Latest from Horse & Hound in Sarah-bullimore

‘He’s the reason I’m still doing this’: home-bred gelding impresses on Badminton cross-country to lead

Becky Murray — Sat, 09 May 2026 12:39:35 +0000

Sarah Bullimore and her home-bred Corimiro have delivered a superb clear inside the time for the 10-year-old gelding’s first Mars Badminton Horse Trials cross-country experience.

The pair stopped the clock with a second to spare, delivering the second round of the day inside the 11min 30 sec optimum time at Badminton Horse Trials. Holly Richardson and Ballyneety Silver Service were 12 seconds under earlier in the morning.

“He’s phenomenal. He’s the reason I’m still doing this and the reason I get out of bed in the morning,” said Sarah Bullimore.

“Every phase he’s a pleasure. He’s a pleasure to take out hacking, everything he does he just wants to go and do a good job. He wants to get on with it and he’s always saying, ‘Come on, let’s do the next thing’. And he has a great brain.”

Corimiro rose to the challenge and was full of running at the finish line.

Badminton final scores

“He could have gone again. In fact he didn’t want to come out of the arena, he was turning back towards the start,” said Sarah.

“He has such scope and such range and power.”

Sarah Bullimore on the Badminton cross-country course

Sarah said Eric Winter’s Badminton Horse Trials cross-country course rode as she expected, and despite Corimiro’s big stride, the shorter distances did not cause him any problems.

“Coming up to the beehives I was a little bit concerned because a lot of people were going six strides, and I thought I’m never going to get get six there, but he was amazing,” she said.

“We hadn’t planned to put the extra stride in at the corners at the end, but with the big slip in the middle, I think that just added one. But bless him, he just picked up. That was our only sort of sticky moment. And that wasn’t really his fault.”

Bubby Upton and her experienced 16-year-old gelding Cola – who had been ninth after the dressage – jumped clear around their fifth Badminton Horse Trials cross-country run, adding 9.7 time-penalties.

“He was just phenomenal, he digs so deep,” said Bubby. “He is not quick, he just plugs away at one pace and never gives up on me, he’s truly incredible.”

They enjoyed a super round, though Cola had a little look in places and Bubby had to keep his focus and maintain their rhythm.

“I really had to use my head at times, which I felt in the past I potentially lacked at times, which has caused expensive mistakes for Cola,” said Bubby.

“I was really pleased at the fact I engaged my brain at all times, put the clock aside and really rode the track, rode my horse, and hopefully did him justice.”

Earlier in the morning David Doel enjoyed a super round with the little mare Ferro Point. The pair were not chasing the clock, in what is Ferro Point’s first competition back at this level since 2023. They came home smiling with 28.2 time-penalties to add to their 41.9 dressage.

Lithuanian Aistis Vitkauskas and his long-term partner Commander G had a miscommunication resulting in a run-out at the second part of the KBIS Slalom fence 14ab and elected to retire.

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‘He has such natural presence’: Bubby Upton leads Badminton dressage with sub-30 test

Oscar Williams — Thu, 07 May 2026 11:59:56 +0000

Bubby Upton has gone into the lead after the second morning session on the first day of Mars Badminton Horse Trials dressage (Thursday 7 May).

Riding Cola, the 16-year-old gelding who has carried her from two young rider medals to a fifth consecutive Badminton, the pair were favourites to produce one of the best tests of the day.

They delivered a confident performance, only marred by some tightness behind in the changes, finishing on 29.8 penalties – a little below their six-test average.

“He was on the edge, how he’s been a bit all year, to be honest,” Bubby said. “A bit between fresh and too fresh.”

Badminton final scores

Bubby continued: “I wouldn’t say it was a perfectly polished test, but he’s more established at the level now, and he’s such a beautiful horse; he has such natural presence anyway.”

Cola, who is forever changing as he gets older, is now producing his best work, but warms up for just 15 minutes.

“I actually felt today I probably needed five minutes more,” she added. “We went in a little on eggshells and I rode my first couple of movements very quietly, just to ease him into it.

“Then he felt like he got into the groove, particularly after the walk – he really relaxed in the walk, and then the canter was very good.”

Sarah Bullimore “disappointed” after Badminton dressage

Sarah Bullimore with the talented 10-year-old Corimiro, who is out of Sarah’s championship mare Lilly Corinne, were next to go, and another combination expected to challenge the top of the leaderboard.

However, a mistake in the medium canter and subsequent change, knocked their score to 32.1 penalties.

“I’m disappointed – I feel I let him down,” Sarah said. “The trot work was lovely, but his changes are normally beautiful, and they just weren’t quite on the button today.”

Corimiro is contesting his first Badminton, and Sarah felt the atmosphere had got the better of him.

“We forget he is only 10, and it’s his first Badminton,” she said. “He’s seen some big atmospheres, but nothing like this. You can’t replicate it – it’s another step up.

“But he loves the crowd. When we came out, we stopped at A where everybody was applauding and he just stood there and went, ‘Oh, for me, all for me’ – he does love it. Perhaps he loved it a little bit too much, and we just weren’t quite on the same wave for the changes.”

Sarah hasn’t yet walked the cross-country course – “It all gets quite hectic” – but has the rest of the day and Friday to do so.

Georgie Goss and Feloupe split the British pair, sitting second after the second session on 30.8, with Sarah and Corimiro third on 32.1, and Tom Jackson and United 36 fourth on 32.2.

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Final farewell to great five-star campaigner: ‘You took me places I never dreamed of’

Lucy Elder — Tue, 31 Mar 2026 12:31:07 +0000

Sarah Bullimore has paid tribute to her great five-star campaigner Reve Du Rouet, who has died aged 22 following a happy and active retirement by the sea.

The pair completed 13 CCI5*s, including four finishes at Badminton. Their best five-star result was at Pau in 2017, when they finished second – 0.1 of a penalty shy of winners Gwendolen Fer and Romantic Love.

Sarah and Reve Du Rouet twice finished fourth at Burghley (2018 and 2019) and were fifth at Luhmühlen 2019. They also jumped clear across country to finish 13th at Kentucky in 2014.

The Bullimores bought the German-bred gelding as a three-year-old from a dealer in Holland. Bruce Saint supported his early career, then Chris and Sue Gillespie joined Sarah’s husband Brett Bullimore as owners.

“He was the most genuine horse with all the heart and ability in the world, not a nasty bone in his body, but boy was he challenging,” said Sarah.

“As a young horse it was just put down to greenness but from eight to 13 years old he was unbelievably tricky.”

She added: “I never realised what mental pressure he put me under, the day he retired was like a huge weight off my shoulders, yet I have missed him every day since!

“There was no fence he couldn’t jump. If I have another half as talented I will be very, very lucky, but I’m not sure if I could go through the mental thought processes involved to keep him in the right frame of mind daily.”

Reve Du Rouet bowed out from competition in 2022, following a cross-country clear at Badminton in the spring and a third-place finish at Alnwick CCI4*-S in the summer, and spent his senior years with Cilla Perchard.

“Huge thank you to Cilla for giving him a lovely retirement on Jersey with his old friend Valentino, enjoying beach rides and more relaxed competitions,” said Sarah, naming the many accolades he won on the island.

“Having had him in my life for so long, my best friend, never taking a lame step throughout his career, tough and sound, I thought he would be around for ever in retirement.

“My biggest yet bestest challenge, I wouldn’t have missed it for the world, you took me places I never dreamed of, highs and lows, I still miss you every day, never forgotten. Sleep tight baby boy.”

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‘He’s a big lovable oaf’ – meet this rising eventing star and find out the novel solution to keeping him happy on holiday

Pippa Roome — Mon, 02 Feb 2026 10:56:49 +0000

Keeping buzzy competition horses happy on holiday can be a challenge, but Sarah Bullimore found a novel solution this winter with her rising star Corimiro, who finished fifth at Pau Horse Trials last year on his five-star debut at just nine years old.

“You can’t turn him out with anything else, because he’s a bit like Tigger – he goes bouncing around and doesn’t really know when to stop and back off. He can be just a little bit aggressive,” explains Sarah on an interview on the latest episode of The Horse & Hound Podcast. “So this winter, we tried something different. We put Lilly Corinne, his mother, with him. We thought, we’ll just see if that works and it’s been amazing.”

Sarah continues: “When we first put her out with him, he kind of bounced across, but he stopped 2m away and was like, ‘I won’t quite bounce on top of her.’ He just seems to have a little bit more respect for her. And she’s great because if he gets excited and a bit boisterous, she just doesn’t entertain it at all. She ignores him and if he gets too close, she’s quite a squealy girl, and she just squeals at him. He feels like he’s got his own squeaky toy and it’s worked great.

“He’s got a little bit braver now with her. They’re quite funny, because one minute he’ll be bouncing around, but then the next second they’re sharing hay in the field shelter. He’s got a little bit braver and he sort of says, ‘I think we should go for a walk now’ and so shepherds her out. He does occasionally grab her rug and she just squeals at him.”

Sarah Bullimore and Corimiro on the way to 10th in the eight- and nine-year-old class at Blenheim 2024. They also finished third in the class in 2025. (Image credit: creditUnknown)

Sarah Bulllimore on Corimiro: ‘A big, lovable oaf’

Corimiro is the fourth-born of Lilly Corinne’s offspring. By Amiro Z, he is now owned by Sarah’s husband Brett, Christopher and Susan Gillespie and Bruce Saint.

“Obviously I’m very rose-tinted glasses about him, but he’s just a pleasure – you want to get up in the morning and go and ride him,” says Sarah. “He just always wants to go and do a job, he’s so enthusiastic to get on and do something and just loves to run and jump.”

Sarah says Lilly’s children are all very different, but there are similarities and you see a little bit of the dam in all of them.

“The loveliest thing about all of them is that they all are doers. They come out and say, ‘Come on, let’s get on with it.’ They want to go and do a job. They’re very open to learning. They’d all be quite assertive, dominant characters and like to do it a little bit in their own way.”

Sarah says that Lilly’s first foal, the 2021 European individual bronze medallist Corouet, “is quite quirky, quite tricky”.

She adds: “Corimiro is still quite assertive in terms of saying, ‘Don’t touch me there’, or don’t do this or that, but he actually really wants to please and get it right. He’s like a big Labrador that wants to come and sit on your lap, and he doesn’t realise quite how large he is.

“In some ways he’s a big, lovable oaf, but actually, if you said, ‘Hey, don’t do that’ if he’s getting a bit above himself, he’d be like, ‘Oh, I’m sorry. I’ve overstepped the mark.’ There’s a sensitive bit underneath, but sometimes you have to scratch a little bit harder to find it.”

Sarah Bullimore and Corimiro take the lead on cross-country day at Pau 2025. (Image credit: Peter Nixon)

Last autumn at Pau, Sarah Bullimore and Corimiro took the lead with a super cross-country round.

“I went out with no expectations and I actually managed to knock my stopwatch off at about five minutes,” says Sarah, explaining that she initially tried to work out her time and whether she could re-start her watch, but by that point she was at the eight-minute marker.

“I was sort of thinking, ‘Well, I’ve come this far, if I’m down on time, I’m not going to make it up now. And realistically, I’m sat on a nine-year-old, I’m not here to come and make the time. He was traveling really well and I didn’t push him once. I just let him go in the rhythm he wanted to go in, but he’s naturally got a huge stride, he does cover the ground and jumps out of his rhythm. It’s all very easy for him.

“As I came into the arena, the crowd was cheering. I was trying to look up at the screen to see if it gave me any clue, but I couldn’t see it. The commentary was obviously all in French and I heard, ‘dix minutes’ and I was like, ‘Oh, that’s good, I might have made it’, because I knew the optimum time was over 11 minutes.

“And then you’re busy getting the horse brushed off and comfortable and my husband came up and I asked about the time and he said I was well inside. So it was all a little bit of a shock really, but ‘Milo’ literally made it feel like a BE100 – he was just fantastic.

“So then I was sorting out my horse the rest of the day and I hadn’t really seen what happened to anyone else. It was literally the last two or three horses on course that I actually managed to see.

“I had absolutely no idea where we were and literally the last horse came through finish, and then they put the results up, and I was at the top of the leaderboard. It was just a complete and utter surprise. It was really quite emotional, because my baby, my little nine-year-old’s name was at the top of the leaderboard.”

The pair had one fence down to the next day to finish fifth, still a super result for such a young and inexperienced horse.

Hear more about Pau and Sarah’s plans for 2026 by tuning into the current episode of The Horse & Hound Podcast here or search “The Horse & Hound Podcast” in your favourite podcast app.

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The Horse & Hound Podcast 173: Sarah Bullimore, British five-star event rider

Carol Phillips — Thu, 29 Jan 2026 10:32:32 +0000

On our 173rd episode of The Horse & Hound Podcast, Horse & Hound’s magazine and eventing editor Pippa Roome chats to British five-star event rider Sarah Bullimore. They talk about Sarah’s super result at Pau five-star last autumn with her exciting rising star Corimiro, home-bred horses and much more.

Episode 173 of our popular audio service The Horse & Hound Podcast is now live and features Sarah Bullimore, a top British event rider who was the individual European bronze medallist from Avenches, Switzerland in 2021.

Each episode is available for H&H fans to listen to via your favourite podcast app, as well as here on the website. Search for “The Horse & Hound Podcast” in your preferred podcast app and click subscribe to be notified about each new episode.

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On this episode, H&H’s eventing editor Pippa Roome caught up with Sarah to talk about her home-bred event horses, her success at Pau five-star last year on five-star debutant Corimiro, and what it would mean to win at the very top level…

“It [would be] amazing. It’s one of those things, you spend your life trying and you sort of think ‘is it ever going to happen?’ I mean we’ve been close a few times and it just seems a little bit elusive” – Sarah Bullimore on campaigning for her first five-star win

Sarah also talks to Pippa about some of her other talented home-breds to look out for this season – “They didn’t do too much last year, but we have two lovely five-year-olds: one is called Cordelia and the other is Correndro and they are really exciting for the future” – as well as how a squealy mare has kept Corimiro happy (and firmly in his place) during his winter break.

We would love to hear your feedback on all our podcasts, so please do send your thoughts to pippa.roome@futurenet.com

Horse & Hound Podcast: episode 173

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‘He said, “hold my beer Mum, I’ve got this”’: five-star newcomer scorches round Pau cross-country to lead despite malfunctioning stopwatch

Martha Terry — Sat, 25 Oct 2025 16:18:39 +0000

Corimiro, a nine-year-old on his first attempt at five-star, coasted into the lead in the Pau Horse Trials cross-country phase. Ridden by Sarah Bullimore, the chestnut breezed round an influential track 11sec inside the time to move up from 11th after dressage to top spot to set up a tantalising showdown in the final phase. The top 10 are covered by just one rail.

At 10min 55sec, Corimiro – owned by Brett Bullimore, Bruce Saint, Christopher and Susan Gillespie – clocked the second-fastest round of the day over Pierre Michelet’s influential track.

Remarkably, Sarah’s stopwatch malfunctioned before halfway, meaning she rode on feel alone.

“I just let him travel and he’s got such a phenomenal stride,” said Sarah, who rode Corimiro’s mother Lilly Corinne to finish 13th at Pau in 2017, the year after her son was born.

“He’s only nine, so I wasn’t riding him specifically to make the time, just travelling comfortably. When he finished, he was saying ‘where next, where next?’ I had to say, ‘you’ve finished, whoa!’ He felt like he could go round again.

“He was unreal. The only place I changed my plan was to hold for four strides in a couple of the distances after watching everyone this morning, so I had to make sure I got him back, and he was quite strong. It’s like he said, ‘Alright Mum, I can see it, hold my beer!’.”

The overnight dressage leaders, Bubby Upton and Cannavaro, held on to a podium spot in second after adding 4.8 time-faults to sit just 0.4 of a penalty adrift of Corimiro.

Pau is the 18-year-old Cannavaro’s first five-star since finishing sixth here three years ago, and boosted Bubby’s spirits after falls on both her other two rides, Cola and Its Cooley Time.

