Although 60% of the Pau Horse Trials cross-country field went clear, there were a few falls and plenty of hard-luck stories, without any major injuries reported on Saturday evening (25 October). While six horses did go inside the time, there were a number of well-placed individuals who could have slotted into a podium position ahead of showjumping, but dropped out of contention.
The first significant upset was Bubby Upton’s first ride Cola, a five-star stalwart who was lying close-up in 12th after dressage on 30.3. He was storming round when he misjudged the final element of a three-part combination, four fences from home. This complex featured a house on top of a mound, curving round to the right over two more houses on forward distances, with the camber pulling horses away to the left.
Cola, owned by Rachel Upton, was a bit long at the final element and dived over it, tipping Bubby on to the turf.
“He was giving me a classic Cola ride, making it feel pretty easy on a not-easy course,” said Bubby. “He was well up on the time, so for him to fall, when he was just trying to help me, felt really tough to take as he did not deserve that. When I jumped clear on Cannavaro, I felt it was all thanks to Cola because he gave me so much belief and information.
“Cola was flying round, so it was really unfair, but he’s absolutely fine, which is a relief. It’s frustrating that he had to do a whole round on 15-year-old legs not to have a score on the board, but hopefully we can come back next year and put it right.”
Bubby’s spirits were briefly lifted by Cannavaro’s superlative clear, which would secure second place, but fell off again at the same fence on her third ride Its Cooley Time, owned by the Five Time Syndicate, who had been lying sixth on 28.5. She was unbalanced over the middle element and thrown out of the saddle, and although the grey tried to scrabble over the final part, Bubby had no chance of staying on.
“I’m not sure how I could have ridden Cola any differently at the fence he fell at, whereas my last horse I let him down,” Bubby said. “I made a mistake and rode him too much like he was Cannavaro and didn’t trust the engine that I still had underneath me. He made up too much ground and got underneath the b/c element and still tried to jump the d element even though I was around his neck. I’m gutted for him because he should be jumping for the win tomorrow but I have no doubt he will have his day.”
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Emily King was the only other rider to fault at this combination, when her first horse – five-star debutant Jackpot – stopped at the second house in an otherwise decent round.
However, Emily later had a freak fall at fence two from Valmy Biats – who had been in a very competitive position in eighth after dressage on 29 – when the horse seemed to catch a leg on the table. Both horse and rider were back on their feet, with Valmy galloping off as though he was expecting to have to do the course on his own.
Emily’s was one of five rider falls, but all walked away. Alex Bragg’s Ardeo Premier was the only horse fall, at fence 24. This was an angled brush a stride after coming up a step out of the final water. Happily, both horse and rider are fine.
“He had a moment of hesitation and the timing of the jump was wrong,” said Alex. “Such a shame but we live to fight another day.”
Disappointment for Townend and McEwen
The two pairs tying for second after dressage, on 26.1, Oliver Townend (Ballaghmor Class) and Tom McEwen (Brookfield Quality), both faltered at exactly the same fence, having been clear up to that point. Brookfield Quality broke the frangible pin at the corner in the third water at 21, then ran out at the final triple brush. After jumping the alternative, Tom put his hand up to retire the 16-year-old (owned by John and Chloe Perry, and Alison Swinburn).
Tom put on his Facebook page: “Knowing how competitive and genuine he is and with him being that bit older, I decided to just pop through quietly and then save him for another day. Of course, it’s a real shame when things don’t go quite to plan, but he is happy and well which is the most important thing. He’s had a great season and will now enjoy a very well-deserved holiday.”
Towards the end of the afternoon, it was Oliver’s turn to shake up the leaderboard. By that stage, Brookfield Quality was out of the running and the dressage leader Cannavaro had added 4.8 time-faults, so a decent time would be sufficient to take over top spot.
However, Ballaghmor Class also clattered the frangible corner, and although he continued to complete with just 1.2 time-faults, the 11 penalties of damage was done.
Oliver Townend and Ballaghmor Class jump into the water at fence 21.
(Image credit: Peter Nixon)
Oliver was philosophical afterwards, despite his grand old campaigner losing his 100% clear record at five-star stretching back to 2017.
“He doesn’t know he’s had a pin,” said Oliver of the 18-year-old, owned by Karyn Shuter, Angela Hislop and Val Ryan. “He’s gone through all the flags at every five-star I’ve ever asked him. It’s just sad for him to have this pin on his record, but he is a legend, one of the best cross-country horses there will ever be. I am so proud of him.
“He was so honest and made it all feel so easy,” Oliver continued. “He was keen and making all the distances so easily and so when I said ‘whoa’ for the three strides in that water [before the corner], he was actually polite, finally, and came back to me, so I ended up miles off the corner.”
This combination was particularly influential, although errors came all over the track. French rider Sebastian Cavaillon produced one of the five rider falls over the Pau Horse Trials cross-country when Black Pearl Z scrambled over the corner, while Lithuanian Aistis Vitkauskas broke the frangible in what was otherwise an impressive round for just 2.4 time-faults.
Kylie Roddy (SRS Kan Do), Grace Cooper (Cedarmount Cavalier), Mary Edmondson (Lionel II), Tiana Coudray (D’Artagnan) and Kevin McNab (Faro Imp) also incurred penalties here, at the final triple brush element.
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Martha is an experienced journalist who is mad-keen on horses and dogs. Her reporting CV includes the Paris Olympics, European championships, Aachen World Equestrian Festival and World Cup finals. After growing up with assorted liver and white springer spaniels, she enjoyed 14 years with two rescue dogs. Now, her constant companion is Fidget, an extremely energetic and habitually muddy black and white springer. Martha has written on topics as diverse as a top horse’s clone to the best GPS trackers for dogs, as well as equestrian and rural matters for Country Life, The Field, The Times, The Spectator and The Telegraph alongside Horse & Hound.
