An “incredible” event horse who excelled at the top level and went on to enjoy 11 years of happy semi-retirement has died aged 28, having been loved throughout his life.

Francis Whittington and Sir Percival III, owned by Margrete Paget, had 10 four-star (now five-star) runs, including coming 10th at Burghley and 15th at Badminton, and won the Burnham Market World Cup qualifier in 2008. They were reserves for the Olympics in 2008 and 2012, and for two European Championships.

Percy retired aged 17 and spent his last 11 years with the Colderick family, which Francis said “could not have been the more perfect home”.

“He couldn’t have been more loved,” Francis told H&H. “We’ve known them for ever and they’re fantastic friends of Margrete’s; we’re all going to get together and have dinner to celebrate him. He was amazing.”

Francis had had Percy since he was four; Margrete bought him from Oliver Townend’s father Alan.

“When we saw him for the first time, with his head over the stable door, our minds were made up already, before we’d even ridden him,” Francis said. “He was a nice horse but he emanated this character, which is what took him through all the way.

“Slightly cheeky, always intelligent and thinking ahead. When we first saw him, he seemed to have this sparkle – which he did. He wasn’t necessarily always going to toe the line – ‘let’s just do it my way’ – but that character made him go on to be one of the best cross-country horses there was. He was quick-thinking and without being fast, he was incredibly fast across country.”

Francis cited one year at Burghley when although they had a stop at one fence, they still finished within the time.

“There can’t be many horses who have made the time at Burghley with a stop!” he said. “You were never nervous before you went out on the cross-country; you knew he was looking ahead, focused, travelling. He was nippy, that was key, he adjusted his feet, could read the tricky questions and was responsive – he absolutely loved it.”

Francis said the dressage was never Percy’s favourite phase – “I think it was the same for both of us!” – but “we loved the cross-country and that’s what really stood him apart”.

And it still does; in 2022 data analysis experts EquiRatings listed the horses with the most clear and inside-the-time CCI5* cross-country rounds between 2008 and 2022 and Percy was fourth, having had seven clears and six within the time from 10 runs.

“He was exceptional,” Francis said. “It was a great journey, with the Pagets, the whole way. It’s only afterwards that you fully appreciate it as at the time, it’s nerve-racking and you’re fighting and striving, but afterwards, you can look back and think ‘What a journey that was’.”

Francis added that, when looking back at the highlights of that journey, there are a couple that stand out, as well as the World Cup win.

“Someone took the most incredible photo of us jumping into the lake at Badminton,” he said. “I’ve still got it as my profile picture on WhatsApp and it reminds me of that round; he was just cruising, floating round, I didn’t really have to think. It was a very special moment.

“Another moment was the year I had meningitis. I was lucky to be alive, and a few weeks later rode round Badminton. He pulled out the best dressage test ever, then we were cruising on the cross-country, and I didn’t realise but he’d lost a shoe.

“I was as weak as a kitten, and struggling, and as he came up the step, he slipped. He moved heaven and earth to stay upright but because I was so weak and ill, I just popped off. By the time we’d set off across country, all the ones ahead of us after dressage had fallen by the wayside. That could have been his time but I wasn’t well enough to help him – but he was incredible.”

Bowing out at the top

Francis said the pair had some great runs at Badminton but Burghley was “one of his favourite places”. Percy bowed out from the top level after Pau 2013, which had been his first four-star, six years previously.

“We didn’t trot him up on the last morning at Pau,” Francis said. “He’d cruised round the cross-country but felt a bit stiff on the Sunday and I said ‘He doesn’t need to do the last day’.

“So we had him for the winter, then he went to the Coldericks, who did the most amazing job giving him a wonderful retirement. He was happy and loved – and I went to hack him there in the forest and he was an absolute handful! Percy pickle – he’d stand there, and if he felt someone wasn’t giving him their full attention, he’d look sideways at them and then carefully step on their toe.

“He was a cheeky bugger at times and we had some moments, but we had an awful lot of fun and the most incredible experience. We’re all so lucky to have had him.”

Francis paid tribute to Sharon Moore, his former head girl, who loved Percy dearly and “was superb with him – she was an amazing part of his journey”.

Harriet told H&H she events, and her family has been friends with the Pagets for years; her mother Ishbel went with Francis, Percy and Margrete to many of the top events, so they were delighted to have him after his top-level career.

“We just said we’d do as much or as little as Percy wanted to do,” she said. “And we ended up doing it all. Nothing high level, but some fun eventing, and we live on on the Ashdown Forest, so he spent most of his retirement out there. It was just the dream for him, really. My dad, who’s ridden a bit but not loads, rode him in the forest, took him on sponsored rides and galloped him on the beach and he adored him.

“And for me, when my eventers were having holidays over the winter, I’d have lessons on him, and he’d teach me all the moves. It was a very active retirement because he loved to work; everything he did, he was so enthusiastic about.”

Harriet agreed with Francis about Percy’s character; he frequently let himself out of the stable to find people, and was the boss of the field.

“But in a nice way, everyone just knew he was the boss and respected him,” she said. “He just was so enthusiastic. It didn’t matter what you asked of him, he just threw everything into it. And I think that’s probably what made him such a fantastic event horse and what kept him so youthful through his retirement.

“He just loved life and wanted to do it, and even a couple of weeks before he died, we were leading him out to the field, and he was just broncing on the end of the rope; it makes me so happy that my last memories of him were when he was still the same. He didn’t age in any way, he was nearly 29 but he was still a 10-year-old in his heart.”

Harriet said Percy was diagnosed with chronic heart issues a year ago and that although at first the heart returned quickly to its normal rhythm, and stayed there, the issue recurred recently, and more seriously.

“We all felt very, very strongly that he owed absolutely nothing to anyone, and we wanted him to go looking amazing,” she said. “And he did. He was well, he was shiny, happy. The day before, he was so happy, and that’s how he needed to go. It was very clear it was the time, which makes it no easier; the yard’s just not the same without him. We’re lucky in the sense that we can do that for them, it was the right time and he looked a picture for his age, which was how we always wanted to remember him. No matter how sad you are, you have to do the right thing for him.

“It’s so sad but the outpouring of love for him on Facebook makes you realise what a legend he was. When they’re part of your family – you never forget, we were always in awe of him – but when you see those comments and look back, you realise he was such a legend and I’m more in awe of him than ever.

“I’m so thankful we had him for so long, and that he was so well for so long, but we enjoyed him every day. We were so lucky.”

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Even leading names like Laura Tomlinson, Francis Whittington and Katie Jerram-Hunnable look up to people, and key pieces of training advice have helped them win medals and national titles. Here are the tips from the H&H archives that 10 top riders credit with putting them on the road to success.

1. Laura Tomlinson, dressage rider

“The best piece of advice I’ve had is never to say, ‘I can’t’ or ‘The horse won’t’. If you have this in mind it forces you to look around and through a problem, rather than accept it’s not solvable. This is an adaptation of what I’m used to hearing from [German Olympian turned trainer] Klaus Balkenhol — he won’t ever accept you saying you can’t.”

2. Trevor Breen, showjumper

“If at first you don’t succeed — work harder! The more effort you put in, the more you get out. If you take shortcuts in training during the week, it’ll show when you’re competing at the weekend.”

3. Katie Jerram-Hunnable, showing producer

“Never use a gadget as a quick fix. I learnt this from [renowned trainer] Ruth McMullen — I never saw a gadget at her yard. I use a martingale on horses I’m starting for a little extra security, and I may hack the babies in one.”

4. Francis Whittington, eventer

“Just keep it simple in every way. If it’s complicated, it’s probably not right. [Former British World Class Performance showjumping manager] Rob Hoekstra told me this and I keep it in mind all the time.”

5. Gemma Stevens, eventer and showjumper

“My mum used to make me ride come rain or shine. She said that consistency is the key to good training and it is something I have always carried with me. Horses need to have regular training and you need to be consistent in what you are asking them to do.”

6. Anna Ross, dressage rider

“[German Olympic team gold medallist] Ulla Salzgeber once told me that if you keep your hands still, you’ll start using your legs. A wise man at Goresbridge Sales also once advised me, ‘Never get back on for a third time’.”

7. Geoff Billington, showjumper

“[Multi-medalled British showjumper] David Broome told me years ago that you can’t put pressure on top of tension. So you must have a relaxed horse before you can ask any questions of it.”

8. Dan Jocelyn, eventer

“When I first came to the UK in 1995, I stayed with Andrew Nicholson. Walking courses with him was invaluable. He said: ‘Dan, across country you just go between the flags’ and when showjumping, ‘Just leave the poles up’. This was the best advice ever, especially when others were trying to overcomplicate things. I always enjoy walking courses with him.”

9. Andrew Gould, dressage rider

“Don’t let your personal issues or emotions get in the way. This is something I picked up from [top trainer] David Hunt and I realise its importance even more now that I train lots of people. It’s hard if you’ve had a busy, stressful day at work — you want to ride to relax, but sometimes it is easier said than done.”

10. Jessica Mendoza, showjumper

“Don’t try to win every class. My father, Paul, told me this and there are two lessons I have learnt from it. First, if I’m jumping at a three-day show, I need to save the horse for the class that really matters. Second, if you try to win a class by three seconds, you will often have a fence down and lose. So be cool and just do enough.”

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Several riders have ducked under the magic 30 barrier – having scored over 70% – on day one of the Defender Burghley Horse Trials dressage phase, but no one has yet gone close to runaway leader Ros Canter and Izilot DHI on 19.9.

Max Warburton made an eye-catching debut with his Bramham runner-up Deerpairc Revelry to score 28.9. The Hermes De Reve gelding, owned by the Paske Syndicate, is only 10 years old. The horse and rider’s combined age of 36 is half that of Pippa Funnell and her veteran campaigner Majas Hope, who do their dressage on Friday (6 September).

“He’s only a young horse, so it’s a big ask to go in that atmosphere, but he was super, so rideable,” said Max.

Spending time establishing the flying changes has reaped its rewards especially in this new test, where two of them count for double and have proved the downfall of so many other contenders.

“He’s always found the changes easy, but he’s so forward thinking he almost goes before your aid and gets in a muddle,” Max explained. “So we spent a lot of time working on that and they’ve come off. He couldn’t have tried any harder.”

Tim Price off the mark in Burghley Horse Trials dressage

Another 10-year-old also impressed the judges: Viscount Viktor, the first of Tim Price’s two rides. The dark brown gelding, owned by Glynn Norcutt, Ginny Rusher and Tim, had already posted sub-30 as a nine-year-old at Pau CCI5* last year, and produced a light and fluid test here for 29.5. His highlight was the canter work, especially the extended, where he responded boldly to Tim’s aids for an 8.5. By and large his flying changes were well executed which bodes well for the future of this young horse.

“He coped really well with the atmosphere – he’s been really relaxed this week,” said Tim. “He’s been to a couple of five-stars before but this was his best effort. He’s not always been that rideable in the ring, but he’s understanding it’s easier to relax – he’s going to be a really special horse on the flat. This is a starting point for what he’s going to be able to produce in the future.

“He gallops in the most beautiful fashion, very old-fashioned, he covers the ground. He’s a fantastic cross-country horse and I’m looking forward to letting him have the reins. He’s younger than I would normally bring a horse here, but he has experience and I think he can learn on the job.”

“I thought he might be wild in the wind”

Jennie Brannigan and FE Lifestyle have top-10 form at CCI5* in her native US so have crossed the Atlantic with intent. Jennie beamed throughout the test on her stunningly plaited chestnut.

Their test was seamless up to the flying changes with superb trot work, and she seemed to be heading for a personal best at five-star below 31.1, which she achieved last year at Burghley. However the changes proved challenging for a score on the board of 34.8.

“I thought the walk and trot were great,” said Jennie. “He gets hot in the canter and he’s really fit so with the weather and wind I thought he might be even more wild, but he held it together as well as he can.”

Last year he tied up just before the event so Jennie ended up running him conservatively cross-country.

“This time I brought him over early, and he’s fit, it’s been a great trip, and he’s in great form,” said Jennie. “I’m excited to go out with him feeling 100%. Burghley is what the sport of eventing is all about, and what I’ve wanted to do since I was a kid.”

Harry Meade was back between the white boards during the afternoon session on day one, this time riding last year’s Burghley third Cavalier Crystal. He scored 31.3 on Charlotte Opperman’s Jack Of Diamonds mare, her best at this level, thanks to a consistent test, with no major mistakes.

Francis Whittington steered his long-term partner DHI Purple Rain to a score of 34.7. This horse has such beautiful cadence, and moves so elegantly that a great performance is eminently possible, but so often his flying changes prove to be his nemesis. This is all the more expensive with the co-efficient in this five-star test C. Today, a mini buck in the first and an early anticipation dragged his excellent early score down.

