Event rider Flora Harris (pictured) competes at five-star level and is a regular member of British Nations Cup teams. In 2015, she was shortlisted for the Blair Castle European Championships with Bayano. She runs a string of seven horses from her Marlborough base.

Flora Harris offers some useful advice on how to nail your cross-country warm-up for horse and rider…

Training the stars

On the cross-country course, my top horse Bayano can be rather polite, so my aim in the warm-up is to get him taking me forward and reacting to my leg.

Equally, I’ve had horses that can get over-excited, so the key is not to do too much with those. I negotiate three to five jumps to try and settle those into a rhythm and reduce their freshness slightly.

The exercise: how to warm-up for cross-country

It is important to have your horse responsive to the aids and listening to you in the warm-up. Once you set off on course, you need to be able to change between your gears quickly and efficiently. I like to walk quietly to the warm-up area and then prepare for about 10 minutes.

1. Work in trot for a couple of minutes, then, once you are in canter, lengthen and shorten your horse’s stride on each rein. Ensure that he moves easily away from your leg and ride some square turns with a little outside flexion to check you have good control of his outside shoulder. Make sure you have an effective half-halt with your upper body, too.

2. Once you have warmed up on the flat, it’s time to tackle a few fences — three to five should be plenty — beginning with a small, easy one. Approach in a positive canter, sitting up straight and in balance with your horse. You can use a variety of fences, depending on what’s available, but make sure you are positive and use each jump to give you both confidence.

3. Vary your approach —ride some in more of an open canter and others in a “coffin-type” canter. It’s also often helpful to jump a fence on an angle if this is something you have practised at home.

4. Allow your horse to walk around and catch his breath before heading to the start box, but keep him awake and in front of your leg.

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Things to consider during your cross-country warm-up

• Arrive at the warm-up with time to spare. Whatever happens, avoid becoming flustered.
• Avoid doing what many riders do, haring around the warm-up and winding up their horses. Aim to ride positively and confidently, but in a way that keeps your horse focused and in control.
• The warm-up is the place to practise things you are familiar with; it is not the time to try a new challenge.
• All horses are different, so gear your warm-up to each individual.

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Flora Harris has paid tribute to the “very special”grey mare who played a major role in launching her career.

Amazing VIII, who had been with Flora since she was a four-year-old, was put down after sustaining a catastrophic injury on the cross-country at Millstreet CCI4*-S.

The 15-year-old gave Flora her first senior British team appearance at Fontainebleu Nations Cup in 2015 and the pair had numerous top-six results on the international circuit.

Incredibly, the quirky “Maisie” had come back from a three-year retirement to enjoy some of her best-ever eventing results over the last two years.

“She wasn’t a natural superstar, she just had an enormous heart,” Flora told H&H. “She was very, very special to us.

“I bought her from a really good dealer, the late Downes Howard, who sadly died earlier this year. I would have been about 20 or 21 years old and I went thinking I knew what I was doing and what I was looking for, when really I had absolutely no idea!”

The Adelante mare, owned by Flora’s mother Caroline, was tricky as a young horse, but the pair built a partnership together which blossomed over time.

“I have plenty of photographs of me falling off her,” said Flora. “She was very spooky and I sent her to a friend to ride her for a couple of weeks. I remember him saying to me ‘don’t worry, I’ve sorted her out, she will be better now’ and the day I brought her home she stopped with me again. I just had to form a partnership with her.

“It was about learning her, learning her ways and getting her to believe in me — I learnt I had to ride her like she was brilliant. If you ever rode her like she was going to stop, she would. If you believed in her, she was fantastic. We formed this partnership where I trusted her implicitly and across country she was the straightest, most wonderful horse to ride. That’s because I trusted in her and she trusted in me — we were a real team.”

The combination won Barbury CIC2* (now CCI3*-S) in 2013 and were sixth at Blenheim CIC3* that autumn, where Flora had her first sub-40 (old FEI scoring) dressage, before finishing second in the CCI3* (now CCI4*-L) at Blair Castle the following year.

In 2015, the mare sustained a serious tendon injury at Badminton and the family made the decision to retire her.

“My vet Hattie Lawrence did a really good job of treating her so she could be a brood mare,” said Flora, adding that unfortunately they were unable to get her in foal.

“She spent some time down with Diana Scott at Brendon Hills and then at Candle Trees Equestrian during her ‘retirement’ enjoying some beautiful Exmoor countryside. Then about three years into that she decided she didn’t fancy that any more and started jumping out of the fields.

“She was sound so I brought her back into work and we always said we would see how it went. From the word go she was back to her very best, if not even better than before her injury. Last season she was sixth at Millstreet and ninth at Waregem, then this year she was 13th at Chatsworth and third in Cappoquin.”

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Maisie also gave one of Flora’s students, Danielle McCormack, a spin around the rider’s first novice at Bicton in April.