“To be out of the sport for two and a half years, and to come back and do that at 18 years old, with about 20% thoroughbred – it’s all down to his heart and the trust he has in me,” said Bubby of Cannavaro, owned by her mum Rachel. “There is no other reason why he should do that; he dug so deep, he was just extraordinary.

“He owes me nothing, and I was only going to do this if he felt up for it. But he just loves his job so much – it means the world to me. It’s why we put in the hours and why I spend the time with them, and give them all the love and trust, because of the rewards of days like today.”

Dressage leaders Bubby Upton and Cannavaro at the “Oops” drop fence. (Image credit: Peter Nixon)

How the cross-country phase played out

With Sarah leapfrogging up the leaderboard 10 places to depose Bubby from the top, the end of the Pau Horse Trials cross-country phase was full of suspense. Half of the final 10 riders could have taken the lead with clears inside the time. Even into the final four, three – Boyd Martin (Cooley Nutcracker), Bubby (Its Cooley Time) and Tim Price (Jarillo) – could have relegated Sarah.

But none could do it. Tim and Jarillo – owned by Lucy Allison, Frances Stead, James and Rachel Good – did best of this trio, stopping the clock for 4.4 time-faults to take third place overnight, despite taking a long route at the third water – which claimed several notable victims. These included Oliver Townend’s Ballaghmor Class, nursing second spot, who broke a frangible pin at the middle corner element; and joint-second Tom McEwen (Brookfield Quality). Tom’s horse also incurred 11 penalties for the pin, then ran out at the third element and Tom elected to retire after jumping the final triple brush in that combination.

“I should have gone straight at that water!” said Tim. “But it’s an unpredictable fence and you could ride it well and it still doesn’t come up right every time. It’s one of the only frangible fences on the course and you don’t want to knock one of those down. So I decided that I was good on the clock at that stage though I lost a bit coming home. I decided to play the percentages this time.”

Tim Price and Jarillo negotiatie the “Coffin” fence at Pau 2025. (Image credit: Peter Nixon)

France as a nation is scantily represented at their home five-star, but two of their riders gave exhibition rounds of how to ride a Pierre Michelet track. Both Astier Nicolas (Dirty Old Town) and Benjamin Massie (Filao De Perle) started cross-country in 21st place, and stormed round well inside the time. Benjamin sits in fourth by virtue of being 6sec closer to the optimum time, with Astier the faster round.

Last year, Benjamin fell over one of the final fences in the arena, so made amends this time.

“I think the French riders have an advantage with Pierre Michelet’s courses because we jump them every month, so we are used to them,” Benjamin said. “Astier and I were both up on our clocks even before we went on to the racecourse [where historically riders expect to make up time].”

David Doel riding his own, Mary Fox and Gillian Jonas’ Galileo Nieuwmoed earned redemption after falls at both Badminton and Burghley this year with a smashing round, inside the time, to climb from 26th to sixth.

“He was absolutely magic,” said David. “We had him a little ruder again, a bit perkier as he was just a bit too quiet and settled at Burghley. We put a bit of the anger back in the tank and although the dressage was not as good, he jumped round really neat and tidy. He’s been round the five-star here three times and the old three-star as well so he’s a Pau professional.”

There were six horses inside the time from the 53 starters, the first being Sam Ecroyd and Boleybawn Macrae, a five-star newcomer. They were 16sec under the 11min 6sec optimum, by far the quickest all day. This propelled them up from 37th after dressage to 12th, only 4.5 penalties behind the leader.

Sixty percent of the field jumped clear. There were eight eliminations and two retirements. Besides five rider falls, there was one horse fall, Ardeo Premier and Alex Bragg, but the organisation reported no major injuries to horses or riders.

Top 10 overnight at Pau Horse Trials

Sarah Bullimore and Corimiro: 30
Bubby Upton and Cannavaro: 30.4
Tim Price and Jarillo: 30.9
Benjamin Massie and Filao De Perle: 31.2
Astier Nicolas and Dirty Old Town: 31.2
David Doel and Galileo Nieuwmoed: 32.4
Jesse Campbell and Cooley Lafitte: 33
Tom Jackson and Plot Twist B: 33.2
Grace Taylor and Game Changer: 33.5
Boyd Martin and Cooley Nutcracker: 33.5
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Home-bred leads Bramham four-star long dressage, as his full sibling ‘twins’ are due

Pippa Roome — Thu, 05 Jun 2025 15:43:44 +0000

Sarah Bullimore and home-bred Corimiro have taken the lead after the first day of Defender Bramham Horse Trials dressage in the CCI4*-L class.

“He’s still only nine and he was hot to trot yesterday,” said Sarah, after scoring 24.6. “And I was like, ‘Oh my goodness’ – he knows what this is all about now and he was quite wired. Lilly Corinne, his mum, was quite hot and he is hot, but in a nice way – he’s got such a good brain.”

Corimiro, by Amiro Z, is out of Sarah’s 2015 European Championships ride Lilly Corinne and a half-brother to Corouet (by Balou Du Rouet), with whom she won individual bronze at the 2021 Europeans.

“They’re all dominant horses and like to do it their way, but he is far, far easier and more trainable than Corouet,” said Sarah.

“He is a pleasure to train, because he does want to do the right thing and he actually does want to stay on side, whereas Corouet does think he knows best, and would rather I just get off and he’ll do it on his own.”

Physically Corimiro is considerably bigger than Corouet and a more similar stamp to Lilly.

“He doesn’t need to learn that he’s that big and strong and actually he could get away from me,” said Sarah. “He’s just a lovely horse. I’m very, very lucky, and he means an awful lot to me.”

The Bullimores have twin full siblings to Corimiro due this week from embryo transfer mares.

“So we are watching monitors at home and hoping the mares cross their legs until we at least get home on Sunday night or Monday,” said Sarah.

Sarah added that Corimiro – who belongs to her husband Brett, Bruce Saint and Christopher and Susan Gillespie – “just wants to get on with it and really wants to do the right thing”.

She said: “He was almost quiet today. I actually had to say, ‘Come on’ but yesterday, when we did the arena familiarisation, he just wanted to walk up the side of the crowd. He loves to look and stare.

“Almost the busier it is, the more he relaxes, which is a bit random; when it’s quiet at home, he keeps looking out of every window to see if something’s going on and he’s missing something. But when it’s busy, he’s like, ‘Well, I know it’s busy, that’s fine. I’ll go and sleep.’”

Swedish pair lie second

Sweden’s Louise Romeike holds second on 27.4 with her father-in-law Hinrich Romeike, Madeleine Brugman’s and her own Caspian 15, an elegant 11-year-old grey.

“He’s such a kind horse, and so talented in all three phases, but he’s still a little bit like a small boy who wants to hold your hand,” said Louise.

“Every show he got a bit better last year, but the Olympics was actually the most difficult one and he didn’t show the progress there. Over the winter I did so much dressage training and he’s got stronger, so he can carry himself much better now.”

Young Brit Barnie Brotherton and his mother Naomi’s DHI King Nelson – fresh from a successful Nations Cup debut at Bicton – hold third on 29.4.

“I know he’s capable of more and so am I, but we’ll take it, and there’s lots more to do,” said Barnie. “I was pleased that we got both flying changes, because that’s been quite a difficult thing for him in the past. There’s always room for improvement everywhere and I’d like just a bit more relaxation from him.”

Fellow Brit Daniel Alderson, who is based in Ireland but is originally from Barnard Castle, near Bramham, holds fifth (32.6) on Lady Caroline Colthurst’s Blarney Monbeg Pepper, with whom he was 13th at Boekelo CCI4*-L last autumn.

“Dressage is her weakest phase, and she doesn’t really like it, so for her to go in there and behave and listen to me – I was very happy with that,” said Daniel.

Tom Jackson is fifth, just 0.1 of a penalty behind Daniel, on Helen Scott’s Hawk Eye, who he started riding at the end of last year. The horse was previously piloted by Nicola Wilson and then Kristina Hall-Jackson.

“He’s such a lovely horse and he loves his job, so it’s just trying to build on on what’s already there and make him as adjustable as I can across country,” said Tom.

The Defender CCI4*-L Bramham Horse Trials dressage continues at 10.30am tomorrow, when the second half of the field will try to overtake Sarah Bullimore and Corimiro.

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Air delivery: super semen delivered by plane to beat bank holiday traffic

Eleanor Jones — Fri, 05 May 2023 19:51:26 +0000

When it’s a bank holiday and your mare needs inseminating that day and the semen is hours away, what do you do? Deliver it by air, of course.

The Bullimores wanted to breed a full sibling to their seven-year-old out of Sarah’s five-star mare Lilly Corinne and by Amiro Z, and as determined by scanning, the mare was ready to be inseminated last weekend. So a friend of the Bullimores stepped – or flew – in with his plane.

“It was much more exciting than the normal checking of the UPS tracking system!” Lorna Wilson of Elite Stallions told H&H.

“They decided it would be faster, with bank holiday weekend traffic, to fly down. There’s a little airfield two miles away so it was perfect.”

Lorna said she normally sends semen via next-day Royal Mail delivery. There is a same-day service but with the distance between Elite Stallions and the Bullimores, and the traffic, it would have been a lengthy and expensive option.

“So they flew down, and they went over Badminton on the way and got a look at the course,” Lorna said. “Sarah’s not riding there this year, but Brett’s walked, or flown, the course!

“I was slightly disappointed because I’d suggested they wear suits and sunglasses, but it was all good, and we could track them home on flight radar.”

The vet from Rossdales was at the Bullimores’ ready to inseminate when the semen arrived.

“So we’ll know in a couple of weeks’ time,” Lorna said. “It was all good.”

And of course not many potential event horses have been over the Badminton course before conception…

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Horse & Hound magazine, out every Thursday, is packed with all the latest news and reports, as well as interviews, specials, nostalgia, vet and training advice. Find how you can enjoy the magazine delivered to your door every week, plus options to upgrade your subscription to access our online service that brings you breaking news and reports as well as other benefits.

‘He is just mega’: Piggy March’s Halo gleams to win Blenheim’s young horse class

Martha Terry — Sun, 18 Sep 2022 16:44:11 +0000

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

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

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

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

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

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

Blenheim Horse Trials results: three brilliant mares

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Exciting young horses confirm their potential

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

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

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

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

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

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Horse & Hound magazine, out every Thursday, is packed with all the latest news and reports, as well as interviews, specials, nostalgia, vet and training advice. Find how you can enjoy the magazine delivered to your door every week, plus options to upgrade your subscription to access our online service that brings you breaking news and reports as well as other benefits.

An angelic stallion, an accident-prone chestnut mare and an amateur poised to lift a major title: six stories you must read from Blenheim today

Martha Terry — Sat, 17 Sep 2022 18:48:44 +0000

Blenheim Horse Trials is in full swing, with the CCI4*-L cross-country completed today, and the showjumping for the eight- and nine-year-olds CCI4*-S. Here is a round-up of the key stories you won’t want to miss from Saturday, 17 September

With just one phase left to go, the two dressage leaders at Blenheim Horse Trials held on to the top spots after the CCI4*-L cross-country and CCI4*-S showjumping. However, there were plenty of shake-ups on the leaderboard in both classes, before the CCI4*-L contenders showjump tomorrow (Sunday, 18 September) and the eight- and nine-year-olds tackle the CCI4*-S cross-country.

A self-confessed amateur rider has retained her lead in the CCI4*-L in the Blenheim Horse Trials cross-country, while Sarah Bullimore’s decision to reroute Corouet from Burghley paid off as they lie third overnight.

What was Malin Hansen-Hotopp’s psychological trick to make the optimum time?

Gemma Stevens (née Tattersall) was on top form, piloting two horses clear inside the time, with Jalapeno holding second spot

Find out more about Gemma’s accident-prone chestnut mare – and how the rest of the Brits fared

Some of the pathfinders made the course look straightforward, but the penalties racked up by the end of the day.

How did the early riders assess the CCI4*-L course after completing?

Course-designer David Evans had added different questions from the 2021 track.

What were the reactions to the new water complex?

And in the showjumping phase of the CCI4*-S for young horses… the Burghley winner Piggy March is eyeing up a second big title this month – riding an eight-year-old stallion.

Find out why Piggy wishes there could be more horses like her two-phase leader

And a beautiful buckskin gelding caught the eye for matching the honeyed stone of Blenheim Palace.

Why Grande By Design lives for the big events – and a naughty start to his partnership with Emma Manton

Piggy March inches closer to Blenheim CCI4*-S victory with tiny ‘angelic’ stallion

Martha Terry — Sat, 17 Sep 2022 10:46:20 +0000

Piggy March has retained her CCI4*-S dressage lead after showjumping clear at Blenheim Horse Trials on Halo in the class for eight- and nine-year-olds. She will therefore set out last over tomorrow’s cross-country track, which runs in reverse order.

Time was a factor over this showjumping track. Although over a third of the field (26) jumped clear, 11 had time-faults, but no such worries for the bold-jumping Halo.

“He’s a super jumper, but he’s a really brave horse so he can easily have rails,” said Piggy. “He wants to do the right thing and be careful, but he’s so bold. It’s a big occasion here and he just took it; he was fabulously easy to ride. He probably enjoys showing off.”

Piggy, fresh from her Burghley success two weeks previously, said that Jayne McGivern’s “tiny” stallion is ticking every box so far.

“He is angelic, but definitely a boy, so it’s a balancing act,” she said. “He’s a pleasure to ride, he’s beautiful and such fun. If there were more of him in the world, it would be a lovely place. His temperament is to die for.

“I haven’t had enough experience with stallions to compare, and it’s a whole new world, having to be one step ahead in every situation and worrying about everyone else.”

Halo has already won two internationals at three-star, and although this is the horse’s four-star debut, Piggy believes the course to be “well within his capabilities”.

“It’s a good track, but anything could happen,” added Piggy, who was runner-up in this class last year on Cooley Lancer. “It’s the crowds, the whole occasion for these young horses, running up and down hills. It’s about giving him a good experience, staying focused, so we know what we have for the future.”

Blenheim Horse Trials showjumping: bucking for fun

The nine-year-old has a three-penalty lead over Heads Up (Hayden Hankey), who also held his runner-up spot on 24.3 with a copybook clear – bar an exuberant buck midway round.

“He was just having fun!” said Hayden, who part-owns the eight-year-old with Catherine Witt. “He’s a proper horse and I’m ultra proud of him. I did enough warm up so he was physically warm and soft, but with the showjumping I like to let the fences do the job. He’s naturally a very good jumper as long as I don’t take away his thinking – [you can’t] domineer him too much.

“It was a very good track, it walked difficult so I walked it three times so I could work out where we could cut an inside turn so I could keep pressing into a fence which suits him better.”

Sarah Bullimore moved up a couple of places to third despite adding 0.4 of a time-fault on Evita AP for 28.2. Fourth after dressage Derena Super Star (Gillian Beale King) had a round to forget with four down, dropping 44 places. Dressage fifth Emily King was unlucky to lower the first, as her ride Imposant cleared every other fence with inches to spare. She still lies in sixth ahead of cross-country on 29.2.

Ups and downs on the leaderboard

Another leading rider to slide was Selina Milnes, who plummeted down to 21st from sixth after clattering the triple bar. Four faults covered fifth to 28th after dressage, so even time-faults proved very expensive in this group.

Meanwhile, Caroline Powell moved in the other direction on Greenacres Special Cavalier, her clear round climbing from ninth to fifth ahead of cross-country. The nine-year-old mare by Special Cavalier has been given time to mature and find her balance as she’s conformationally long.

“She’s a big unit – she looks like she could have triplets in there!” said Caroline. “I’m lucky the owners [Chris Mann] have given her time and she’s suddenly come into herself this year. She doesn’t look like the ideal event horse – but what is the ideal event horse anyway? One that does the job.

“I hope she could go all the way. She just loves the jumping – she actually naps to get into the arena.”

Tiny homebred star takes early Blenheim dressage lead after rider’s challenging few weeks

Lucy Elder — Thu, 15 Sep 2022 13:50:22 +0000

Sarah Bullimore and Corouet stole a lead in the CCI4*-L dressage at Blenheim Horse Trials this morning (15 September) with the pint-sized gelding impressing the judges to score 27.8 and head the provisional results at the lunch break on Thursday.

