The last rider of an event horse who completed Burghley said she will always keep the good memories of her “one in a million horse”, after his death aged 21.

Westwood Mariner, who was competed by Polly Stockton, (pictured below) Ruth Edge, Piggy March and Izzy Taylor, had gone on to enjoy success up to two-star (now three-star) level in his later years with Ella Woodhead (main picture).

His last season of competition was 2018, culminating in second place at the CIC2* at Bicton, since when he had enjoyed a happy retirement.

“He retired completely after that last fence at Bicton,” Ella told H&H. “He was a field ornament, and a nanny to the baby horses, and he had a lovely retirement. Bicton is probably still my best international result so to finish on that was so nice.”

Ella bought “Rooney” in 2015; she had lost her previous horse to a freak field accident, and happened to see him advertised.

“Mum said ‘This horse is going to be that horse for you, and if we don’t ring now, you won’t get him’,” she said. “Mum rang Piggy, and I don’t know if she was confused by my surname, thinking I was related to Ian Woodhead who teaches her, but I was at the front of the queue, I bought him, and he was a superstar.”

Ella said it was a delight to ride a horse of Westwood Mariner’s calibre; he had won at advanced and three-star (now four-star) with Piggy, as well as finishing 14th at Burghley in 2014 with clear rounds showjumping and across country.

“He was just easy, that’s the word; he was incredible,” she said. “There’s not a bad word I could say about him – he was the perfect horse. I can’t explain what it’s like to have a horse like that, one who’s so well trained, he seemed to know what I wanted. However badly I missed, he’d always go, and he always tried.”

Ella added that the highlight of her time with Rooney was probably winning the under-21 open intermediate at Oasby in 2017, her last year in young riders.

“I’d done pony trials, but never really had anything good enough since,” she said. “I wanted one really good go at it, then I won and I thought that was it, I couldn’t believe it.

“He was just lovely. He was like a dog and so kind and gentle; you could do anything with him and he was that one in a million horse for me. Everything we had together is happy memories.”

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Emilie Chandler keeps top spot in the CCI4*-L at the Land Rover Blair Castle Horse Trials after a fast cross-country round today (Saturday, 24 August).

Emilie and Maria Doel’s Gortfadda Diamond led after dressage by 1.5 penalties and extended their margin to 13.1 penalties after the only cross-country round with fewer than 10 time-penalties in this class. They added 3.2 to their 31.8 dressage score today.

“He was very good and kept his eyes on the line all the way round,” she said. “He never tired — he kept galloping all the way to the end and gave me a fantastic ride.”

Speaking about tomorrow’s showjumping, Emilie added: “He’s an out and out event horse — good at all three phases, but of course it depends how much today has taken out of him.”

Rosa Onslow has moved up from fourth after dressage to sit second overnight with Diamond Sundance, after finishing with 11.2 time-faults today.

Simon Grieve holds third in this class with Mr Fahrenheit III, who had 13.2 time-penalties across country.

A new face leads the CCI3*-L — Eleanor Hope rose from 13th after dressage with a clear round in the time today on Limestone Romeo. Eleanor turns 20 tomorrow.

“The course was big and long, but he was just point and shoot today — he’s a willing horse and always tries his best,” she said.

The only other fault-free rounds in the class came from Victoria Wilson (Dont You Know) and Ashley Harrison (Zebedee IX), who hold second and third. Dressage leader Astier Nicolas (Lumberton) dropped to 11th with a run-out at the corner out of the Malcolm Lochan.

Polly Stockton has moved up to first place in the CCI2*-L after a penalty-free round on Cressida Legge and Mafra Smithers’ Sir Alfred III.

The rider finished the day on the same score as second-placed Josephine Schnaufer of Germany with Ronaldo IV, but Polly has the upper hand because she crossed the line closer to the optimum time.

Hayden Hankey sits third in this class on Cartown Galaxy.

“I was four or five seconds up on the clock all the way, so could look after her down the hills,” he said.

