Eventer Hollywood Dancer, who was placed at four-star, has made a remarkable recovery from a serious injury and will be put in foal this year.

Rider Dani Evans explained that “Holly” was out on grass livery following a small injury – “a tiny niggle” – in the spring of last year when she suffered a freak accident in the field.

“I had a call to say I needed to get there quickly and when I saw her it was quite a shock to see the damage,” Dani told H&H. “We think something had gone along her ribcage and side, so there was a massive laceration and it had pierced a lung. It was quite horrendous to see – and hear because it had gone into the lung.”

“We had a make a decision [on whether to put her down] and it wasn’t easy standing in a muddy field on top of a hill. She is owned by Ann Butler, an incredible lady who has been an owner with me for about 15 years. She was on holiday and I couldn’t get hold of her for what seemed like hours, but was probably only really 10 minutes.”

Ann said to Dani to follow the vets’ guidance, and although it was clear the then 11-year-old mare’s ridden career was over, the vets felt she could be saved.

“You couldn’t have a better broodmare, so it was worth going through the process, although she went through a lot of complications. She’s well now and having a nice life so it completely proves it was the right decision, but it was a long slow process,” said Dani.

Holly spent four months in a veterinary hospital and Dani paid tribute to B&W Equine Vets, especially Dicky Hepburn, and Lizzie Kopec, a Bristol vet student who kept a horse at Dani’s yard and who was working at the vets.

“She was very helpful with communication and knowing Holly,” she said.

Holly then went for rehabilitation at Sarah George’s Team Green Horses.

Dani said: “What Sarah did was amazing – she took a horse who looked quite thin and unwell and within weeks had her looking well with a shiny coat. Holly was also very lucky to have an owner like Ann, and I can’t thank her enough for sticking with it. It was lovely to see an owner prove how much the horses mean to them – not the weekends away and results, but the horse becoming part of the family.”

Hollywood Dancer returned to Dani’s yard in December and is now going out in the field during the day and staying in at night.

Dani started a small breeding programme last year and will now work with Ann to breed from Holly. The aim is to do this as a business and sell her offspring, but Ann will keep one herself to event. They plan to put her in foal this spring and they may also do an embryo transfer.

Hollywood Dancer is by the Contender grandson Dantos out of a mare by Numero Uno. In her eventing career she won 10 times, including being British five-year-old champion and taking international classes at CCI* (now CCI2*-L) and CCI3*-L, and finished fifth at Chatsworth and 10th at Bramham and Burnham Market at CCI4*-S level.

“I want to find a stallion that makes up for the small things she lacks so I’m asking lots of knowledgeable people,” says Dani, who is considering Amira Z or Diamant De Semilly.

“She does lack blood but I don’t want to go to something too thoroughbred initially as I want something that can jump and I want to see how well her offspring keep her jump. She was not a horse to feel tired, but we never got the chance to see if she would be blood enough to do it at the top level.

“She has an amazing brain so it doesn’t matter if the sire is a bit sharper. We are fortunate she has the best temperament and attitude to work; she’s been a winner throughout her career and I wouldn’t mind another 10 Hollys in my stable.”

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Piggy March led from start to finish to win the Blenheim Horse Trials CCI4*-S for young horses on Jayne McGivern’s bonny grey stallion Halo. They notched a record dressage mark for this class of 21.3 in the first phase, and after showjumping clear could afford their couple of time-faults across country. It’s early days but Piggy believes the “horse has the “movement, brain, gallop and scope” to move up to five-star.

“He was just mega,” said Piggy, winning on the horse’s four-star debut. “I knew he could do it but it’s still a totally new ball game for us and our partnership. I felt a little bit of greenness, I had to hold his hand and give him time at the water pond [the influential Jockey Club Water Combination, fence 9abc]. We put a curve between the b and c parts, and wasted valuable seconds, but it felt like his eyes were everywhere. When he got to the fence he was totally honest.

“It’s a learning curve for me having a stallion,” said Piggy, who added that no decision has yet been made on when Halo will be used for breeding. “I think it’s important that I keep making him think this is a very good idea we are doing this. And he’s had a great time. I had a great time!”

