Kemplay keeps hold
Young British rider Lucy Kemplay holds the lead in the senior CCI three-star at Yorkshire’s Bramham International Horse Trials, as the cross-country phase gets off to a start.
Lucy, 29, took first place when she scored 42.6 in the dressage yesterday morning on Karl D’Cymbeline.
“He’s really consistent in the dressage phase,” said Lucy, who has dressage training from Ian Woodhead. “It’s never a bad phase for him – but he’s never got a 42 before either.”
Bramham could be considered Lucy’s lucky event – she won the young rider national championships here in 1995 and 1996. She was also sixth here in 2004 on Karl D’Cymbeline, and the pair were 13th at Burghley in 2004. The horse was bred by his owners, Michael Cleaver and Mary Ovenden.
“They have given me terrific support,” said Lucy.
Karl D’Cymbeline fell early on the course at the Countryside Close at Badminton this year, but Lucy says she has been cross-country schooling since and the horse does not seem phased.
Ireland’s Steven Smith, who was in the lead last night, now lies in second place on 45.6 with Quality VH.
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Sarah Cohen moved into third place with a good test this afternoon on her 2005 British Intermediate Championship winner Cottage Craft Spirals. This horse, owned by Richard and Billie Harding, was previously ridden by the late Caroline Pratt.
“Caroline did a brilliant job with him, bringing him on slowly,” said Sarah. “When I got him he was ready to go on. He’s grown in confidence and gets better and better.”
Pippa Funnell lies fourth with her 2005 Windsor winner Blue Horizon, while Andrew Nicholson holds fifth place for New Zealand on the prodigious eight-year-old Silbury Hill.
In the under-25 CCI*** Britain’s Georgie Davies took an early lead with Nicola Spence’s mare Fachoudette, and her score of 44.3 was never bettered.
Cressida Clague Reading came the closest to Georgie, scoring 45.9 with Carousel Quest, with whom she won Hartpury CCI** last year.
“I’ve schooled him more in the last two weeks than I have all season and it’s obviously paid off,” said Cressie.
Young rider team gold medallist Olivia Haddow lies third with the coloured horse Patris Filius.
Cressida Clague Reading commented that Sue Benson’s cross-country course has “lots of tricky turns, corner and narrows”, while Lucy Kemplay added, “It asks a lot of questions.”
The competitors in the under-25 section are first on course this morning, and the weather is scortching.
Results:
Senior CCI***
1. Lucy Kemplay on Karl D’Cymbeline (GBR) 42.6
2. Steven Smith on Quality VH (IRL) 45.6
3. Sarah Cohen on Cottage Craft Spirals (GBR) 47.8
4. Pippa Funnell on Blue Horizon (GBR) 48
5. Andrew Nicholson on Silbury Hill (NZL) 48.3
Under-25 CCI***
1. Georgie Davies on Fachoudette (GBR) 44.3
2. Cressida Clague Reading on Carousel Quest (GBR) 45.9
3. Olivia Haddow on Patris Filius (GBR) 46.3
4. Susanna Bordone on Carrera III (ITA) 47.6
5. Oliver Smith on Monarch’s Aristocrat (GBR) 50.9
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