“My head girl Charlotte Aitken, who has been with me eight years, was always very good with Maisie. They had a really good relationship and Charlotte really understood her much more than I think a lot of people would have done. She could be a really challenge, but Maisie just adored her,” she said.

“I’m so grateful to her for everything she has done for me and for my career. I wouldn’t be were I am and wouldn’t have done the things I have if it wasn’t for her.”

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Oliver Townend followed up his Event Rider Masters win at Gatcombe earlier this month with victory in the class at the Blair Castle Equi-Trek International Horse Trials.

Oliver was second after dressage with Sally-Anne Egginton’s Cillnabradden Evo but his clear showjumping round and 2.4 time-faults across country gave him victory and the £16,000 first prize cheque.

“He’s got a bit of a track record [for falling] but we’re aware of that and have to work round it — hopefully we’ve turned a corner and figured him out enough to be competitive,” said Oliver.

Tom McEwen was second with his 2013 Bramham under-25 winner Diesel, who is back from an injury break.

“I’ve been waiting to ride him cross-country as he’s a bit of fun,” he said. “It’s massive thanks to all the team at home — my parents, the grooms and physios — that he’s come back on such fantastic form. He felt back to the days when he won at Bramham.”

Gemma Tattersall took third with the eight-year-old Santiago Bay.

There was some delay in the results as it was thought New Zealand’s Jock Paget had taken second on Angus Blue, but eventually it was judged he had jumped the wrong side of the flag at the first of two triple brush arrowheads after a drop at fence 14a.

Germany’s Bettina Hoy led the dressage in this class on Seigneur Medicott, but had two showjumps down and a time-fault. She dropped behind Oliver heading into the reverse order cross-country, and then had a run-out at the Auto Ecoss angled brushes near the end of the course to drop to 13th.

Harris wins Scottish open

Flora Harris took the regular CIC3*, the Scottish open championship, on Bayano, who belongs to her mother Caroline and Rebecca Salt.

“He was absolutely amazing, that was one of the best rides I’ve had on him,” she said after finishing just two seconds over the time across country.

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Oliver was also second in this class riding Dunbeau, with Australia’s Paul Tapner third on Bonza King Of Rouges.

Full report from Blair in H&H next week, out Thursday 1 September.

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Flora Harris will not ride on the British squad at the Longines FEI European Eventing Championships at Blair Castle (10-13 September). She has been replaced by first reserve Tom Jackson, riding Waltham Fiddlers Find.

Flora and Bayano, owned by her mother Caroline and Rebecca Salt, were selected for the championship following their win in the CCI3* at Bramham in June. However, the pair had three run-outs across country in the Nations Cup at Aachen, Germany, last week.

The British Equestrian Federation (BEF) released a statement this morning saying: “The British eventing senior selectors have decided to substitute Bayano… following the horse’s recent lack of form at the eventing CICO3* Nations Cup event in Aachen… All selected athlete/horse combinations are required to maintain their performance and fitness ahead of a championship.”

Tom Jackson, 22, sprang into the spotlight when he won the under-25 CCI3* at Bramham last year on his parents’ and his own Waltham Fiddlers Find. The pair have also won junior team gold (2011) and young rider team silver (2013) and team bronze medals (2014). They finished sixth in the under-25 class at Bramham this year.

Waltham Fiddlers Find is a 12-year-old by Jetset D, out of a Lux mare called Sabina. He has 440 British Eventing points and Tom has produced him throughout his eventing career, starting from BE90 and BE100 in 2009. The pair will make their senior championship debut at Blair.

In addition to this change, there has been a change of horse for Blair squad rider Izzy Taylor. She was initially selected with Allercombe Ellie, but the mare was lame in Aachen so did not compete. Izzy will now ride her direct reserve horse, Guy Avis’ 15-year-old KBIS Briarlands Matilda.

Full report of the eventing Nations Cup in Aachen in H&H this week, out Thursday, 20 August. This issue also contains our bumper report on the European Dressage Championships.

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Britain was eliminated in the eventing Nations Cup at Aachen today (Friday, 14 August) after a close call decision on whether a rider was the wrong side of a flag at a corner fence.

The competition ran alongside the FEI European Championships in dressage, showjumping, reining, vaulting and driving taking place at this prestigious German venue. But it is not the eventing European Championships — this is taking place at Blair Castle in Scotland in September.

Britain has a policy of giving up-and-coming riders experience in the Nations Cup series and has stuck to this for Aachen. The four riders on the team were all making their championship debut at Blair, and three of them rode the same horses here.

Holly Woodhead, 21, was second after dressage and showjumping after brilliant performances yesterday. But today her ride DHI Lupison was “seriously bold”, which led to a run-out at the tricky double of angled hedge tractors at fence 16ab – a fence which caught out several experienced pairs too.

Then further round the course Holly took out the flag at the corner in the water at fence 20b (pictured above). Although she initially showed on the results as having just 20 penalties — which left the British team third — she was later eliminated because the ground jury reviewed the video footage and judged that she had been outside the flag.