Any greenness Piggy might have sensed didn’t show, the little grey galloping and jumping so easily to come home ears pricked, just seven seconds outside the time.

That would have been her maximum margin had the two-phase runners-up, Hayden Hankey and Heads Up, finished clear inside the time on their dressage mark of 24.3. However, Hayden paid the price for his horsemanship in letting his eight-year-old settle into a rhythm. Although they did speed up towards the end, they still racked up 11.6 time-faults in a beautifully smooth clear round. This dropped them to 10th.

“The time-faults are incredibly infuriating,” Hayden admitted. “The horse’s future and welfare are more important than today’s competition. It’s hard, but I don’t think I over-protected him – I didn’t feel under me that I could go much faster. He jumped everything really well though and he’ll still be a brilliant horse, 12 months down the line.”

Blenheim Horse Trials results: three brilliant mares

Hayden’s slide allowed Sarah Bullimore to move up the order on Evita AP. Fifth after dressage, third after showjumping, they took the runner-up spot with a clear bang on the optimum time of 6min 56sec.

Evita AP, by Con Air 7, is also only eight, but Sarah describes her as “a woman with a fantastic brain who picks everything up quickly”.

“She was great in the dressage, showjumped fantastically and was such fun to ride across country,” said Sarah, who had previously clocked a quick round for 1.6 time-faults on Irish Trump, eventual 12th. “I didn’t think she could be as quick up the hill as Irish Trump but she has a huge stride. She is a very exciting prospect for the future.”

Just 0.6 of a penalty behind Sarah was Kiwi rider Caroline Powell with another mare, Greenacres Special Cavalier. This Irish-bred has plenty of experience at four-star as well as two trips to the young horse World Championships, but Caroline says she has given this huge mare time to fulfil her potential.

“She isn’t built like a typical eventer, being so long, but what is a typical eventer? One that does the job!” said Caroline, finishing on her dressage of 28.8.

Dani Evans made an impressive climb up the ranks on yet another mare Monbeg Just Blue to take fourth spot with the fastest time of the day. They were down in 19th after dressage.

“I was actually over the moon with her dressage because she is usually too busy thinking about the jumping phases, but she kept her head,” said Dani, finishing on 30.8. “She’s never been a winner, but she’s so gutsy and works so hard for me, and I’ve always believed in her.

“I’ve never really pushed her because she’s a feisty mare, quick across the fences, a very good jumper and she’s hot in the brain so I’ve kept her steady.”

Exciting young horses confirm their potential

Emily King was fifth on Minnie Kerr-Dineen’s Imposant, with a wonderfully smooth round for just two time-faults.

“I’m so pleased with him wherever we have finished,” she said. “It’s his first four-star and I thought he might make mistakes in all three phases and yet I’d still be pleased with him, but he was brilliant. He’s such a horse for the future – not only was it the biggest ask for him dimensionally and technicality-wise but with the crowds too as he’s such a spooky horse. Hopefully this is the start of a really exciting pony!”

Bill Levett was another to catch the eye with the white-faced Sligo Candy Cane, who moved up from 13th after dressage to finish seventh.

“He was bought with Paris in mind,” said Bill, 59, who has ridden for Australia many times. “He’s a good enough jumper and flashy, the sort you want in a championships. So I hope I can get some good form over the next 18 months and give myself a chance of going to my first Olympics.”

Ireland’s Sarah Ennis and Action Lady M finished sixth, making a monumental climb from 32nd after dressage with two super jumping rounds inside the time.

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The overnight leaders of the Blenheim Horse Trials dressage in the CCI4*-S class have held their ground as the second day’s (17 September) contenders failed to shake up the podium places. Ros Canter is still in the lead, on 26.6 with Izilot DHI, ahead of Tom Jackson (HH Moonwalk on 27.6) and Gemma Tattersall (Flash Cooley on 28.3).

There were still plenty of competitive tests, however, with just five penalties covering the top 12, which will make for a fascinating day’s cross-country on Sunday for these young horses. They have to get through the showjumping first though – no winner of this class has ever lowered a rail.