This tiny gelding, who Sarah co-owns with her husband Brett and the Kew Jumping Syndicate, packs huge energy and personality into his diminutive frame. Their test featured Corouet’s trademark powerhouse extended canter and classy extended trot, which were rewarded by the judges – Douglas Hibbert at M, Bobby Stevenson at C and Sue Baxter at E.

While their test was undeniably good, it wasn’t perfect and Corouet can score higher, as shown with his 22.5 test at the Land Rover Burghley Horse Trials. A break to canter in the trot half-pass was costly, and there were a few moments where the 11-year-old son of Lilly Corinne anticipated Sarah’s half-halt aids a little keenly.

“It wasn’t bad, he had a couple of silly mistakes,” said Sarah. “He was actually a bit too quiet; I think I did five minutes too much outside and he obviously thought there weren’t quite enough people for him to be excited about! He was almost a bit too with me to the point that every time I half-halted, he asked ‘what, here?’ It wasn’t his best, but it still wasn’t a bad test.”

It has been a challenging few weeks for Sarah. The duo led the first day at Burghley and went into the cross-country in third place. But Sarah, who was riding with an injured knee at the Lincolnshire five-star, opted to call it a day following a run out at the Holland Cooper Leaf Pit and reroute her homebred European medal-winner to Blenheim instead.

Reflecting on those last few weeks, she added: “To be fair they have not gone great. It’s been a little bit everything I touch has gone wrong, really. Sometimes that’s the nature of the sport.

“You are not doing anything differently, but sometimes it all turns to gold and you think, ‘actually I rode that really badly, but it still turned out well’. Other times you think, ‘I didn’t actually do anything wrong, but it goes the wrong way’. We’ve just had a couple of weeks like that, but hopefully we are turning that around and going in the right direction again.”

Blenheim Horse Trials and CCI4*-L first-timer Lizzie Baugh piloted her homebred B Exclusive into provisional second at this stage in the dressage with an elegant test, which earned the pair a score of 29.6.

“That’s his personal best at four-star,” said Lizzie, on hearing her score while analysing her test, reflecting that finding the right warm-up and training with Tracey Woodhead has been key to reaching these higher marks.

“He has a tendency to get quite hot and quite excited in the arena – walking down the horse walk he was eyeing up the cross-country fences! That’s what he thinks he has come here to do.”

Lizzie, who remembers the 12-year-old gelding being born, added they joked that he would one day be her Badminton horse.

“I was 12, I think, when he was born, so it’s quite special that he is turning out to be quite good,” she said.

Blenheim Horse Trials dressage: summer of fun is key

Gemma Stevens (née Tattersall) and the eye-catching Flash Cooley are in provisional third, just 0.1 of a penalty behind Lizzie and B Exclusive to go forward to the cross-country on 29.7.

“I feel like the outline is coming better with more self-carriage and I was really pleased with the changes today – although he is good at his changes, he gets a bit worried about them and the head comes up. Today, we kept in the same rhythm and the head stayed down,” said Gemma.

“I felt like the trot work was really smart and I could really enjoy it, ride him forward and ride for every mark. He’s quite lit up, so I’m really pleased he went in there, listened, knuckled down and worked beautifully.”

The key to Pru Dawes’ 10-year-old gelding has been keeping life fun.

“He is a really careful jumper and he is better when he thinks things are really fun and not too serious,” said Gemma. “He goes jumping – and we go against the clock because he loves it.”

The pair won the eventers’ grand prix at Hickstead, won an advanced at Aston-le-Walls and were third at Millstreet CCI4*-S as part of their summer of fun campaign.

“A lot of preparation with him is about him having fun and it staying fun for him is really important. It makes it a lot more fun for us as well!

“He is still only 10 this year, it’s only our second season together and last season was just literally getting to know each other and I feel like this season he has had some fantastic placings and has been so consistent.”

Georgie Goss (née Spence) is in fourth with Nicky Cooper, Suzanne Doggett and Lucy Fleming’s 12-year-old mare Feloupe on 31, fresh from their Cornbury CCI3*-S win last weekend.

Dan Jocelyn is the highest-placed international rider at this stage, with the New Zealander piloting Cooley One To Many to provisional fifth (33.4) for owners Carole King, Francesca Clapham, and Sophie, Shaun and Lucy Allison. Italy’s Roberto Scalisi and the re-trained racehorse Alamein, bought for £700 and who Roberto co-owns with Rosalind Hayward, round out the top six at this stage on 33.6.

Super veteran mares, impressive debuts and high-profile faults: 14 must-reads about Burghley cross-country

Pippa Roome — Sat, 03 Sep 2022 18:16:26 +0000

The cross-country day is now complete at the Land Rover Burghley Horse Trials 2022 and it was another day of drama, spell-binding rounds and high-profile upsets. Here is a round-up of the key stories you won't want to miss from Saturday, 3 September

It was an action-packed Land Rover Burghley Horse Trials cross-country day today (3 September), over Derek di Grazia’s track.

Piggy March holds the lead after finishing one second over the time with Vanir Kamira.

What Piggy said about how long the 17-year-old mare will stay in the sport

We also caught up with Vanir Kamira’s groom Amy Phillips.

Find out how Amy helps Piggy produce this sometimes tricky mare at her best

Dressage leader Kitty King dropped down the leaderboard.

What happened to Kitty and Vendredi Biats?

There was plenty of drama at the start of the day.

Read what pathfinder Tim Price said after his round and about the first falls

And in the final throes, too…

Find out why Tom McEwen and Oliver Townend lost their chance to challenge for the podium

Pippa Funnell had a good round on Billy Walk On, the second horse out.

What Pippa said and how the early first-timers fared

Jonelle Price put in the only round of the day inside the time and sits third overnight.

Check out what the New Zealander said about her ride on the 19-year-old Classic Moet

Ros Canter is just behind her on Pencos Crown Jewel in fifth.

What did Ros say about her little mare?

There was drama in the middle of the day.

Why Oliver Townend didn’t finish on Tregilder and what happened to Zara Tindall

Two British first-timers, Tom Jackson (fourth overnight) and Bubby Upton (seventh overnight), had great rounds in the middle of the day.

What Tom and Bubby said

Another Brit, Kate Shapland also completed her first Burghley cross-country – and her mare was wearing very special shoes.

What’s so special about her shoes?

It wasn’t fellow British debutant Harry Mutch’s day, but he’s a rider with an interesting story.

How a broken down car changed the course of Harry’s life

Kristina Hall-Jackson is another British first-timer and she did complete today.

What does Kristina have in common with her idol Pippa Funnell?

Australian debutante Sarah Clark, who jumped round clear today round the Burghley Horse Trials cross-country course, came here on a single-minded mission.

And she’s not sure what happens next…

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Piggy March puts in brilliant Burghley round on 17-year-old Vanir Kamira: ‘She was really up for it’

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Seven feeds a day and bawling like a baby: Piggy March’s groom Amy Phillips on looking after Vanir Kamira at Burghley

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Superstar mare delivers fastest cross-country round at Burghley as top-three horse retires

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Dressage leader Kitty King drops down ranks after Burghley cross-country: ‘I’m gutted for the horse’

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Keep up with all of the breaking news, behind the scenes insight and the best of the action throughout Burghley Horse Trials with no limit on how much you can read from as little as £1 per week with a Horse & Hound unlimited website subscription. Sign up now. Plus enjoy our full 20-page magazine report on Burghley, including in-depth analysis and exclusive comments from Nick Burton and Mark Phillips, in next week’s magazine (8 September).

Superstar mare delivers fastest cross-country round at Burghley as top-three horse retires

Martha Terry — Sat, 03 Sep 2022 12:54:58 +0000

Classic Moet put in her habitual stunning round for Jonelle Price jumping clear inside the time in the Land Rover Burghley Horse Trials cross-country phase.

This was the outstanding cross-country mare’s 12th clear round at five-star level, and she made the tough track look straightforward. She was so nimble through the wiggly combinations, enabling Jonelle to be up on her minute markers the whole way.

Jonelle just had to give her a little bit of encouragement after the Lion Bridge two fences from home, when she rapped the penultimate Parasol Table, but she came home three seconds inside the time.

Extraordinarily, Jonelle was riding just by feel, as her stopwatch wasn’t working.

“My watch stopped when I left the startbox, so I was on my own,” said Jonelle. “I just tried to ride an economical round, and she is a quick horse. I shouldn’t be complacent because there aren’t many like her around.”

The Rickards’ mare is now 19, which makes her cross-country speed particularly outstanding.

“We brought her here because she was fit and well but we take it one step at a time,” said Jonelle, who now lies second behind Piggy March and Vanir Kamira.

Burghley Horse Trials cross-country: third-placed Corouet ducks out

Sarah Bullimore’s bid with her European Championship individual bronze medallist Corouet came to an early end, when she ran out at the Holland Cooper Leaf Pit and pulled up.

Sarah was studded in the knee the previous weekend and it was touch and go whether she would be fit to compete.

Corouet jumped down the drop at fence seven well and jumped the following brush oxer, but was too far off the final corner element, and ducked out.

Meanwhile the youngest rider at Burghley, Alice Casburn, 20, was very quick across country on Topspin. She added just 6.8 time-faults with the bold-jumping home-bred to move up the order from 30th to third at this stage.

“I’m so lucky to ride a horse like him who doesn’t mind what stride you’re on,” said Alice. “I had to tell him to simmer down in the first part of the course.

“It’s so special as mum bred the dam and grand-dam. He has grown up in the stable he was born in. He’s like a family member, the favourite child.”

Tom Crisp and the diminutive Liberty And Glory were another pair to put in a lovely clear round, despite the rider nursing three broken ribs.

“She found it easy enough but I’ve not ridden with any meaning for the last three weeks, since I fell off and hurt my ribs,” Tom said. “It was harder than I thought. To do a clear round a course like this is very special.”

‘Attitude, personality and belief in himself’: Burghley Horse Trials dressage leaders talk through their tests

Lucy Elder — Thu, 01 Sep 2022 19:56:40 +0000

Horse & Hound’s Lucy Elder rounds up the action on day one of dressage at the Land Rover Burghley Horse Trials, catching with Sarah Bullimore, Piggy March, Pippa Funnell and Zara Tindall for their thoughts on the opening day of the 2022 five-star.

*Please be patient to allow the video below to load*

The opening chapter of the 2022 Land Rover Burghley Horse Trials delivered on a class scale to a crowd that had waited three years to turn that first page.

Thursday’s Keats of an autumn morning was as if the Covid dust sheets of the cancelled years had been lifted, revealing the waiting gem in eventing’s crown.

Sarah Bullimore, nursing an injured knee, and her homebred Corouet – a pint-sized star packed with the “attitude of a 22hh horse” out of her former championship ride Lilly Corrine – sit atop the Burghley Horse Trials overnight leaderboard after day one of dressage.

“To ride, he is not a small horse. He feels enormous. He has huge attitude, huge personality, and true belief in himself,” said Sarah in the video above, who owns the 11-year-old Balou De Rouet gelding with her husband Brett and the Kew Jumping Syndicate.

Their 22.5 test, the third best score in the event’s history, inched them ahead of provisional leaders Piggy March and the great veteran Burghley campaigner Vanir Kamira, now in second after day one on 22.6.

Piggy said victory for Trevor Dickens’ 17-year-old Badminton-winning mare this week would be a “complete fairytale”.

“But I don’t care what happens as long as she goes out being a great Burghley horse and finishes sound and well. That’s all she owes us these days – but we’ll be trying,” she said.

The exclusive club of Badminton winning mares was also represented with 2018 winners Classic Moet and Jonelle Price, provisional 12th overnight on 32.2.

“I’m a realist in day-to-day life, but forever an optimist on these old mares and getting a test out of them. Everytime I think I’m going to squeak that 29.5, I’m just the usual 1.5 mark adrift,” said Jonelle. “We are not a million miles away and a bit of luck the time will be tough on Saturday and we will have buckets of rain on Friday night, then it’s anyones.”

Reigning Burghley Horse Trials title holder Pippa Funnell is in provisional third with the first of her two rides this year, her Bicton CCI5* runner-up Billy Walk On.

Pippa said she was delighted with Billy Walk On’s test, but “a little bit disappointed” that the judge at E, Judy Hancock, had given her a mark 4-5% lower than the other two judges, Andrew Bennie and Katrin Eichinger-Kniely.

“That was frustrating because I felt I got the balance right with him,” said Pippa. “I would say it was definitely a personal best for him at this level. I was very happy, it’s just a shame that judge wasn’t the same as the other two.”

Pippa is wearing two hats this week, supporting several other competitors including Tom Jackson and Wesko Foundation riders Harry Mutch and Kristina Hall-Jackson alongside her own Burghley campaign.

“I love helping nice horses, I love helping keen, talented riders that really want to learn,” she said. “To me, it’s not about the winning and the big events. It’s about the partnership and the relationship [with the horse] – that’s what’s most important.”

Zara Tindall cracked the 30 barrier to sit provisional fourth on 28.4 aboard Class Affair, with Meghan O’Donoghue and Palm Crescent the highest placed international combination in fifth on 29.6 for the US.

Former winner Tim Price is in equal sixth with Bango the first, and most experienced, of his three rides this year, on 29.8 – the same score as US first-timer Woods Baughman and C’est La Vie 135.

Keep up with all of the breaking news, behind the scenes insight and the best of the action throughout Burghley Horse Trials with no limit on how much you can read from as little as £1 per week with a Horse & Hound unlimited website subscription. Sign up now. Plus enjoy our full 20-page magazine report on Burghley, including in-depth analysis and exclusive comments from Nick Burton and Mark Phillips, in next week’s magazine (8 September).

Injured rider takes Burghley lead on tiny ‘superstar with the attitude of a 22hh horse’

Pippa Roome — Thu, 01 Sep 2022 14:39:35 +0000

Sarah Bullimore now sits at the top of the Land Rover Burghley Horse Trials dressage leaderboard, as the first day of action (1 September) draws to a close.

Sarah’s forward flowing test on the home-bred Corouet, an 11-year-old owned by his rider, her husband Brett and the Kew Jumping Syndicate, earned her 22.5 from the judges, just 0.1 of a penalty ahead of Piggy March and Vanir Kamira, who were in the arena earlier in the afternoon.

The mid-test halt was a highlight for individual European bronze medallist Corouet, with two nines from Judy Hancock and Katrin Eichinger-Kniely and a 10 from Andrew Bennie. There were plenty of other nines scattered through his score sheet, too.

“He is amazing,” said Sarah. “He can be quite a little number, quite dominant, but wow, he is a proper little superstar.”

Sarah is riding injured as she took a stud to her knee in a fall at Wellington on Monday.

“We had a couple of little mistakes so it could have been better, but he looked after me,” she said. “I’m not in the best possible place coming here so I’m just chuffed with him, he did help and was totally on side today.”

Because of Sarah’s injury, she passed the reins to William Fox-Pitt for yesterday’s trot-up, which led to some hilarity as William is the tallest rider here and Corouet is only 15.2hh.

“It looked like William and his dog, but he has the attitude of a 22hh horse – he’s a big personality in a small package,” said Sarah.

Sarah said she is taking things a day at a time with her injury.

“I’m icing and doing compression and seeing the physio, trying to keep the weight off it and not stress it as much as possible,” she said. “Being at a three-day and only having one horse to ride is the best thing in a way, but I’ve got a big job to do in a couple of days [on the cross-country]. But we’re just taking it one step at a time.”

Pippa Funnell, who was the leader until lunchtime after being the second rider into the arena this morning, holds third now in the Burghley Horse Trials dressage on Billy Walk On.

One horse held at first Burghley trot-up while six-time winner of the event presents a tiny horse on another rider’s behalf

Gemma Redrup — Wed, 31 Aug 2022 16:48:33 +0000

There was a small dose of drama at the first Land Rover Burghley Horse Trials trot-up this afternoon (31 August) when Kiltar OBOS, the ride of British competitor JP Sheffield, was sent to the holding box.