This meant the team was also eliminated, because another British rider, Flora Harris, was also knocked out of the competition when her mother Caroline and Rebecca Salt’s Bayano had three run-outs.

Gemma Tattersall finishes 14th

Nonetheless, there were positives for the Brits.

Gemma Tattersall, the only British rider not on her Blair mount, finished 14th on the syndicate-owned Quicklook V after 10 time-faults.

“She was incredibly straight and so genuine – she’s done three three-stars in her whole career, so this was a serious ask for her,” said Gemma.

Francis Whittington proved a great pathfinder for both the British squad and the whole competition, coming home clear with 7.2 time-faults for 16th on Catherine Witt’s Easy Target.

“I wanted a good cross-country round in preparation for Blair and that’s what this week was about – there were a few tighter lines I could have taken, but I wanted to keep him balanced and think about having a good round for Blair,” said Francis.

Germany on top

Germany maintained its superiority today to take first place in the Nations Cup and all three individual podium places.

Ingrid Klimke finished first on individual ride FRH Escada JS and second on her team horse Horseware Hale Bob.

“Escada knows her job exactly and was jumping very boldly – it was pure fun to ride her,” said Ingrid.

World champion Sandra Auffarth took third on Opgun Louvo.

New Zealand finished second, led by husband and wife team the Prices, with Tim fourth on Wesko and Jonelle sixth on Faerie Dianimo.

The USA took third, well behind the two leading teams.

Individual results

Team results

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Britain has slipped a place to third after the showjumping in the Nations Cup eventing at Aachen this evening (Thursday, 13 August), but the top three teams are within six marks of each other.

The competition is running alongside the FEI European Championships in dressage, showjumping, reining, vaulting and driving taking place at this prestigious German venue. But it is not the eventing European Championships — this is taking place at Blair Castle in Scotland in September.

Britain has a policy of giving up-and-coming riders experience in the Nations Cup series and has stuck to this for Aachen. The four riders on the team are all making their championship debut at Blair, and three of them are riding the same horses here.

Holly Woodhead, third individually after dressage, has moved up to second after a fantastic clear with her father Ian and stepmother Heidi’s DHI Lupison (pictured above).

The time was tight over Frank Rothenberger’s showjumping track today and many riders had an uncomfortable moment pulling their horses inside fence two on the journey between fences six and seven, but Holly motored on round the outside and came home penalty-free.

“He’s a sharp horse and goes better if you keep the rhythm, so I didn’t want to break it by coming inside. He jumped so well out of going that fast,” said Holly. “I thought he’d be quite tired but he’s definitely not.”

Gemma Tattersall also cleared all the fences for Britain and had just one time-fault on The Pebbles’ Syndicate Quicklook V. she has moved up from 12th after dressage to 11th.

Pathfinder Francis Whittington, riding Catherine Witt’s Easy Target, had one fence down, the final part of the treble at five. He has slipped five places from 15th to 20th individually.

Flora Harris had fence 10 down with her mother Caroline and H&H blogger Rebecca Salt’s Bayano, as well as picking up seven time-faults. This cost her 12 places and she is now 34th.

“Overall the horse jumped well — he’s young and he coped well in the atmosphere,” said Flora. “The only person who had had time-faults by the time I went had gone wide somewhere so we didn’t quite have the knowledge we had later — the time was more influential than we expected. It’s a big arena with open distances and that can fool you into thinking you’re going faster than you are.”

The New Zealanders were in the ascendant tonight, with fault-free rounds for all their counting pairs: Jonelle Price and Faerie Dianimo (seventh), her husband Tim and Wesko (ninth) and Mark Todd and NZB Campino (12th). They have moved up from third after dressage to second.

The Germans faltered slightly, but it was not enough to give up their lead. From their team, only Ingrid Klimke (Horseware Hale Bob, fourth) went clear.

World champion Sandra Auffarth had fence 5c down to drop from second to sixth with Opgun Louvo, Michael Jung had fence nine down on 2013 European champion Halunke FBW (14th) and Dirk Schrade had the second part of the double at seven down with Hop And Skip (21st).

Individually Ingrid holds her lead with FRH Escada JS, who had a clear round tonight. Holly is second and Australia’s Andrew Hoy moved up to third courtesy of a fault-free performance with Cheeky Calimbo.

The cross-country starts at 2pm local time (1pm British time) tomorrow.

Live individual results

Team standings

1. Germany 118.1

2. New Zealand 121.2

3. Great Britain 123.6

4. Sweden 143.9

5. USA 148.9

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Britain’s team lie in second place after the first phase of the eventing Nations Cup in Aachen (Thursday 13 August).

The competition is running alongside the FEI European Championships in dressage, showjumping, reining, vaulting and driving taking place at this prestigious German venue. But it is not the eventing European Championships — this is taking place at Blair Castle in Scotland in September.

