Andrew Nicholson, who turned 50 last monday, will have more reason to celebrate this weekend, after dominating at Gatcombe. After taking both advanced sections, he pulled off a one-two in the British Open with Nereo (above) and Avebury respectively, also finishing 11th on Qwanza. Andrew was full of praise for Nereo, and although he has probably the most impressive back up team of horsepower in the world, (Avebury, Armada, Quimbo…) he says he hopes to ride Nereo at London next year. “Nereo seems to know the jumps before he sees them, and if I make a mistake it doesn’t seem too bad”, he told us after his cross country. The Kiwis occupied the top four with Jock Paget in 3rd place on Clifton Lush, and Mark Todd on Major Milestone in fourth. Mark Todd, the fastest man away from a fence, was crouched low, and could have been mistaken for a jockey riding a finish.
Jock Paget, who’s been based in England almost permanently since Rolex Kentucky 2010 to learn from “his three wise men”, Andrew, Todd and Erik Duvander, seems to be reaping the benefits, looking classy in all three phases.
Australian Chris Burton has also had a good Gatcombe, and finished in 5th place on Newsprint after a fast clear cross country – so fast in fact that even though him and Mark Todd finished on the same score, Mark was very slightly slower and therefore closer to the optimum time.
Pippa Funnell will take the National title as the highest placed Brit in 6th place on Mirage D’Elle. As I watched them go cross country, I worried that perhaps his extravagant movement and big, round jump might slow them down, but Pippa is so experienced, and although they didn’t quite make the time, (2.8 time penalties) this was a great performance.
Emily Baldwin was having a great go on her lovely Drivetime until he left a front leg at the stone wall at 15, giving Emily a heavy fall, but I’m glad to report she’s fine. She was assessed on site, was taken to hospital for further assessment, but “there is no cause for concern”. Andrew Nicholson remarked that the wall was not riding nearly as well this year, coming after several big oxers, as it did last year when they jumped it following the double of corners, and he told us he’d had to take several hard pulls approaching it on all his horses as they just weren’t backing off it at all.
Clea Phillipps, who finished 12th, may have my favourite horse of the whole weekend in Lead the Way. A Grade A show-jumper he made that phase look easy, and was just as impressive cross country.
Izzy Taylor is having a great post-Badminton season with all her horses, but finishing tenth on Briarlands Matilda after a fantastic, fast clear must be a highlight.
Francis Whittington has been announced as a reserve for the European Championships on Sir Percival, but after an unlucky rail in the show-jumping on Easy Target, finished in 16th place.
Clarke Johnstone will be vying for a place on the kiwi squad, and did his cause no harm with a speedy clear on the super jumping Incognito III, finishing 13th. William Fox-Pitt, who set out on cross country with a good chance of a top ten place, but after it was uncertain if he had jumped the third element (the second cottage) at #6, he was allowed to continue, (he jumped clear) but it was later confirmed and he was eliminated.
It was a fantastic afternoon of sport altogether, and I’m going to start sifting through all my show-jumping and Intermediate Championship photos next. Congratulations to everyone who competed, and completed. Look out for those Kiwis and Aussies next year, Sam Griffiths also won the Express Eventing. Thank Goodness for Oliver Townend taking the Novice Championship for the second year running, and his former stable jockey Angus Smales taking the Intermediate Championship and keeping the British end up.
I have not seen, but I have spoken to Will Faudree who was here watching this afternoon, but had to get home to do his horses (Nat is away until wednesday!), and we have a date to catch up properly next week, so we can bring you news about his Burghley/Blenheim campaign ahead of his run at Hartpury next weekend.
Thank you as always for reading, and please check back later for more pictures and anything else I remember that I forgot! Go the kiwis, and go eventing!
