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H&H Champs: ‘I held my breath’ — islander takes 80cm spoils

Playlist 19 Videos H&H Champs: Schoolgirl and pony dominate after cross-country 01:14 H&H Champs: Journey from Scotland pays off for victorious young rider and pony 00:55 H&H Champs: 'I've felt sick all day' — rider fights off nerves to secure 90cm victory 00:55 H&H Champs: 'I held my breath' — islander takes 80cm spoils 00:54 H&H Champs: 71-year-old Sally Pidsley takes the 70cm honours 02:36 H&H Champs: 90cm class goes down to the wire on cross-country day 01:35 H&H Champs: catch ride rewarded after 15 hour journey 01:05 H&H Champs: 'cheeky' Fergus springs into the lead 01:40 H&H Champs: Super Szuca posts personal best to take the lead 03:00 One-eyed racehorse excelling in falconry career 02:24 Watch what happens when a sprinter compares training regimes with a racehorse 03:02 'He's a once in a lifetime horse': history repeats itself at HOYS Cob of the Year championship 00:46 'It has been a long time coming': rider returns to win back Blenheim title after 16-year gap 00:36 Blenheim win for Christopher Burton by narrowest of margins 00:51 All eyes on Tokyo 2020: meet the team behind Britain’s renewed eventing success 01:26 Ever wondered what it takes to be a doctor at Burghley? Watch this video to find out… 01:43 'It's effort after effort': top riders share their thoughts on the 2017 Burghley cross-country course 03:45 What do Zara Tindall, Mark Todd and Harry Meade make of the 2017 Burghley course? 03:47 Amy Woodhead: how working for Carl Hester has set her up for success 06:14

  • Overnight cross-country leader, Cilla Perchard, held her nerve to take the 80cm title at the Horse & Hound Grassroots Eventing Championship at Keysoe in Bedfordshire today (29 May).

    She didn’t have a fence in hand riding Inga Edinburgh’s Urgo, but a smooth clear round secured them victory.

    “It was very close and I was so nervous,” said Cilla who made the 15 hour journey from her base on Jersey worthwhile. “I held my breath all the way to the end.”

    Urgo, a 14-year-old warmblood by Negro, was a catch ride for Cilla, after his usual rider and owner, Inga Edinburgh, a friend and client of Cilla’s fell pregnant.

    “Urgo only started jumping a couple of years ago and we’ve had very limited outings together. He’s doesn’t always jump clear so I’m very pleased with him,” said Cilla, who runs a livery yard.

    “I’ve had a fantastic team helping me this weekend, with Sarah Bullimore [an international four-star event rider] helping me warm up every day,” explained Cilla, who has based herself with Sarah since arriving at Keysoe on Tuesday.

    Sarah was heard saying to Cilla that she was “very happy to bathe in her reflective glory!” after her performance this week.

    Cilla was also seventh on her other ride Just Badger and they now prepare to leave Sarah’s yard at 4am tomorrow morning in order to catch a 9am ferry back to Jersey.

    “I think riding my other horse first definitely helped — he is the equivalent to a pair of comfy, old slippers and going around the course beforehand enabled me to establish the exact lines I would ride on Urgo,” said Cilla who hopes to return to this championship next year to give the 90cm class a go.

    Second place went to 12-year-old Honor Gordon.

    Don’t miss next week’s issue of Horse & Hound for a full report from the Horse & Hound Grassroots Eventing Championships

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