The dressage leader, Emma Murray on Wainthropp, dropped out of the running in this class with a fall at the seal out of the first water combination, the Malcolm Lochan.

The three “long” classes all finish tomorrow with the showjumping phase.

Article continues below…

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Berkeley keeps four-star short lead

In the CCI4*-S class, Daisy Berkeley showjumped clear to retain her lead with Ballinteskin Cooper S, who is owned by Roxana Janet White and Mary Scott-Gall, as well as Daisy and her mother Caroline.

Behind her, Sam Ecroyd also went clear for second on Davinci III, while Astier Nicolas — who had been equal second with Sam after dressage — dropped to fourth with the second part of the double down on Babylon De Gamma. Wills Oakden has moved up from ninth after dressage to sit third, courtesy of his clear on Oughterard Cooley.

The competitors in this class conclude their competition with cross-country tomorrow.

More news from Blair on horseandhound.co.uk over the weekend, plus full report in next week’s magazine (dated 29 August).

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Piggy French will ride DHI Topper W on the British eventing team at the London Olympics this summer.

Piggy was selected last week, but both “Topper” and her other top ride Jakata were named as potential rides for her. However, the British Equestrian Federation confirmed today that Piggy will ride last year’s test event winner DHI Topper W and Piggy told H&H that Jakata is on the injury list. Both horses belong to Piggy’s father Wally and Michael Underwood.

“Sadly Jakata has sustained an injury which puts him out of competition for this year, but hopefully he’ll be back for Badminton next spring,” said Piggy.

“I’m very much looking forward to riding ‘Topper’ in London. Obviously he’s been there before and performed very well. We had a good feeling for the place, so that may be an advantage.”

British eventing performance manager Yogi Breisner said: “DHI Topper W may be a young horse [12], but he has already proven himself talented and suited to Greenwich, winning the London test event last summer and then going on to win the Blenheim CCIO***. Piggy is a proven championship rider and together they make an exciting partnership for the London Olympic Games.”

The BEF has today sent in full “nominated entry lists” of horses and riders in every Olympic discipline to the FEI. Only these horses can be considered to compete at the Games, so the combinations listed below form the reserves for the British eventing team.

View British eventing team picture galleries

British Olympic eventing team reserves

• Sarah Cohen with the Preci Spark Ltd’s Treason
• Laura Collett with Jason Houghton’s Rayef
• William Fox-Pitt with Catherine Witt’s Parklane Hawk
• William Fox-Pitt with David and Margie Hall and Jeremy and Judith Skinner’s Neuf Des Coeurs
• Pippa Funnell with Carol Toliver’s Mirage D’Elle
• Mary King with Derek Rostron Baden and the Mares Team’s Kings Temptress
• Polly Stockton with Arthur Comyn’s and her own Westwood Mariner
• Francis Whittington with Margrete Paget’s Sir Percival III
• Lucy Wiegersma with Christopher and Sarita Perkins’ Simon Porloe
• Nicola Wilson with Rosemary Search’s Opposition Buzz

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Event rider Polly Stockton is mourning the loss of her top ride, Westwood Poser, who has died in a freak accident.

The Master Imp gelding got out of the horse-walker at his co-owner’s yard in Ireland on 14 February and galloped on to the road, where he was hit by a lorry. “Mossie” died instantly.

Arthur Comyn, who owned the horse with Polly, told H&H he was “very angry” with himself for being “careless”.

“I didn’t shut the gate [on the walker] properly,” he said.

Mossie, who was 13, had been on box-rest with Mr Comyn since October, after scans revealed he had a small hole in his tendon.

The injury meant that the horse had to be withdrawn before the dressage at the European Championships in Luhm ¼hlen last August.

“He was over the injury. I was so happy that he had recovered,” said Mr Comyn, who lives at Westwood, Mallow, in Co Cork.

“I was walking him out in-hand and was contemplating turning him out,” he added.