“The trot work was very smart, I should have left the arena then!” joked Francis. “We know he can be spectacular, and then the tension crept in in the canter. Those serpentine changes are our Achilles heel – I told the owners they were ‘consistently inconsistent’.”

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Francis Whittington is still puzzling out the conundrum that is DHI Purple Rain after a dressage test at the Land Rover Burghley Horse Trials that veered from the sublime to the ridiculous. While some movements scored nines, he was let down particularly by the flying changes – for which one judge awarded a two. Their final mark was 34.1, which put them 17th after day one, the field led by Sarah Bullimore and Corouet.

“Overall I’m pleased, it’s an improvement but it doesn’t help banging out threes for the four flying changes with three judges,” Francis says. “We are getting the best marks where we can and focusing on the good bits. The changes will come as he gets stronger – they’re getting better but they are not too good now.”

The 12-year-old by Arthos R has dazzling movement, but he struggles to contain his power.

“What’s been tricky is he’s almost too flashy,” explains Francis. “He’s like riding overcooked spaghetti, all wobbly, he flaps around! He is a stunning and a lovely horse, but he gets anxious – sometimes he likes to squat down and start digging the ground.

“We’ve done a lot of work long and low keeping him down, stretching, counter canter, trying to build up his strength and his ability to carry behind, which will help his flying changes. But you can’t make quick changes correctly.”

Francis Whittington at Burghley Horse Trials: ‘He has all you want in a five-star horse’

Francis Whittingon had some opinions on Derek di Grazia’s track but is looking forward to the challenge as DHI Purple Rain is “mega” cross-country. However, his showjumping record is chequered, though again he is undoubtedly capable.

“We have had some really good clear rounds this year, British Showjumping classes too,” he says. “But he can also go in, start jumping really nicely, then have a moment and have the next four, five or six fences down, and then carry on with a nice clear. It comes from his anxiety. But I will keep trying.”

Francis knows there is serious talent to harness.

“I believe he has everything you could possibly want in a five-star horse, I genuinely believe it,” he says. “He’s a work in progress – you’ll see next year!”

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This simple exercise, courtesy of top event rider Francis Whittington (pictured), provides a solid foundation for skinnies and arrowheads to help you when jumping a horse on an angle

Jumping a horse on an angle — the aim

If the horse understands that he must stay straight, no matter what he is presented with, then you can jump anything. There’s no need to practise repeatedly over arrowheads and skinnies. The trick is to create an angle over a basic fence so the horse develops balance through his shoulder. By teaching him to be straight and even into the contact, you can both work on the precision needed for these more technical fences using a very straightforward jump — without scaring yourselves.

Exercise

1. Set up a simple fence on the centre line of your schooling area, something small and upright but wide. It should be easy, so the horse can work well within his comfort zone and you can both concentrate on staying straight and accurate. Canter down the centre line and over the fence in each direction, aiming for the middle spot each time.

2. Gradually increase the angle of the approach, still aiming for the centre of the fence and controlling the horse’s outside shoulder with your leg. His job is to stay straight in the direction you ride him, so make this clear.

3. With this established, you can begin to ask more questions. Continue to increase the approach angle by increments until you are almost coming across the arena on the diagonal. With practice, you’ll both develop an eye for jumping the fence on an angle.

4. Now aim to start jumping towards the outer edge of the fence. This will give the horse the opportunity to run out, but he should by now understand the requirement to jump.

5. Once you’ve mastered the exercise in the arena, try it over a basic fence when you’re cross-country schooling. It’s something you can practise on your own, without a trainer, and should provide a solid foundation when you do move on to the more demanding technical fences.

Article continues below…

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Tips and pitfalls

• A run-out in the early stages means going back to square one, so take things steady and don’t be tempted to rush the process. Increase the approach angle over a number of sessions.
• Be positive, but aim for accuracy rather than pace.
• Stay balanced in the saddle and be confident about jumping straight at your chosen angle, leaving your horse sure which way to go.

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Francis Whittington has paid tribute to his “lovely, genuine” five-star ride Evento, who has been put down after developing serious arthritic changes in his neck.

The 11-year-old gelding was owned by Sarah Arrowsmith and had been produced by Francis since he was a four-year-old.

The Dutch dark bay was crowned British novice champion in 2016, finishing ninth in the young horse championships at Osberton the same year.

He established an excellent cross-country record at three-star and four-star and last year he tackled his first five-star at Burghley — producing a clear cross-country although the combination were later eliminated for jumping an additional obstacle.

Evento had his final run in the OI at Cornbury International last month, where Francis felt the horse wasn’t on his usual form.

“He came out of lockdown feeling so well and looking amazing but cross country I didn’t have my normal ride by any stretch,” Francis told H&H.

“Our vet Katie Preston came out and looked at him and she referred him to Andy Bathe at Rossdales. We thought he was going up there and they’d find a problem with a hock or a stifle but they narrowed it down to a form of arthritis impinging on the nerves in his neck. We were shocked.

“He has always been such a kind horse. The fact that he was trying so hard even though there was something going on shows what a lovely horse he was.

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“It’s been a sad time for all of us and especially his owner Sarah who loved him and has been such a great supporter,” he added.

“I was so proud of what he and Francis achieved and he had so much more to give,” said Sarah.

“He was the kindest horse we had, and will be huge shoes to fill. I am devastated for Francis and his son Max who adored him.”

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A top eventer whose yard has been inundated with walkers since lockdown started was staggered when one couple reported a horse in their way – when they were in his field.

Francis Whittington told H&H that while most people use the footpath through his East Sussex yard respectfully, and regular walkers will stop for a chat, he has recently had people leaving rubbish, climbing over and damaging fencing and stiles, and trying to feed the horses.

“It’s like the London Marathon out there,” he said. “Someone even defecated on the footpath.

“The footpath is there for everyone to use but what’s become apparent is a lot of people using it have no idea about how to use it.

“People like the idea of the countryside but seem to forget it’s a working environment, it’s not just there to look pretty.”

Matters came to a head last week when a walker called Francis on his mobile.

“I’ve seen her before, walking across fields and taking pictures, and I’ve got no objections; it’s beautiful here and it’s for everyone to enjoy,” he said.

“But then she rang to let me know there was a horse loose on the footpath. I wondered where that was, as the path goes across three fields and the drive; I thought something must have escaped on to the drive.”

Francis thanked the woman but a quick check found no escapees, so he rang her back.

“I said ‘thank you very much but it’s all fine’, and she said the horse was impeding her way,” he said. “Then I realised, and I said ‘do you mean the one in its field?’ She said it was blocking a public right of way.

“I thought ‘hang on a minute’, and went straight down there. The horse was grazing in his field; my field, and they could have gone either side of him but they were waiting for him to move. I knew it was trouble when the husband said ‘I know my rights’.

“They had two kids, aged about 16 and 12, and the wife had also said ‘look at my daughter; she’s crying because the horse came towards her’. This was starting to press my buttons, so when he said he knew his rights, that was it.”

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A somewhat heated exchange followed – the couple departed, and have not been seen on the land since.

Francis spoke to his parish council, on which he has served, before, about the issues he is facing.

“What this highlights is that while there is a huge group of people who use the countryside correctly, there’s a big group who have no idea,” he said. “They think they’ve got rights, but they should treat it with respect.

“We’ve got huge numbers of people running up and down, touching everything, coughing and spluttering everywhere, breaking things which in law as the landowner, I have to pay for.

“There’s a disconnect with reality and a lack of common sense – when Boris Johnson said it was up to the public to use their common sense, I thought ‘Well, that’s it then’!”

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History repeated itself at the Magic Millions Festival of British Eventing at Gatcombe today (Saturday, 3 August), with last year’s winners of the novice and intermediate championships retaining them a year later, on different rides.

Francis Whittington won his third Dodson & Horrell British novice championship title in four years on Sarah Arrowsmith’s beautiful dark brown Brother Bertie. The 11-year-old gelding was formerly his owner’s own eventer, and has competed here with her previously in the Corinthian Cup. He came to Francis this season owing to the amount of travel Sarah was doing for work.

One of only two inside the time, he made it comfortably, and was able to throttle back over the last two fences.

“He gallops like nothing else,” agreed Francis, “and this class was really the goal for this year.”

Second and third went to mares. Susan Eggleton’s 17hh seven-year-old mare Grafennacht, by Grafenstolz, with William Fox-Pitt, was pipped into the runner-up spot by just three seconds.

“Not quite fast enough!” rued William. “She’s very precocious and consistent and this was quite a soft target for her.”

Vittoria Panizzon was third on Mandy Morrison’s pretty eight-year-old Dutch-bred Gebaliaretto, on form having won three of her previous four outings.

“She was my 50th birthday present,” said Mandy of the horse they’ve had three years. Recently upgraded to intermediate, she will now aim for three-stars.

Louise Harwood took a nasty fall from Brechfa Baruch when he also left a leg at the coffin at 18, falling on landing. She was taken to hospital where she was found to have broken her arm.

McEwen takes intermediate title

The Dodson & Horrell intermediate championship went, as last year, to Tom McEwen who lead from beginning to end on Barabara Cooper’s Dreamaway II.

“He’s a lovely horse but this was a huge step up for him,” said Tom.

The runner-up was Harry Meade on Red Kite, a Wesphalian he bought as a four-year-old and who is now owned by Alexandra Robinson and Nigella Hall.

“He’s absolutely not bred for the hills and yet he’s the best galloper,” said Harry. “He can also be a monkey, but he’s incredibly brave.”

Third was Tom Rowland on Naomi Watkins’s Very Good Tempo, a ride he took on only last last year.

Tom got to know his owners as he teaches sometimes at their riding school. Though feeling the victim of third-itis — this was their fourth such placing on the trot — Tom is hugely excited by him: “He’s a really good horse, and not at peak fitness yet, but there’s so much more to come.”

This was the first time Tom really pushed him across country, and apart from a hesitation over the log into the first water, he answered every question with confidence.

Article continues below…

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Tomorrow sees the conclusion of further championships at the Festival, including the RoR/ NTF retrained racehorse Eevent championship, the TopSpec Challenge for the Corinthian Cup, and the showpiece class, the Magic Millions British open, for which there have only been 25 entries.

Check back tomorrow for a further update from the Festival. Full report in next week’s Horse & Hound (dated 8 August).

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

A “very precious” former four-star event horse has been put down aged 24 after a long and happy second career.

Spin Doctor, owned by Margaret Smith and with whom Francis Whittington completed Burghley in 2004 and won the 2005 CIC3* Scottish Championship, had spent 10 years with Sophie Colloby, competing at unaffiliated level and, more recently, hacking out and helping educate a young horse – and still winning, albeit at in-hand showing.

“He came to me unexpectedly, and was the best horse I’ve ridden by a million miles,” Sophie told H&H. “As time went on, he did less and less; he hacked out for a few years, and then did some in-hand showing this summer [pictured, below].

“He loved going out and about, and loved showing off.”

Sophie also took part in sponsored rides, including taking him back to Burghley House for the fun ride held there.

“They don’t fence off the cross-country jumps,” Sophie said. “I remember cantering down Winners’ Avenue, seeing a white bridge jump and thinking: ‘that’s actually not too big’, and wondering for a second if anyone would notice. It was massively wide and I chickened out – but he’d definitely have had a go if he could!”

Sophie also remembers her “most frightening experience” with “Polo”, came on an unaffiliated cross-country course when she jumped a hedge and was then supposed to turn sharp left.

“He came over the hedge and there was the jump judge’s car – and I felt him lock on, thinking it was his next fence!” she said. “He loved cross-country; it was absolutely his favourite thing, and it was an amazing feeling to ride such a scopey horse.

“I’ve had some good horses but compared to them, it was like getting out of a nice car, thinking it was good, but then getting into a Ferrari.”

Sophie described Polo as a “lovely” and very relaxed horse, who could be trusted around her young children, and her non-horsey husband, but who brought himself in from the field in bad weather by jumping gates.

“He was a bit cheeky,” she added. “He spent his last years doing a superb job with a horse I bought as a yearling; teaching him manners and field etiquette, but he did such an amazing job for me, teaching me to ride, which I’ve been able to take to other horses.

“Very sadly he had to be put to sleep as his age had caught up with him. He was a truly amazing boy, and very precious to me.”

Francis told H&H Polo was a “character”, who was comfortable at three-star level but had not been lucky at Badminton.

“He tried hard for you,” he said. “He was a lovely horse, who wanted to go out and do things. He galloped as much as he could; he wasn’t a finely-built thoroughbred, but he wanted to do the best he could for you.”