Britain has a policy of giving up-and-coming riders experience in the Nations Cup series and has stuck to this for Aachen. The four riders on the team are all making their championship debut at Blair, and three of them are riding the same horses here.

Holly Woodhead starred for Britain in today’s opening dressage phase. The 21-year-old sits in third place individually after a fantastic expressive test with her father Ian and stepmother Heidi’s DHI Lupison, the chestnut horse with whom she won Bramham’s under-25 class in June. She scored 34.3, a CIC3* personal best by more than eight marks..

“I’ve never ridden that test in the arena, while the Bramham test I knew inside out and I knew where I could get marks. This one was a bit alien, but his walk was much better here than at Bramham and I’m really pleased to be there against the best in the world,” said Holly.

Holly had to cope with the crowd exploding in response to Ingrid Klimke’s mark being announced just as she was riding past the grandstand before her test. DHI Lupison spooked, but she quickly settled him again.

Gemma Tattersall provided the second best British score, sitting 12th on the 10-year-old syndicate-owned grey mare Quicklook V.

“She’s the biggest show off I’ve ever known — she thinks everyone is here for her,” said Gemma after scoring 41.

Gemma is the only British competitor here not riding her Blair mount as she takes Arctic Soul to the Europeans.

Francis Whittington was the very first rider into the arena this morning and holds 15th place on 43.3 with Catherine Witt’s Easy Target. His only error was a costly spook early in the canter work.

“Apart from that I was pleased with him,” he said. “When I went into the arena he had a little look at that area, which is why I brought him back to trot and went past it again. He was just being a little fruity about it, but it’s good to sort these things out now.”

Flora Harris is just behind in 22nd on 44.5 with Bramham senior CCI3* winner Bayano, who belongs to her mother Caroline and new H&H blogger Rebecca Salt.

“The arena is electric and there are areas to work on, but overall I’m dead chuffed with him,” she said. “The changes were rather expressive and I’d like to get them a bit more in the box.”

Flora also turned right instead of left in the first walk pirouette.

“It was a blonde moment and not my finest hour — I’m very dyslexic, so left and right are not my strong point,” she explained.

The British team have a combined score of 118.6. The Germans are leading on 110.1, with New Zealand third on 121.2. The best Kiwi rider is Jonelle Price, eighth on Luhmühlen runner-up Faerie Dianimo.

“She’s not really a one-day event horse and she’s not been particularly easy this week. She was on edge, but she stayed the right side of the edge,” said Jonelle. “She can blow, but if we can keep going in the arena and producing incident-free tests, then with more maturity it will go the right way.”

There are nine teams here in total.

Britain’s fifth rider, Izzy Taylor, withdrew Allercombe Ellie before yesterday’s trot-up as she did not feel right.

Klimke heads German charge

The home side’s Ingrid Klimke holds the lead with individual ride Luhmühlen winner FRH Escada JS on 32.1, while her team horse Horseware Hale Bob, sits in sixth place. Her team-mate Sandra Auffarth claims second individually with world champion Opgun Louvo. Their other team riders are Michael Jung (ninth on Halunke FBW) and Dirk Schrade (17th equal on Hop And Skip).

Andrew Hoy is best of the fourth-placed Australian team, lying fourth individually too with Cheeky Calimbo (34.5).

Sara Algotsson Ostholt, who had her second child — a boy named Eric — 10 months ago, spearheads the Swedish effort with fifth place on Reality 39 on a mark of 35.9. Her team are also fifth.

“I think she liked it in there — the ground was perfect and she’s not a horse who gets tense,” said Sara. “That was about as good as we can do at the moment.”

The eventers will showjump this evening, kicking off at 5.30pm local time (4.30pm in Britain). They go across country tomorrow afternoon, starting at 2pm local time (1pm in Britain).

Live scores

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Bexs Salt is joint owner of Flora Harris' Blair Europeans ride Bayano. She will be keeping us up to date with their progress both in the run-up to the championships and during the competition so come along and enjoy the ride...

My name is Bexs Salt and I am the accidental owner of Bayano (aka Barney), Flora Harris’ ride at the Longines FEI European Eventing Championships at Blair Castle (pictured above at Belton). I own Barney with Caroline Harris, Flora’s mother, but the experience of owning a ‘proper’ event horse is rather new to me and certainly was not on the cards until just a few months ago!

So how have I found myself in this situation? Allow me to explain…

Completely out of the blue in the spring, I was offered my dream job based in Luxembourg. So I asked Flora to have a sit on my novice horse, CrossBoyne (aka Ned, pictured below), to see whether she would be happy to ride him for me until he moved out to Lux in the autumn, which she agreed to do.

Not long after Ned moved to Flora’s yard in Wiltshire, Jane Keir, who owned Bayano with Caroline, decided she wanted to focus on her breeding operation and was looking for someone to buy her share. I have liked Barney since he arrived with Flora several years ago. He is small – more pony-like than you would expect – but a ball of energy with lovely paces and as agile as a cat.

