhead we have really improved, so I was extremely pleased to have led the dressage”
“She’s always been a good jumper and made the cross country feel very easy. The other horse, Carrigsean Tigerseye, is also owned by David Ottewell who has been very supportive over the past few seasons and Tayto, as he’s known as at home, finished on his dressage score. He’s such a careful jumper so I really enjoy show-jumping him and he found the cross country super easy”
“Jack Ass led the dressage and jumped a really confident double clear which I was thrilled with, as he is only six years old and this was just his fourth Novice competition. I’ve had him since he was a four- year-old and was the first person to event him. Indiana Du Vlist, who I’ve had since a three-year-old jumped a super double clear to finish fourth.”
Polly Stockton took first and second place in the Open Novice Section N on Wil She Ever, owned by Helen Morris, and Ballingowan Leia, owned by Susan Goodall. The Novice Section Q was won by Izzy Taylor on her own Jaeger Master, and Anna Price won the Pony Trials Section R on Black Jacko, owned by Tim and Tricia Price, following up their success at Isleham
And for those who remember how World Champion Ros Canter told us in our interview in December that Izilot DHI is the 'most talented horse I've ever sat on', here's a good example of why .....
HOW HIGH MUM? Ros Canter and Izilot DHI in the Novice show jumping at Oasby (1)
More to come from the BE100 and BE90 sections soon …
Article and photos by Jess Johnson
