Fox-Pitt retains lead at Bramham
Although no one succeeded in pushing William Fox-Pitt off the top spot at the end of dressage at the Guardian Collections Bramham International Horse Trials, his lead on Moon Man (right) was dramatically reduced to just a fraction of a penalty.
Terry Boon and Lucy Wiegersma agreed in the warm-up area before they rode their tests that one of them “had to beat William”, and although they didn’t quite manage it, 30-year-old Terry Boon came very close. Riding Foreign Exchange, a 10-year-old chestnut gelding, Terry produced a rhythmical, balanced test for a mark of 41.6.
“I’m thrilled,” said Terry. “I’ve had him since he was a four-year-old, and you work and work and finally it comes right.”
He did express some concern about the state of the going on the cross-country, and said he would only run Foreign Exchange if it improved overnight. Course designer Sue Benson and her team are making a great deal of effort with the track, putting sand on take offs and landings and using an Agri-vator machine to aerate the firm ground, but it has not rained significantly at Bramham for five weeks.
Devon-based Lucy Wiegersma is lying in third place overnight on Sue Lanz’s Friday Feeling, a daughter of the great eventing mare Friday Fox, with a score of 45.4.
“I’m very pleased with her – it’s her first three-star,” said Lucy, who rode Friday Feeling’s sire, Matinee, as well. “It’s a good track tomorrow, and there are lots of opportunities for a silly run out, but she’s a very good jumper.”
Fourth is Marie Ryan on her own and her mother Jennie’s Sparrow Hall, while William Fox-Pitt takes fifth place at this stage on Phillip Adkins’s Parkmore Ed.
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In the Elite Colleges under-25 section, Piggy French and Which Way II lead the 22-strong field on 44.2. In second is Oliver Smith (The Magic Moment) on 49.6 and third are Oliver Townend (Harlequin Bay) and Cressida Clague-Reading (Volnay) with 50.8 penalties.
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A St Andrews’ graduate, Catherine joined Horse & Hound in 2002 and stayed for 11 years in a variety of roles until she went freelance in June 2013. She rejoined the team part-time in November 2016 as hunting editor. She pretty much lives on the hunting field or at the racecourse, but also loves eventing, as a journalist, press officer and competitor. She was H&H’s sole accredited journalist at the London Olympic Games and has reported from major race meetings and eventing, showjumping and dressage championships and shows round the world, and has hunted all over Britain and Ireland.