Dani Evans came closest to a top-three dressage finish early in the morning (17 September), slotting into fourth on Hollywood Dancer on 28.4. Towards the end of the session, Izzy Taylor rode Hartacker into sixth.

“Like all these young horses, he’s never been anywhere or seen anything like this, so this has been very good for him,” Izzy said of Camilla Behrens’ gelding by Spartacus HN. “He was a little bit nervous and held his breath in his trot work. But he has a fantastic walk, which was rewarded, and a very good canter which pulled the marks back again. His trot will be very good, he just needs to be prouder of himself.

“He is very sensitive – you have to be very careful getting on him the first time with a tailcoat – so his preparation has to be quiet. That’s why he hasn’t yet learned to be a show-off.”

Izzy predicted changes in the leaderboard on cross-country day.

“The course looks plenty tough enough, the toughest I’ve seen it for the eight and nine-year-olds. It doesn’t look like it will be a dressage competition, but that’s good, we are event riders.”

Izzy’s team-mate at the forthcoming Europeans, Nicola Wilson, was less than a penalty behind in seventh on Coolparks Sarco, who was unaffected by his little spook before entering the arena.

“It’s his first four-star, and he’s not established but went in there and tried to do what was right, and did his changes, so I’m really pleased with him,” said Nicola. “The course is very big and there’s an awful lot to jump. He’s a big, powerful jumper but he won’t have seen these crowds so it’s a massive learning curve and I hope he enjoys it as much as he normally does. I want him to come home a happy horse. So far, he’s enjoying the attention and rolling and squealing a lot!”

Former Blenheim Horse Trials winner in contention

Willa Newton was another rider on the second day to produce an impressive test. She rode Cock A Doodle Doo to move into 11th on 31.

“It’s nice to have a horse back at this level,” said Willa, who won this class five years ago on Caja 20. “I was really pleased with this as it is a lot of walk for him, especially in a big atmosphere.”

Willa was ruing a mistake in the last flying change as “normally they are his thing”.

“He has a lot to learn, this is a step up,” she added. “ The cross-country is intense with a lot to do, and the time is definitely going to be a huge factor.”

Piggy French and her former world young horse champion Cooley Lancer also slotted into a top-10 position, taking eighth with 30.1.

Brilliant Blenheim atmosphere takes effect

Will Rawlin was delighted with Ballycoog Breaker Boy’s effort, scoring 31.8 and securing a top-15 berth.

“This atmosphere is quite something, and I didn’t have time to do the arena familiarisation, but he kept a lid on everything and produced a really nice test,” he said. “Just a few things need ironing out, but it seemed smooth. I’m looking forward to getting stuck into the cross-country – it looks educational with some good questions.”

Caroline Powell also noted the effect of the atmosphere on these inexperienced horses. She rode eight-year-old Greenacres Special Cavalier to score 33.8, good enough for the top 20.

“She got tense in the walk and a bit stilted, but she’s a big mare and I’m very happy with her,” said the Kiwi rider. “This is why we like bringing these young horses, to get them used to the atmosphere.”

You may also want to read…

‘The young horses will have to try hard’: riders react to Blenheim’s cross-country courses

Ros Canter’s ride Izilot DHI heads Blenheim young horse class: ‘He’s only at 70% of his ability; I’ve never sat on a horse so talented’

Take a peek at what Blenheim Horse Trials’ CCI4*-S cross-country course has in store for young equine stars

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Four-star event rider Dani Evans is on the sidelines after breaking her leg — having just started riding again after a number of injuries in November, including a break to the same leg.

“I have a horse in to break and he had a little wobbly,” Dani told H&H, explaining how she had the first fall in early November. “I dislocated and broke my right ankle, broke my right leg and dislocated my right shoulder.”

Dani was back on board on 10 March and headed to Portman last week for her first competition of the season. But her first very ride across country, on Flamenco Ping in the BE100, resulted in her hitting the deck.

“He was going really well, he landed from a fence, took a stride and then pecked. He ended up nosediving, came right down and rolled on top of me. It was just bad luck and I’ve broken my right leg higher up,” explained Dani.

Dani is seeing a specialist on Wednesday to find out how long she will be out of action.