The 12-year-old gelding, who is by OBOS Quality 004 and is owned by Sue Wilkinson and Anne Marling, was inspected by the holding box vet before being re-presented. He was then accepted by the ground jury of Andrew Bennie, Katrin Eichinger-Kniely and Judy Hancock, much to the delight of the crowds.

A laugh went up among those present at the Burghley Horse Trials trot-up when lofty William Fox-Pitt presented the pint-sized Corouet on behalf of the gelding’s rider Sarah Bullimore, who was studded in her right knee in a fall in the advanced class at Wellington Horse Trials on Monday (29 August).

William Fox-Pitt and Sarah Bullimore’s ride Corouet during the first horse inspection of Land Rover Burghley Horse Trials. (Image credit: Peter Nixon)

There was a late withdrawal prior to the first horse inspection in the form of Izzy Taylor and Sarah Van Vegchel’s 11-year-old mare Ringwood Madras.

This means that 52 horses will go forward to the dressage, which will get underway at 9.45am tomorrow morning (1 September) when first to go, Tim Price and Bango, will enter the main arena.

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Keep up with all of the breaking news, behind the scenes insight and the best of the action throughout Burghley Horse Trials with no limit on how much you can read from as little as £1 per week with a Horse & Hound unlimited website subscription. Sign up now. Plus enjoy our full 20-page magazine report on Burghley, including in-depth analysis and exclusive comments from Nick Burton and Mark Phillips, in this week’s magazine (8 September).

Check out our full form guide for analysis of all the Burghley Horse Trials riders and horses who will tackle the five-star competition in this week’s magazine (issue dated 8 September).

10 pairs to watch at Burghley Horse Trials this week – is one of these Britain’s autumn five-star winner?

Pippa Roome — Tue, 30 Aug 2022 12:02:54 +0000

Want to sound knowledgeable when your friends ask you who out of the Land Rover Burghley Horse Trials riders will be the winner? Check out our list of potential victors for this week’s five-star (1-4 September)…

Burghley Horse Trials riders and horses: the top 10 contenders

(List in number order)

2. Oliver Townend, 39, GBR

Ballaghmor Class, 15-year-old grey gelding, Courage II x unlisted, owners: Karyn Shuter, Angela Hislop & Val Ryan

Ballaghmor Class’s five-star record is unsurpassed among horses currently competing – eight top-five finishes at the level from the same number of starts, including two wins and an Olympic team gold. Should be off to the worlds rather than here, but if he did run, it would be surprising if he wasn’t in the top five.

4. Pippa Funnell, 53, GBR

Billy Walk On, 13-year-old bay gelding, Billy Mexico x Golden Bash, owners: Barbara & Nicholas Walkinshaw

Recently second at Barbury CCI4*-S and third in the British open, Billy Walk On looks to be building back from retiring at Badminton. He was second in the five-star at Bicton last year and could be the dressage leader here and even go on to win if he’s on the best of his slightly inconsistent form. Pippa has won here twice.

22. Piggy March, 42, GBR

Vanir Kamira, 17-year-old bay mare, Camiro De Haar Z x Dixi, owner: Trevor Dickens

Piggy and “Tilly”, the 2019 Badminton winners, have six top-five finishes at five-star. Their three starts at Burghley have yielded two seconds and a fifth, and the mare’s fourth at Badminton in May proves age is not holding her back. She recently won at Hartpury CCI4*-S and loves a big occasion, so don’t rule her out.

27. Jonelle Price, 41, NZL

Classic Moet, 19-year-old black mare, Classic x Bohemond, owners: Trisha & Sophie Rickards & rider

The 2018 Badminton winner was 11th there this spring, sticking two fingers up at her age – she’s the joint-oldest horse here. That was her ninth five-star top-20 placing – plus she has two at World Championships. She probably won’t top her best result here (third), but her fans would love to see her in the placings again.

30. Sarah Bullimore, 49, GBR

Corouet, 11-year-old chestnut gelding, Balou Du Rouet x Lovis Corinth, rider, owners: her husband Brett and the Kew Jumping Syndicate

Sarah and this talented home-bred won individual bronze at last year’s Europeans. Corouet was second after dressage on his five-star debut at Kentucky, but lacked rideability cross-country and had a run-out. He’s been placed at four-star since and could impress. Sarah was fourth here (2018, 2019) on Reve Du Rouet.

37. Tim Price, 43, NZL

Vitali, 12-year-old bay gelding, Contender x Heraldik, owners: rider, Alexander & Joseph Giannamore

This horse only joined Tim – the 2018 Burghley winner – in 2021, but he won a CCI4*-L in Poland in April that year and was Tim’s Tokyo Olympic ride, finishing 24th. This year he’s been 10th at Luhmühlen five-star and won the British Open. Showjumping is his Achilles’ heel, but he could be very competitive if he can fix that.

48. William Fox-Pitt, 53, GBR

Oratorio, 13-year-old brown gelding, Oslo Biats x Topanoora, owners: Oratorio Syndicate

William holds the record for most Burghley wins (six), and this horse is a true Burghley type who could give him a seventh. Oratorio makes his debut here, having been 13th at Badminton 2019 and 14th there this spring after an unlucky 2021 which included a fall at Kentucky and a nosebleed at Bicton five-star.

60. Kitty King, 40, GBR

Vendredi Biats, 13-year-old grey gelding, Winningmood x Camelia De Ruelles, owners: Diana Bown, Sally Lloyd Baker, Sally Eyre & Samantha Wilson

Kitty and “Froggy” have been in the top 10 at two European Championships, collecting team gold last year, and were seventh at this year’s Badminton. They’ve proved their form with two top-10s at CCI4*-S since and could be in line for a big result. Kitty has started here twice but, surprisingly, seeks a first completion.

62. Ros Canter, 36, GBR

Pencos Crown Jewel, 13-year-old bay mare, Jumbo x Rock King, owners: Kate James & Annie Makin

This mare is “Little Miss Consistent” and was fourth on her five-star debut at Bicton last year and second at Bramham CCI4*-L in June. She’s not as flashy as her half-brother, Badminton runner-up Lordships Graffalo, but expect to see her in the top 10 – or better. Ros has been round Burghley twice on Allstar B.

67. Oliver Townend, 39, GBR

Swallow Springs, 14-year-old grey gelding, Chillout x Cult Hero, owners: Paul & Diana Ridgeon

Oliver landed the ride when Andrew Nicholson retired and the pair were third at Badminton in May. They’ve since achieved the horse’s fourth CCI4*-S win. Swallow Springs has been third at Burghley with Andrew and stands a decent chance of giving Oliver a third win here if he starts. He is Oliver’s reserve for the worlds.

Check out our full form guide for analysis of all the Burghley Horse Trials riders and horses in this week’s magazine (issue dated 8 September).

British team named for World Eventing Championships: squad debutante joins familiar faces

Becky Murray — Fri, 19 Aug 2022 09:52:05 +0000

The gold medal-winning Tokyo squad are among those named in the British team for the World Eventing Championships in Pratoni del Vivaro, Italy, (14-18 September).

Today (19 August) British Equestrian and the British Eventing selectors have confirmed the five horse and rider combinations that will form the list of definite entries.

The selected combinations for the British team at the World Eventing Championships, in alphabetical order, are:

Ros Canter with 10-year-old gelding Lordships Graffalo

Owner: Michele Saul

Breeder: Lordships Stud Writtle College (GBR)

Breeding: by Grafenstolz, out of a mare by Rock King

Groom: Sarah Charnley

Laura Collett with 13-year-old gelding London 52

Owner: Laura, Karen Bartlett and Keith Scott

Breeder: Ocke Riewerts (GER)

Breeding: by Landos, out of a mare by Quinar

Groom: Tilly Hughes

Yasmin Ingham with 11-year-old gelding Banzai Du Loir

Owner: Janette Chinn and Sue Davies

Breeder: Pierre Gouye (FRA)

Breeding: by Nouma D’Auzay, out of a mare by Livarot

Groom: Alison Bell

Tom McEwen with 15-year-old gelding Toledo de Kerser

Owner: Fred and Penny Barker, Jane Coppell and Tom’s mother Alison McEwen

Breeder: Kerstin Drevet (FRA)

Breeding: by Diamant De Semilly, out of a mare by Papillon Rouge

Groom: Francesca Gorni

Oliver Townend with 15-year-old gelding Ballaghmor Class

Owner: Karyn Shuter, Angela Hislop and Val Ryan

Breeder: Noel Hicky (IRL)

Breeding: by Courage II

Groom: Charlotte Holifield

Oliver has also been selected with 14-year-old gelding Swallow Springs as a direct reserve.

Owner: Paul and Diana RidgeonBreeder: Maria Keating (IRL)Breeding: by Chillout, out of a mare by Cult Hero

The team of four and one individual may not be confirmed until the declaration of starters.

Yasmin makes her senior championship debut, while all the other riders have previous championship experience and at least one medal to their names.

The reserve combinations, listed in alphabetical order are:

Sarah Bullimore with 11-year-old gelding Corouet

Owner: Sarah, her husband Brett, and the Kew Jumping Syndicate

Breeder: Sarah Buillimore (GBR)

Breeding: by Balou du Rouet, out of Lilly Corinne by Lovis Corinth

Ros Canter with 13-year-old mare Pencos Crown JewelOwner: Kate James and Annie MakinBreeder: Pennie Wallace (GBR)Breeding: by Jumbo, out of a mare by Rock King

Kirsty Chabert with 13-year-old mare Classic IVOwner: Kirsty’s father John Johnston and Carole SomersBreeder: Peter Charles (GBR)Breeding: by Calvaro FC

William Fox-Pitt with 13-year-old gelding Little Fire

Owner: William and Jennifer Dowling

Breeder: Dr. Volker Steinkraus (GER)

Breeding: by Graf Top, out of a mare by Heraldik

Kitty King with 13-year-old gelding Vendredi Biats

Owner: Diana Bown, Sally Eyre, Samantha Wilson and Sally Lloyd-Baker

Breeder: Phillipe Brivois (FRA)

Breeding: by Winningmood, out of a mare by Camelia De Ruelle

Tom McEwen spearheads Brits’ Aachen eventing win, plus protest over top of individual leaderboard

Pippa Roome — Mon, 04 Jul 2022 10:08:34 +0000

Triumph and heartbreak went in hand in hand for the British team as they topped last week’s Aachen eventing results (1-2 July), but the competition was marred by the loss of Ros Canter’s ride Allstar B, the reigning world champion who had to be put down after suffering an irreparable injury on the cross-country.

This is the second year in a row that Britain has won the SAP Cup, which has been dominated by the home side over the 15 years since eventing joined the competition schedule at this premier German show, after first being run at the venue for the 2006 World Equestrian Games.

Last year, the fixture ran later in the calendar, and with the Olympics and Europeans taking precedence for top pairs, nations were mostly fielding teams of less experienced horses or riders. But the Germans certainly fielded a strong quartet this year and it was all credit to the Brits that they led throughout the competition and won by nearly 30 marks.

Britain’s effort was led by double Olympic medallists Tom McEwen and Toledo De Kerser – owned by Fred and Penny Barker, Jane Inns and Tom’s mother Ali – who finished third after adding just 6.4 time-faults to their third-placed dressage score. No one made the time over Rüdiger Schwarz‘s cross-country course.

After his Olympic success last year, Tom has had a tricky start to the season with a fall at Badminton Horse Trials with Toledo and neither of his rides finishing at the five-star at Luhmühlen Horse Trials last month, but he said he didn’t feel any extra pressure.

“The horses been going really well. Sometimes in life, you make mistakes and I’ve made a good few this year, but it’s all about learning and coming out the other side, so if I can learn and move on from that, then we’ll be better and better,” he said.

“I’ve loved everything about being at the world’s best show – it was absolutely rammed for cross-country today and Toledo was super-excited to be at a big show again. He was letting rip trying to jump everything as usual. I couldn’t be happier with him and our team result.”

William Fox-Pitt provided Britain’s second-best score in seventh with his own and Jennifer Dowling’s Little Fire, while Yasmin Ingham impressed on her Aachen debut by finishing 12th on Janette Chinn and Sue Davies’ Rehy DJ. Both William and Yasmin added only time-faults to their first-phase scores.

“Aachen is more than I ever expected it would be and it’s really good for me to build up mileage and come to this incredible show,” said Yasmin. “Everything rode as I wanted it to across country. It was extremely fast and intense out there and lots of the let-up fences were quite decent as well.”

Sarah Bullimore competed as Britain’s individual on home-bred European bronze medallist Corouet – owned by his rider, her husband Brett and the Kew Jumping Syndicate – and finished 22nd with one showjump down and a few seconds over the time, plus a steadier round across country.

Aachen eventing results confusion after protest

German superstar Michael Jung looked set to top the individual Aachen eventing results on Kentucky Three-Day Event winner FischerChipmunk FRH when he led from the start on a dressage of 22.2 and held a significant lead as he headed out across country.

He crossed the finish line with 1.2 time-faults and was announced as the winner, but as he was waiting for the press conference to start, news filtered through that there had been a protest over whether he should have been penalised for missing a flag at the right-handed brush corner at fence 14. The 15 penalties were eventually added to his score card and Michael dropped to eighth.

Michael was riding Chipmunk as an individual. His team ride Kilcandra Ocean Power finished down the leaderboard after having 20 penalties at fence 16d, but the Germans had to count his score as Ingrid Klimke had 40 jumping penalties on Equistros Siena Just Do It.

Their team-mate Sandra Auffarth took top honours individually with Viamant Du Matz. She commented that Viamant Du Matz has more “life experience” than last time he was in Aachen in 2019 and “understands every question” now – an ominous prospect for Germany’s rivals ahead of the eventing World Championships with it in mind that Sandra’s last win in Aachen was in 2014 with another chestnut, Opgun Louvo, and the pair went on to be world champions that autumn.

Andrew Hoy finished second as an individual on David and Paula Evans’ and his own Olympic bronze medallist Vassily De Lassos; Australia did not field a team. The pair put in the fastest cross-country round, finishing just one second over the optimum time.

“It’s an absolute privilege to ride a horse like Vassily,” said Andrew. “I’ve worked with him since 2017 and we’ve developed a very good relationship. There wasn’t once on the cross-country when I pressed the button and said, ‘Come on, you have to go.’ He’s a horse that can just run and jump and for me it was a very nice ride.”

World-class British entries announced for 2022 eventing World Championships

Eleanor Jones — Fri, 24 Jun 2022 12:26:09 +0000

The eventing World Championships nominated entries (14-18 September) have been announced.

British Equestrian and the British Eventing selectors have confirmed the 15 horse and rider combinations from which the squad travelling to Pratoni del Vivaro, Italy, will be drawn.

