Mary King wins British Open Championship
Mary King (pictured) held onto the top spot to score her fourth British Open Championship win at the Festival of British Eventing this weekend.
Mary rode her partner at the forthcoming European Championships, Call Again Cavalier, to lead throughout the competition. The Davies and Janette Chinn’s gelding added just 7.2 time-penalties to his dressage score of 41.3.
“Now I feel I can go faster but still have control — when I first got him the brakes were a problem,” said Mary.
William Fox-Pitt finished second on 2000 and 2005 winner Moon Man, with Andrew Nicholson third on his old campaigner Lord Killinghurst.
Mark Phillips’s revamped cross-country course exerted a strong influence on the competition, with a number of top four-star horses having problems.
Earlier in the day, Oliver Townend put in one of the fastest rounds in the British Intermediate Championship to win on his own grey mare Daisy Crazy.
Full report from Gatcombe in this week’s Horse & Hound (9 August), including more on the problem fences, plus William Fox-Pitt’s column.
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BRITISH OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP FINAL RESULTS
1. Call Again Cavalier (Mary King, GBR) 48.5
2. Moon Man (William Fox-Pitt, GBR) 50.8
3. Lord Killinghurst (Andrew Nicholson, NZL) 51.4
4. Shaabrak (Lucy Wiegersma, GBR) 53.6
5. Ginger May Killinghurst (Andrew Nicholson, NZL) 55.6
6. Midnight Dazzler (Harry Meade, GBR) 58.3
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Pippa is a true eventing geek and has been H&H’s eventing editor since 2005. She has first-hand experience of competing up to British Eventing intermediate and international CCI2*-L level, and has worked in the industry on a top event yard. Pippa enjoys nothing more than immersing herself in the sport at the highest level, reporting from the five-stars and international championships, including the Olympics.