World Cup qualifier at Chatsworth
Pippa Funnell will be hoping to continue her incredible winning run at the Chatsworth International Horse Trials in Derbyshire this weekend (10-11 May), where she heads a top-class field competing for a £5,000 first prize in Britain’s inaugural FEI World Cup qualifier.
As well as claiming fantastic wins at Badminton(pictured) and Kentucky, Pippa is the leading British rider in the FEI’s new worldwide series of international (CIC) one-day events.
“The World Cup series is a very exciting development for the sport and a real bonus for riders,” says Pippa. “Chatsworth is one of my favourite events and I love coming here. It’s a beautiful setting, a friendly and well-run event and the cross-country courses are superb.”
Pippa will be riding Jurassic Rising and Walk on Star in the CIC*** but will have to be spot on in the show jumping — her Achilles heel of recent weeks — if she’s to beat the host of top riders hoping to bring her incredible run to an end.
Other competitors claiming the home advantage include William FoxPitt (Stunning), Leslie Law (Matt Butler) and Lucy Wiegersma (Davy), while the international challenge is led by joint World Cup points leader Andrew Nicholson, plus Blyth Tait, Matt Ryan, Heidi Antikatzides and Bettina Hoy.
Zara Phillips,the reigning national young rider champion, will be making her Chatsworth debut with Toytown, alongside Ireland’s double junior silver medallists Philippa Peters and Tir Na Doone.
Chatsworth International Horse Trials promises to be a great weekend for the whole family with main arena attractions including falconry, heavy horses, terrier-racing and Pony Club mounted games, plus a large variety of tradestands and a children’s entertainment centre. There is also reduced price admissionto Chatsworth house, gardens and farmyard for horse trials visitors.
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Entrance costs are: Saturday (novice competition), £7; Sunday (advanced and CIC), £9; weekend, £13; car-parking, £1. Children under 14 go free. For further information (tel:01295 788492) or visit: www.chatsworth.org
About the World Cup
The FEI eventing World Cup is a series of international one-day events (CICs) taking place around the world during 2002-3, with points allocated according to each rider’s finishing position. The World Cup final will take place at Pau, France, on 23-26 October and will be contested by 45-50 of the world’s top riders.
The series has taken on even greater significance since the announcement that the CIC format will be used at both the Athens 2004 and Beijing 2008 Olympics.
For information on the World Cup series, see the FEI website: www.horsesport.org under Reference, Rules, CIC World Cup.
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Carol is an experienced journalist and editor, who is also a passionate amateur rider and dedicated horse owner, having ridden since childhood. She has a particular interest in the emotional well-being and ethical training of horses, alongside veterinary matters, having garnered extensive first-hand experience of numerous equine health conditions through more than 30 years of horse ownership.