“I really hope it won’t be as long as last time. I’m going to get myself into an oxygen chamber and heal as fast as I can,” she said.

Dani says she has “had so much support” with her yard and horses while she has been out of action.

“My head girl Georgie Thomas has been amazing and Adrian Whiteway, a local showjumper, has helped me out a lot,” she said. “I have a new working pupil, Gemma Gurvidi, who has been keeping the horses ticking over, and the owners have been so supportive.”

Continued below…

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Dani’s frustration at being on the sidelines has been compounded by the fact she has a new four-star ride, Movistar. The 12-year-old was produced by Andrew James, who completed Burghley on him in 2015, before being sold and competed by Swedish rider Hedwig Wik. Hedwig has now decided to give up eventing and concentrate on her studies, but she and her mother Sara Sjoborg Wik have decided to keep the horse with Dani, who trained with Hedwig at Pippa Funnell’s yard.

“You wait your whole life for these opportunities and now I’m stuck on crutches — it’s so frustrating not being able to ride him,” said Dani.

Dani’s other four-star horse, Smart Time, is currently in the field after a minor injury, but will head to a few events at the end of this year in preparation for his “main aim”, Badminton 2018. Dani was selected for the 2015 European Championships with Smart Time, but the horse wasn’t quite himself on arrival at Blair so was withdrawn.

Keep up to date with the latest eventing news, reports and exclusive columns from top names in Horse & Hound magazine, on sale every Thursday.

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Three members of the British team have been selected for the final leg of the eventing Nations Cup series.

Britain is currently in the lead ahead of the last stage of the competition series, which takes place at Military Boekelo-Enschede in the Netherlands (8-11 October).

British Nations Cup team manager Philip Surl has confirmed that the team will include Dani Evans with Luana Edge’s Smart Time, Izzy Taylor with KBIS Starburst and Emily Parker with Cindy Onslow’s Diamond Sundance.

A fourth rider will be announced when all horses registered to compete for Britain have arrived at the competition.

“We are in a strong position going into final leg of the cup with both Dani and Izzy who are experienced members of the Nations Cup squad,” said Mr Surl.

“I am really pleased to give Emily Parker, who is a former GB young rider gold medal winner, the opportunity to ride on the team following her very consistent form across the board this year.”

The British team has been at the top of the Nations Cup leader board for much of the season. They have had wins at Ballindenisk and Strzegom as well as high placings throughout the year giving them a lead of 49 points.

Germany stand in second place with 40 points and Australia are in third with 35.

Britannia League

The results from Boekelo will also be the decider of this year’s Britannia League winner.

The league is for riders competing at British three-star competitions as well as the Nations Cup, who have not ridden under the British flag at Olympic, FEI European or World Equestrian Games.

The league was launched by British Eventing (BE) last year and the 2014 winner was Jodie Amos.

For the full list of entires for Boekelo, including the British riders, click here.

Don’t miss the 15 October edition of Horse & Hound magazine for a full report of the final leg of the eventing Nations Cup

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Dani Evans is out of the British squad for the FEI Longines European Eventing Championships at Blair Castle in Scotland (10-13 September).

Sarah Bullimore has now been called up on her own and her husband Brett’s Lilly Corrine.

The first trot-up is at 3pm today (Wednesday 9 September) and Sarah is on site.

Great Britain’s chef d’equipe Yogi Breisner said that Smart Time (pictured, top), who is owned by Luana Edge, felt a little under the weather and “wasn’t quite himself”.

“A routine set of bloods were taken, which are not quite right and in the best interests of the horse we have decided to withdraw him from the competition,” Yogi added. “All the other British horses travelled well and are in good form.”

Dani, 23, was set to make her senior squad debut at Blair this week.

The combination took second place in the under-25 CCI3* at Bramham in June and Dani was also part of the gold medal-winning team at the young rider eventing Europeans in 2011, which was held at Blair.

The senior selectors revealed this morning (Wednesday 9 September) that Sarah, 42, from Keysoe in Bedfordshire, and Lilly Corinne would fill Dani’s place.