In alphabetical order, the combinations are:

Sarah Bullimore with 11-year-old gelding Corouet

Owner: Sarah, her husband Brett, and the Kew Jumping Syndicate

Breeder: Sarah Buillimore (GBR)

Breeding: by Balou du Rouet, out of Lilly Corinne by Lovis Corinth

Ros Canter with 17-year-old gelding Allstar B

Owner: Ros and Caroline Moore

Breeder: FAJ Van der Burg (NED)

Breeding: by Ephebe For Ever, out of a mare by Erkstein

Ros Canter with 10-year-old gelding Lordships Graffalo

Owner: Michele Saul

Breeder: Lordships Stud Writtle College (GBR)

Breeding: by Grafenstolz, out of a mare by Rock King

Ros Canter with 13-year-old mare Pencos Crown Jewel

Owner: Kate James and Annie Mackin

Breeder: Pennie Wallace (GBR)

Breeding: by Jumbo, out of a mare by Rock King

Kirsty Chabert with 13-year-old mare Classic IV

Owner: John Johnston and Carole Somers

Breeder: Peter Charles (GBR)

Breeding: by Calvaro FC

Laura Collett with 13-yearold gelding London 52

Owner: Laura, Karen Bartlett and Keith Scott

Breeder: Ocke Riewerts (GER)

Breeding: by Landos, out of a mare by Quinar

William Fox- Pitt with 13-year-old gelding Little Fire

Owner: William and Jennifer Dowling

Breeder: Dr. Volker Steinkraus (GER)

Breeding: by Graf Top, out of a mare by Heraldik

Pippa Funnell with 15-year-old gelding Majas Hope

Owner: Pippa and Marek Sebestak

Breeder: Jack Murphy (IRL)

Breeding: by Porter Rhodes, out of a mare by Flagmount King

Yasmin Ingham with 11-year-old gelding Banzai Du Loir

Owner: Janette Chinn and Sue Davies

Breeder: Pierre Gouye (FRA)

Breeding: by Nouma D’Auzay, out of a mare by Livarot

Kitty King with 13-year-old gelding Vendredi Biats

Owner: Diana Bown, Sally Eyre, Samantha Wilson and Sally Lloyd-Baker

Breeder: Phillipe Brivois (FRA)

Breeding: by Winningmood, out of a mare by Camelia de Ruelle

Piggy March with 17-year-old mare Vanir Kamira

Owner: Trevor Dickens

Breeder: Kathryn Jackson (IRL)

Breeding: by Camira de Haar Z, out of a mare by Dixi

Tom McEwen with 15-year-old gelding Toledo de Kerser

Owner: Fred and Penny Barker, Jane Coppell and Alison McEwen

Breeder: Kerstin Drevet (FRA)

Breeding: by Diamant de Semilly, out of a mare by Papillon Rouge

Izzy Taylor with 11-year-old gelding Monkeying Around

Owner: Izzy and and Mark Sartori

Breeder: Christian Heinrich (GER)

Breeding: by Bertoli W, out of a mare by Donnerhall II

Oliver Townend with 15-year-old gelding Ballaghmor Class

Owner: Karyn Shuter, Angela Hislop and Val Ryan

Breeder: Noel Hicky (IRL)

Breeding: by Courage II

Oliver Townend with 14-year-old Swallow Springs

Owner: Paul and Diana Ridgeon

Breeder: Maria Keating (IRL)

Breeding: by Chillout, out of a mare by Cult Hero

As part of the Eventing World Championships entries, the following 10 reserve combinations have also been selected, listed in alphabetical order:

Kirsty Chabert with 11-year-old mare Opposition LoireOwner: Kirsty and the Daisy ChainBreeder: Mr J Johnston (GBR)Breeding: by Opposition Heracles, out of a mare by Carnival Drum

Laura Collett with 13-year-old gelding DacapoOwner: Diana Chappell, Gillian Morris-Adams, Alison and Michael Smedley and Carolyn TaylorBreeding: by Diarado, out of a mare by Canturo

David Doel with 11-year-old gelding Galileo Nieuwmoed

Owner: Gillian Jonas

Breeder: J W and A P Jurrius (NED)

Breeding: by Carambole, out of a mare by Harcos

William Fox- Pitt with 13-year-old gelding OratorioOwner: the Oratorio SyndicateBreeding: by Oslo Biats, out of a mare by Topanoora

Pippa Funnell with 12-year-old gelding MaybachOwner: S H E Eventing ABBreeder: Camilla Paradis (SWE)Breeding: by Jaguar Mail, out of a mare by Irco Mena

Tom Jackson with 11-year-old gelding Capels Hollow Drift

Owner: Patricia Davenport, Milly Simmie and Sarah Webb

Breeder: Jeanette Glynn (GBR)

Breeding: by Shannondale Sarco St Ghyvan, out of a mare by Lucky Gift

Richard Jones with 15-year-old gelding Alfies CloverOwner: Richard, Sandra Martin and Dinah SaundersBreeder: James Hickey (GBR)Breeding: by Tajrassi, out of a mare by Clover Hill

Selina Milnes with 13-year-old gelding IronOwner: William and Angela RuckerBreeding: by Aquilino, out of a mare by Donnerschlag

Tom McEwen with 11-year-old gelding Bob ChaplinOwner: Fred and Penny BarkerBreeding: by Cashell, out of a mare by Silver Jasper

Tom McEwen with 12-year-old chestnut mare CHF CooliserOwner: Vicky Bates and David MyersBreeder: Raymond Carroll (IRL)Breeding: by Womanizer, out of a mare by Ramiro B

The names of the grooms for each horse will be included in the final squad announcement.

British championship pairs given chance to bounce back at Aachen after five-star blips

Pippa Roome — Tue, 07 Jun 2022 16:32:29 +0000

The British team for the eventing competition at Aachen, the SAP Cup (1-2 July), has been announced:

Sarah Bullimore with the 11-year-old gelding Corouet, owned by his rider, her husband Brett and the Kew Jumping Syndicate
Ros Canter with the 17-year-old gelding Allstar B, owned by his rider and Caroline Moore. Ros has a direct reserve horse – the nine-year-old gelding Izilot DHI, owned by his rider and Alex Moody
William Fox-Pitt with the 13-year-old gelding Little Fire, owned by his rider and Jennifer Dowling
Yasmin Ingham with the 12 -year-old gelding Rehy DJ, owned by Moorecroft Limited
Tom McEwen with the 15-year-old gelding Toledo De Kerser, owned by Fred and Penny Barker, Jane Coppell and the rider’s mother Alison

The team of four and the individual will be named nearer the time or upon arrival. British eventing performance manager Dickie Waygood will be the the chef d’equipe.

Aachen offers a chance of redemption ahead of selection for the eventing World Championships in September for three horses who have strong championship form for Britain, but who had blips at their spring five-stars – 20 jumping penalties across country for Corouet at the Kentucky Three-Day Event, three showjumps down for Allstar B at Badminton Horse Trials and a fall for Toledo De Kerser at Badminton.

Yasmin Ingham must surely be on the senior selectors’ radar too with Kentucky runner-up Banzai Du Loir. Riding on the British eventing team at Aachen will give her additional experience of a buzzy championship atmosphere, albeit on a different horse.

‘He’s going to be mega’: Emily King’s debutant excels on Badminton dressage day one

Martha Terry — Thu, 05 May 2022 17:11:56 +0000

Two veteran crowd favourites failed to produce fairytales in the final session of day one of the Badminton Horse Trials dressage, at the event presented by Mars Equestrian. While former winner Classic Moet and five-star stalwart Reve Du Rouet put up middling displays, the debutant Valmy Biats moved into the top 10.

Emily King made an impressive return to Badminton with the first-timer Valmy Biats to score 28.5 and go into equal 10th with Pippa Funnell and Billy Walk On at the end of day one. They scored consistent sevens, with very few errors, and finished on a high with a nine from the judge at H for their final halt.

“He’s come on so much in dressage these past couple of years,” said Emily. “I’ve only had him for two years, and when he came he couldn’t do flying changes. Give him another year and he’ll be mega.

“He coped very well with the atmosphere as he is quite a hot horse with so much power that quite easily goes straight out the front door, so it’s about containing that.”

Badminton Horse Trials dressage: veterans frustrate

World number two Jonelle Price will be hoping for a stiff cross-country test with the oldest horse in the field, the 2018 winner Classic Moet after scoring 31.4. They are still within touch of the leaders, although the test was marred by tension. The 19-year-old mare lacked the suppleness of a younger horse, but looked raring to go ahead of cross-country. Jonelle admits this is the grand old campaigner’s weakest phase, and was content to be in the top 15 towards the end of the first day.

Badminton final scores

“With her it is a little bit ‘sit and suffer’ in this phase I’m afraid, and it’s just about trying to stay as near to the leaders as we possibly can and hopefully we have done that,” she said.

Classic Moet’s fellow veteran, Sarah Bullimore’s 18-year-old Reve Du Rouet, showed age has made him no wiser as he scored a frustrating 34.4. The Balou De Rouet-sired bay has all the potential to put up some superb marks, but he showed his quirky side from the first halt, turning for a look round his left shoulder. Sarah rode him with the utmost tact and the handbrake firmly on, leaving us all wondering what might have been if he had put his best hoof forward throughout.

“He is frightened of crowds, it is frustrating,” she said. “I thought we were through all that, but we’ve had two years of Covid and he needs to be out there being accustomised to the crowds. He was cool as a cucumber in the arena familiarisation and the trot-up so I thought maybe he was growing up. It’s disappointing.

“Hopefully he’s up for the cross-country. He doesn’t feel like an 18-year-old – he’s a freak of nature.”

Sarah Bullimore on her late stop at Kentucky: ‘It was one question too many –but he’s proved he’s a five-star horse’

Pippa Roome — Sat, 30 Apr 2022 22:43:59 +0000

Sarah Bullimore was so close but so far from a brilliant five-star result today when she had a late 20 penalties on the Land Rover Kentucky Three-Day Event cross-country.

The British rider was piloting the 11-year-old home-bred Corouet – owned by Sarah, her husband Brett and the Kew Jumping Syndicate – around his first five-star.

The pair had a risky moment at the first serious combination on course, the Park Question (fence 7abc), when the horse caught a leg on the first element, cat-leapt the ditch and somehow managed to clear the fence out.

Sarah then had to seriously hang on when he took off at the corner at the bottom of the slope into Pete’s Hollow (fence 13b) a stride early. She managed to stay in the saddle and displayed quick thinking to steer to the alternative element c without crossing her tracks.

It looked like the pair were on track to come home without penalties, but the final combination proved one question too many when the take-off spot wasn’t quite right at the brush-topped box into the Mighty Moguls (fence 26a) and Corouet stopped.

“He didn’t give me the easiest ride,” said Sarah. “He was over-jumping a bit and being silly, spooking at the ribbons on the crossings and people sitting down. He was just wasting a lot of energy and going ridiculously high over fences.

“But he was also fantastic – at the first water, in fact all the waters, he was fabulous and at all the technical fences.

“I think he just got a little bit tired at the end and it was one question too many. I perhaps should have broken him [his rhythm] up a little bit from the last oxer before turning. I didn’t have the perfect shot I wanted and whereas normally he would just have taken it on, I think he just was feeling a little bit tired and was like, ‘Actually, I can’t’. Sadly it happens.

“He will have learnt massively from the experience and his day will come. He is an out and out five-star horse, he has proved that, and sadly this weekend wasn’t his weekend, but maybe next time.”

The pair finished with 18.8 time-faults and sit in 24th place overnight after the Kentucky Three-Day Event cross-country.

Britain’s Sarah Bullimore holds second after Kentucky dressage on ‘special little horse with small man syndrome’

Pippa Roome — Fri, 29 Apr 2022 20:55:47 +0000

Sarah Bullimore holds second place for Britain at the conclusion of the Land Rover Kentucky Three-Day Event dressage this evening (29 April).

Sarah and her home-bred Corouet – who belongs to his rider, her husband Brett and The Kew Jumping Syndicate – put in a super smart, consistent test for a mark of 25.7. Michael Jung still holds the lead on 20.1 with FischerChipmunk FRH.

Sarah said: “He’s a really special little horse and I’m chuffed to bits. I know he can still be better, but for his first five-star, it’s fantastic.

“Michael Jung made a mistake so I thought maybe we could be closer to him and this horse is so capable. He loves the atmosphere but it makes him a bit tight and he starts playing up to the crowd rather than showing off as he can.

“It’s all a learning curve. In the arena familiarisation yesterday, he didn’t want to leave the arena, so he is a showman and it’s just polishing the rough edges. It’s all there and he’s so talented.”

Sarah and Corouet took the European individual bronze medal last year.

Talking about the diminutive star’s character, Sarah said: “He is quite dominant and plays with new people – he can be territorial and look quite fierce. He has a bit of small man syndrome.”

US rider Buck Davidson now sits in third with Carlevo, a 15-year-old owned by Katherine O’Brien.

“He pretty much always delivers on the first phase,” said Buck. “I actually took a few fingers off the reins and just rode him on two fingers to keep him out [in his outline].”

With the Kentucky Three-Day Event dressage over, attention now turns to tomorrow’s cross-country over Derek di Grazia’s course.

Pippa Funnell heads to the US, plus top dressage in Britain and 5 other events to follow this week

Polly Bryan — Tue, 26 Apr 2022 07:32:24 +0000

From Pippa Funnell in action at the Land Rover Kentucky Three-Day Event to top dressage names flocking to Keysoe, here’s what top-class sport you can look forward to this week in the equestrian world…

1. Land Rover Kentucky Three-Day Event, USA

Dates: 28 April-1 May

More info: kentuckythreedayevent.com

How to watch: free on USEF network in North America or on Horse & Country elsewhere

Get the H&H lowdown: full coverage online, magazine report in 5 May issue and a review on episode 101 of our podcast (out 6 May)

Why we’re excited about it: it’s the first five-star of 2022 and a strong field will start, headed up by German superstar Michael Jung and FischerChipmunk FRH, who will be the favourites. Britain has some live chances at Kentucky too, with Pippa Funnell fielding Maybach and Majas Hope, Sarah Bullimore bringing forward her European bronze medallist Corouet and young gun Yasmin Ingham riding the exciting Banzai Du Loir in his five-star debut. Can Sarah Bullimore, Yasmin Ingham or Pippa Funnell secure a British victory in Kentucky?

2. QIPCO Guineas Festival, Rowley Mile Racecourse, Suffolk

Dates: 29 April–1 May

More info: thejockeyclub.co.uk

Get the H&H lowdown: report in the magazine dated 5 May

Why we’re excited about it: The QIPCO Guineas Festival is all about world-class Flat racing and it features the first two Classics of the season – the 2,000 Guineas (Saturday) and 1,000 Guineas (Sunday). After the racing finishes on Saturday and Sunday, there will be a live DJ set from special guest Pat Sharp on the Saturday and Radio 1 DJ Chris Stark on the Sunday. Tickets start from £22.

3. Cirencester Horse Trials, Glos

Dates: 30 April-1 May

More info: British eventing schedule or event website

Get the H&H lowdown: report in the magazine dated 5 May

Why we’re excited about it: the Cirencester team have stepped in to host the fixture normally run at Withington. Traditionally, it’s the last chance to see riders in action before Badminton and although it’s too late for Badminton horses to be running, big-name riders in the advanced sections include Tom McEwen, Tim Price, Kitty King and Laura Collett. The Withington pony trial was always meaty, too, so expect to see the stars of tomorrow tested in that class.

4. Keysoe Premier League, Beds

Dates: 29 April-1 May

More info: keysoe.com

How to watch: live stream available via Horse & Country

Get the H&H lowdown: report in the magazine dated 5 May

Why we’re excited about it: Premier League season swings into gear with 2022’s second of these prestigious national shows. Expect top riders from around the country to be in action at Keysoe, with classes running from advanced medium up to grand prix, with highly-contested direct qualification to the National Dressage Championships up for grabs. Youth classes and young horse qualifiers complete the timetable.

5. BSPS Winter Championships, Arena UK, Lincs

Dates: 30 April-2 May

More info: bsps.com

Get the H&H lowdown: full report in the 12 May issue

Why we’re excited about it: Three days of showing action held at the fantastic venue of Arena UK. A host of top open ponies, from show ponies to mountain and moorlands, will contend for championship titles and 2022 RIHS tickets, while new faces will also compete in the selection of novice classes to ultimately contend for the coveted Winter Novice supreme held in Sunday’s evening performance. Other highlight classes include the Gold Cup show jumping, the Winter Worker Stakes championship and the Winter Restricted supreme.

6. Chepstow Spring CSI2*, Wales

Dates: 29 April-2 May

More info: theshowground.com/chepstowspringinternational

Get the H&H lowdown: report in the magazine dated 12 May

How to watch: available to watch on Clip My Horse TV

Why we’re excited about it: international horses and riders will flock to Wales for Chepstow’s first international show of the year. The four days feature international classes from 1.05m up to 1.40m, including a world rankings class.

7. Cheltenham Hunter Chase Evening, Cheltenham Racecourse, Glos

Date: Friday 29 April (first race at 4.40pm)

More info: thejockeyclub.co.uk

Why we’re excited about it: the final fixture on Cheltenham’s 2021/22 season is the racecourse’s sole evening meeting each year. It is the Olympics of amateur Jump racing, where only amateur jockeys and trainers can run their horses. There are seven races on the card in total and Radio 1’s Greg James will also be performing after the last race. Tickets start from £8.

See the Kentucky cross-country times for the British competitors and other favourites

Pippa Roome — Mon, 25 Apr 2022 19:33:08 +0000

The Land Rover Kentucky Three-Day Event cross-country times have been released ahead of the action on Saturday (30 April).