So I decided to buy Jane’s share as it would keep me linked to UK eventing and I thought it would be fun to share a horse with Caroline. Caroline and I also have opinionated Jack Russells in common – my two, Alan and Arfur have already moved to Lux – so we thought adding a horse could only add to the fun!

I also own Knight Hunter (aka Badger), a retired one-star eventer who has turned his hoof to dressage in his later years. He will stay in the UK as he is very happy at his current yard, and will be competed by their head girl Amy Bruce.

How things are going

I was delighted that Barney had an OK start to the season and so I headed to Belton, in my new role as owner, with limited expectations given it was one of his first advanced runs. I was thrilled with how he tackled the tough cross-country course and ended in third place.

From there we have had a great season so far. There was a bit of a blip at Tattersalls when Barney decided he was no longer capable of jumping left hand corners, but it was followed by the amazing result at Bramham. Flora won her first three-star on my horse!

I find it rather unbelievable that thanks to Flora’s hard work and her amazing support team, we are heading to the Europeans via the Nations Cup at Aachen. Please keep your fingers crossed for us. I’ll keep you up to date with our progress along the way.

Bexs

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The winner of this year’s Equi-Trek Bramham CCI3* Horse Trials tells all.

1. Flora’s not a big fan of holidays. Fortunately, nor is her boyfriend, Jeremy Scott.

“The last holiday we went on was supposed to be a week-long break in Egypt. We managed three days lying on the beach before I started getting restless and thinking about all the things I could be doing at home with the horses,” she laughs. “We booked ourselves on the next flight home.”

2. Flora’s also not a morning person.

“I can get up and ride, but don’t talk to me before 9am – I’m no good at conversations before then,” she says.

3. One of the worst days of her life came in March this year when her beloved whippet, Willow, was shot in her back garden.

“I was away competing in France at the time and my friend was house-sitting for me. We had the gunshot wound analysed afterwards and found out that the bullet came from a .22 rifle – not the kind of gun that would be used for rabbiting or lamping,” she says. “That meant that someone had got into the garden and shot her deliberately. I was distraught.”

4. Flora says she has a 100% honesty policy when it comes to communicating with owners, trainers and the rest of her team.

“And I expect the same in return. There was a funny moment at the beginning of this year when Jon [Pitts, human performance coach and Flora’s mentor] sat me down told me that I needed to lose some weight. My friends gave him a bit of stick, but I just did it – and started riding better as a result,” she smiles.

5. AP McCoy is Flora’s greatest inspiration.

“I’m not a racing fanatic at all, but for one man to dominate such a tough sport for as long as he has is unbelievable. His attitude and consistency are things I really admire – that’s what I want to try to emulate.”

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Flora Harris wins Bramham Horse Trials CCI3* [VIDEO]

Flora Harris and Bayano were foot perfect this afternoon to secure their Bramham CCI3* victory

6. Flora would like more horses to compete, but says Bayano (pictured at Bramham) really benefitted from the extra time she was able to give him in the run-up to Bramham.

“I rode him twice a day. In the afternoons I would stay in walk and practice loads of transitions between extended and medium walk,” she explains. “He’d got a bit tight in the arena a couple of times earlier in the season, but by Bramham he was totally relaxed about it.”

7. Flora didn’t belong to a Pony Club; neither did she benefit from a succession of pony schoolmasters.

“My family isn’t horsey, so although I had ponies, they were never very suitable,” she laughs. “I did a fair bit of showjumping with one of them – but in the four years I had him we never won a penny!”

8. Flora’s first yard move after leaving Somerset four years ago was to Cropredy in Northamptonshire, where she was asked by Jane Keir, the owner of her first four-star horse, Law Choice, to help set up a bloodstock stud.

“I went on a course at Newmarket and was responsible for foaling four very valuable, thoroughbred mares,” she reveals. “I don’t think I slept for the whole of February – I was so terrified I’d miss something!”

9. Despite scoring in the 30s in the dressage at Tattersalls and Bramham, Bayano hasn’t always found this phase easy.

“He’s always had a natural push from behind, but until recently he wouldn’t take the contact forward and I had nothing in my hand,” says Flora. “Andrew [Fletcher] has taught me how to get him connected and the transformation has been incredible.”

10. Flora says her secret weapon is her head girl, Charlotte Aitken.

“I think she’s the best there is,” she says. “She is so knowledgeable and the horses absolutely adore her. I have other riders ringing me and asking whether they can send their grooms to our yard so she can give them some advice.”

Get the latest issue of Horse & Hound (9 July 2015) to see behind the scenes of Flora’s yard in Access All Areas

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In this week’s Horse & Hound magazine, out on Thursday 9 July, we reflect on the career of the late, great Kauto Star. We also exclusively interview William Fox-Pitt and we meet the people who are rooting for heavy breeds of horses. You can also enjoy all the news and reports, including eventing from Brightling, dressage from the junior and young rider Europeans and much more.