Continues below…

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Francis said Polo produced some “very nice” dressage tests – including going into the lead at Badminton on general election day in 2005 – and brought “a lot of fun and satisfaction to Margaret”, who still owns horses for Francis.

“Sophie stayed in touch with Margaret after his retirement, and it was wonderful to see how happy he was, right to the end,” Francis added.

“Percival [Sir Percival III, another of Francis’s former four-star rides] is also having a wonderful retirement; it makes such a difference, and Margaret was always happy to see him so well cared-for.

“Sophie did a brilliant job with him, credit to her for giving him a home where he could be so happy for so long.”

For all the latest news analysis, competition reports, interviews, features and much more, don’t miss Horse & Hound magazine, on sale every Thursday.

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Eventing’s biggest names were out in force at the Magic Millions Festival of British Eventing as the first champions were crowned today in the novice and intermediate finals.

Gatcombe local Tom McEwen turned in textbook cross-country rounds on all his five rides today, with three in the top 10 in the Dodson & Horrell Novice Championship and his first ever festival title in the Smith and Williamson Intermediate Championship on Vicky Bates and David Myers’ CHF Cooliser.

His day had started less auspiciously, with his first and second places overnight after dressage in the novice championship slipping away through ‘four fault-itis’. But Cooliser’s win soon eclipsed all that, her third successive victory on the trot.

“She got a bit tired up the final hill, but she was super — as last year, she’s coming into her own in the second half of the season,” said Tom.

One place behind them, by virtue of turning in the fastest round of the class, was Alexander Bragg with former William Fox-Pitt ride Shannondale Percy owned by Sarah Hughes.

“I only got him at the end of February but we’ve really clicked now,” said Alexander. “A double clear here is really special.”

Australia’s Sam Griffiths missed Gatcombe last year after a serious neck injury earlier in the year, but was third in this class with another mare, Gurtera Cher, who used to be competed by Sam’s former head girl. Like his other top mare Paulank Brockagh, she is by Touchdown.

“It didn’t really go my way today, we hit a few holding strides,” said Sam, “but she’s a really fast horse and is really coming good this year.”

Pippa Funnell, who had lead going into the final phase, finished sixth with Maybach, after a stylish clear with a few too many time faults.

Dodson & Horrell British Novice Championship

Wreathed in smiles about his Dodson & Horrell British Novice Championship win was Francis Whittington, on board the handsome DHI Purple Rain, owned by Beryl Chapman, Belinda and Amy Drummond and Ro Audley.

“This has been our objective all year,” said Francis of the normally erratic show jumper. “He’s a big horse and it’s taken time for his brain to grow into his body. He’s very sensitive and if he gets crowded in the showjumping warm-up he can get very tense.”

He voiced the view of many riders that Mark Phillips’s cross country involved “one too many twists and turns. The ground is fast but it really takes it out of them. I don’t really think the time is doable.”

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Cornwall’s Katie Hancock came closest, just one second over to catapult her up 19 places to finish second behind Francis on her own Coddstown Pet. The pair also finished second last year here in the Corinthian Cup.

Katie hunts the mare with the Four Burrow — her father is senior master — and fits her eventing in around a young daughter and working three days a week for a recruitment firm.

“I rode a hard as I could from beginning to end — I knew from last year you have to gallop hard as you can down the hills as well as up,” said Katie.

Third was David Doel on the eight-year-old Galileo III.

Tomorrow sees the conclusion of the Topspec Challenge for the Corinthian Cup for amateur riders, the RoR/NTF Retrained Racehorse Event Championship, the BE Trophy for advanced horses and of course the Magic Millions British Open.

Full report from the Magic Millions Festival of British Eventing will be published in Horse & Hound on Thursday 9 August

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

Even at lower levels of eventing, getting your timing wrong can scupper your hopes of success. We asked the experts for their tips on achieving the optimum time going cross-country

1. Know your rhythm

“Rhythm is the key to riding inside the time,” says Francis Whittington. “Choose a rhythm, stick to it and practise consistently. Be aware of your rhythm on the course, check your time-faults and practise again next time out.” Francis explains that the top riders work on “rhythm, balance and control”. “Repetition at events allows them to engage their inner clock and this helps them to ride to the time,” he says.

2. Look over your shoulder

Have you ever walked a cross-country course backwards? The 1964 Olympian James Templar maintained it was the way to find the quickest route. His Pony Club pupil, six-times Badminton winner Lucinda Green, passes this on to her own students. “I advise riders to look behind them constantly while walking the course, to detect the most direct route,” she says. “It’s fascinating how you can’t always see this just by looking forwards.”

3. Practise changing gear at home

Harry Meade says that his experience of pace was garnered in the hunting field. “I have hunted all my life and learnt to ride as sympathetically as possible, because a horse that is ridden in a rhythm, in balance and on efficient lines stays fresh and can cover more ground during a day,” he says. “In fittening work at home, I use the full range of speeds and incorporate many changes of gear to make the horse more responsive. At four-star, you spend a lot of time travelling faster than 600 metres per minute, but also have to travel at walking pace — for something like Burghley’s Leaf Pit.”

4. Find the right note

Amateur rider Vicky Franklin taught herself rhythm using measured distances. “I used Ordnance Survey maps to measure a distance and time myself,” she says. “I learnt how fast a hand canter was and sang a song to keep the tempo, then a full canter — with a song to match — and finally a steady gallop. All 3 songs kept me and my horse within a good rhythm throughout, leaving me to concentrate on riding the fences.”

5. Start as you hope to continue

British Eventing trainer Sally Billing, who has ridden up to three-star level, likes to jump off strongly, so that if complications ensue towards the end of the course, she has seconds in hand.

6. Don’t hang around on landing

Sally Billing also rarely encourages inexperienced competitors to ride for the time, but still advises them not to hang around on landing. “Many riders jump the fence and waste four strides thinking about how that went,” she says. “It’s better to gallop away positively than head into a fence too fast.”

7. Don’t dwell on every fence

“Unless you have a very hot horse, start kicking in the air, urging the horse to land running,” says Lucinda Green. “Land, go, pat — rather than land, pat, go.”

8. Save those seconds

“If you can save half a second after every fence on a 30-fence course, that can make a big difference,” Harry Meade points out. He believes too much time is wasted setting horses up for single fences. “You need to be able to set a horse up at a gallop,” he says. “You should not have to slow down to prepare for a non- combination fence, such as an upright table.”

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9. Make use of your turns

Four-star rider Lauren Shannon advises using “turns to set you up, rather than wasting time fighting on a straight stretch”. “The most common reasons for not making the time are setting up too early, killing the canter before you get to the fence and then not moving off afterwards,” she says.

10. Spot the rhythm

Finally, an insider’s-tip from Frances Whittington. “Every course-designer has a rhythm, it’s about finding that rhythm each time.”

For all the latest news and reports, don’t miss Horse & Hound, out every Thursday

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

Have you ever wondered what life is like for a top rider's groom — the one who keeps everything running smoothly on competition day? H&H followed Francis Whittington's groom Sharon Mepham for the day at Tweseldown to find out... Don't miss the full feature in today's issue of H&H magazine (1 June 2017)

By 7.30am at Tweseldown Racecourse, Francis Whittington’s groom, Sharon, has already been there an hour. Her day started at 2am when she got up and headed to the yard to start the process of feeding, rugging, booting up, and loading four horses onto the lorry. At 4.30am, the horsebox pulled out of the yard

Sharon packs the lorry with all the equipment, water and feed the night before an event, so it’s simply a matter of loading the horses in the morning

Sharon gets to work getting DHI Purple Rain ready for the dressage

“We keep competition bridles, rugs, boots and numnahs on the lorry at all times, so the night before, we just load the horse’s bits and saddles, and top up the water and haylage,” says Sharon

Sharon frequently checks a black book, which has details of the tack each horse wears. “With so many horses and different phases to tack up for, I sometimes forget which bit a horse wears or whether it needs a flash or martingale — they might wear three different bits in a day,” she says

Sharon Mepham (Yard Manager) getting ready to groom for Francis Whittington busy day competing at the Twesldown (2) Horse Trials with 4 novice horses near Fleet in Hampshire in the UK on the 22 May 2017

Sharon has groomed for four-star eventer Francis Whittington for 14 years

“When I have this many horses, I’m usually at the lorry all day getting them ready for the next phase, so I don’t get to see much of the action,” says Sharon. “If I do have time, I’ll pop down and video for the owners on my phone"

With four horses all running in the novice class on the day we spend with Sharon, she has her hands full – there’s only about 25mins between each horse in each section. “It’s a bit like an equine conveyor belt,” she says

Dirty boots and numnahs are put in a laundry basket ready to be washed at home. “I use the laundry basket because it keeps the clean and dirty stuff separate, and it makes it easier transporting it from the lorry to the yard,” says Sharon

The horses often share tack, so Sharon packs up a large laundry bag with boots, bits and numnahs and sets off with the other three horses in tow (with the help of an owner) to the showjumping warm up

Sharon gives Francis a leg up onto DHI Purple Rain

Once the horses get back to the lorry after cross-country, their tack is removed, they are offered a drink, washed off thoroughly, their studs are removed, and a cooling arnica and witch-hazel gel is applied to the tendons on their front legs

Sponges at the ready: Sharon cools off Nimrod II post-cross-country

“I try not to take dirty tack home, so I clean it as we go, unless it’s particularly wet and then I’ll let it dry before conditioning it," says Sharon

“When they get home, they go straight to bed and have a feed,” says Sharon. “In the morning, they’ll be trotted up and have their legs checked, and iced if needed, before being turned out”

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

We ask the experts to tackle some common cross-country problems, from dealing with green horses to keeping your horse focused

1. Fitness tips

Q. What is your advice on getting my horse fit for going cross-country?

A. “The most crucial thing with fitness is to find a regime appropriate for your horse,” advises Francis Whittington. “You can’t just follow a set programme because each horse, even within the same level, needs different work. Get advice from a trainer who knows your horse well and who has practical fitness experience. I also like to take my horses cross-country schooling about once a month during the event season — it builds up their confidence and their fitness.”

2. Tackling skinnies

Q. What exercises should I be using to improve how my horse and I jump skinny fences across country?

A. “I do a lot of work on skinnies at home in the arena using single fillers. 2ft is big enough — it doesn’t need to be big,” advises J-P Sheffield.

“Begin by placing poles on the fillers in a v-shape and approach in trot to start. Trot is an easier pace to control and you can place the horse at a deep take-off spot. Never kick for a long stride at a skinny because it gives a horse too much opportunity to run out.

“Then place the poles on the ground and attempt it again in canter — make sure your canter is short and bouncy and you must sit up. Once the horse feels comfortable doing this, you can make it harder by placing another filler a few strides away in line from the first. This can then be built up to three fillers.”

J-P adds: “By regularly doing exercises like this, skinnies become second nature. If at any point you feel it going wrong, step back one stage until you feel your horse growing in confidence.”

3. Warm-up tips

Q. Do you have any handy tips for warming up before the cross-country?

A. “Start off by jumping the warm-up fence (begin over the smallest fence) in a straight line a couple of times to get you horse in the zone,” advises Angus Smales.

“If you have a corner fence to jump in your course or any angled fences, it is always a good idea to angle your warm-up jump a few times to get your horse’s eye in before you head out across country. Also if you plan to run faster, try jumping the warm-up fence a bit quicker than usual — this will help get his eye in.”

4. Improving straightness

Q. I have taken on an ex-racehorse but I’m having problems with him running out across country and then I feel we both lose confidence. How do we overcome this?

A. “Straightness is the most important factor here. You need to work really hard on teaching him to stay straight,” says Nick Gauntlett. “Using grids at home is the best way to achieve this, but keep them small and easy so his confidence levels are maintained. Try jumping different types of fences, rather than trappier combinations, which will only catch him out.

“When you go schooling begin with straightforward fences, then progress to more complex ones and go back to the easier ones after that to reassure him. If he starts running out again, take him back to basics. Take him to as many small shows and hunter trials as possible so he sees lots of different fences. Build a pyramid of experience from the bottom up.”

5. How to keep focused

Q. I can often feel my mare losing concentration on the approach to fences, usually during cross-country when there are other things to look at. What should I be doing to make her more focused?

A. “It is vital for you as the rider to establish communication with your horse,” says eventing icon Lucinda Green.

“Fundamentally, you need to have a ‘stop’ and ‘go’ button — if she mucks about, you need to go back to basics until she understands discipline. Focus your horse’s attention on the fence by putting her in what I call ‘the tube’ — wrap your legs around her, imagining your calves are attached to her eyeballs by invisible wire — and locking on to the fence yourself.

