CCI4*-L leaders Pippa Funnell and MCS Maverick. Photo by Tilly Berendt.
The final horse inspection at Bramham is always a bit of a tense ordeal: Saturday’s CCI4*-L cross-country challenge is arguably the toughest of its level, and with intense terrain across the course, too, horsemanship must be at the fore in the aftermath. Sometimes, though, there’s only so much that icing can do – and after much deliberation from the ground jury and holding box vet, it was decided that Max Warburton‘s Monbeg Exclusive, fifth overnight in the under-25 CCI4*-L, would not be accepted to continue the competition.
Max Warburton and Monbeg Exclusive are the sole eliminations of the morning. Photo by Tilly Berendt.
Though no one was ultimately eliminated in the main CCI4*-L class, two were held: Harry Meade‘s Red Kite, who stepped up to fourth place overnight after delivering one of the five clears inside the time yesterday. Day one leaders Izzy Taylor and Happy Days, 27th overnight, were also sent to the holding box.
Harry Meade and Red Kite. Photo by Tilly Berendt.
Both were subsequently accepted upon representation, as were Jesse Campbell‘s Gambesie, third overnight, and Jack Pinkney‘s Rehy Revelation, 32nd, who were each asked to trot again but not sent to the holding box for further examination. We do find ourselves down by one in this class, though: Abi Boulton and the former Ludwig Svennerstal mount Balham Mist, 16th overnight, withdrew before the final horse inspection, leaving us with 32 to showjump today.
Here’s a look at how the leaderboard looks now in the under-25 class, which sees Bubby Upton and Magic Roundabout IV lead with an enormous margin on 13.3 penalties, or three rails and three seconds:
And the top ten in the main CCI4*-L, which has a much smaller margin for error for overnight leader Pippa Funnell, who doesn’t even have a time penalty in hand:
The under-25 CCI4*-L will be the first class to jump today, with the six remaining competitors taking to the ring from 11.00 a.m. The main CCI4*-L will follow on after the first class’s prize giving, with jumping commencing from 12.15 p.m. Though there’s no live-streaming today, we’ll be bringing you full reports from each class through the day as we crown our new Bramham champions. Until then: Go Eventing!
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