Polly was hoping to start competing Mossie – who was runner-up at Burghley in 2009 – in the summer.

“It’s like losing your mate,” she told H&H. “It has all been so traumatic – you get so emotionally attached to these horses. I just feel so sorry for poor Arthur.”

She will now aim Westwood Mariner – whom Mr Comyn owns outright – at Badminton.

Mr Comyn said Mossie was a “true Irish horse” and a “lovely fellow” who was a great favourite with his young granddaughters.

Polly agreed the horse had a “lovely nature“.

“He would try his heart out for you, but he was a complex character,” she said.

“He was very stressy and lived a bit on his nerves – hence when he got out, he wouldn’t have just put his head down and eaten grass.”

This news story was first published in the current issue of H&H (15 March 2012)

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Great Britain’s young riders claimed the team gold as their eventing European Championships concluded yesterday at Blair Castle, Scotland, with Ireland taking silver and Germany bronze.

Willa Newton spearheaded Britain’s effort riding Neelix (pictured) and also collected individual silver. She added just 2.4 time-faults to her dressage score and was cool under pressure for a faultless showjumping clear.

“I had a great ride across country,” she said. “He got a little bit strong on the hills, which was where the time-faults came in, but otherwise he was fantastic. It’s so exciting.”

Willa was joined on the team by Tom McEwen (fourth on Private Rudolf), Wills Oakden (13th on Button Clover) and Dani Evans (32nd on Uchin).

The cross-country was influential and there were only four clears inside the time, including one from Wills Oakden.

“I was down on my minute markers as I came off the hill, but as soon as I turned away from the third water I let him bowl on, and you can pick up 15sec from there on a fit horse,” he said.

Ireland’s Peter Hannigan recorded the first clear in the time on Sunday to finish fifth on First Mate, but his younger brother David was best of the Irish, collecting the individual bronze on the former Zara Phillips ride Red Baron.

“First Mate always makes the time, so I was confident of getting it,” said Peter. “I’m over the moon for David and the team.”

Ireland’s other team members were anchorwoman Melanie Young (Riverstown Express) and Alex Donohoe (Ardfly Baringa).

Germany’s Freja Fullgraebe won the individual gold on her long-term partner Oje Oje, finishing on her dressage score.

“He’s really fast and had no problems on the hills — it was great fun,” she said.

Britain’s individual riders also acquitted themselves well, with six of the eight completing with clear cross-country jumping rounds.

The other classes at Blair fell to William Fox-Pitt (CCI*), Polly Stockton (CCI**), Nicola Wilson (CIC***) and Andrew Nicholson (CCI***).

Full report of Blair in next week’s H&H (25 August issue).

RESULTS

Team medals

1. Britain 169.2

2. Ireland 178.9

3. Germany 188.4

Individual medals

1. Freya Fullgraebe on Oje Oje (GER) 47.1

2. Willa Newton on Neelix (GB) 48.4

3. David Hannigan on Red Baron (IRE) 49.5

Other British results

4. Tom McEwen on Private Rudolf 54.7

7. Laura Cocking on Arkendale 59.2

13. Wills Oakden on Button Clover 66.1

23. Harry Dzenis on Rockin Robin 78.3

24. Sophie Jenman on Geronimo 80.3

26. Giles Blanchard on Jeopardy 84.7

28. Mary Edmundson on Sonny Early 86.2

29. Sam Lees on Heads Your Gray 87.3

32. Dani Evans on Uchin 90

Eliminated for falls across country Rebecca Crosbie-Starling on Clifton Clicquot and Gina Ruck on Viper Priba

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Polly Stockton will take her Irish sport horse Regulus to the HSBC FEI European Eventing Championships 2011 in Luhmühlen (25-28 August) rather than Westwood Poser who has suffered a slight injury in training.

The squad is now composed of Laura Collett and Rayef, William Fox-Pitt riding Cool Mountain, Piggy French and Jakata, Mary King with Imperial Cavalier, Polly Stockton riding Regulus and Nicola Wilson and Opposition Buzz.