The CCI5* cross-country starts at 12.50pm local time (5.50pm British time) and the final rider is scheduled to start at 3.46pm local time (8.46pm British time).

Kentucky Three-Day Event cross-country times for British riders

Leslie Law and Voltaire De Tre’: 12.58pm local time (5.58pm British time)
Pippa Funnell and Majas Hope: 1.50pm local time (6.50pm British time)
Yasmin Ingham and Banzai Du Loir: 3.18pm local time (8.18pm British time)
Sarah Bullimore and Corouet: 3.34pm local time (8.34pm British time)
Pippa Funnell and Maybach: 3.46pm local time (8.46pm British time)

Other riders to watch

Will Coleman and Dondante (USA): 12.50pm local time (5.50pm British time)
Doug Payne and Vandiver (USA): 12.54pm local time (5.54pm British time)
Phillip Dutton and Sea Of Clouds (USA): 1.22pm local time (6.22pm British time)
Boyd Martin and Tsetserleg TSF (USA): 2.26pm local time (7.26pm British time)
Michael Jung and FischerChipmunk FRH (GER): 2.34pm local time (7.34pm British time)
Hannah Sue Burnett and Harbour Pilot (USA): 2.38pm local time (7.38pm British time)
Jonelle Price and McClaren (NZL): 2.42pm local time (7.42pm British time)
Lauren Nicholson and Landmark’s Monte Carlo (USA): 2.46pm local time (7.46pm British time)
Will Coleman and Off The Record (USA): 2.50pm local time (7.50pm British time)

Full Kentucky Three-Day Event cross-country times

See all the times (cross-country times are listed to the right of the rider name)

When do the British riders do their dressage at Kentucky? Find out here

Pippa Roome — Mon, 25 Apr 2022 19:14:03 +0000

The Land Rover Kentucky Three-Day Event dressage times have been released for this week’s competition (28 April-1 May).

The flagship CCI5* dressage takes place in the afternoons on Thursday and Friday, starting at 1pm local time (6pm British time) on Thursday and 12.30pm (5.30pm British time) on Friday.

Kentucky Three-Day Event dressage times for British riders

Leslie Law and Voltaire De Tre’: 1.24pm local time on Thursday (6.24pm British time)
Pippa Funnell and Majas Hope: 3.56pm local time on Thursday (8.56pm British time)
Yasmin Ingham and Banzai Du Loir: 3.18pm local time on Friday (8.18pm British time)
Sarah Bullimore and Corouet: 3.50pm local time on Friday (8.50pm British time)
Pippa Funnell and Maybach: 4.14pm local time on Friday (9.14pm British time)

Other riders to watch

Will Coleman and Dondante (USA): 1pm local time on Thursday (6pm British time)
Doug Payne and Vandiver (USA): 1.16pm local time on Thursday (6.16pm British time)
Phillip Dutton and Sea Of Clouds (USA): 2.28pm local time on Thursday (7.28pm British time)
Boyd Martin and Tsetserleg TSF (USA): 12.54pm local time on Friday (5.54pm British time)
Michael Jung and FischerChipmunk FRH (GER): 1.10pm local time on Friday (6.10pm British time)
Hannah Sue Burnett and Harbour Pilot (USA): 1.18pm local time on Friday (6.18pm British time)
Jonelle Price and McClaren (NZL): 1.26pm local time on Friday (6.26pm British time)
Lauren Nicholson and Landmark’s Monte Carlo (USA): 1.50pm local time on Friday (6.50pm British time)
Will Coleman and Off The Record (USA): 1.58pm local time on Friday (6.58pm British time)

Full Kentucky Three-Day Event dressage times

See all the times

A former winner, a 2021 European medallist and a rising star among British entries for Kentucky five-star

Pippa Roome — Fri, 01 Apr 2022 09:23:27 +0000

Four British riders are among the Land Rover Kentucky Three-Day Event entries set to line up in this year’s competition (28 April-1 May).

The British riders span the range of experience. Pippa Funnell, who won Kentucky in 2003 on Primmore’s Pride, is entered with Marek Sebestak’s and her own Majas Hope and S.H.E. Eventing’s Maybach.

US-based British rider Leslie Law, the 2004 Olympic individual champion, comes forward with Tre’ Book’s Voltaire De Tre.

Yasmin Ingham is set to make her Kentucky debut on one of the most exciting young horses in eventing, Sue Davies and Janette Chinn’s Banzai Du Loir. The Blenheim Horse Trials CCI4*-L winner will be starting at five-star for the first time, although Yasmin has gained five-star experience in two starts at at Pau Horse Trials on other horses.

Finally, Sarah Bullimore is entered on her European individual bronze medallist Corouet, owned by Sarah and her husband Brett, plus the Kew Jumping Syndicate.

German superstar Michael Jung, a three-time Kentucky winner on FischerRocana FST, brings forward FischerChipmunk FRH – owned by Sabine and Klaus Fischer, Hilmer Meyer Kulenkampff and the German Olympic committee for equestrian sport.

This will be a hotly awaited five-star debut for a horse who has been a European individual silver medallist and who topped the list of the best event horses in the world at the end of last year according to data analytics company EquiRatings.

Ireland’s Joseph Murphy will also make the journey from Europe for his Kentucky debut, riding Claire and Charlie Mayne, Annette O’Callaghan’s and his own Calmaro, who was 14th at Pau last year.

Among the home-side stars on the list are all three riders from the US Olympic team from Tokyo – Phillip Dutton (Sea Of Clouds), Doug Payne (Quantum Leap and Vandiver) and Boyd Martin, who will certainly be among the favourites when he starts on last year’s Maryland 5 Star winner On Cue, as well as Tsetserleg TSF.

A number of horses appear on the Kentucky Three-Day Event entries as well as on the Badminton Horse Trials entries, but they will only start at one of the events.

Pippa has Majas Hope on both lists, but she has three horses entered for Badminton and can only ride two, so it is likely Billy Walk On and MGH Grafton Street will go to Badminton and Majas Hope to Kentucky. Three US riders also each have a horse on both lists – Lauren Nicholson (Vermiculus), Tamie Smith (Mai Baum) and Will Faudree (Mama’s Magic Way) – as does Canada’s Karl Slezak (Fernhill Wishes).

Defending champions –and Zara Tindall –head up strong Badminton Horse Trials entries

Pippa Roome — Mon, 21 Mar 2022 12:23:45 +0000

Defending champions Piggy March and Vanir Kamira head up this year’s Badminton Horse Trials entries. The event, presented by Mars Equestrian, will run 4-8 May 2022.

Piggy and Trevor Dickens’ mare are the most recent winners of Badminton, having triumphed in 2019. The event was cancelled owing to Covid-19 in 2020 and 2021.

Piggy is also entered with John and Chloe Perry and Alison Swinburn’s Brookfield Inocent, who took individual silver and team gold at last year’s European Eventing Championships in Avenches.

A raft of strong British contenders join Piggy on the Badminton Horse Trials entries list, including all three pairs from Britain’s Olympic gold medal-winning team – Laura Collett with Karen Bartlett, Keith Scott’s and her own London 52, Tom McEwen with Fred and Penny Barker, Jane Inns and his mother Ali’s Toledo De Kerser (who also won individual silver) and Oliver Townend with Karyn Shuter, Angela Hislop and Val Ryan’s Ballaghmor Class.

Tom is also entered with Vicky Bates and David Myers’ CHF Cooliser and Fred and Penny Barker’s Bob Chaplin, but will have to choose which two of his three entries he will start on nearer the time. Similarly Oliver Townend has five horses entered – with Angela Hislop’s Cooley Master Class, the Ridgeons’ Swallow Springs, the Hazeldines and Mitchell Fox Group’s Tregilder and Sophie Adams’ Ridire Dorcha all in the mix – and will only be able to start on two.

Badminton final scores

Five of the other horses from the 2021 British European Championships squad also come forward, with entries in from individual gold medallists Nicola Wilson on Deirdre Johnston and Jo and James Lambert’s JL Dublin, individual bronze medallists Sarah Bullimore and her own and husband Brett and the Kew Jumping Syndicate’s Corouet, and team gold medallists Kitty King and Vendredi Biats (owned by Diana Bown, Sally Lloyd Baker, Sally Eyre and Samantha Wilson) and Ros Canter with her own and Caroline Moore’s Allstar B.

Nicola also has Lady Milnes Coates and Rosemary Search’s Erano M on the list, Sarah is double-handed, with Chris and Sue Gillespie and the rider’s husband Brett’s Reve Du Rouet joining Corouet, and Ros Canter brings forward Michele Saul’s Lordships Graffalo alongside world champion Allstar B.

Izzy Taylor is not entered with Mark Sartori’s and her own Monkeying Around, who finished in the top 10 as an individual at the Europeans, but she has Sara and Tom Strong’s Artful Trinity 10th on the waiting list, so he should make the cut to start.

Former winners entered also include William Fox-Pitt (Jennifer Dowling’s and his own Little Fire and the syndicate-owned Oratorio) and Pippa Funnell (who will have two choose two of the Walkinshaws’ Billy Walk On, Marek Sebestak’s and her own Majas Hope and the Clarkes’ MGH Grafton Street).

Zara Tindall is slated for her first Badminton Horse Trials start since 2016 as she is entered with Gleadhill House Stud’s Class Affair.

The Brits won’t have it all their own way at Badminton, though. A strong international challenge is led by New Zealand’s husband and wife duo Tim Price and Jonelle Price, with Tim entered on his own and Trisha and Sophie Rickards’ Xavier Faer and the Prices’ and Sophie Hearnden’s Ringwood Sky Boy and Jonelle on her own and Therese Miller’s Grovine De Reve and her own and Trisha and Sophie Rickards’ Classic Moet, who won the event in 2018.

A sizeable US contingent will cross the Atlantic for the British spring classic, including Phillip Dutton with his Tokyo horse Z (owned by Phillip’s wife Evie, Ann Jones, Suzanne Lacy, Caroline Moran, Simon Roosevelt and Thomas Tierney), Ariel Grald and Anne Eldridge’s Leamore Master Plan, who were third at Luhmühlen last year, and Tamie Smith with the super dressage horse Mai Baum, owned by Alexandra Ahearn and her parents Ellen Ahearn and Eric Markell.

Only one German is entered to start at Badminton this year – last year’s Luhmühlen runners-up Christoph Wahler and his own and Lena Thoenies’s Carjatan S.

Two Olympic gold medallists, all three individual European medallists and a pair of siblings: 13 top horses enjoy a run at Oasby

Pippa Roome — Mon, 14 Mar 2022 19:22:51 +0000

Last week’s Oasby Horse Trials provided a first run of the season for numerous top horses, who enjoyed a chance to stretch their legs over the open intermediate course. Check out a few of our favourite superstars in action with these Oasby Horse Trials pictures.

Yasmin Ingham riding Sue Davies and Janette Chinn’s Banzai Du Loir. (Image credit: creditUnknown)

This pair won Blenheim Horse Trials CCI4*-L at the end of last season and Yasmin Ingham will look to step Banzai Du Loir up to five-star this year.

Heidi Coy and David Ottewell’s Russal Z. (Image credit: Peter Nixon)

Another pair who made a splash at Blenheim – Heidi Coy and Russal Z took seventh place in the CCI4*-L there last autumn.

Piggy March and Jayne McGivern’s Halo. (Image credit: Peter Nixon)

We reported on last year’s Osberton CCI3*-L winner Halo having a name change and joining Piggy March’s string over the winter, so it’s great to see him in action with his new rider.

Tom McEwen and Toledo De Kerser, owned by Fred and Penny Barker, Jane Inns and Tom’s mother Ali. (Image credit: Peter Nixon)

This pair need no introduction – Tom McEwen and Toledo De Kerser are the Olympic individual silver and team gold medallists. Toledo was having his first run since that brilliant performance at the Tokyo Games.

Nicola Wilson on Deirdre Johnston and Jo and James Lambert’s JL Dublin. (Image credit: Peter Nixon)

The reigning European champions, Nicola Wilson and JL Dublin, return to the fray with a victory.

Bubby Upton and Viscount and Viscountess Rothermere’s Billy Liffy. (Image credit: creditUnknown)

This was a first run together for Bubby Upton and Billy Liffy, who was previously ridden up to five-star level by Olivia Craddock and then Sam Griffiths.

Sarah Bullimore and Corouet, who belongs to Sarah, her husband Brett and the Kew Jumping Syndicate. (Image credit: creditUnknown)

A close-up of our favourite pocket rocket – European individual bronze medallists Sarah Bullimore and her home-bred Corouet.

Oliver Townend riding Angela Hislop’s Cooley Master Class. (Image credit: Peter Nixon)

This was a first run since finishing second at Maryland 5 Star last year for double Kentucky Three-Day Event winner Cooley Master Class, ridden by Oliver Townend.

Stephen Heal and his own Quidam De Lux. (Image credit: creditUnknown)

Quidam De Lux was last year’s British seven-year-old champion at Osberton, ridden by his owner Stephen Heal.

Piggy March on Alison Swinburn and Chloe and John Perry’s Brookfield Inocent. (Image credit: Peter Nixon)

Last year’s European team gold and individual silver medallist Brookfield Inocent enjoying a winning spin with Piggy March.

And finally, a special pair of horses…

Phoebe Buckley and Valerie Gingell’s Tiger Mail. (Image credit: creditUnknown)

Tiger Mail, by Jaguar Mail, is a son of Phoebe Buckley’s previous five-star ride Little Tiger. He was eighth at Blair in the CCI4*-L last season.

Simon Grieve and Mr Fahrenheit, owned by Dr Polly Taylor. (Image credit: creditUnknown)

And here’s Tiger Mail’s half-brother! Ridden by Simon Grieve, Mr Fahrenheit III is by Catherston Liberator and completed his first five-star at Pau Horse Trials last year.

Oasby Horse Trials pictures by Peter Nixon. Full report from Oasby in this week’s Horse & Hound magazine (issue dated 17 March).

Five-star horse steps down to give young rider experience: ‘I’ll miss him, but it’s the right thing for him’

Pippa Roome — Fri, 04 Feb 2022 11:09:43 +0000

Sarah Bullimore’s five-star ride Conpierre has been sold to step down a level and give experience to 26-year-old George Bartlett, who produces the young horses at Caunton Manor Stud.

“We felt George needed an experienced horse to help educate him further and take him through the ranks. He’s extremely talented and hugely loyal so we are very excited to see how they progress together this year,” said Caunton’s founder Victoria Wright.

Sarah told H&H: “Conpierre is a lovely horse who’s been a big part of the team here, but he was struggling a little bit with the workload needed to get to a four-star long or five-star. He’s fit, sound and well and not ready to retire completely, but he’s physically not coping with the amount of work to get fit for top level and we thought he needed to step down a little bit.

“George came and tried him and he’s a beautiful, sympathetic rider, so it all sort of fell into place. He’ll be George’s premier horse and the apple of his eye, whereas for us, realistically, if he drops down a level, he’d slide down the pecking order. The horses going to big three-day naturally always have priority and if he stayed, if we have a busy day, he’d be one who’d have a day off or a little hack. I’ll miss him hugely, but it’s the right thing for him.”

Conpierre (“Toby”) is now 15 and belonged to Sarah’s husband Brett, her long-term owner Christopher Gillespie and dressage rider Anna Ross. He joined the Bullimores’ yard at Christmas of his five-year-old year.

“He came into my system a bit later than most of mine and was quite sharp and quirky,” said Sarah. “But everything was a pleasure for him – he was a lovely person to have around and just loves life.

“When he first started eventing, his first couple of runs he’d clear the cross-country warm-up because he was so excited. He’d land after the practice fence and squirt off bucking. He never wanted to get you off, he just found it so much fun. People thought he was a bit unruly, but he did finally settle and get the gist of it.

“He rarely had a pole down but when he did, it was sometimes because he’d kicked it off backwards bucking over a fence.”