“You might have to get tough with your legs and hands to metaphorically say ‘this is where we are going’ but being tough at the wrong moment will take her focus away from the fence on to evading you.”

6. Is side saddle too dangerous across country?

Q. I have grown up eventing but wanted to try something a bit different last year, so took up side saddle. I have been out hunting side saddle and loved it but would you say that going cross-country is too risky?

A. “There are a couple of things you have to take into account before going cross-country side saddle, as yes, it does present more of a health and safety risk,” says professional eventer and side saddle rider Fiona Davidson.

“In the event of a rotational fall a side saddle rider won’t be thrown clear. Although we hunt over big country you don’t tackle combinations in the same way you do on a cross-country course and rotational falls are rare out hunting.

“Current British Eventing rules prevent you from competing affiliated side saddle, but I do feel riding side saddle leads to a marked improvement in how you ride. You sit up straighter and this carries through to when you ride astride so you can hope to do a much more elegant dressage test.

“When you ride side saddle you are forced to keep your shoulders more upright — allowing for a cleaner jump. You will see some horses definitely jump better with a side saddle rider rather than one that is astride.”

7. Bringing back confidence

Q. I suffered a bad fall last season while going cross-country and I now lack confidence when out competing. What can I do to rebuild my cross-county confidence?

A. “Keep things simple by spending time perfecting the smaller fences and simpler tracks, which will provide a great boost,” says Mary King.

“At home, for example, start with a cross-pole to get going. Consider going back to a lower level to regain some confidence and remember you don’t have to do anything, so remove any expectation of yourself to do things that you aren’t completely confident with. If you don’t want to move up a height or level then don’t.

“If things go wrong there must be a cause, so go back to the early stages to iron out any issues. It is useful to have someone on the ground to assess you and the horse.

“Two final things. One, relax and have fun. Nobody enjoys being stressed and horses are good at sensing it. Secondly, get out there. Whether it is showjumping, a clinic or local show they are a good way to stay familiar with a competitive atmosphere.”

8. Seeing a stride

Q. I have recently bought a new horse and want to take him cross-country schooling, but I’m worried my ability to see a bad stride will be detrimental to his training. What should I do?

A. “Take your horse cross-country schooling and start off with some simple logs just to see how he reacts,” advises top rider Nick Gauntlett.

“The biggest difference between eventing and showjumping is that most eventers ride a rhythm and most showjumpers see a stride. You need to believe in the rhythm and ride strong, instead of worrying about seeing a stride. Make sure your horse is going forward and in front of the leg to give him confidence.

“I can guarantee a good rhythm is better than a good stride.”

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9. Knowing when your horse is ready to event

Q. I have a four-year-old who I want to start eventing soon but he is very green across country. What can I do to help him become more confident?

A. “It is important with a four-year-old not to push him too much, you have to learn to have fun. There is no need to hurry a youngster — sometimes less is more,” says Nick Gauntlett.

“Make sure that you are always riding positively and use your lower leg to keep his canter engaged. Keeping your hands wide will help him focus and never be tentative on the approach to a fence — he needs to be forward-thinking.

“Once you feel your horse is positive and balanced cross-country schooling go and do some hunter trials — but make sure they are well built and the ground is good — before taking him to an affiliated competition. Most importantly, give him time to grow up and enjoy it.”

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

A new face came to the fore at the Festival of British Eventing, presented by BETA, at Gatcombe Park this afternoon (6 August).

Alexander Whewall, who runs a yard of 13 horses near Bristol, piloted Lisa Coward’s Chakiris Star (above) to victory in the intermediate championship.

“I can’t believe it,” smiled Alexander. “This is my first big win — my family and friends are crying in the lorry park.”

Alex and the 10-year-old Chakiris Star lay equal fourth after the dressage and recorded a quick double clear for eight cross-country time-faults. This was good enough to pip Oliver Townend and Master Trump by 0.9 of a penalty.

“This course suits my horse because he’s little, nippy and not strong,” added Alexander, 28, who trains with Lizzel Winter. “When I heard all the time penalties that riders were getting, I knew if I could keep him moving he could do it. I tried not to take too many pulls.”

Gatcombe’s undulating terrain makes it notoriously difficult to achieve the optimum time, and Master Trump pulled off the quickest clear for 3.6 time-faults.

Oliver was also the fastest rider to navigate the advanced track, a class he won on Dunbeau and finished second aboard Samuel Thomas II. He also piloted Dromgurrihy Blue into third.

Two-phase intermediate leaders Caroline Harris and Billy Bumble finished fourth after picking up 18 time-faults, while Emily King and Dargun slipped one place to third with 14.8 to add.

Louisa Lockwood, lying third, retired Shannondale Quest after two run-outs across country.

Whittington’s a winner

Francis Whittington claimed the novice championship riding Sarah Arrowsmith’s seven-year-old Evento.

“I was disappointed when I saw that I’d got [cross-country] time-faults — I thought maybe I’m getting old! — but then I saw that we were the fastest,” said Francis, who climbed to the top of the leaderboard from fifth after dressage despite Evento tipping one showjump and accruing two cross-country time penalties.

“He naturally really gallops and his stride is amazing,” added Francis of the horse he started campaigning last season. “There were places [on the course] where I could have let him go on and he would have put in one less stride, saving a second. But he’s seven years old and he doesn’t need to be pushed like that yet.”

Selina Milnes finished second on Iron IV, ahead of France’s Arthur Duffort riding Oaklands First Time.

Sharon Hunt and Veyga led after dressage, but wound up 12^th with 11.6 cross-country time penalties to add.

A Cheeky lead

The British Open championship, incorporating the fourth leg of the Event Rider Masters CIC3* series, kicked off today and Andrew Hoy (Cheeky Calimbo) are the overnight leaders.

It’s been a good day for Oliver Townend, who lies second with Cillnabradden Evo, while Izzy Taylor (Briarlands Matilda) is in third.

This class showjumps at 11.45am tomorrow, ahead of the reverse-order cross-country phase at 2pm. Watch live here.

The Corinthian Cup, a restricted novice championship for amateur riders, also takes place tomorrow. Rebecca Woolley currently holds the lead on Zeno Das Gluck.

For results click here.

Don’t miss the full Festival of British Eventing report in next week’s issue of Horse & Hound, on sale Friday 12 March. H&H is published on Friday next week to allow us to include the Olympic eventing report.

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

Find out how all the British riders fared today (Saturday 12 September) at the Longines FEI European Eventing Championships at Blair Castle.

Kitty King, 32, with Jane and Frank Inns’ Persimmon (team rider) — 8.4 time-faults, fifth after cross-country

“He’s really feisty and he can make my life difficult — he likes to stay long and open, especially at the end of the course, and I have to make sure he comes back to me,” said Kitty. “Although he became quite feisty, he always wanted to jump and was looking for his flags so I couldn’t have asked for more.

“I was on my minute markers until the last water [where she took the long route], then I was about half a minute down. We made up some time and he didn’t feel tired.

“I’ve never even noticed the crowds at Badminton, but I noticed them here for the first time throughout my round.”

Gemma Tattersall, 30, with The Soul Syndicate’s Arctic Soul (individual rider) — clear inside the time, seventh after cross-country

“I’m so chuffed, he was just fantastic,” said Gemma. “He loves the mud and hills, he just puts his head down and gets into it. I was kind of pleased it was raining today for him — he’s even better in tough conditions.

“He was so careful and was like a cat in the combinations. For such a massive thoroughbred horse he was like pop, pop, pop in the coffin [Irish Horse Gateway complex at 23/24ab].”

Sarah Bullimore, 42, with her husband Brett’s and her own Lilly Corinne (individual rider) — 20 penalties at fence 4c (House of Bruar Shepherds Bothies), 10.4 time-faults, 21st after cross-country

“She locked onto the log basket [between elements b and c] and jumped that, which then put me off my line for the third part so she couldn’t jump that,” said Sarah.

“After I’d turned her there she realised she had made a mistake and she doesn’t like to make a mistake, so she was a bit looky for the next few fences. Then she got going and gave me a fantastic ride.

“I’ve had so many lovely well-wishers and I feel I’ve let everyone down. It was a stupid stop to have at something that was really a schooling exercise like you’d jump at home and play through — it’s not like there’s a problem like having a stop at a coffin or water.”

Holly Woodhead, 21, her father Ian and stepmother Heidi Woodhead’s DHI Lupison (individual rider) — 20 penalties at fence 4b (House of Bruar Shepherds Bothies), 18 time-faults, 22nd after cross-country

“I held him a bit too much coming to the first part [at fence 4] and turned a bit too tight — I should have given him a bit more time to see the second part,” said Holly

“He gave me an amazing ride the rest of the way and I’ve learned a lot. I’d tell the rest of the British riders to keep hold of their horses’ heads at the combinations, but they’re all very experienced and will be fine.

“The rain hasn’t really sunk in so the ground is quite greasy on top.”

Laura Collett, 25, with Diana Chappell’s Grand Manoeuvre (individual rider) — 10.8 time-faults, ninth after cross-country

“I’m over the moon with how he jumped round,” said Laura. “He’s not the easiest horse to ride inside the time as he jumps high and gets strong.

“It’s really slippy out there. I was aware of that before I went out. The ground has actually been quite hard the last few days and now it’s greasy. The course rode tougher than it walked.”

Nicola Wilson, 38, with Mary and Gerry Kemp and Janine Shewan’s One Two Many (team rider) — 20 penalties at fence 16b (UK Sport corners), 18.8 time-faults, 28th after cross-country

“I’m devastated, so, so disappointed,” said Nicola. “He was giving me a super ride and he jumped the first corner beautifully. I made the turn and everything appeared to be lined up for the second — I don’t know if he just didn’t see it. He jumped it beautifully the second time.

“You have to regroup after that and just get home as quickly as possible.”

Izzy Taylor, 32, with Guy Avis’ KBIS Briarlands Matilda (individual rider) — clear inside the time, third after cross-country

Izzy was held at the start for quite a lengthy time in very wet weather while the haggis fence at 21b was taken out of the course after it had caused three falls and the ground had deteriorated significantly.

“It wasn’t pleasant but I felt sorry for the people held on course as at least I could shelter,” said Izzy. “It was quite cold for us and especially for a mare you don’t want the muscles to get cold so they can’t run and jump.

“She’s a very good cross-country horse and very honest. She tripped going into the second last [the Strzegom brushes at 27 and 28], chipped in an extra stride and was very honest to go on two strides.

“The crowd were amazing — even at the highest point of the course there were people up there cheering us on.”

Oliver Townend, 32, with PJ Hegarty’s Fenyas Elegance (individual rider) — 20 penalties at 19b (Malcolm Group corner), six time-faults, 19th after cross-country

“She has a good record, but has lost her way a little bit,” said Oliver. “I had her a bit strong to make sure she was going and when I needed control, I didn’t have enough of it. There are no excuses.”

Pippa Funnell, 46, with her mother Jenny Nolan, Ruth McMullen and her own Sandman 7 (team rider) — 9.6 time-faults, 10th after cross-country

“I was so frightened, I just kept thinking I didn’t want to wreck this lovely young horse,” said Pippa. “I’ll kick myself over the time-faults later, but he was class and showed the sort of horse he could develop into.

“I was frightened to ruin this potentially very good horse by asking him a big question, but he really delivered. If he was two years older he’d have been quicker — at this stage he couldn’t have been quicker.”

“I really am delighted.”

Wills Oakden 25, with David Kenwright and Sylvia Douglas’ Greystone Midnight Melody (individual rider) — 26.4 time-faults, 26th after cross-country

“It was hard work out there — the ground had really deteriorated,” said Wills. “They’ve done an amazing job with it, but the weather hasn’t played ball.

“We all had to use our heads and she answered every question. I’m thrilled to have got round my first senior championship clear. The crowd were incredible all the way and gave us a good boost. They made my championship debut extra special.”

Francis Whittington, 37, with Catherine Witt’s Easy Target (individual rider) — retired at fence 21a (Albert Bartlett Haggis, Neaps and Tatties)

“Bless his heart, he was tiring and struggling in the conditions,” said Francis. “He got to the top of that hill and came to that upright fence and I just felt him die and completely drop off the leg. I pulled on the reins, there was no point even trying to jump it.

“He’s fine now, he just got tired and leg weary in this going. It wasn’t worth the risk of trying to go on.”

William Fox-Pitt, 46, with Catherine Witt’s Bay My Hero (team rider) — retired at fence 17 (Joules Brush Arrowhead)

“He just didn’t enjoy it,” said William. “He was going into the ground and found the conditions tough. He tried his best, but he just lost the will. He’s never had a run-out in his life.