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What’s in Horse & Hound magazine: 9 July 2015

News

• Farewell to Kauto Star: racing loses a legend
• Ground-breaking research into breast support in riders
• Is the new British Dressage structure overcomplicated?
• Scott Brash withdraws Hello Sanctos ahead of Europeans

Features

• H&H interview: Badminton victor William Fox-Pitt on grasping opportunities and how he’ll know when it’s time to stop
• Horse hero: Homebred Argentine polo pony, Canoso
• Bring in the heavies: Meet the riders rooting for the heavy breeds
• Access all areas: We visit eventer Flora Harris at home
• Supplements special: Super summer care for your horse

Reports

• Eventing: Brightling, Aske, Harry Meade comment and more
• Dressage: Junior and young rider Europeans, BYRDS inter-regionals, Pammy Hutton comment and highlights
• Showjumping: British Masters, William Funnell comment, GCT Paris, Royal Norfolk, South View Pony Premier and more
• Showing: BSPS Midsummer show, Midland Arabian Festival, Aintree National Show, Derby County and Stuart Hollings comment
• Hunting: Builth Hound Show

Regulars

• Letters
• The best of my fun, I owe it to…: Jessica Mendoza
• Property: under £500,000
• Vet: Diagnosing wobblers
• Move it like: Piggy French
• The horse that made me: Carl Hester

Classified

• Horses for sale

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Were you left wondering “Who on earth is Flora Harris?” when she won Bramham CCI3* last weekend (14 June)? Don’t worry — here are 20 fast facts about Flora and her career so far to bring you up to speed.

1. Flora is 27 years old — her date of birth is 21 March 1988.

2. She is on the World Class development squad and her Bramham winner, Bayano, is on the equine pathway.

3. Flora grew up in the West Country.

4. She is now based in Wiltshire, near Marlborough.

5. She attended Millfield School, in Somerset, and started eventing while there.

6. Flora was shortlisted for the junior squad in 2005 and 2006.

7. She made her only championship appearance so far at the 2007 young rider European Championships at Blair, riding as an individual on Double Image II.

8. Flora left education in 2007 and based herself with Gill Watson.

9. She is now trained on the flat by Andrew Fletcher and by Jeremy Scott for jumping. She has also worked for some years with human performance coach Jon Pitts, who mentors her in all aspects of her career.

10. Flora says Bramham winner Bayano loves her groom, Charlotte Aitken, “beyond all comprehension”.

11. She was best of the Brits after Thursday’s dressage at Badminton this year, sitting in fourth position with Amazing VIII.

12. Flora has never completed a four-star. She has come through the cross-country finish flags at Badminton twice, but on her debut in 2011 she withdrew Law Choice from the holding box when lying 19th after 2.4 time-faults across country. This year, she withdrew Amazing VIII before the trot-up.

13. She says things go wrong for her across country when she changes her plan, as she did at Badminton this year when she added a stride at the Sense Silver Birch complex when she felt Amazing tiring, but ended up having 20 penalties. At Bramham, she saw some riders going on different strides to what she had planned while watching before her round, but stuck to her own plan.

14. She lost her first four-star horse, Law Choice, in February 2013 when he had to be put down after sustaining a tendon injury in training.

15. Flora was eliminated on the cross-country at her first British Eventing horse trials — it was a BE80(T) at Duchy College in 2002, riding a 14.3hh seven-year-old called Bob The Builder.

16. She scored her first BE victory in 2007, taking an open novice at Keysoe on Lost Prophet.

17. Flora’s Bramham winner Bayano is known as Barney at home.

18. She has won three times at international events before Bramham, all at two-star level — Osberton CIC2* 2008 (Law Choice), Barbury CIC2* 2013 (Amazing VIII) and Hopetoun CCI2* 2006 (Cesano).

19. In 2010 Flora won £5,000 and use of a Jeep for a year when she topped the Express Eventing competition at the Royal Festival of the Horse.

20. Flora had only ridden at Bramham once before this year, when she was fourth in the under-25s in 2010 on Law Choice.

Don’t miss Horse & Hound‘s full report from Bramham in 18 June magazine

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Flora Harris showjumped clear this afternoon to score her first CCI3* win at the Equi-Trek Bramham Horse Trials.

Flora and her mother Caroline and Rebecca Salt’s Bayano had a fence in hand by the time they entered the arena, but the horse never looked like touching a pole.

“I’m overjoyed —but a bit in shock!” said Flora. “He’s the most amazing horse. This is a cliché, but it takes so many people to make this possible, we get all the glory, but it’s down to all the people who support us, sponsors, trainers and so on.

“You never know with a nine-year-old how they will come out on the Sunday, especially here with the hills, and he’s not an experienced three-day horse, but he felt fresh and on it. He really tried and I love him because he’s brilliant.”