Sarah named the highlights of Conpierre’s career as his 10th place at Boekelo Horse Trials CCI3* (now CCI4*-L) in 2017 and eighth at Luhmühlen Horse Trials CCI5* in 2019. She also has fond memories of his first CIC3* (now CCI4*-S) at Houghton Horse Trials in 2015, where he finished 10th on his dressage score and helped the British team to second in the Nations Cup.

Sarah added that Conpierre’s nickname was “Turbo Toby”, saying: “He was so quick-thinking and could act so fast. In the early days, he had a few silly run-outs because he could kick off the floor so fast and you’d know you’d lost him in mid-air. He’d shoot off in a straight line on landing and totally miss the second part of a combination if it was on a curving line. He had no idea he’d run out.

“He was a lot of fun to produce, a seriously classy horse.”

Sarah Bullimore takes ‘emotional’ European bronze: ‘It’s taken me 10 years just to get here’

Pippa Roome — Sun, 26 Sep 2021 14:08:07 +0000

Sarah Bullimore achieved a clear round today in the European Eventing Championships showjumping to move up from fifth overnight and take the individual bronze on her home-bred Corouet.

The British rider said: “I feel emotional – it’s been quite a rollercoaster. Just to even get here [to a championship] has taken me 10 years. I’ve been on the reserve list all those years and to finally actually be picked straight out is a major, major thing.

“The last time I rode at the Europeans was on his mother [Lilly Corinne], so it’s really special.”

Sarah and Corouet – who belongs to his rider, her husband Brett and the Kew Jumping Syndicate – added just 0.8 of a time-penalty across country to their dressage score, which left them fifth after the first phase. They held that place going into today’s European Eventing Championships showjumping.

Talking about whether the week had exceeded her own expectations, Sarah said: “It sounds cocky, but I had a really good feeling about him coming here and he was on great form.

“I was extremely nervous on cross-country morning because I was thinking if I make a mess of it today, it will take another 10 years for me to get back here again, so that was a big relief. But today I was actually really remarkably calm and he is a fab showjumper – he’s fab at everything.

“I’m just chuffed for him and his owners – he’s owned by a lovely syndicate, the Kew Jumping Syndicate. Sadly, a couple of the members couldn’t so this is for them too. It’s been a fabulous week.”

‘A dream come true’ – gold rush for Britain in European Eventing Championships showjumping, plus a podium clean sweep

Gemma Redrup — Sun, 26 Sep 2021 13:58:26 +0000

Nicola Wilson and the wonderful 10-year-old gelding JL Dublin produced a beautiful clear round in the final showjumping phase today (26 September), clinching individual gold in the final European Eventing Championships results. Nicola led Britain to team gold and an all-British individual podium at the event in Avenches, Switzerland.

Riding JL Dublin, who is owned by Jo and James Lambert and Deirdre Johnston, Nicola held her nerve in the showjumping to complete on her 20.9 dressage.

“It’s been a fantastic week for all of the Brits and to finish up there on the top is just a dream come true,” an emotional Nicola said afterwards.

“He is fabulous horse that his owners bought as a four-year-old and he’s been so exciting, all the way through the years. For him to come and do his first championship and finish at the top of the podium, I really am just pinching myself – but he really is a very, very special horse and he felt class in all three phases.”

When asked about how she felt going into the showjumping phase, Nicola said she felt “pressure” and “nerves”.

“I knew he could jump well, but you just don’t know what’s going to happen – a silly mistake and I could have let him down, but he was just phenomenal in there and he went in as cool as a cucumber, very confident and very focused and off we went. It was just an absolute pleasure to ride him in all three phases.”

Team-mate Piggy March also produced a lovely clear round on John and Chloe Perry and Alison Swinburn’s Brookfield Inocent to climb from fourth after the cross-country to clinch an individual silver medal. They also completed on their dressage score of 23.3.

“It’s unbelievable – what a team of just unbelievable horses and unbelievable riders and such great mates of mine as well, so it’s just been such a cool week,” Piggy said after her round.

“But for me personally and for my owners John and Chloe Perry and Alison Swinburn – it’s not been an easy year for them, it’s been a bit of a rollercoaster one and hard at times with us missing out on Tokyo. So to come here and their horse be as beautiful as I know he is – I hope we’ve both done them proud and it means so much to me for their first championship experience to come home after a week like this. I’m just so grateful to them.”

Piggy March and Brookfield Inocent take individual silver and team gold at the European Championships 2021. (Image credit: creditUnknown)

Piggy continued to give praise to Brookfield Inocent saying: “I’m so lucky – I think my horse is one of the best horses in the world. He’s a beautiful horse and it’s exciting for the future. But what a week, you couldn’t write it really.”

Rounding off the all-British podium was Sarah Bullimore, who was riding as an individual aboard her diminutive home-bred Corouet. Although only very small, measuring in at around 15.2hh, Corouet, who is owned by Sarah, her husband Brett and the Kew Jumping Syndicate, never looked like he was going to touch a pole, and their clear round helped them climb from fifth after the cross-country.

Germany’s Ingrid Klimke, who had been in individual silver medal position after the cross-country, dropped to eventual fifth after rolling the pole on the third to last fence. Michael Jung, who was also riding for Germany, climbed from sixth after the cross-country to eventual fourth, thanks to a clear round on the nine-year-old FischerWild Wave.

Great Britain topped the European Eventing Championships results convincingly in the team competition, finishing on a total score of 73.1, with Germany taking team silver on 86.4. Meanwhile, the battle for team bronze was fraught between Sweden, Switzerland and France, with Sweden ultimately coming out on top.

Stay tuned to horseandhound.co.uk for further reports and comments from all of the top-placed riders.

Britain primed for gold and a veteran horse who jumps ‘like a deer’: 9 stories you need to read from Saturday at the eventing Europeans

Martha Terry — Sat, 25 Sep 2021 16:58:48 +0000

It’s been a day of drama at the European Eventing Championships cross-country in Avenches, but it’s looking golden for the Brits ahead of the final phase tomorrow (26 September). Here’s the lowdown on nine big stories from today’s action…

1. Britain holds team and individual gold overnight after an almost flawless cross-country display from the girls and the tiniest setback for dressage leader Ingrid Klimke.

Find out how Britain took both top spots

2. British team rider Nicola Wilson crept up from third to take pole position individually.

Hear Nicola’s thoughts on her 10-year-old JL Dublin tackling his first team outing

3. Riders were worried how twisty Mike Etherington-Smith’s track looked, but the early riders showed both the track and the time were fair.

Read how the pathfinders rose to the challenge

4. Kitty King secured a stunning British team completion with the third clear round for the team with Vendredi Biats.

Find out how Vendredi Biats brushed off an early mistake

5. Britain’s pathfinder Piggy March was only the second rider inside the time, riding Brookfield Inocent, to take fourth.

Read about how her cross-country specialist made light of the track

6. British rider Sarah Bullimore had a dream round as an individual and slotted into fifth spot.

Find out how her home-bred Corouet skipped over fences “wider than he is long”.

7. Dressage runner-up Ros Canter dropped out of the reckoning with two late run-outs on the great Allstar B.

Read what Ros had to say about her world champion’s disappointing performance

8. Ireland hiked up the leaderboard from 11th to fifth with a stunning round from Padraig McCarthy.

Find out what Padraig had to say about his 17-year-old ride

9. Can’t wait to see how it all ends?

Check out what time the Brits are likely to showjump for the medals tomorrow

Britain on target for double gold after stunning cross-country display at eventing Europeans

Martha Terry — Sat, 25 Sep 2021 14:38:09 +0000

The British team will hold team and individual gold overnight after dressage leader Ingrid Klimke clocked 1.2 time-faults with SAP Hale Bob OLD at the European Eventing Championships cross-country in Avenches, Switzerland.

Ingrid was Germany’s anchorman and her result drops her to second individually, but keeps Germany in the silver-medal position. Britain has two fences in hand over Germany.

Nicola Wilson’s copybook round on JL Dublin ensured she will be in provisional gold individually ahead of tomorrow’s showjumping phase (26 September). The British team holds the top position despite Ros Canter having two unfortunate run-outs right near the end of the course (fence 28a and 29) at the final water. A rail covers the top seven, so it will be a tight tussle for the individual podium. There are four Brits – team riders Nicola, Piggy March (fourth) Kitty King (seventh) and individual rider Sarah Bullimore (fifth) – in this group, with Izzy Taylor rounding out the top 10, also riding as an individual.

“The mood all week has been fantastic,” said Nicola. “It’s a lovely group of girls, we’re taking it one day at a time and I think the whole support behind the team has been fantastic. We’ll enjoy the results today, and this evening get our minds in focus for tomorrow.”

Ingrid’s round on her dual (and reigning) European champion was not entirely polished, with the horse making two misjudgements at brush fences which may have contributed to their three seconds over the time. The 17-year-old superstar was characteristically bold and strong, but was perhaps feeling fresh as he has only had one international run (a four-star win) since Ingrid was sidelined after a fall in May.

“I’m very happy because he did many lovely jumps and at all the difficult parts or downhill to the corner, he was bold and courageous, like he always is,” she said. “I had lots of time at the seven-minute marker, but at the end we couldn’t really go any faster. I took my time because I wanted to precise until the end. I thought I would make it, unfortunately just two [three] seconds outside. But he’s happy and trotted in full of himself, and he did a lovely job.”

France in double bronze after European Eventing Championships cross-country

Maxime Livio, fourth after dressage, had to juggle his individual aspirations with the necessity of recording a completion for the French team after his compatriot Gwendolen Fer fell. He steered the inexperienced Api Du Libaire home clear, also adding 1.2 time-faults to carry 22.5 forward to the showjumping tomorrow (26 September). He is now lying in bronze position.

“He was a bit deliberate in the two jumps in the water, so after that I went for it,” said Maxime. “What I’m happy about is that I achieved the mission I was sent out to do – to come home with a clear round, with as few time-faults as possible but without taking any risk. I managed to do that without impacting too much on my individual score.

“I couldn’t have asked for more – he’s lacking a bit of experience and preparation. Sometimes he can give me a bit too much at the start and then not have enough left at the end, so I had to keep a rhythm.”

Germany’s Michael Jung is currently sixth on nine-year-old Fischerwild Wave thanks to a clear inside the time, with his compatriot Christoph Wahler and Carjatan S eighth, though he is riding as an individual.

‘He made it feel like Pony Club’: Sarah Bullimore and tiny Corouet breeze round tough Euros track

Martha Terry — Sat, 25 Sep 2021 13:45:48 +0000

Britain’s second individual rider Sarah Bullimore and her home-bred Corouet breezed round clear for just 0.8 time-faults to post yet another brilliant round for the Brits at the European Eventing Championships cross-country.

The diminutive chestnut, who is owned by the rider, her husband Brett and the Kew Jumping Syndicate, was a perfect match for this sinuous track. He fairly skipped round to stop the clock just two seconds outside the time. Some of the riders are having to nurse their horses home, but Corouet was absolutely pinging at the end, bounding round for fun.

“He was amazing, he made it feel like a Pony Club track – all those huge, wide fences, they’re actually wider than the length of my little horse, but he flew over,” Sarah said. “He must have been a foot above everything. He was a bit fresh to set off, and that’s where my couple of seconds came off, but he was awesome the whole way round.

Sarah took the long route, like the other Brits, at fence 6 to 7, just for safety’s sake as it was so early on.

“Then I saved a few seconds at fence 24, and he was really quick on the tight lines,” she said. “It was frustrating but I can probably cope with 0.8.

“I have to admit to being fairly terrified this morning and making a cock-up somewhere. Having taken 10 years to finally get here, I just thought if I make a cock-up today it will take me another 10 years to get back – I don’t think I can keep going that long!”

Sarah had produced an outstanding personal best in the dressage phase of 22.8, and holds at least fifth place going ahead to showjumping.

European Eventing Championships cross-country: not all plain sailing

The first tranche of riders had largely jumped clear with some of the top horses making the track look straightforward, but there was more trouble afoot in this mid-section. Ireland’s Joseph Murphy and Poland’s Malgorata Korycka were eliminated after falling on the flat at a dirt crossing halfway round, while The Netherlands’ Sanne De Yong had an awkward jump when coming too fast at the Crazy Corner at 9b and missed a flag. Sanne continued but were later eliminated as the horse was not deemed to have jumped the fence.

Belgium’s Laura Loge and Absolut Allegro decided to retire after the horse misread the triple brush three from home. The horse landed on the fence and looked a little sore but walked away.

‘He is fabulous and there’s so much more to come’: Sarah Bullimore wows in European Eventing Championships dressage

Gemma Redrup — Fri, 24 Sep 2021 11:40:13 +0000

Sarah Bullimore and her home-bred 10-year-old Corouet wowed the judges in the Eventing European Championships dressage in Avenches, Switzerland. The pair performed a virtually flawless test to score 22.8, which puts them into second place with just 11 combinations left to go this afternoon.

“He was fabulous – he got a little bit tight and excited, but actually he kept it all together,” said Sarah, who is riding as an individual for the British squad. “There’s still bits that can be so much better and we didn’t really get both changes, which are normally his absolute highlight but they just weren’t quite right today – usually even when they’re bad, they’re still good with him.”

Corouet’s dam is Lily Corinne, who Sarah rode at the European Eventing Championships at Blair Castle in 2015, which makes this achievement all the more sweeter.

“He is fabulous, so I’m slightly berating myself for those mistakes in the changes, but he’s still a work in progress and there’s so much more to come from him.”

The Netherlands’ Merel Blom also put in a strong first phase performance in the Eventing European Championships dressage with The Quizmaster to score 24.4, which slots them into sixth place at this stage.

“I was expecting it to be good, although the rein-back wasn’t good for us, he always finds it quite difficult – every horse has something he finds difficult,” Merel explained afterwards. “This horse can move really well and he positions himself really well. I could feel it at the end, I thought ‘okay I’m not going to watch the numbers [on the scoreboard]’, but then I had my last medium trot and I thought it was quite good, so I think he did really well.”

The final session of dressage gets underway at 1.15pm UK time with the last rotation of team riders.

Brightwells purchase wins CCI2*-L at Blair Castle International Horse Trials

Becky Murray — Sun, 29 Aug 2021 14:42:04 +0000

European Eventing Championships-bound Sarah Bullimore demonstrated her ability to perform under pressure when winning the Land Rover Blair Castle International Horse Trials CCI2*-L on Evita AP.

With no poles in hand, Sarah and the seven-year-old mare had to go clear to take the honours. Despite a rattle of the second last before the final treble combination, the pole stayed up and the pair flew across the finishing line, remaining on their 26.5 dressage score. Lucinda Atkinson and KGB Sandra took second, with Tom McEwen and MHS Brown Jack in third.

Sarah was “over the moon” with the seven-year-old mare, who showed no signs of tiredness from the taxing cross-country the day before.

“She is absolutely full of it after the cross-country. After the last fence to get to the timer I closed my legs and she shot off. Then we did an impromptu lap of the arena before she would come back again. She’s ready to go again!” Sarah told H&H.

“She jumped like a superstar. I watched a couple this morning and thought the time was tight, then they shortened it further, and I thought ‘oh my goodness’. Normally we keep her sort of slow to jump and sometimes can have a time-fault, but she was absolutely magic.”

Sarah’s husband Brett bought Evita AP, with the Seahorse Syndicate, as a three-year-old from Brightwells.

“There wasn’t a picture in the catalogue but she’s by Con Air, the same sire as our Conpierre and we love him. When they brought her out she was a real nice horse, but she wasn’t really my type,” she said. “Then the seller said she was in foal, and I mentally put her back. Brett was with me the next day, they loose jumped her and here she is. The foal has gone to one of my sponsors and I hope to get her back to start for them.

“This year we’ve taken an embryo from Evita AP. For the stallion we’ve gone with Murka’s Gem, the Gem Twist clone. Evita AP’s got everything there, but we’d like to lighten her a little and put a bit more blood in.”

Sarah had come to Blair as a last-minute entry with eyes on a qualification for the young event horse championships at Le Lion. The pair have had a less than ideal season after the mare was ruled out in June by a leg infection meaning the pair were lacking in “match practise”.

“I came here for the qualification, but to win is the icing on the cake. It was our last opportunity to qualify and I was feeling the pressure. We only got the other part of the qualification at Somerford Park last week.