Lucy Wiegersma and Francis Whittington are the reserve riders with Woodfalls Inigo Jones and Sir Percival III respectively.

The four riders to compete in the team competition at the championships will be selected at event, following the trot up.

The remaining two horses and riders will represent Britain as individuals; their results will not affect the overall team score.

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Britain’s squad for the HSBC FEI European Eventing Championships at Luhmuhlen, Germany (25-28 August), has been announced as:

• Laura Collett (pictured at Badminton this year) riding Jason Houghton’s Rayef
• William Fox-Pitt riding Teresa Stopford Sackville’s Cool Mountain
• Piggy French riding Walter French and Michael Underwood’s Jakata
• Mary King riding Janette Chinn and Edwin and Sue Davies’s Imperial Cavalier
• Polly Stockton riding her own and Arthur Comyn’s Westwood Poser
• Nicola Wilson riding Rosemary Search’s Opposition Buzz

All six compete as individuals, with four being chosen nearer the time to form the team and try to win Britain’s ninth consecutive European team gold medal.

The non-travelling reserves will be chosen nearer the time.

While William, Mary, Piggy and Nicola all rode at least year’s World Equestrian Games, Laura, 21, is making her senior squad debut. Polly is returning to the squad for the first time since riding as an individual at the 2005 Blenheim Europeans. She had her first child, Jake, last year.

Yogi Breisner, World Class performance manager for the eventing team, said: “It’s a very exciting team and great to have Polly back in the squad. We also welcome Laura as a new member at senior level after her success on pony, junior and young rider teams. Altogether we have a fantastic mix of youth and experience and some great combinations to look out for.”

Exclusive interview with Laura Collett in H&H next week, out 21 July.

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Event rider Polly Stockton (pictured) is expecting her first child at the end of July.

Polly and her husband Chris do not yet know if the child will be a boy or a girl, but Polly said: “Reality hits when you can’t fit into your summer clothes.”

Polly’s 2009 Burghley runner-up, Arthur Comyn’s Westwood Poser, will stay at home and do some showjumping and dressage, but her other two top horses will be competed by other riders.

Arthur Comyn’s Westwood Mariner, 13th at Blenheim last year, will be ridden by Ruth Edge, who is entered for the open intermediate at Belton with him.

Anne Henson’s four-star campaigner Regulus is expected to have his first run with Jeanette Brakewell in the open intermediate at Witton this weekend.

Polly’s working pupil Abigail Stock will compete her young horses and the Cheshire-based rider hopes to be back in the starting box again by the end of the season.

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What began as a very pleasant afternoon’s show jumping on this final day of the Land Rover Burghley Horse Trials turned into an exciting climax as Polly Stockton (pictured), who at 2.25pm this afternoon was lying in sixth place and appeared to be going home with a possible £6,000 prize-money, edged her way up the scoreboard to second place, behind Oliver Townend’s first.

To say that this was a surprise would be an understatement. Not as a reflection on Polly’s abilities but with Sam Griffiths, Caroline Powell, Phillip Dutton and Clayton Fredericks sitting in descending order between Oli and Polly, the crowd were prepared for a British/Australian tussle at the end — it was hardly going to be a battle as Oli had two fences in hand.

Polly edged her way through fourth and third places and the audience were with her all the way. Then suddenly the metaphorical British flags were flying: Sam Griffiths had a fence down, Polly was in second place and all — huh, all! — Oli had to do was keep 14 of the 16 jumps up and we had a British one-two. It was magical!

This was followed by a parade of hounds from the Fitzwilliam (Milton) hunt and a Sunday fly past of a World War II Spitfire and Hurricane (particularly appropriate as this year marks the 70th anniversary of the beginning of World War II) and everyone was feeling particularly jingoistic.

The atmosphere was fantastic; particularly poignant when compared to last weekend’s dressage and show jumping Europeans. This is the spirit that we need to capture and bottle for 2012 if we’re going to put on a show to be proud of.

