Andrew Nicholson won the senior CCI*** at Bramham International Horse Trials for the second time, following his 2006 victory on Henry Tankerville with success this time on Nereo.
The Spanish-bred nine-year-old show jumped clear when in third place, and as the top two faulted, stayed on his dressage score of 47.4 to win. Nereo, who has also won at Burnham Market and Belton this season, will now head to Burghley.
“He’s very careful, and you know he’ll do his utmost to keep the fences up,” said Andrew.
Pippa Funnell rode a beautiful round on Ensign and didn’t deserve the final fence to fall, dropping her to fourth on 47.8. Then overnight leader Nicola Wilson jumped clear, to the delight of the partisan Yorkshire crowd, but was horrified to look up at the clock and realise she had picked up three time-faults and would instead finish second on Master Banks.
“I should have looked at the scoreboard before I got excited,” said a rueful Nicola.
Piggy French rode superbly to go clear on Some Day Soon, finishing on their dressage mark of 48 for third place. Piggy has only ridden the horse since the end of last year, and was pleasantly surprised at how well he went.
“I thought it would take us longer to get a result like this,” she said.
Emily Gilruth and the grey Ashdale Cruise Master just hit one fence for fifth place, while Lucy Holliday and her Duca Di Busted mare High Times put elimination at Badminton behind them for sixth.
Bramham CCI*** results
1. Andrew Nicholson on Nereo (47.4)
2. Nicola Wilson on Master Banks (47.8)
3. Piggy French on Some Day Soon (48)
4. Pippa Funnell on Ensign (50.8)
5. Emily Gilruth on Ashdale Cruise Master (56.2)
6. Lucy Holliday on High Times (56.6)