The experienced three-star combination’s best results include fourth at the CICO3* Nations Cup in Waregem, Belgium, and second at Barbury Castle CIC2*, both in 2014.

They have also been frequent members of Nations Cup teams in the past few years.

The pair join the British squad of Laura Collett (Grand Manoeuvre), Gemma Tattersall (Arctic Soul), Izzy Taylor (KBIS Briarlands Matilda), William Fox-Pitt (Bay My Hero), Oliver Townend (Fenyas Elegance), Pippa Funnell (Sandman 7), Francis Whittington (Easy Target), Kitty King (Persimmon), Nicola Wilson (One Two Many), Wills Oakden (Greystone Midnight Melody) and Holly Woodhead (DHI Lupison).

See this week’s H&H out now for a full preview and course walk with Andrew Hoy.

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Holly Woodhead showjumped clear at the Equi-Trek Bramham Horse Trials this morning to win the Bishop Burton College under-25 CCI3*.

Holly had led all the way from the dressage with her father Ian and stepmother Heidi’s DHI Lupison, and she secured victory today with one of only two fault-free performances. She won by 11.2 penalties.

“Although the pressure was a bit off because I could have fences down, I went in and didn’t want to have one down,” said Holly. “The nerves were a bit better today than yesterday because he was really good when I got on him and was jumping really well in the warm-up.”

Dani Evans had the first part of the treble at 12a down with Luana Edge’s Smart Time, but held second place. She also took third on Vanessa Watson’s Raphael II, who moved up a place with just two time-penalties.

“Both my horses came out on good form and I couldn’t be happier with the way they both jumped. It was a big, square, twisy track, and I thought, ‘Oh boy, this isn’t going to suit me’.”

Millie Dumas also had two time-faults, but that elevated her and Artistiek from eighth overnight to fourth.

Emily King dropped from third overnight to fifth after lowering fences six and 12a.

Last year’s winners, Tom Jackson and Waltham Fiddlers Find, slipped one place to sixth with eight faults for hitting fence three, a blue parallel and the white upright at fence eight.

Wills Oakden held seventh with 10 faults on Alfi Brown, while France’s Francois Lemiere had all three parts of the treble down to move from sixth to eighth with Ogustin Du Terroir.

Sweden’s Ludwig Svennerstal’s one down with Franzipan elevated him from 11th to ninth.

The USA’s Caroline Martin recorded the only clear in the time apart from Holly’s to move up from 14th to 10th on Quantum Solace.

Bert Bolton, who had been ninth overnight, was eliminated at this morning’s horse inspection with Purple Sands.

All H&H’s online Bramham coverage

Check back later for a final update on the senior CCI3*. Full report from Bramham in the magazine this week, our Thursday, 18 June.

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Event rider Dani Evans has told H&H she has had to shut down her yard after an outbreak of strangles was confirmed last month (27 February).

The 23-year-old rider had blood tests taken from Leaping Lord, a six-year-old novice eventer, after she noticed he seemed “a little bit flat”.

Strangles — which is highly infectious and effects the respiratory system — was confirmed. Strangles quickly spread through all 14 of the horses kept at Dani’s yard in Woollard near Bristol.

Dani has no idea where the infection had come from.

“Most horses have come through it now and we just have to wait a couple of weeks to scope the yard (put a camera up the nose to inspect the guttural pouches),” Dani told H&H.

“All the horses’ temperatures are back to normal and they are in light work as they are feeling much better.

“But it’s important for all of them to be clear, fit and healthy before we think about going out again.”

The outbreak did not affect any of the 18 horses on Dani’s mother’s livery yard which is next door, although the yard has had to be quarantined as well.

Dani took advice and disinfected the yard as well as using a fogger to help prevent the spread.

“Everyone has been amazing. Especially my owners whose trust, patience and support has been second to none,” added Dani.

She has missed the start of the eventing season but is hoping to get her four-star prospect Raphael II and Smart Time to Bramham in June (11-14).

“It all depends on their fitness and getting in enough runs to be able to go and be competitive,” said Dani.