Back to Oliver Townend, his next three-day event will be Blenheim, then it’s on to the eventing Europeans at Fontainebleau, France, before the finale of the HSBC FEI Classics at Pau. Will he be able to finish his 2009 season by becoming the first person to win three four-stars in one year?

Having to pay off that huge new mortgage that he keeps telling us about is obviously proving a great incentive.

Report of today’s show jumping action

H&H Live: relive those tense final rounds by replaying our up-to-the-minute written commentary on the show jumping

All H&H’s online Burghley coverage

Don’t forget to buy H&H next week (10 September) for our 10-page Burghley special report including colour pictures, comment from course-designer Mark Phillips and full analysis.

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Oliver Townend completed the British four-star double this afternoon when he added the Land Rover Burghley Horse Trials title to the one he won at Badminton in May.

“I’m still celebrating Badminton,” said Oliver (pictured) this evening. “It’s amazing and there’s no point in saying anything else because it hasn’t sunk in yet and it probably won’t for another year. Hopefully this puts me in a position to keep going forward for the future and to have more top class horses.”

Oliver went into the arena with two show jumps in hand, but jumped an exhibition round on Andrew Cawthray’s Carousel Quest to finish 8.7 penalties clear of the rest of the field.

“I get more nervous in the morning — by the time I get on the horse and trot into the arena I go a bit feelingless, which is surprising but quite useful,” said the 26-year-old.

Oliver’s result puts him in pole position to take the $150,000-to-the-winner HSBC FEI Classics race and sets up a thrilling competition in Kentucky next year, when Oliver could become only the second rider to scoop the $350,000 Rolex grand slam for winning Badminton, Burghley and Kentucky consecutively.

Listen to interview with Oliver Townend

Polly Stockton was the greatest climber today, pulling up from sixth overnight to finish second after a clear round on Arthur Comyn’s 10-year-old Westwood Poser.

“This result is a surprise, but after he went well at Tattersalls and Gatcombe’s World Cup qualifiers I knew he could do well if it all went to plan,” said Polly, who only decided to enter the horse when her top ride Regulus had to have colic surgery at the end of July.

“Yesterday when there were so many problems I thought this was a serious test for the poor horse, but he got stuck in and was brilliant.”

Listen to interview with Polly Stockton

Australia’s Sam Griffiths repeated his Badminton result by finishing third on Happy Times.

“This shows that was no fluke and I’m very excited about him for the future — I think he’s going to be a great horse,” said Sam.

Caroline Powell had the hard luck story of this afternoon’s show jumping, lowering two fences to drop from third to eighth with Lenamore.

FINAL RESULTS

1. Oliver Townend on Carousel Quest (GB) 43

2. Polly Stockton on Westwood Poser (GB) 51.7

3. Sam Griffiths on Happy Times (AUS) 52.3

4. Phillip Dutton on Truluck (USA) 54.5

5. Clayton Fredericks on Poilu (AUS) 55.7

6. Paul Tapner on Inonothing (AUS) 58.3

Full results

H&H Live: relive those tense final rounds by replaying our up-to-the-minute written commentary on the show jumping

All H&H’s online Burghley coverage

Don’t forget to buy H&H next week (10 September) for our 10-page Burghley special report including colour pictures, comment from course-designer Mark Phillips and full analysis.

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

Polly Stockton (pictured) is the current leader after two hours of cross-country action at the Mitsubishi Motors Badminton Horse Trials.

Polly and last year’s Burghley runner-up Tom Quigley have put in the only cross-country round inside the time so far, finishing just one second inside the 11min 15sec optimum time.

“I didn’t think it was going to be that perfect at times,” said Polly on Radio Badminton after her round. “I never had to chase him — I just moved him up a gear after the houses [The Lancer Village, fences 23/24/25] as he had plenty left in the tank.”

Hugh Thomas’s course is proving influential — as the riders predicted — with only six clear jumping rounds so far.