“I feel I’ve let the team down and hope we’re still in the hunt with the other three scores. It wasn’t my day.”

Re-live today’s action with H&H Live

Read about the British team position and how the other nations performed

Full report from the European Championships at Blair in H&H next week, out Thursday, 17 September — 19 pages of analysis and photographs, plus columns from Anna Ross, Harry Meade and Mike Etherington-Smith.

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Find out how Britain’s riders performed on the second day of dressage (Friday, 11 September) at the Longines FEI European Eventing Championships at Blair Castle.

Izzy Taylor, 32, with Guy Avis’ KBIS Briarlands Matilda (individual rider) — 44, 26th after dressage

“It’s frustrating as I was hoping for a better score, but she was very good, so I was pleased with her,” said Izzy. “She didn’t do a lot wrong and I’ll need to watch the test [to see why the mark wasn’t higher]. She’s not a big front-moving horse and it seems like this ground jury like that.”

Oliver Townend, 32, with PJ Hegarty’s Fenyas Elegance (individual rider) — 38.7, 12th after dressage

“She’s a new ride for me [taken over earlier this year from Ireland’s Aoife Clark] and a lot has been written in the press about how she can’t handle the pressure, but she relaxed and did a good job,” said Oliver. “I think it’s the first time she’s been in the 30s. She went in there and coped well, so I couldn’t be more pleased with her performance.

“Obviously I didn’t get the ride because everything was going swimmingly before, and you can’t change the world that quickly. There’s still things I need to get to grips with and room for improvement.”

Pippa Funnell, 46, with her mother Jenny Nolan, Ruth McMullen and her own Sandman 7 (team rider) — 41, 19th after dressage

“It’s his first test with grandstands like that and I could feel he was a bit nervous,” said Pippa. “He was trying hard. For a young horse and where he is in his career, I’ve got to be really pleased.

“The first time the horses really feel this atmosphere is just before the test as they don’t work near here the rest of the time. Another time maybe I would get him out more, but he had had plenty of work and it’s a balancing act as if you do too much they get sore.

“He definitely went a bit shy in there, but it wasn’t a bad experience for him and that’s the sort of experience they’ve got to have if they’re going to go to an Olympics. Some of his work was really good and that shows what a good horse he is for the future — hopefully he’ll go well here and then we’ll polish the work up over the winter.

“It’s always a huge honour and such a thrill to be chosen for the team. I possibly was a bit surprised because of Sandman’s inexperience, but what he’s done he’s done well. It’s rather the same as what the Germans have done with putting Michael Jung on the team [on an eight-year-old horse], but I’m not Michael Jung!”

Wills Oakden 25, with David Kenwright and Sylvia Douglas’ Greystone Midnight Melody (individual rider) — 46.4, 30th after dressage

“I was pleased with her — she was more tense than outside and lit up a bit, but I expected that as it was her first time in an atmosphere of this sort,” said Wills. “But she kept a lid on it and stayed consistent.

“I expected to be a lot more nervous, but I trusted her. I put myself in a bubble so it was just me and her in the arena. But it’s brilliant to have so much local support [Wills lives in Fife] and I’m looking forward to the rest of the weekend.

“I’ve always wanted to ride for Team GBR, but I didn’t quite think I was ready yet. But the selectors have showed faith in me.”

Francis Whittington, 37, with Catherine Witt’s Easy Target (individual rider) — 37.5, seventh after dressage

“I’m over the moon with ‘Smokey’,” said Francis. “He’s been working really nicely, so to go in there and do a test I can be really proud of is great. He was trying to spook at the boards round the arena, but he held it together and Catherine Witt and I are thrilled.

“I’ve had criticism for the length of his neck and I’ll probably still get it today, but it won’t go much longer! I was trying to show I wasn’t holding it in and the last extension felt really good.”

William Fox-Pitt, 46, with Catherine Witt’s Bay My Hero (team rider) — 43, 23rd after dressage

Although Bay My Hero scored steadily at 7 and above in the canter, in the trot he seemed to be showing some irregularity in the rhythm, with the marks as low as 5 and 5.5 at times.

William went back to the stables with the horse afterwards and did not come over to talk to the press.

Full report from the European Championships at Blair in H&H next week, out Thursday, 17 September — 19 pages of analysis and photographs, plus columns from Harry Meade and Mike Etherington-Smith.

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Former Event Riders’ Association (ERA) president Francis Whittington has long been an advocate for improving safety in the sport of eventing. He believes this should be done through training, and in the video above he discusses his thoughts on riders who “fixate” on the dressage, and may not spend enough time on the jumping. Francis is a popular eventing trainer who frequently runs clinics near his East Sussex base. He believes the “amazing” work carried out “nationally and internationally” has left us with an “incredibly safe sport”, but one that can always be better, and do more to improve.

His British senior team debut has been “a long time” coming. His great partner Sir Percival III, with whom he completed eight four-stars (placing in the top 20 on seven occasions), was a team reserve many times, including twice for the Olympics and twice for European Championships, but sadly never got the call-up before he retired at the beginning of 2014, aged 17.

Easy Target, or ‘Smokey’, a horse who “wears his heart on his sleeve”, has been his next ticket to the big time, taking the CCI3* at Blenheim last season on the only sub-40 score. Francis has ridden the 14-year-old grey gelding for the duration of Smokey’s competitive career, starting the horse at pre-novice level back in 2006.

Francis is a qualified equine dentist, and he believes it is “hugely important” for riders to have a Plan B, for when eventing may not pay the bills. The “glamorous” side aspiring riders see in the media doesn’t reflect the “graft and hard work” required to get to the top level. His advice to young riders is to “stay in school and finish their education”.

Having not been to Blair before, Francis is expecting a typically “big, bold, forward-thinking” course that will encourage riders to “attack”. Beyond Blair, Francis is looking ahead to Rio, and hopes this championship will take him “a step closer” to his Olympic dream.

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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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One British horse was withdrawn before the final trot-up at Rolex Kentucky Horse Trials this morning and two others were sent to the holding box.

Francis Whittington chose not to present Easy Target, who demolished the corner at fence 18c yesterday with his hind legs, but lay 16th overnight.

“There are no major long-term issues, he’s just a bit stiff after yesterday,” Francis told H&H. “He galloped fantastically coming home and felt really good hacking out this morning, but there’s a long way to go and it’s just not fair to ask him to come out and jump again today.”

Nicola Wilson’s ride Annie Clover (11th after cross-country) and William Fox-Pitt’s mount Bay My Hero (fourth) were both held at the horse inspection.

There was a pause in the trot-up as the ground jury (Angela Tucker, Wayne Quarles and Ernst Topp) and veterinary delegate Catherine Kohn waited for the holding box vet Lisa Crump to return with her report, because to comply with quarantine restrictions the horses who have travelled from Europe are all presented first at Kentucky and then put away before the North American-based horses come out.

There was also a miscommunication which resulted in Nicola bringing Annie down too early for re-presentation and having to take her away again. British supporters feared she might be being withdrawn as a rug and front boots were put on her, but she was just being kept warm and protected while she waited. Nicola’s groom Lynn Swift walked the mare round on the grass until it was time for her to be re-presented.

Both Annie and William’s Bay My Hero were accepted when they came before the ground jury again, to the relief of British supporters.

US-based Brit James Alliston’s remaining ride Parker passed with no problems.

Three US horses were held and Caitlin Silliman withdrew Catch A Star from the holding box. Angela Grzywinski’s Novelle and Lizzie Snow’s Coal Creek were both accepted on re-presentation, keeping alive their riders’ dream of completing their first Kentucky.

Three horses besides Easy Target were withdrawn before the trot-up. The best-placed of these was US rider Phillip Dutton’s Mighty Nice, who sat seventh overnight.

The others were New Zealander Emily Cammock’s Dambala, who went well cross-country to sit 18th overnight but finished the course lame and was taken away from the wash-down area in the horse ambulance, and Will Faudree’s Andromaque for the home side. Will was in 20th place with 11 penalties for breaking a frangible pin at the SmarkPak Opposing Corners at fence 21ab.

Today’s showjumping starts at 1pm local time (6pm in Britain). Forty-one horses go forward to the final phase.

Kentucky results and times

Final update from Kentucky online later. Full report in Horse & Hound next week, out Thursday, 30 April.

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Two American horses were held at the first horse inspection at the Rolex Kentucky Horse Trials this afternoon, but both were accepted on re-inspection to give a starting field of 75.

Anthony Patch — ridden by the glamorously dressed Laine Ashker — and Kristin Schmolze’s ride Ballylaffin Bracken were the horses sent to the holding box. But after anxious moments for both competitors the ground jury of Angela Tucker (GBR, president), Ernst Topp (GER) and Wayne Quarles (USA) passed the pair when they re-presented.

US-based Irish rider Tim Bourke had to trot Luckaun Quality up twice, but he was then accepted. The same fate befell the USA’s Katie Ruppel, whose ride Houdini was very excited — commentator Mike Tucker asked her to walk rather than trot back the second time as “we need the ground jury for dressage tomorrow”.

Seven horses start for Britain. The first of these into the arena tomorrow will be Watermill Vision under Nicola Wilson (number eight). Also performing their dressage tomorrow for Team GB are US-based James Alliston on Parker (number 13), plus Francis Whittington and Easy Target (number 32).

On Friday, Britain is represented by Nicola’s second ride Annie Clover (number 77), Zara Phillips on High Kingdom (number 66), defending champions William Fox-Pitt and Bay My Hero (number 82) and James’ second horse Tivoli (number 85).

Bay My Hero spooked at the flowers at the end of the trot-up strip this afternoon and then broke into canter on the return journey, leading Mike to quip that he was “accepted – and ready”.

The British-based horses — including Irishman Austin O’Connor’s Balham Houdini, New Zealander Tim Price’s ride Wesko and Australian Bill Levett’s Improvise — travelled by road to Amsterdam, before flying to Chicago. The horses spent a couple of days in quarantine there before being driven to Kentucky, which takes about seven hours. They left Britain on Wednesday and reached the Kentucky Horse Park on Saturday.

German star Michael Jung presented two horses today, Olympic champion La Biosthetique Sam FBW and world silver medallist FischerRocana FST. They flew to New York before a longer road journey (around 15 hours) to the venue.

Horses up to and including number 48 will perform their dressage tomorrow, with the rest on Friday.

Check back soon for cross-country course photos and more updates from Rolex Kentucky online all week. Full report in H&H next week, out Thursday 30 April.

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The Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event (23-26 April) draw has been released.

Eight British horses are entered. Zara Phillips (High Kingdom) will make her Kentucky debut at number 66, while fellow first-timer Francis Whittingon (Easy Target) will sport 32.

William Fox-Pitt is all about the “twos”, having been drawn as numbers two (Parklane Hawk), 42 (Freddie Mac) and 82 (Bay My Hero) — but he plans to actually start with just the latter pair, with Parklane Hawk heading to Badminton.

Nicola Wilson will therefore be the first Brit to enter the dressage arena as she is number eight with Watermill Vision and 77 on Annie Clover.

Finally US-based Brit James Alliston will wear 13 with Parker and 85 for Tivoli.

All eyes will be on numbers 10 and 84 — German superstar Michael Jung kicks off as number 10 with world individual silver medallist FischerRocana FST and 84 on La Biosthetique-Sam FBW, the individual world champion here in 2010.

For the home side, Buck Davidson, Boyd Martin and Phillip Dutton all have three horses. Buck is six (The Apprentice), 45 (Petite Flower) and 86 (Ballynoe Castle RM). Boyd claims number three with Pancho Villa, 47 with Cracker Jack and 88 with Master Frisky. Phillips sports four (Fernhill Fugitive), 44 (Fernhill Cubalawn) and 87 (Mighty Nice).

Sinead Halpin and Manoir De Carneville, the 2012 Burghley runners-up, have a fairly early start as number 27. Among other favourites, New Zealand’s Luhmühlen winners Tim Price and Wesko wear 55.

The USA’s Colleen Rutledge is the pathfinder on Shiraz, the only horse in the world who has completed all the northern hemisphere four-stars.

Three horses have been withdrawn, taking the start list from the record entry of 91 down to 88 at present. Jon Holling has broken his leg so has withdrawn Zatopek B, Buck Davidson is taking Copper Beech to Tattersalls CCI3* instead and Zach Brandt (Cavallino Cocktail) is the third withdrawal.

With two weeks to go, it’s likely a few more horses will be pulled before the trot-up on 22 April.

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Zara Phillips and High Kingdom are among the British entries for the Rolex Kentucky CCI4* this year (23-26 April).

Zara will be making her debut at the American classic with Trevor Hemmings’ horse on whom she was a vital part of the British team’s silver medal at last year’s World Equestrian Games.

