Tor Davis and Miami Gold put up a near foot-perfect performance to win the pony championship at Sansaw, adding nothing to a dressage score of 48.6. The combination was third after the dressage but moved into the top spot after a faultless cross-country round.
“It was the best ride I’ve ever had,” declared Tor. “It was a testing track but it flowed nicely and he was brilliant over the first water and at the garden bank.”
The seven-year-old part-Connemara has been in exceptional form this season, winning and being placed in open novices alongside Tor’s pony trial qualification.
Miami Gold is also an accomplished BSJA show jumper and the pair jumped a superb round under pressure over an influential track, which saw only nine clear rounds out of 34 attempts.
A fine clear from Emily Llewellyn and Ballyduff Rusty moved them up to second from seventh overnight to give the partnership a full set of rosettes, having finished first and third in this class in the previous two years.
Laura Collett and Noble Springbok dropped to third after rolling a pole. Laura was far from disappointed, despite this being the first fence her pony has knocked down with her since being bought from Kelly Lyons as a four-year-old.
“He missed all last year after cutting himself on the lorry at Weston Park in the spring,” she explained. “His first event since then was Weston Park this year and he’s been a star.”
Following the final trial, the team for next month’s Pony European Eventing Championships at Pratoni in Italy (29-31 July) was named as:
- Laura Collett (Noble Springbok)
- Olivia Craddock (Winter Holly)
- Tor Davis (Miami Gold)
- Emma Hancox (Spring Beauty)
- Emily Llewellyn (Ballyduff Rusty)
First reserve is Georgina Morrison (Bletchenden Fanfare), with Elizabeth Finelli (Joker), Lucy Hawley (Baydale Velvet) and Lizzi Pyle (Darby’s Knap) second reserves. The team, sponsored by Derby House Saddlery, will be hoping to improve on last year’s result when it finished fourth.
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