Stay in touch with all the news in the run-up to and throughout the major shows and events during 2026 and beyond with a Horse & Hound subscription. Subscribe today for all you need to know ahead of these major events, plus online reports on the action as it happens from our expert team of reporters and in-depth analysis in our special commemorative magazines. Have a subscription already? Set up your unlimited website access now

Will Furlong led the British attack at the combined junior and young rider eventing European Championships in Haras de Jardy, France, last weekend (12-15 September).

Riding his own 11-year-old grey mare Pioneer Silvie, Will stayed on his dressage score of 44.2 to move up from 9th after dressage to claim the individual junior bronze medal.

“It was my first time at a European Championship so I wasn’t expecting anything like this sort of result as I was lying in 5th place going into showjumping,” said Will. “Making it here was my ultimate goal for the season so it has been the perfect end to a great year with her. I owe her so much.”

The British Hows Racesafe-sponsored team was out of luck in this competition, finishing 7th after Emily King (Mr Hiho) was eliminated in the showjumping and Sophie Beaty (Stanly, 42nd) and Genevieve Clarke (Uchin, 45th) both finished down the order.

Ireland’s juniors had a fantastic result, with Elizabeth Hayden (Miracle, individual silver), Harold Megahey (Chuckelberry, 6th), Cathal Daniels (Rioghan Rua, 7th) and Joshua Pim (The Royal Minstrel) combining forces to take the team gold.

Britain had better fortune from a team point of view in the young rider championship, bringing home the team silver.

Holly Woodhead spearheaded the effort on her father Ian and stepmother Heidi’s DHI Lupison, finishing 6th individually. She was joined in the quartet by Millie Dumas (Artistiek, 20th), David Doel (Ricoshea, 33rd) and Tom Jackson (Waltham Fiddlers Find).

Dani Evans, last year’s individual bronze medallist, finished 11th as an individual on Luana Edge’s Smart Time.

Ireland claimed the team bronze, fielding Michelle Kenny (Fernhill M2S, 17th), Melanie Young (Riverstown Express, 22nd), David Hannigan (Red Baron, 28th) and Caroline Marwood (Jazzin Along).

Full report in H&H next week, 26 September issue.

Full results

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Tom McEwen is the new under-25 national eventing champion after claiming the Bishop Burton College-sponsored class at the Equi-Trek Bramham Horse Trials this morning.

Tom was second overnight and had the very first fence down on his own Diesel. This gave leader Dani Evans, riding Vanessa Watson’s Raphael II, one fence in hand, which she used up at fence seven. This would not have been disastrous, but she also had four time-faults to finish 0.8 of a penalty behind Tom.

Both riders have previously been trained by Pippa Funnell and she helped them both warm-up.

“I wasn’t really doing what Pippa told me at the first — I was a bit underpowered — but that woke me up,” said Tom. “I’ve come through young riders with Dani and she’s always jumped really well, so I expected her to go clear — I was hoping for her that she’d win it.”

Dani added: “He jumped very well and I’ll be kicking myself for a good while for the time-faults. It hasn’t always been our easiest phase as he’s different every time and you can’t help him, you have to ride him on a soft rein to the deep spot and it’s hard to do that when you’re in the lead.”

France’s Astier Nicolas provided one of just two clears in the class to move up to third with Quickly Du Buguet, who he co-owns with his mother Bénédicte.

Laura Collett had the very last fence down to drop one place to fourth on Philip Walker’s Allora 3.

Georgie Spence (Wii Limbo) held fifth with two down, while Orlane Hillereau of France completed the top six on Naome De Glain.

Results

All H&H’s Bramham news

Log back on later for a final report on the senior CCI3* and buy H&H next Thursday for a full report from Bramham (13 June).

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William Fox-Pitt leads the CCI3* at the Equi-Trek Bramham Horse Trials after today’s cross-country.

Riding last year’s winner, Christopher Stone’s Chilli Morning, William finished a comfortable 7sec inside the 10min 37sec optimum time to take the top spot.

There was a question mark over the stallion’s form after his stop at Kentucky, but today Chilli answered every question.