So far nine British-ridden horses have been entered for Kentucky.

William Fox-Pitt, who has won the event three times, currently has three horses in the mix. They include two previous Kentucky victors, both owned by Catherine Witt: last year’s winner Bay My Hero and 2012 winner Parklane Hawk. His third entry is Lady Best and Jane Keir’s four-star debutant Freddie Mac, who was second at Blenheim and third at Bramham CCI3*s last year.

Francis Whittington will start at his first Kentucky on another horse belonging to Catherine Witt, the grey British national champion Easy Target.

Nicola Wilson, who has had a slightly delayed start to her season due to a broken collarbone, is looking to be back in action in time for Kentucky. Her rides at Kentucky will be her parents Mary and Barry Tweddle’s Annie Clover, plus James and Jo Lambert’s Watermill Vision.

Nicola was part of the gold medal-winning British team at the 2010 WEG at Kentucky on Opposition Buzz and also finished 11th at the regular four-star here the previous year on the same horse. This is her first visit to the site since the 2010 championship.

One other Britain-based rider is currently on the entries list — Australia’s Bill Levett with Ali Butler, Elisabeth Murdoch and his wife Jenny’s Improvise. And US-based Briton James Alliston has Parker and Tivoli entered.

Entries do not close until 24 March, so more names will be added to the list in due course, although this is likely to be the full British contingent. So far, 23 horses are entered, all from the USA apart from those detailed above. Last year 60 horses started at Kentucky.

View full Rolex Kentucky entry list

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When Horse & Hound visited Francis Whittington to find out more about his spectacular year, he shared with us some of his top tips for successful cross-country riding

Francis Whittington’s cross-country tips

“My first tip is to have rhythm, balance and control. If you have two of these elements, you will automatically have the third.

“When you’re galloping across-country it is important to maintain a rhythm, to ride in balance — this in itself will give you the control to jump the fence.

“My second tip for riding cross-country is to make sure you remain in focus while riding fast. Riding cross-country quickly is done by maintaining a nice rhythm and coming in balance to the fence.

“When you are working with your horses you need to practise riding up to a fence in a nice rhythm at a lower level and at a slower pace. Once you have achieved this rhythm you can then start to open the stride and make sure you ride up to the fence, using your leg as you get there, rather then riding too early towards a fence, which positions the horse down into the bottom of the fence, resulting in an awkward jump.

“My third tip — a very important — is making sure you jump the first fence of a combination with the same pace of canter that you would like to use to jump the last fence.

“If you come to a combination of fences too quickly, you won’t have the control you need by the time you get to the last fence in that combination. Think ahead, plan how you would like to be riding the last fence and make sure those preparations are in place when you jump the first obstacle.

“My last tip — a basic but equally important one — is that the more upright the fence, the more upright your body should be. For example, if you are jumping a gate, make sure your body is upright, then you are giving the horse room to bring his shoulders up in front of you. If you are jumping a chase fence, allow the horse to keep galloping to the fence. Remember this one — it’s simple but it makes a big difference.”

The footage in this video, which is from Francis’ winning round at Blenheim 2014 on Easy Target, was recorded prior to the ban of helmet cameras.

Read our exclusive interview with Francis Whittington in the issue of H&H out 24 December 2014.

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Jodie Amos has won the first Britannia League, a competition series launched by British Eventing (BE) this year to recognise British riders that have not competed under the country’s flag.

29-year-old Jodie from Warwickshire rode to victory with Wise Crack, sealing their win with a third placing in the CCI3* at Blenheim Palace. She will be awarded a cheque for £5,000 by BE at the EHOA dinner in Berkshire on 1 November.

“It’s been seriously competitive,” said Jodie. “I started the season well, which prompted me to go to Bramham (where they finished fifth) rather than Tattersalls, but then Blair didn’t go according to plan so there was all to play for at Blenheim Palace.”

Nicola Coates bought Wise Crack for Jodie five years ago after coming to her for lessons. Nicola will take home a large bronze trophy to keep for the year and a replica memento.

Francis Whittington secured second place with Catherine Witt’s East Target and in third place was Louise Harwood with Roy Baker and Emma Baker-Jones’ Whitson. The riders will receive cheques for £3,000 and £1,000 respectively.

The eventing league aims to recognise successful British riders and their owners at CIC3*, CCI3* and FEI CICO competitions, rewarding the top three British horse and rider combinations that have not competed for the country at senior championship level.

The competition “has been very exciting in its latter stages,” said Mrs Nigella Hall who provided the generous backing.

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Winner of the Saracen/H&H eventing bursary Laura Durkan is keen to save time and conserve energy going cross-country with her 15.1hh novice event horse Jing Mai.

“She’s not the biggest horse so I need to conserve energy where I can, and I really want to get her going forward,” says Laura.

Four-star eventer Francis Whittington watches Laura warm-up on the flat and then tackle some fences, before explaining ways that Laura can improve her cross-country.

Francis’s top tips for improving your cross-country:

• Focus on flatwork: to improve your cross-country, work on your flatwork first — you need to master rhythm, balance and control.
• Transitions are crucial: to have control the horse needs to be off your leg, which means working on your transitions.
• Get your horse off the forehand: save time going cross-country by saving seconds in the lead up to each fence by making sure the horse is not heavy on the forehand — not just by going faster around the track.
• Dealing with water: take a relaxed approach to water when you’re schooling and let your horse walk through it steadily. “They need to think about where they put their feet — or otherwise when they get to the bigger fences they can crash and burn,” says Francis.
• Maximise your competition warm-up: focus on your transitions, moving your horse forward and then bringing it back to you.

Since Laura’s last session with Saracen’s senior nutritionist Lizzie Drury, she has been happy with the way Jing has been going but still feels the mare lacks energy going cross-country.

Lizzie suggests that Jing’s ration is tweaked to accommodate this, introducing 2kg of Enduro 100 — which will give the horse more power and acceleration — and 1kg of Stamm 30, which will give greater control of Jing’s condition score and won’t allow her to grow too fat.

Last time Lizzie assessed Jing, her condition score was deemed a little too high at six. Six weeks on it is now the ideal five-and-a-half for an eventer. “Feeding is now about maintaining that condition,” says Lizzie.

Don’t miss the next Saracen/H&H training feature, showjumping with Laura Renwick, in the 9 October 2014 issue of Horse & Hound magazine

Spencer Wilton: how to improve your dressage marks [VIDEO]

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Enjoy the H&H team’s top tweets from the equestrian twitterverse this week.

The week on twitter

It’s great to see Paul’s daughter is sporting the famous ‘Tapner red’ away from the eventing scene

Clever Smokey indeed. Francis Whittington deservedly soaking up his victory at Blenheim Horse Trials

It looks like event rider Georgie Strang’s boyfriend has got some shopping to do after she finished 8th Blenheim Horse Trials with Cooley Business Time

Nicky Roncoroni’s dog doing his best to remain inconspicuous

Keeping with the dog theme, Aoife Clark’s dog stages a silent protest at the sight of the lorry being packed for another three-day event

Lara Griffith and her boss Olympic dressage rider Laura Tomlinson’s Rubin Al Asad claim victory at the national dressage championships

The sport gene has obviously rubbed off on the eldest daughter of ex-premiership footballer Michael Owen

And finally, kudos to multi-gold medal-winning para dressage rider Natasha Baker for throwing herself out of a plane all in the name of charity

If you like this, why not follow @horseandhound on twitter today?

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British eventer Francis Whittington bagged his first CCI3* win at Blenheim Horse Trials on Sunday (14 September) riding Easy Target. The duo secured first place ahead of runner-up William Fox-Pitt. Francis also took fifth place riding Fernhill Highlight.

Here are 13 things you might not know this popular and hard-working eventer:

• Francis is based in East Sussex with his wife Samantha and their young children Max and Amber.
• Born in 1977, he grew up surrounded by horses at his mother’s riding school and enjoyed successes at Pony Club competitions
• He secured individual gold and team silver at the pony European Championships in Hasselt, Beligium riding North Down Nova when 16 years old
• The eventer is a qualified equine dental technician
• Francis received the PricewaterhouseCoopers rider award of £1,000 in 2003. The awardrecognises young riders aged 23-28, who have set up their own eventing business
• He completed his first Burghley in 2001 with a clear cross-country on Doonbeg Lady
• Francis won the Scottish Open Championships at Thirlestane with Spin Doctor in 2005
• He was crowned winner of the CIC*** World Cup qualifier at Burnham Market Horse Trials in 2008 with Sir Percival III
• In 2010 Francis was hospitalised with suspected meningitis. He battled back to compete at Badminton just a few weeks later, but suffered an uncharacteristic fall jumping up the staircase when competitively placed after dressage
• Putting the illness firmly behind him, Francis bounced back to finish 10th at Burghley 2010 riding Sir Percival III, which was the partnership’s career best.
• Francis was a reserve for the 2008 and 2012 Olympics
• Francis and Easy Target completed Badminton in 2013 at the horse’s first attempt and came 10th in the Gatcombe Open Championships, but pulled up on the cross-country at Badminton 2014
• Known for his quick and stylish cross-country rounds, Francis is a highly respected rider and trainer in this field

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Great Britain’s Francis Whittington showjumped clear on Easy Target (Smokey) to triumph in Blenheim Horse Trial’s CCI3* this afternoon (Sunday 14 September).

The duo piled the pressure on overnight leader William Fox-Pitt. William had to settle for the runner-up spot when Freddie Mac knocked down the first part of the treble at the end of the course.

“We’ve been working hard for this,” said Francis, referring to his back-up team and the horse’s owner, Catherine Witt. “Around the course I could feel myself grimacing and grunting as Smokey was jumping. Coming over the last fence was a relief.”

Francis also finished fifth aboard Fernhill Highlight, another horse owned by Catherine.

William Fox-Pitt said of the 10-year-old Freddie Mac, who is owned by Lady Best and Jane Kier: “This is a good experience for him to have under his belt. He’s a big horse [16.3hh] who is just coming into his own.”

Jodie Amos finished third on Nicola Stocker’s Wise Crack, the horse with whom she was fifth at Bramham CCI3* in June.

“I’m ecstatic — the horse has been phenomenal all week,” smiled Jodie. “To finish third among the best of the best is exciting.”

Pippa Funnell made a meteoric rise up the leader board from 20^th after dressage to fourth when Second Supreme finished on his first-phase mark of 47. Kitty King and Persimmon continued the British domination by slotting into sixth, 1.2pens ahead of Kiwi Tim Price, who dropped four places down the order when Ringwood Sky Boy kicked out two showjumps.

Three riders lying inside the top 10 endured expensive rounds. Italy’s Vittoria Panizzon crashed outside the top 20 when Merlots Magic hit eight fences, while American Philip Dutton’s Fernhill Cubalawn rolled three and dropped to 17th and Jock Paget’s Shady Grey finished 22^nd after knocking down four.

Eight/nine-year-old CIC3*

The eight/nine-year-old CIC3* came to an exciting conclusion, with Jonelle Price and Faerie Dianimo (pictured right) clinching victory by 0.2 of a penalty over fellow Kiwi Andrew Nicholson and Cillnabradden Evo.

“I knew it would come down to the clock,” said Jonelle, who picked up 4.4 time-faults. “Faerie Dianimo is a feisty little thing — she’s an absolute princess at home — but I think that attitude makes her as good as she is.”

Andrew recorded one of only three clears within the time, but his eight-year-old gelding was hampered by four showjumping penalties.

Antipodeans dominated the top 10, with Paul Tapner (Indian Mill), Jock Paget (Clifton Signature) and Sam Griffiths (Favorit Z) finishing third, fourth and fifth respectively, plus Kevin McNab piloting Casperelli into ninth.

France’s Thomas Carlile claimed sixth with Sirocco Du Gers, ahead of overnight leader Tim Lips, whose 15.2 time-faults aboard Bayro dropped him to seventh.

Georgie Strang finished best of the Brits in eighth on Cooley Business Time and Ireland’s Joseph Murphy secured 10^th aboard Westwinds Hercules.

Read our full report from Blenheim in Horse & Hound magazine, on sale Thursday 18 September

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Andrew Nicholson won the British Eventing Open Championships at Gatcombe this afternoon with Rosemary and Mark Barlow’s Avebury. He sped round the cross-country at the Festival of British Eventing presented by BETA to finish just 1sec over the optimum time.

“He’s the tops, isn’t he?” said Andrew. “He’s very consistent — although I never trust him 100% as he is cheeky. You just have to have your wits about you.”

Francis Whittington led going into the cross-country, but his 4.4 time-faults dropped him to second on Catherine Witt’s Easy Target. They still claim the title of national champions, while Andrew is the British open champion.