Kitty King also jumped clear, riding Frank and Jane Inns’ Persimmon, to move up a place to second and make it a one-two for young Brits.

“He jumped his socks off today, it was by far his best three-day round at three-star level,” said Kitty. “He felt like would at a one-day, which they never normally do — you expect them to be a bit flat and tired.”

Kitty also won the CCI3* at Tattersalls on Ceylor LAN and said: “Being on the World Class performance programme has made a huge difference to me — last year was my first year on it and my season didn’t quite come off, but this year it seems to be coming together.”

France’s Gwendolen Fer took third — her ride Romantic Love, who belongs to her brother Gregory, has a very unusual technique, sticking his head out on the approach to fences and somehow clearing them, but he was careful for a clear.

Sarah Ennis’ clear on Horseware Stellor Rebound moved her up from eighth to fourth, a good result for Ireland.

William Fox-Pitt was third overnight on Fernhill Pimms, but he hit the white upright at fence six and the first part of the treble at 12a to drop to fifth.

Pippa Funnell jumped a lovely round, except for an error at fence nine which saw Sandman 7 plough right through the fence. She recovered her composure brilliantly and in the end held sixth place.

Those placed seventh to 10th all jumped clear — Lauren Kieffer and Veronica took seventh for the USA, New Zealand’s Andrew Nicholson rode Perfect Stranger to eighth, Emilie Chandler was ninth for Britain and Thibaut Vallette wound up best of the French on Qing Du Briot ENE HN.

All H&H’s Bramham coverage

Full report of Bramham in the magazine this week, out Thursday, 18 June.

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Flora Harris has retained the lead in the CCI3* at the Equi-Trek Bramham Horse Trials after the cross-country.

Flora, riding her mother Caroline and Rebecca Salt’s Bayano, was one of 13 riders in the senior class who finished inside the 10min 8sec optimum time over Ian Stark’s course.

“I’m so proud of him — he started well through to two-thirds of the way round, then he tired a bit in the last couple of minutes, but he was really good,” said Flora (video interview above).

William Fox-Pitt was also fault-free to stay second with Carol Gee and Catherine Witt’s Fernhill Pimms.

“He’s been on very good form this year and went as well as I could have hoped,” said William. “He was very straight and make the time easily.”

Kitty King added two time-faults with Frank and Jane Inns’ Persimmon, but now holds third outright, having been equal third after dressage with Pippa Funnell. Pippa piloted her own, her mother Jenny Nolan’s and Ruth McMullen’s Sandman 7 round with 4.8 time-penalties to drop to sixth.

“I’m thrilled with how he went — he didn’t finish tired at all and galloped home as quickly as he goes up the gallops doing his fittening work,” said Kitty.

The main casualty from the top ranks was New Zealand’s Jock Paget, who was fifth after dressage, but fell when Shady Grey left his front legs on the upright rail (12b) out of the first Kidney Pond.

France’s Gwendolen Fer had a clear in the time with Romantic Love, which moved her up from seventh to fourth, the only non-British rider in the top six. Jodie Amos finished two seconds over the time on Wise Crack to rise a place to fifth.

Bishop Burton College under-25 CCI3*

Holly Woodhead also kept her top spot in the under-25 class, finishing one second under the optimum with DHI Lupison. The horse is registered to her father Ian and stepmother Heidi, but belonged to her grandfather Alan, who passed away just last Sunday.

“I had a few hairy moments, but overall I had a super ride and really enjoyed it,” she said. “It’s a first CCI3* for both of us so it was like the blind leading the blind really, but he did everything I asked him and helped me out a few times.”

There were just two penalty-free rounds in this class and the other came from Emily King, who moved up from fifth to third with Brookleigh.

“I had my minute markers and was aware of where I was — I knew I was just up on the time at each marker which was nice, then after the last water I motored on,” she said.

Dani Evans stopped the clock two seconds over the time on second ride Smart Time, to rise from fourth to second, while her first mount, Raphael II, had four time-faults to drop a place to fourth.

“My horses are very different, but they were both so genuine and I feel lucky to have two horses going clear here,” she said.

Millie Dumas, second after dressge, slipped to eighth on account of 9.6 time-penalties with Artistiek.

Check back later and tomorrow for more updates from Bramham. Full report in H&H this week, out Thursday 18 June.

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Fifty-seven horses will contest the final phase of the Mitsubishi Motors Badminton Horse Trials after being passed fit to continue at this morning’s final horse inspection (Sunday 10 May).

Jock Paget will not showjump his 2013 Badminton winner Clifton Promise as he did not present him to the ground jury at the trot-up. They had been in 10^th place after cross-country.

“He was feeling his age [17] a bit this morning,” said Jock. “We did our normal workout and usually he doesn’t feel so stiff after a couple of minutes, but today he was. We thought we might get him through the trot-up, but he wasn’t going to jump well.”