William Fox-Pitt went clear, with four time-penalties, on Ballincoola and currently lies second.

Badminton final scores

“The going certainly was tacky,” said William. “It’s the first time Ballincoola has come back a bit empty on fuel, but he kept jumping.”

Mary King lies third on Apache Sauce, having gone clear as the pathfinder, with Zara Phillips fourth on Glenbuck. Glenbuck looked to tire at the end of the course, but the world champion recorded a clear jumping round on her Badminton cross-country debut.

Faults are well spread round the course so far. Clayton Fredericks, fifth after dressage, fell off at fence 15, the HSBC Hexagon Hedge, where Nullabor refused despite strong riding.

Young British rider Emily Baldwin, who set out in seventh equal place, had a run-out at the duck hides in the middle of The Lake, fence 10, with Drivetime.

Dressage leader Andrew Hoy will be on course with Moon Fleet at 2.32pm.

CURRENT CROSS-COUNTRY RESULTS

1. Tom Quigley (Polly Stockton, GBR) 46.7

2. Ballincoola (William Fox-Pitt, GBR) 48.1

3. Apache Sauce (Mary King, GBR) 56.5

4. Glenbuck (Zara Phillips, GBR) 57.2

5. Faifax (Rodolphe Scherer, FRA) 70.1

6. Birthday Night (Harry Meade, GBR) 79.4

Live scoreboard

Keep up to date with twice daily reports from Badminton on www.horseandhound.co.uk and don’t forget to buy H&H next Thursday (8 May) for a 16 page report, with comments from Carl Hester, Ginny Elliot and William Fox-Pitt.

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Polly Stockton (pictured) has taken fourth place in the dressage at the Rolex Kentucky Horse Trials, with 14 competitors still to perform their tests.

Polly is the only British rider at the American CCI**** this year, as funding normally allocated to the trip has been diverted to this summer’s Olympics in Hong Kong. Polly’s sponsor Charles Owen has helped fund her visit, and her mount Tangleman now has the sponsor’s name prefixing his.

Polly and Charles Owen Tangleman scored 52.2 to slot into fourth, nearly 13 penalties behind the current leader.

The home nation’s Becky Holder and Courageous Comet took the lead yesterday, scoring 39.3. This pair, who were 15th at Burghley 2006, have not been headed so far today, although Heidi White has come close, with a mark of 40.6 on Northern Spy. Stephen Bradley is third with Brandenburg’s Joshua.

The 14.1hh pony Theodore O’Connor, third last year with Karen O’Connor, is currently 14th on 58.2.

Polly goes across country at 2.35pm local time tomorrow (7.35pm British time).

Live scoreboard

Kentucky website

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Britain’s Polly Stockton (pictured) did the best dressage test of this morning at the Land Rover Burghley Horse Trials, taking fourth with Anne Henson’s Tom Quigley.

“He’s a brilliant horse in the dressage because he’s so rideable,” said Polly, who scored 42.8. “He’s not the greatest mover, but you know you can go in there and relax and enjoy it, rather than dreading when he’ll flip his lid.

“He’s gets a bit nervous in himself — he’s quite an introverted character — but once he goes in there he gets on with it.”

The top three places remain unchanged from yesterday afternoon, with Andrew Nicholson leading on Lord Killinghurst, William Fox-Pitt second on Parkmore Ed and Caroline Powell third with Lenamore.

Australians made the biggest impact in the early part of the day. Andrew Hoy now lies fifth on Master Monarch on 43.2, while Matt Ryan is seventh on Bonza Katoomba on 45.8.

“I think that is his best score this level,” said Andrew Hoy. “He couldn’t have done any more.”

Andrew was particularly pleased because last year’s Kentucky winner has made a remarkable comeback from a cervical cord problem.

“He lost all stability in his legs and couldn’t walk without feeling his way on the ground,” said Andrew. “When I withdrew him four days before Badminton I thought I would never ride him in another competition.”