“I’m hugely disappointed — not by his performance, but by the decisions I made which cost us a few seconds,” said Francis.

Louise Harwood kept up her great form by finishing third with Roy Baker and Emma Baker-Jones’ Whitson, another who had just 0.4 of a time-penalty.

Three pairs made the optimum time — Paul Tapner on Indian Mill (fourth), Nicola Wilson with Opposition Buzz (sixth) and Gemma Tattersall riding Arctic Soul (eighth).

Gemma and Louise are reserves for the British team for the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games and will have done their chances no harm with the replacements for Izzy Taylor (Allercombe Ellie) and Pippa Funnell (Billy Beware) due to be released this week.

Beanie Sturgis had a nasty fall with Wizard From Aus in this class and was taken to hospital for further examination.

Smith & Williamson British Intermediate Championships

William Fox-Pitt followed success yesterday in the British Novice Championship with a win in the intermediate equivalent today.

Riding Catherine Witt’s eight-year-old Luxury FH (pictured right) he lay second after dressage, but moved up to first with a showjumping clear and cruised across country for 5.6 time-faults, which he could afford.

“This was his first advanced, so it was a step up, but he was ready for it,” said William. “Catherine Witt has been patient and understanding that I’ve needed to take time with him.”

Ian Wills took second on Diana Brodie’s Say I Do, with Tim Price collecting third riding Bango, who belongs to the Numero Uno Syndicate.

View Gatcombe results

Don’t miss our full report from Gatcombe in H&H magazine this week, out Thursday (7 August).

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Andrew Nicholson and Avebury completed a Barbury International Horse Trials hat-trick yesterday (Sunday 6 July) — taking the CIC3* title for the third year running.

Following a strong dressage and clear showjumping round, the pair won the section despite picking up some time-faults on the cross-country.

“He felt pretty good,” said Andrew of Rosemary and Mark Barlow’s grey gelding.

“He’s a horse that seems to like going back to certain places. He was squealing and shying and jumping extravagantly in the warm-up.”

“To win here three times in a row on a horse that was born round here and is named after a local landmark feels pretty good. Bring on Burghley.”

Avebury heads to Gatcombe next — and then a shot at a third Burghley title, if the World Equestrian Games (WEG) doesn’t intervene. He is Andrew’s second choice behind the Aachen-bound Nereo for the New Zealand WEG team.

The pair could score a Burghley treble too, after winning in 2012 and being promoted to winner of last year’s event, following Clifton Promise’s disqualification.

The duo finished 8.6 penalties clear of the runners-up, Francis Whittington and Catherine Witt’s Easy Target.

“I had an amazing ride,” said Francis. “The ground was good and the course was fun to ride. I now know I made the right decision at Badminton [to pull up] because he feels so well and happy.”

Australian rider Paul Tapner finished third on Yogi Bear VIII. He was one of only two riders — along with Beanie Sturgis on Lebowski — to achieve the optimum time of 6min 44sec.

“You have to go out of the start box meaning business here,” said Paul. “Yogi is exceptionally brave and quick and is something of a CIC specialist.”

Pippa Funnell, the 2011 winner, was fourth on Second Supreme ahead of her British team-mate Tina Cook in fifth on her World Equestrian Games hope De Novo News.

Read full report from Barbury in Horse & Hound magazine (10 July, 2014)

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Searching for training help from some of this country’s top riders? 

Look no further than H&H’s Ask the Trainer. The summer 2014 issue goes on sale today, with advice and tips from over 70 experts, including Yogi Breisner, Louise Bell, Francis Whittington, Ben Maher and Tina Fletcher. 

There’s advice on how to get the best scores, new thinking on perfecting your position and how to make the most of grids.

Unmissable and on sale in larger supermarkets and WHSmith, priced £4.99

Or you can order your copy of Ask the Trainer here* www.mags-uk.com/askthetrainer2014

*A 50p postage charge applies to mail order copies.

First published in Horse & Hound on 15 May 2014.

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H&H’s eventing editor Pippa Roome reviews the first day of action at the Mitsubishi Motors Badminton Horse Trials 2014 in a short video:

Report: dressage day one

Follow Friday’s dressage on H&H Live

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Francis Whittington has retired his 4-star ride Sir Percival III from competition.

Francis and the horse’s owner, Margrete Paget, decided to step Sir Percival III down from 4-star to compete in CIC3*s after Pau last autumn. But they have now decided he will not compete again at all.

“This winter Percy told us he no longer felt comfortable to compete,” wrote Francis on his blog. “Maggie Paget, Percy’s owner and I had a long discussion and took the sad decision to retire him from competition riding. It was fitting that his final run was a near perfect ride around Pau, which was his first 4-star run back in 2007.”

Sir Percival III, a 17-year-old by Puissance, has completed 8 4-star events, 7 of them in the top 20. His best result is 10th at Burghley 2010. He was on the reserve list for the Olympics in 2008 and 2012 and has been a reserve for 2 European Championships.

Francis and Sir Percival III were particularly noted as a fast, smooth cross-country combination.

“[Dressage] was always our weakest phase, but he never failed to bring a smile back to everyone’s face come cross-country day,” said Francis. “Percy and I had an incredible relationship on the cross-country and knew each other so well that I knew exactly how a course would ride with him.

“Percy is without doubt the horse that put my career on the map, being reserve for the British team on many occasions, I am sad that he never got the opportunity to represent his country but the fact that he and I were recognised as a combination to watch is also a huge achievement.

“Percy retiring is sad for the whole team, myself, Sharon [Mepham] my head girl and Maggie, his owner, who I know will miss the big competitions and the thrill of watching her amazing horse make the toughest course look like a Pony Club track.

“Maggie has been a long-term supporter and a fun, enthusiastic owner to have around. She has another very exciting young horse making his way up the ranks, so I am sure it will be no time at all before she is back at the big ones again to watch him. If he turns out to be half as good as Percy on the cross-country we are on to a winner.”

Owner Margrete Paget said: “I am unbelievably proud of Percy and Francis’ achievements. From the moment I 1st saw Percy I loved him, and he certainly turned out to be a character 2nd to none!

“As a result of their unique bond, Percy and Francis, backed up by Sharon’s expert care and attention and also the valued support from family and professionals, friends and strangers,were able to have an amazing career together, a rollercoaster which I was lucky enough to enjoy 1st hand. I would recommend it to anyone, and my thanks go to everyone involved.”

Sir Percival’s career in pictures

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Francis Whittington’s ride Sir Percival III has been retired from top-level eventing.

Sir Percival recently went clear inside the time across country at Pau CCI4*, but he was unable to trot up on Sunday due to a sore back.

“We were thinking prior to Pau that this may be his last 4-star run,” wrote Francis in his blog. “It was at Pau where he first started his CCI4* career back in 2007, so we felt it would be a nice jolly to take him back for a final hurrah.

“Our fears were confirmed early on Sunday morning when his back was too sore and we felt it was not in his best interests to present to the trot-up. After yet another amazing cross-country clear in the time there was nothing he needed to prove.

“I am very pleased to say by the time we had packed up to leave on Monday, he was back to his normal cheeky self and feeling very well. He travelled home and came off the truck bouncing around and is now having a well earned rest.”

Francis goes on to write that the horse’s owner Margrete Paget and himself have discussed Sir Percival’s future and decided to step him down to CIC3* competitions.

“The cross-country is a lot less taxing and the distances a lot shorter [at CIC3*],” says Francis. “Percy’s mind still very much loves his job. Although he is fit and well to compete at 1-day competitions, 3-days are too much of an ask now.”

Sir Percival III, a 16-year-old by Puissance, has completed 8 4-star events, 7 of them in the top 20. His best result is 10th at Burghley 2010. He was on the reserve list for the Olympics in 2008 and 2012 and has been a reserve for 2 European Championships.

Francis goes on to pay tribute to his partner: “Percy is known for his cross-country and I honestly believe there is not a track that Percy and I couldn’t tackle and not get the time. He is a legend within the sport of eventing in my eyes. I will miss riding him at the top level and not having him to take to the big competitions will leave a very large hole.

“It never ceases to amaze Maggie [his owner] or me at just how many supporters Percy has. The whole team think an awful lot of Percy and it’s nice to know that others enjoy watching him compete as much as we do.”

Francis also thanks his head girl, Sharon Mepham, who has looked after Percy since he was a “cheeky, naughty” novice horse.

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Successful British event rider Francis Whittington has a reputation for being fast, fearless and very effective across country.

In this hat-cam video, Francis talks us through the 2013 CCI*** cross-country course during his round on Fernhill Highlight. Unfortunately Francis picked up 20pen for a run out in the arena, but he jumped round clear on his other ride Hasty Imp (pictured top).

Watch more Blenheim Horse Trials videos

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While the world goes royal baby crazy awaiting the name of the new arrival, horsey couples are also celebrating new arrivals

Kate and William are not the only new parents — July has been a busy month for event riders too.

Sam Watson and his wife Hannah welcomed their son Archie Thomas Watson into the world on 19 July at 10.17pm. He weighed 8lbs.

“WE HAVE A SON!!! So proud of my beautiful wife,” he tweeted, along with this picture of Archie (top).

And Francis Whittington and his wife Samantha had a daughter yesterday (Tuesday 23 July). She weighed 8lb4oz and has been named Amber.

Francis also tweeted this picture of their new arrival, who is their second child. They also have a son called Max.

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Five up-and-coming event riders will ride on the British senior squad for the first time in this season’s Nations Cup series, which is at three-star level.

Newcomers Gemma Tattersall, Izzy Taylor, Sarah Bullimore, Emily Llewellyn and Tom McEwen join Laura Collett, Kitty King, Francis Whittington and Lucy Wiegersma on the squad. Four riders from this group will be selected for each of the seven CICO*** competitions — with the exception of Aachen (25-30 June), which may be used to test other riders.

“The primary objective of this squad selection is to give riders who do not have a depth of senior team experience the opportunity to compete in a team environment,” said performance manager Yogi Breisner.

Tom McEwen, the youngest in the squad at 21, said his selection was “a privilege”.

“I’ve had the results I’d been hoping for, but never thought I’d be picked. It’s great to see that all the hard work at home has paid off,” said Tom.

Team manager Philip Surl and Yogi Breisner have picked Kitty King (Zidante), Emily Llewellyn (Pardon Me II), Gemma Tattersall (Arctic Soul) and Izzy Taylor (KBIS Starchaser) for the first event, Fontainebleau (21-24 March). Laura Collett (Allora 3) is reserve.

Read more about Izzy Taylor, Gemma Tattersall and Kitty King in H&H’s eventing special issue (published 7 March, 2013).

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Francis Whittington tells H&H about the ‘cross-country machine’ who’s allergic to carrots.

Fact file

Stable name: Percy Pickle

Age: 15

Height: 16.2hh

Sire: Puissance

Discipline: eventing

Owner: Margrete Paget

Groom: Sharon Mepham

Best result: won Burnham Market CIC***-W 2008; 10th Burghley 2010

Four things you didn’t know…

1 He cannot eat carrots due to allergies and has to have special haylage.

2 He likes to have [team dressage trainer] Tracie Robinson at the cross-country start and finish. “She has a very calming effect on him, and when he’s breathing heavily or tired, she settles him down,” says Francis. “He must be the only event horse who needs a dressage trainer for cross-country.”

3 He has had leg trouble and has been kept sound for the past five years by his ArcEquine leg kit. He wears it every night, home or away, and it keeps inflammation down.

4 His breeding is unknown. He was DNA-tested last year to establish he is by Puissance, but his dam remains a mystery.

To read the full interview with Francis Whittington about Sir Percival III see the 22 November issue of H&H

Read all the latest eventing news

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Two horses were eliminated from the Land Rover Burghley Horse Trials at the final horse inspection this morning.

The biggest blow was for 10th-placed Irishman Geoff Curran, whose ride, the chestnut Shanaclough Crecora, was spun on re-inspection after being sent to the holding box. Ecuador’s Nicolas Wettstein was also eliminated with Nadeville Merze, 45th overnight.

Popular British rider Francis Whittington’s ride Sir Percival III (13th overnight) was sent to the holding box but passed on re-inspection and it was the same pattern of events for Aussie Megan Jones’s ride Kirby Park Allofasudden (48th overnight).

One horse, Ideal Sebastian ridden by Jeanette Brakewell (29th overnight), was withdrawn before the trot-up.

America’s Allison Springer (pictured, with Arthur IV, lying seventh) won the prize for best-dressed lady and Jock Paget, from New Zealand, won the male prize. The competition was judged by Kate Green, managing editor of Country Life and H&H’s magazine reporter at Burghley this year.