Jock still has Clifton Lush in fifth on his dressage score of 40.8, less than a fence behind overnight leader Andrew Nicholson and Nereo (37.8).

Izzy Taylor is also down to just one ride after not presenting KBIS Briarlands Matilda, who picked up an overreach on the cross-country. She tweeted: “Sad not to present KBISInsurance Briarlands Matilda. She’s sore on an overreach, but will be back! Gutted for her after yesterday’s effort.”

Badminton final scores

Ireland’s Elizabeth Power had a worrying moment when September Bliss was sent to the holding box, but the 15-year-old thoroughbred gelding was accepted after trotting again. They were the only pair to be held.

Three other horses were withdrawn prior to the final horse inspection. These were Flora Harris’ Amazing VIII, Lucy Jackson’s Willy Do and Beanie Sturgis’ Lebowski.

Most horses looked to have come out of the cross-country extremely well. Andrew Nicholson had his hands full with Nereo, while Chilli Morning had an impressive glean on his coat. Ingrid Kilmke had her hands full with Horseware Hale Bob, as did Clare Abbott with Euro Prince and Nicolas Wettstein with Nadeville Merze.

King Eider may have caused the ground jury a moment of concern when he towed Louisa Milne Home back down the runway and headed straight for them, but Louisa managed to get ‘Duck’ back on track before any harm was done.

The first phase of the showjumping will get underway at 11.30am, with the top 20 riders jumping from 2.45pm. You can follow every rider’s round with us on H&H Live.

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Flora Harris has told H&H she is “really excited” about her move to Philip Walker’s yard in Membury.

The 25-year-old eventer is due to move in on Thursday (2 January).

“It’s all happened relatively quickly, but it’s a brilliant opportunity,” she said. “The yard has fantastic facilities.”

Laura Collett was previously at the yard, but relocated to Lambourn in November after four years in Membury.

Flora stressed that the decision was only made after Laura moved out.

“I’m not Philip’s stable jockey,” she added. “I’ll be taking seven horses to begin with and looking to expand.”

Her current team includes the promising young horses Bayano and Amazing VIII (pictured).

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Event rider Flora Harris says she is “utterly devastated” to have lost her top horse, Law Choice.

The 13-year-old chestnut gelding, of unknown breeding, sustained a tendon injury in training and the “agonizing” decision was taken to put him to sleep on Sunday (24 February).

“Bobs”, as he was known at home, had amassed over 200 British Eventing (BE) points during his career.

Amongst his wins were the CIC** at Osberton in 2008 and the 2010 Express Eventing competition. He gave Flora her first four-star run, jumping clear across country in the 2011 Mitsubishi Motors Badminton Horse Trials.

“He was my best friend,” said Flora.

“As my first top horse, I had hoped that he would grow old with me but sadly it wasn’t to be. He will always be remembered for his stunning jumping performances and ‘never say die’ attitude.

“I feel privileged to have known him and he will be remembered fondly for the opportunities and experiences he has given me in my career to date,” said Flora.

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Flora Harris walked away £5,000 richer and with the keys to a Jeep for a year in her pocket after winning the much talked about Express Eventing competition at the Royal Festival of the Horse.

Flora, 22, secured first prize by jumping an immaculate showjumping round with Law Choice, which included clearing the 1.35m eraser fence.

“I came here thinking I had a chance of doing well, but I’m lost for words — I can’t believe I’ve actually won,” said Flora.

The competition, which has not been without controversy — the first prize was slashed by some £45,000 during the run-up to the event and several riders threatened to boycott it — was nevertheless hailed a success in terms of format.

The first phase, a freestyle dressage to music, was judged by Liz Day and Jeanette Watson, with Clare Balding awarding marks for artistic impression. This was followed by a simulated cross-country course with an optimum time, followed by a final showjumping test.

Portuguese rider Duarte Seabra led the dressage with Carol Gee’s Fernhill Gloster Rebel, ahead of Flora in second and H&H eventing blogger Alex Hua Tian (Magenta) in third.

David Evans’ 16-fence simulated cross-country course required accurate and positive riding. An optimum time of 100sec, which had a 5sec window either side where riders could remain penalty-free, resulted in five combinations adding nothing to their scoresheets, including Flora, Alex, Gemma Tattersall (Chamrock) and Phoebe Buckley (Little Tiger).

In the end, though, it all came down to the final showjumping. A brilliant clear from Flora and Law Choice, who were runners-up in the Under-25 National Championship at Bramham this year, ensured Duarte had to jump clear to win. When Fernhill Gloster Rebel knocked fence three, plus the last, the title was hers.

Results

1. Flora Harris 18pen

2. Alex Hua Tian 26.5

3. Duarte Seabra 28.25

4. Tamsyn Hutchins 30.5

5. Georgie Spence 37

6. Phoebe Buckley 38.5

• Did you visit the Royal Festival of the Horse? Share your views in the H&H forum

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