Zara Phillips lies 17th after a pleasing test from Ardfield Magic Star, who is making his British four-star debut after going clear across country at Luhmühlen in June.

“That was really good, a lot better than in Luhmühlen where we missed all the flying changes,” she said. “He’s very sharp and it takes a long time for him to trust you. He moves really well, it’s just a case of trying to get into his head.”

Log back on for a final dressage update later, and don’t forget to buy Horse & Hound next Thursday (6th September) for a full report from Burghley.

RESULTS AT FRIDAY LUNCHTIME

1. Lord Killinghurst (Andrew Nicholson, NZL) 39.6

2. Parkmore Ed (William Fox-Pitt, GB) 41.4

3. Lenamore (Caroline Powell, NZL) 42.2

4. Tom Quigley (Polly Stockton, GB) 42.8

5. Master Monarch (Andrew Hoy, AUS) 43.2

6. Shaabrak (Lucy Wiegersma, GB) 44.8

Click here for full updated results.

Click here to listen to Lucinda Fredericks thoughts on last year’s event, plus Mark Phillips on this year’s cross-country course

• View photos of the cross-country course

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

Oliver Townend (Eldmire Foxy Lady) and Nicola Wilson (Skiver) shared the top spot in the advanced section of Witton Castle Horse Trials, which is sponsored by Dickinson Dees and Speedi Beet, following an incident with a loose dog out on the cross-country course. Oliver also claimed third place with ODT Iron Brew.

Nicola went on to win intermediate section A aboard Acquisitor, as well as the open intermediate with Mr Nickleby ahead of Austin O’Connor and Pocket Rocket III.

Intermediate section B went to Oliver Townend riding Waterview, ahead of Polly Stockton and Estrada. Polly also finished second in section A riding Miss Haversham.

Lauren Shannon won her second under-21 open intermediate in two weeks, this time riding Zero Flight, ahead of Ben Hobday and No Regrets II in second and Laura Grace Johnson third with Ellas Drum.

Read this report in full, including full details of the controversy surrounding the result of the advanced section, in this Thursday’s Horse & Hound (29 March, ’07)

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

France brought the autumn European eventing season to a close with a triumphant performance to take all three top positions at the Pau three-star event.

Jean Teulere took the title with Espoir De La Mare Ecolit and was the only rider to finish on his dressage score. Jean Lou Bigot picked up just one time penalty in the final jumping phase with Icare D’Auzay to finish second. Nicolas Touzaint had been leading after the cross-country but a show jump down dropped him to third with Irham De Vaiges.

Britain’s Polly Stockton got off to a great start with Regulus to lead the dressage on 45.7, but 0.8 time penalties on the cross-country, followed by eight faults in the show jumping, dropped her to fourth place. Polly also finished seventh with Tom Quigley.

The show jumping proved extremely influential with only Jean Teulere and Cedric Lyard producing clear performances without time penalties. Britain’s Nicola Tweddle picked up eight faults on Skiver and 12 faults with Opposition Buzz to be the second highest placed British rider in ninth and 13th respectively.

Zara Phillips was eliminated on the cross-country with Ardfield Magic Star.

Results

1. Espoir De La Mare Ecoli (Jean Teulere) FRA 47.6

2. Icare D’Auzay (Jean Lou Bigot) FRA 49.9

3. Irham De Vaiges (Nicolas Touzaint) FRA 50.3

4. Regulus (Polly Stockton) GBR 54.5

5. The Frog (Clayton Fredericks) AUS 56.1

6. Casoar Des Touches (Christophe Guilleme) FRA 57.9

7. Tom Quigley (Polly Stockton) GBR 58.7

8. Caprice De La Cour (Gilles Viricel) FRA 61.4

9. Skiver (Nicola Tweddle) GBR 61.8

10. Kilkishen (Geoff Curran) IRL 61.9

Don’t miss Horse & Hound’s full report from Pau, including analysis and pictures, in this Thursday’s magazine (2 November, ’06)

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