The first session of showjumping begins at 10.45am.

Follow every phase of Burghley as it happens using H&H Live, our interactive written commentary supported by Baileys Horse Feeds. Review the dressage and cross-country and join in for today’s showjumping from 10.40am at www.horseandhound.co.uk/burghley2012live.

Make sure you buy H&H this week (6 September) for our 10-page special Burghley report, with full analysis of every phase, comments from dressage expert Sally O’Connor and former winner Ginny Elliot and more.

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

Lucinda Fredericks is in pole position after dressage in the German CCI**** at Luhm ¼hlen.

Riding Donald Reid’s German-bred 10-year-old Flying Finish, Lucinda put in a smooth, elegant test to score 31.8.

“Dressage is usually a strong point for me and I was hoping to do a very good test,” said Lucinda (pictured). “This horse is still weak – he’s only started eventing two years ago, he’s tall and narrow and has a lot of growing and strengthening to do. But he’s got a wonderful attitude and a very trainable temperament.”

Lucinda predicted that the home side’s European and world champion Michael Jung would usurp her when he did his test later in the afternoon on Anke Hoyer’s Leopin FST. But the 13-year-old was slightly nervous in the arena and did not produce such good work as in the warm-up. Nevertheless, he lies second on 32.8.

Michael also leads the CIC*** having recorded a personal best score of 27.8 on Wiedezaunprofis River Of Joy yesterday. Most of the leading Germans have their best horses in this class – though Michael still has star La Biosthetique-Sam FBW tucked away – and the German shortlist for the Olympics will be announced after Luhm ¼hlen.

Andrew Nicholson has three rides in the CCI**** and he saved the best til last, slotting into third with the final horse of the day, Robin and Nicky Salmon’s Mr Cruise Control, the runner-up at Pau last year.

Andrew Hoy – who joins Lucinda in using this weekend to make a bid for a place on the Australian team for London – lies fourth on the smart nine-year-old Rutherglen.

“I took him to Kentucky and was disappointed with his dressage. He was very anxious in the atmosphere so here I changed the formula a little and had a ‘cold start’ – I only got on him 20 minutes before his test,” said Andrew, who has been working with British dressage star Laura Bechtolsheimer. “Here he did what I could produce for today – there’s still a lot more work to do, it’s not the finished article.”

Germany’s Andreas Dibowski – the winner here last year on Euroridings Butts Leon – is fifth with FRH Butts Avedon. Oliver Townend is best of the Brits in sixth having coaxed a relaxed test out of the former Andrew Nicholson ride Armada, owned by Paul Ridgeon. The top six riders all broke the 40-barrier, with Oliver scoring 39.5.

Recent Houghton CIC*** runners-up Charlotte Agnew and Out Of Africa Two are eighth for Britain (40.8), with Francis Whittington ninth on Easy Target (41.5).

Riders say Mark Phillips’ cross-country track will be influential. The CIC*** horses run first tomorrow, with the four-star competitors taking their turn in the afternoon.

CCI**** RESULTS AFTER DRESSAGE

1st Lucinda Fredericks on Flying Finish (AUS) 31.8

2nd Michael Jung on Leopin FST (GER) 32.8

3rd Andrew Nicholson on Mr Cruise Control (NZL) 34.7

4th Andrew Hoy on Rutherglen (AUS) 34.8

5th Andreas Dibowski on FRH Butts Avedon (GER) 35.2

6th Oliver Townend on Armada (GBR) 39.5

Luhm ¼hlen website

Picture by Peter Nixon/FEI

Log back on for more updates from Luhm ¼hlen over the weekend. Full report in H&H out next Thursday, 21 June.

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Read all the latest eventing news

View our gallery of Francis

British event rider Francis Whittington – born in 1977 – started riding at an early age, growing up at his mother’s riding stables.

Francis had a successful career as a young rider first representing Britain in 1993 in the Pony Team at the European Championships in Hassett, Belgium, where he won team silver and individual gold on North Down Nova.

In 1997 he was placed second at Bramham young riders championships.

Francis successfully completed his first Burghley in 2001 on Doonbeg. And in 2003 he secured an advanced win at Gatcombe on his top ride Osh Kosh, and was also placed third in the Eventer’s Grand Prix at Hickstead in the same week.

2003 saw him receive the Pricewaterhouse Coopers rider award of £1,000 for young riders aged 23-28, who have set up their own eventing business.

In 2005 he won the Scottish Championships at Thirlestane with Spin Doctor and in 2006 he completed Badminton with OshKosh.

Francis won the Burnham Market World Cup Qualifier in 2008on Sir Percival lll.

He was the only rider in the 39-strong field to achieve the optimum time of 6.46m across country, finishing 9sec inside the time contributing to his reputation as one of the best cross-country riders on the circuit.

Since then he secured a top 10 finish at Burghley in 2010 and, in 2011, a 5th at the CCI*** at Tattersalls in Ireland, 11th at Luhmuhlen, 3rd at the Hartpury CIC*** and then 13th at Burghley.

In April 2010 Francis was admitted to hospital with suspected meningitis but still managed to compete at Badminton with Sir Percival III at the end of the month.

Francis – who is also a qualified horse dentist and chairman of the Event Riders Association – currently lives next to his yard in >strong>East Sussex with his wife Samantha and their son Max.

Read all the latest eventing news

View our gallery of Francis

Mary King, Blyth Tait and Mark Todd are just a few of the famous faces posing near-naked in a “riders revealed” 2012 calendar to raise money for injured eventer Claire Lomas.

The calendar will be launched at Burghley Horse Trials’ Celebrity Talk Area on 1 September. There will also be opportunities for you to have the calendar signed.

Claire, who was paralysed in a cross-country accident in 2007, is hoping to raise £35,000. It will go towards a new robotic suit, which she will wear to walk the London Marathon. Any other profits will go to spinal research.

“The suit will be the first in the UK — it’s really exciting to able to do the marathon and be able to stand at normal height again,” said Claire.

Others featured in the calendar include Francis Whittington, Geoff Billington, Piggy French, Lauren Shannon and jockeys Andrew Thornton and Jimmy McCarthy.

“It is brilliant — the riders were all so brave,” said Claire. “Some were really keen to take part and others pretended they hadn’t received my email. And we have such a range — old, young, short, tall, gay, straight, thin, not so thin…”

The process started in April and riders have been photographed across the country. Blyth Tait is photographed on a course-walk, while Lauren Shannon is lungeing her horse.

Photographer Nico Morgan said: “What can I say? It was a tough job!”

The calendars cost £10. For more information visit www.riders revealed.co.uk or follow Burghley Horse Trials Celebrity Talk Area on facebook.

This news story was first published in Horse & Hound (18 August, 2011)

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The Event Riders’ Association (ERA) is urging eventers to fill in a new online form after competing to help give feedback to horse trials’ organisers and British Eventing (BE).

“This is a new initiative this year and a huge step forward,” said ERA chairman Francis Whittington. “Long-term, this will be hugely helpful for the sport.

“I think some people were worried it would all be negative, but so far, we’ve found people have been very positive, even when making suggestions.”

The form has sections for rating and commenting on different aspects of events, from signposting to going, arenas, courses, friendliness of officials, tradestands and value for money.

At the end of the year ERA will collate the information and relay it to BE and organisers.

ERA also has reps at events, gathering feedback on the ground, and if you want to make ERA aware of something sooner than the end of the year, the organisation advises members to highlight this to the ERA rep or your ERA regional director.

You need to be a member of ERA to fill in the online form, but joining is free. The forms are meant to be anonymous, but you can leave your contact details if you wish.

To fill in the form, join ERA or find out who your ERA regional director is, visit www.eventridersassociation.org.

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Francis Whittington, who is in hospital after suffering a suspected meningitis attack, still hopes to ride at this year’s Mitsubishi Motors Badminton Horse Trials (30 April-3 May).

“Badminton looks possible, fingers crossed,” said Francis, 32. “I’m on controlled exercise until then. My sister [Bryony] and the rest of the team are helping keep the horses on track.”

Francis (pictured) is being discharged from Kent & Sussex Hospital tomorrow. He spent two nights there last week, and was taken back in on Sunday after suffering a relapse.

The popular East Sussex-based rider finished 15th at Badminton last year on Sir Percival III, with whom he is entered this year.

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Event rider Francis Whittington (pictured) is in hospital after suffering a relapse of suspected meningitis.

Last Tuesday, Francis, 32, collapsed at home and was taken to Kent & Sussex Hospital, where he spent two nights. Doctors believe he had meningitis.

After making what his father Peter described as an “amazing recovery” Francis was allowed home on Thursday, but on Sunday he was taken back to hospital after a relapse.

“They think he got dehydrated, which is causing problems so he’s in hospital on drips,” said Peter, who was part of the cross-country commentary/control team at South of England Horse Trials at the weekend.

Badminton final scores

But Peter had to make a sharp exit on Sunday when Francis’s sister, Bryony, rang to say the event rider was going back to hospital.

“It looks like he’ll be all right now, but they may be more cautious about letting him out quickly this time,” added Peter.

Francis is entered for Badminton Horse Trials with his top horse, Sir Percival III, but it looks unlikely he will be able to ride there now. The pair finished 15th last year.

Francis has a one-year-old son, Max, with his wife Samantha (née Wood) and they are based in East Sussex.

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Francis Whittington’s reputation as one of the best cross-country riders on the eventing circuit was solidified when he won the FEI World Cup qualifier at Burnham Market on Sir Percival lll.

Francis was the only rider in the star-studded 39-strong field to achieve the optimum time of 6.46m across country. He finished 9sec inside the time to rise from fifth place after dressage to take the lead. A clear show jumping performance saw him win with a fence in hand on 44.4. He was the only rider in the field to finish on his dressage score.

“The horse went fantastically well today and it’s amazing to beat such a class field,” said Francis. “This was the best dressage test we’ve ever done, but we have been working hard on this all winter. I’ve also been practising setting him up for fences so that he doesn’t waste any time.”

To emphasise the quality of the competition, Ruth Edge finished second on 2007 Luhmuhlen winner, Two Thyme (49.6), and reigning European silver medallists Mary King and Call Again Cavalier were third (49.7), ahead of the 2007 Burghley winners, William Fox-Pitt and Parkmore Ed (51).

Other star names in action included Tamarillo, who finished eighth with William Fox-Pitt; Pippa Funnell and Ensign, who finished fifth on 51.3; and Jeanette Brakewell with Over To You, who were 19th after a steady cross-country round.

After three competitions in the FEI World Cup series, Clift Montgomery (USA), Michael Jung (GER) and Francis Whittington (GBR) lead the rankings with 100 points apiece.

View the results

Don’t miss H&H’s full report from Burnham Market in this Thursday’s magazine (3 April, ’08)

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Matthew Wright claimed the open intermediate section at Little Downham Horse Trials, Ely (20-22 October) on Charlotte Cole’s Hugginstown, who had arrived from Ireland only 10 days before the event.

Matthew won the class with 7.4 penalties to spare from Marcus Roberts and Sonate V in second. Hannah Bate and Bromley Mill were third.

Andrew James won intermediate section K on his dressage score of 35.7 riding the Thoroughbred Cudlic Earl. Pippa Funnell, who won two novice classes on Saturday, finished second on Carol Toliver’s Mirage D’Elle.

Intermediate section L went to Francis Whittington on Jo Easton’s 14-year-old Dance Forever. Francis narrowly beat Sarah Bullen on her home-bred Manado. Izzy Taylor was third on Jackie Curtis in this section, and also took fourth place in the open intermediate on Comma Curtis.

Sam Penn had a successful day, with a third place in section K with On A Par and fourth in section L on Fletch.

Read this report in full. plus reports from other end of season events, in today’s Horse & Hound (25 October, ’07)

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Lucy Wiegersma (pictured right) claimed victory in the advanced intermediate at the Land Rover-sponsored spring Gatcombe with Shaabrak. Just 0.3pen separated her from second-placed Kitty Boggis on Coup De Coeur. Francis Whittington took third place with Sir Percival III.

William Fox-Pitt and Moon Man led open intermediate section L. Bruce Haskell was second with Sky Sport, while Oliver Townend finished third with Golden Hue.

Oli dominated the second open intermediate section claiming first and second places with Northacres Best Wishes and Daisy Crazy respectively. Tristram Owers’ consistent little grey Gentle George was third.

Selina Payne won intermediate section I on her own Tiger Lady, while Vittoria Panizzon took intermediate section J with Malt On The Rocks. Stephen Way riding Hop And Skip won the final intermediate section.

Read this report in full, including photos and further analysis, in this Thursday’s Horse & Hound (29 March, ’07)

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