“He felt up for it today,” confirmed William. “After Kentucky I had a good think about what I needed to do. I didn’t ride him in the right way in Kentucky — he was too relaxed, too calm. He goes better when I’m a bit punchier. It might not be how I like to ride him, but sometimes you have to ride them their way.”

Mark Todd moved up from fifth to second with a penalty-free round on Leonidas II, owned by Diane Brunsden and Peter Cattell.

“I’m really pleased with him — he’s a relatively young horse and he’s improving all the time,” said Mark of the nine-year-old.

France’s Mathieu Lemoine also rose three places, from sixth to third with Quickness. He had a scary moment when the horse knelt on the rail going into the Woodheads Seeds Hollow, but the frangible pin broke and the log dropped, letting him continue without penalty.

Evans holds her lead

Dani Evans retained top spot in the Bishop Burton under-25 CCI3* after a penalty-free round on her young rider European bronze medallist Raphael II, who belongs to Vanessa Watson.

“I had a really good ride,” said the CCI3* debutant. “I didn’t know if he would gallop around as well as he did because he’s foreign, but he was well inside the time.”

Second-placed Tom McEwen also held his spot with last year’s Houghton CCI2* winner Diesel, who he says is “either very calm or a lunatic”.

Laura Collett sits third overnight with Allora — her most exciting moment was falling off in the warm-up just 9min before her start time.

“She jumped the fence fine and fell over on landing,” said Laura. “But as soon as we went out she was awesome.”

Troublesome fence 20

Ian Stark’s cross-country tracks caused plenty of problems in all classes today. Among those penalised was the CCI3* dressage leader Pippa Funnell, who had a run-out at fence 20 — a corner which formed the first element of the Speedi-Beet ’40’ fence — with Or Noir De La Loge.

Pippa was one of nine in her class to fault here. Maxime Livio, third after dressage on the grey Cathar De Gamel, and William Fox-Pitt’s first ride (Running Order, seventh after dressage) were also victims of the obstacle.

Although the jumps were influential, the fast ground helped to make the time relatively easy to achieve in the CCI classes, with 22 inside it between the two sections.

There were 18 falls across the three classes and some riders required medical attention (full details not yet available, but it is believed there were no serious injuries). There were some short holds — caused by frangible pins being broken as well as injuries — but no long delays.

CCI3* course pics

CIC3* course pics

Results and times

Log back on tomorrow for final reports of the CCI classes. Full report of Bramham in H&H this Thursday (13 June).

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Last year’s individual silver medallist Dani Evans (pictured) heads up the British squad for the eventing junior European Championships in Bad Segeburg, Germany (19-22 August).

With her grandmother Heather Sheppard’s Uchin, Dani finished second in the recent under-18 national championship at Glanusk.

Dani is joined on the Hows Racesafe-sponsored squad by Millie Dumas, who was lying 11th when she had to withdraw Action Packed before the showjumping at last year’s junior Europeans.

Recent Tattersalls junior CCI* winner David Doel makes his British squad debut, as does last year’s junior regional novice champion Lucy Loughton, while former pony squad member Helen Dunning also makes the cut.

Tim Rogers, best of the juniors at Houghton CCI** in eighth with home-bred horse Corrieview Owen, also wears the Union flag for the first time.

One notable omission from the squad is recent under-18 national champion Eliza Stoddart, who has suffered the disappointment of her ride Strike A Pose picking up an injury which ruled him out of selection.

Full squad:

• David Doel, 17, on Emma Whitehead’s Pick And Mix II
• Millie Dumas, 17, on her own and her father Robin’s Action Packed
• Helen Dunning, 17, on Vicki Irlam’s Pebbly Flux
• Dani Evans, 18, on her grandmother Heather Sheppard’s Uchin
• Lucy Loughton, 17, on Penny Edwards’s Abigail III
• Tim Rogers, 18, on his own Corrieview Owen

Reserves (in alphabetical order)

• Mary Edmundson, 18, on her mother Debbie and Jenny Ellins’s Sonny Early
• Dani Evans, 18, on Vanessa Watson’s Raphael II
• Adam Harvey, 16, on his own Daisy Duke

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Laura Collett led a British effort that resulted in four medals at the junior and young rider eventing European Championships in Waragem, Belgium (11-14 September).

