With barely half an hour before the start of the British Open XC, run in reverse order, this will be a quick update, and I’ll bring you more of the photos later. Zara just retired Toytown in the main arena, flanked by both her parents, her groom, and hardly room to move among the packed crowds thronging the sides of the arena. It was hard not to be moved by the tribute, the video highlights of his greatest moments playing on the big screen, and most importantly how wonderful he looks today, cantering round with a smiling Zara as the rest of us dabbed our eyes discreetly!
The Kiwis are hard to beat this weekend. After taking both Advanced sections, Andrew Nicholson is handily placed in the Open, finishing the show-jumping in 1st and 3rd positions on Nereo and Avebury respectively, above on Avebury.
He is separated by fellow Kiwi Jock Paget on the lovely Clifton Promise, above, who finished 7th at WEG, and is aimed for Burghley and so will not run, leaving Andrew with the top two places, as well as 14th on Qwanza. Nicola Wilson jumped a lovely clear on the amazing Opposition Buzz to move into fourth going into cross-country, but then after hemming and hawing and being terribly tempted to run, but not being able to decide, Yogi Breisner made up her mind for her! The combination will save themselves for the European Championships which trots up in two and a half weeks.
Andrew is setting off on cross country now, but before I go, Yogi Breisner, who was in here for a chat, has announced the reserves for the European Championships at Luhmuhlen. They will be Mary King on King’s Temptress, Piggy French on Flying Machine, Polly Stockton on Regulus, and congratulations to Francis Whittington on Sir Percival for being named, and also Lucy Wiegesma on Woodfalls Inigo Jones, just 7th at Malmo, which Yogi described as a tough test. Congratulations and best of luck to them all. More from Gatcombe soon, thanks for reading and Go Championship Eventing!