Laura, 20, added the young rider individual gold medal to the junior titles she won in 2006 and 2007. Riding Rayef (pictured at Belton earlier this year), she headed the leader board from the start and added nothing to her leading dressage score of 35.8.

Last year’s young rider European champion Emily Llewellyn claimed the individual bronze this time on Pardon Me II — their third individual medal in as many years. She also finished on her dressage score, moving up from sixth after dressage.

Laura and Emily joined up with British squad debutant Emily Parker (Treefers) and Harry Dzenis (Rockin Robin) — making his first young rider appearance after junior team gold in 2007 — to claim the team gold medal.

Britain’s junior riders were very unlucky not to win a team medal, the first time the Brits have not claimed a team honour at this level since 2005.

The team held silver medal position after dressage and cross-country, but Camilla Dumas’s ride Action Packed had picked up an injury on the cross-country and could not take part in the final show jumping phase.

Camilla was lying 11th individually at this point and providing a vital team score. Without her, the British team dropped to fourth in the final reckoning — particularly frustrating as had Camilla been able to jump and gone clear, they would have taken team gold.

Dani Evans, a reserve who came into the squad following the withdrawal of Sienna Myson-Davies and Tambourine, upheld British honour by taking the individual silver medal on Uchin. She held second throughout the competition by adding nothing to her dressage score of 38.3.

Full report from the Europeans in Horse & Hound next week (24 September issue).

RESULTS — *denotes team member

YOUNG RIDER EUROPEAN CHAMPIONSHIP

1st Laura Collet on Rayef (GB)* 47.5

2nd Nicolas Astier on Jhakti Du Janlie (FRA)* 48.3

3rd Emily Llewellyn on Pardon Me II (GB)* 48.3

15th Georgie Spence on Skylight (GB) 61.8

16th Emily Parker on Treefers (GB)* 62.9

21st Harry Parker on Rockin Robin (GB)* 66.8

40th Willa Newton on Neelix (GB) 94.3

1st Great Britain 160.2

2nd Germany 172.1

3rd Sweden 177.6

JUNIOR EUROPEAN CHAMPIONSHIP

1st Marie Kraack on Sinesto 2 (GER)* 35.8

2nd Dani Evans on Uchin (GB)* 38.3

3rd Celina Nothofer on Larissa 711 (GER) 43.1

8th Eliza Sangster on High Havoc (GB) 46.9

10th Amelia King on Captain Crunchie (GB) 48.8

12th Evie Paterson on Direct Opposition (GB)* 51.9

36th Giles Blanchard on Arnies Game (GB)* 72.1

Withdrawn before show jumping — Camilla Dumas on Action Packed (GB)*

1st Germany 139.9

2nd Sweden 157.9

3rd Italy 160.3

4th Great Britain 162.3

Full results

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Sienna Myson-Davies (pictured) will miss out on defending her junior European eventing title because her ride Tambourine is injured.

A statement from the 17-year-old said that Tambourine sustained a tendon injury in the field last weekend. A vet scan on Monday confirmed the injury and a further scan in the coming weeks will ascertain the severity of it. The nine-year-old gelding is expected to be out of competition for the remainder of the season.

Sienna said: “Obviously I am devastated to miss the Europeans as we were on form and I was really looking forward to it, but I am relieved that ‘Tambo’ hasn’t sustained a long term injury and we will be back competing together next season.”

Sienna is replaced on the squad for the championships at Waragem, Belgium (11-14 September) by Dani Evans, 17, with Heather Sheppard’s Uchin.

The loss of Sienna — a double gold medallist at last year’s junior Europeans, as well as the final trial winner this time — will be a blow to the squad, but Dani has consistent form, including fifth as an individual at last year’s championships and fourth at Houghton CCI* this spring.

Stay in touch with all the news in the run-up to and throughout the major shows and events during 2026 and beyond with a Horse & Hound subscription. Subscribe today for all you need to know ahead of these major events, plus online reports on the action as it happens from our expert team of reporters and in-depth analysis in our special commemorative magazines. Have a subscription already? Set up your unlimited website access now