“I was thinking don’t go and have three down or something stupid. At the end of the day if it’s meant to be, it’s meant to be. It’s all down to selectors now, and hopefully it’s meant to be – but at least we’re now qualified and can be in the mix.”

Lucinda Atkinson said Jane Crossley’s seven-year-old gelding KGB Sandro had overcome some showjumping challenges along the way to Blair.

“Dressage and cross-country are his strongest phases. He hasn’t had a clear showjumping all year. But I don’t mind if he saves it for the big days,” said Lucinda, who runs an event yard in Northallerton.

“We’ve been working hard. He used to stress about atmosphere, but he’s overcome that now. Helen Bell and Chris Bartle have been massively helping with the jumping and Judy Bradwell has helped me with the dressage.”

Lucinda also took fourth on Jane Crossley’s 13-year-old-gelding Dancing Revolution.

“He only came to me 10 days ago. I broke him in – his full brother is Spring Revolution, who I event at four-star,” she said. “Unfortunately his normal rider Martha Todd couldn’t be here this week and Jane wanted him to come here. I can’t take any claim to fame for him this weekend, it’s all Martha’s hard work.”

CCI*-Intro

The popular CCI*-Intro rounded off with the cross-country on Sunday, with Katie Magee and Fairfield Mollymac taking the honours in section E. The pair enjoyed a double clear to finish on their dressage score 30.1.

The showjumping the previous day caused a shuffle of the leaderboard when Grace Botterell and Diamond Pippin had a pole, which led to Sarah Clark and Secret Affaer VII heading the section going into the cross-country. But a run out at the second phase of fence 11, the angled brushes, led to Sarah calling it a day on course.

County Durham-based trainer Katie has owned and produced Fairfield Mollymac since she was a three-year-old and Blair is the mare’s international debut.

“It’s been busier than I’ve ever known it so it was a real education. The dressage went really well, apart from me learning the test wrong! But she was brilliant, she went in and was really settled. You just don’t know when you’re bringing a baby,” Katie told H&H.

“It was unexpected to win. I had Nelson De La Pomme and Treworra coming for the CCI2*-L and decided Fairfield Mollymac would benefit from coming along. It was a lovely bonus to win on top of her getting the education. All going well we’re hoping to go to the six-year-old championship at Osberton.”

Katie said she entered the CCI*-Intro class with the aim to be able to advise her clients on the new class.

“You only have to have done three BE100s, and I thought it was maybe going to be quite tough to do off the back of that. Fairfield Mollymac has done a couple of novices, but I thought it was more a novice than a BE100. They didn’t have the same hills as the CCI2*-L but they still had to do some climbing,” she said.

Section F was won by Charlotte Cooke on board legendary event pony Midnight Dancer II who finished on their dressage score 27.0 with a very speedy round across country.

Charlotte, who made a 14-hour journey to the event from Essex, was delighted with the 12-year-old gelding. The pair have been a combination since Christmas when he was bought for the young rider as a surprise. “Casper” is a multi-medallist, having won team gold at the 2018 Pony Europeans with Ellie Healy and double gold in 2019 with Finn Healy.

“I tried him in August 2020, but Finn still had a few trials left with him. I had resigned to the fact we weren’t getting him because I’d tried him so long ago, and then I came down on Christmas morning and he was in the stable,” Charlotte told H&H.

“We did our first international at Belsay in June, but it didn’t go to plan and I fell off so we’ve been training really hard. The dressage here went amazing. We’ve been getting the tests at home, but sometimes when I go to a show I get a bit rigid on him. But now finally when I came out I thought ‘that’s the test I’ve been wanting’ so I was really happy. The showjumping was the best round we’ve had. We’ve had some brilliant tuition leading up to this from Alan Fazakerley and John Thelwall so it’s really paid off. ”

Charlotte, who hopes to follow in Ellie and Finn’s footsteps with success on Casper, flew round the cross-country with the handbrake firmly off – so much so the pair had to overtake the rider before them in the latter stages of the course.

“He’s unreal cross-country, he’s out of this world. You just need to keep your legs on, eyes up and he’s on his way,” she said. “It was a testing course, and it was definitely tight but being on a pony makes it easier. The fences were big enough out there for them.”

Like mother, like son: tiny home-bred star to follow in his dam’s footsteps for Britain

Pippa Roome — Sat, 28 Aug 2021 18:32:05 +0000

Sarah Bullimore will achieve a rare feat this autumn when she rides on a British senior championship squad on her home-bred gelding Corouet, whose dam Lilly Corinne she rode on her last championship appearance.

Sarah found out she had been chosen for this year’s European Eventing Championships in Avenches, Switzerland, when she had a call from British eventing high performance coach Chris Bartle while she was sitting in the lorry park at Blair Castle Horse Trials on Wednesday – the same venue where she rode at the European Championships in 2015. On that occasion, she had driven up to the Scottish event overnight as reserve and was called up to compete on Wednesday before the trot-up when Dani Evans had to withdraw Smart Time from the squad.

“I think we may have to come to Blair Castle more often!” said Sarah after her selection was announced today. “I can’t tell you how unbelievably honoured I am to have been selected and how proud I am to have bred such a freak of a horse out of such a superstar mare. I would love to find out whether a mother and son have both represented Team GBR before in eventing.”

Sarah Bullimore and Lilly Corinne competing at Wellington in 2012. (Image credit: Stephen Sparkes)

Corouet – known as Elfie – is Lilly’s first offspring, born by embryo transfer. He is by Balou Du Rouet, the sire of Sarah’s prolific five-star campaigner Reve Du Rouet. Elfie is a notably small horse, with Sarah saying he measured 15.2hh as a four-year-old and she hasn’t measured him since “because I’d have to admit how small he is”.

“He thinks he’s 18.2hh and has a huge stride,” says Sarah. “You just have to remember before you leap off as if you’re on a big one and smack your feet on the floor!

“Elfie always had such presence – he was a confident, cocky little devil, very sure of himself. But all Lilly’s offspring have been lovely to back and break in. I think it helps they spend their early days in a field next to the school, so they watch and learn.

“At the time I was starting him, I was looking for other horses for owners too. I looked at hundreds and kept coming back and seeing him on the lunge or long-reining and thinking there was nothing out there even half as good as this. He might be a couple of inches smaller than most, but the quality has always been there.”

Corouet was a reserve nominated entry for the Tokyo Olympics earlier this year. His good results include third in the CCI4*-L at Burnham Market last autumn, sixth in the CCI4*-L at Bicton Horse Trials this June and second in the CCI4*-S at Burgham.

Do you know of a mare and her offspring who have both represented Team GBR? Write to us at hhletters@futurenet.com, including your nearest town and county – the writer of the letter of the week wins a bottle of Champagne Taittinger.

Ros Canter leads two classes after dressage at Blair Castle Horse Trials

Becky Murray — Fri, 27 Aug 2021 18:03:52 +0000

Reigning world champion Ros Canter is leading two classes after the dressage at the Land Rover Blair Castle International Horse Trials.

Ros and the nine-year-old Lordships Graffalo, owned by Michele Saul, took an early lead in the CCI4*-S with 25.2 on Thursday (26 August) after a confident test. Yasmin Ingham and Banzai Du Loir are currently second on 27.6, while Selina Milnes and Iron IV are provisionally third on 28.2. Ros is also 10th with Jane and Christopher Makin’s Rehy Royal Diamond.

“I was over the moon with Lordships Graffalo,” said Ros, who was today (27 August) named on the European Championship squad with Allstar B, and has Lordships Graffalo as a reserve.

“He is a really lovely horse and I’m very privileged to have him. I’ve had him since he was three and I’ve loved him from day one. He’s really starting to strengthen up and what’s more exciting is there is more to come.”

Ros noted the gelding’s flying changes were a highlight in the test.

“He’s had his changes for a while, but they’ve been a bit ‘head up’ and not been very fluent – this was the first time in a test he felt really rideable,” she said.

Ros was leading the CCI3-*L on Thursday with her own and Alex Moody’s Izilot Dhi, but on Friday she produced another stunning test, this time with Sharon Bayston’s Shannondale Nadia to take the top spot – pushing Izilot Dhi into second.

“She’s a lovely horse, she had a win in the three-star at Houghton Hall in spring. I really nailed her dressage test there and I felt quite a bit of pressure today because I wanted to do it again,” said Ros about the nine-year-old mare.

“She’s kind of got a 10-minute window of opportunity, sometimes that’s after 20 minutes or sometimes it’s after 30 minutes so it was trying to gauge which one she was going to give me today. But I was really pleased with her. She’s getting lots more power.”

CCI2*-L

Sarah Bullimore leads the CCI2*-L on her husband Brett and the Seahorse Syndicate’s Evita AP on 26.5. The mare enjoyed an eventful start to her test when a jet fly-by took place as the pair began to walk around the outside of the arena.

“I did wonder whether that was going to send her over the edge. She was like ‘silly boys and their toys, we’ll ignore that’,” Sarah told H&H.

“She’s a lovely mare, such a trier. She’s a big girl and I think everyone looks at her and thinks she looks really sweet on the ground and a real dope on a rope, but actually she’s quite sharp when you ride her.”

Looking ahead to cross-country day, Sarah, who joins Ros on the roster for the European Championships with her homebred Corouet, said there’s just enough to catch the horses and riders out.

“There’s a couple of things on course that are just a little bit odd. With the water at fence nine, you haven’t seen that much and suddenly there’s a huge jump in, and there’s a fence on a mound at the top of the hill that’s a bit out of nowhere. It’s almost like it’s been dropped from space. I don’t think that’s going to look so pretty to ride, or be so comfortable for the horses, but you can just hope there’s enough fences afterwards to give them a nice easy trip again, put the confidence in, and come home well.”

CCI*-Intro

The CCI*-Intro proved a popular class, making its UK debut since the FEI introduced the lower level international class in 2020.

Grace Botterell and Diamond Pippin lead section E on 27.5, with Charlotte Cooke and Midnight Dancer II on top of section F on 27.

Grace, 16, enjoyed making her international debut on the 10-year-old mare, who was formerly ridden by her sister Lauren.

“She was wild in the warm-up, but she calmed down. She’s never been in this kind of atmosphere. So we’re really pleased with her she was so well behaved, I can’t fault her,” Grace told H&H.

“I was so pleased with the leg yields because we’ve been working hard on that. My mum Claire is our dressage trainer, which really helps. I’m excited for the cross-country, the track looks nice – there’s a few questions, but it’s what you’d expect. She loves her jumping, I think I’m going to need to take her for a canter tonight to make sure she’s not too excited!”

British squad named for European Eventing Championships: ‘Investing in the here and now and in the future’

Pippa Roome — Fri, 27 Aug 2021 14:33:49 +0000

The British team for the European Eventing Championships in Avenches, Switzerland (22-26 September), has been named.

The squad of six is:

Sarah Bullimore, 48, based in Keysoe, Bedfordshire, with the Kew Jumping Syndicate, her husband Brett’s and her own 10-year-old chestnut home-bred gelding Corouet (Balou du Rouet x Lovis Corinth; groom to be confirmed)
Ros Canter, 35, based in Hallington, Lincolnshire, with Caroline Moore’s and her own 16-year-old bay gelding Allstar B (Ephebe For Ever x Ekstein, breeder: FAJ Van der Burg, NED; groom: Sarah Charnley) and as a direct reserve, Michele Saul’s nine-year-old bay gelding Lordships Graffalo (Grafenstolz x Rock King, breeder: Lordships Stud Writtle College, GBR)
Kitty King, 39, based in Chippenham, Wiltshire, with Diana Bown, Sally Eyre, Samantha Wilson and Sally Lloyd-Baker’s 12-year-old grey gelding Vendredi Biats (Winningmood x Camelia de Ruelles, breeder: Phillipe Brivois, FRA; groom: Chloe Fry)
Piggy March, 40, based in Maidwell, Northamptonshire, with John and Chloe Perry and Alison Swinburn’s 12-year-old bay gelding Brookfield Inocent (Inocent x Kings Servant, breeder: John Mulvey, IRL; groom: Amy Phillips)
Izzy Taylor, 38, based in Bicester, Oxfordshire, with Mark Sartori’s and her own 10-year-old bay gelding Monkeying Around (Bertoli W x Donnerhall II, breeder: Christian Heinrich, GER; groom: Rebecca Ross)
Nicola Wilson, 44, based in Northallerton, North Yorkshire, with Deirdre Johnston and James and Jo Lambert’s 10-year-old dark brown gelding JL Dublin (Diarados Cheeky Boy x Cantano, breeder: Volker Coettsche-Goetze, GER; groom: Ruth Asquith)

All the riders have previous senior championship experience, while four of the six named horses will make their championship debuts. Only double world gold medallist Allstar B – who was also Britain’s alternate horse at the recent Tokyo Olympics – and Vendredi Biats, who was best of the British horses at the 2019 European Championships, boast previous championship experience.

It will be announced at a later date which four pairs will compete on the team and which two as individuals.

British eventing performance manager Richard Waygood commented: “I’m very excited about this selection for the Europeans. It invests in the here and now and in the future by providing development opportunities for potential combinations for Paris and beyond.”

Selection decisions for the European Eventing Championships British team are subject to the athletes and horses maintaining fitness and performance, and this list may be amended at any stage.

‘The main thing is I do my job’: Pippa Funnell puts in another great first phase display in Bicton’s CCI4-L H&H Plus*

Pippa Roome — Fri, 11 Jun 2021 10:35:13 +0000

Pippa Funnell was delighted with Maybach (pictured) in the Bicton Horse Trials dressage this morning as she moved into third place in the CCI4*-L at the event supported by Chedington.

Pippa and the SHE Eventing’s 11-year-old gelding scored 29.7 to slot into the Chedington CCI4*-L running order behind her ride from yesterday, Billy Walk On, who still leads, and Piggy March on Brookfield Quality.

“I’m delighted, really pleased,” said Pippa “He’s a really nice horse with three good basic paces. He might not be the flashiest in the world, but the main thing is I do my job to do the clear round in this phase.

“I just have to get the work right and the main thing is not to overdo the work but do enough that you get the brain. I haven’t had a dressage saddle on him all week – I do rising trot with jumping saddles. That’s my thing nowadays, I don’t do so much sitting trot beforehand – I do that at home and leave it for in the arena and keep try and keep them soft through the backs.”

Pippa paid tribute to the World Class support team who are in attendance at Bicton, particularly horse physio Vicky Spalding and human physio Ash Wallace.

“For someone like me with the old injuries, it is so beneficial,” she said. “I’ve been yesterday, I went in there this morning, stretching the old hips out. It never ceases to amaze me how much better the horses are when I get right. We can blame the horses, but I always feel they go better when I ride better and Ash certainly helped me.”

Shortly after Pippa’s test, Sarah Bullimore’s second ride in this class, her consistent five-star campaigner, Reve Du Rouet, went in to score 29.9, which puts her in sixth at the moment, one place in front of her other ride, Corouet.

Sarah Bullimore and Reve Du Rouet (Image credit: Peter Nixon)

“He was good — he’s been a little bit confused by not really going anywhere over the past couple of years,” explained Sarah of Brett Bullimore and Christopher and Susan Gillespie’s 17-year-old, who used to have a habit of blowing up in the first phase. “At the beginning of this week he sort of regressed back to his old tricky self, but actually he came out, did the arena familiarisation last night — I literally just walked around once, because I’d have felt an idiot if we went in this morning and he was a plonker and I hadn’t done any familiarisation. And, and then he was like, ‘oh’, and has been a different horse — he just sort of chilled out. It wasn’t his best best test but he was a good boy.”

Read the full report from Bicton in the 17 June issue of Horse & Hound magazine and keep checking back to horseandhound.co.uk for further updates and insight

‘His good bits were really mega good’: British Olympic reserve nominee impresses dressage judges at Bicton H&H Plus

Gemma Redrup — Thu, 10 Jun 2021 15:49:33 +0000

British riders have put in more strong performances at Bicton this afternoon...

Sarah Bullimore and Corouet (pictured), with whom she listed a reserve on the Olympic longlist, put in a great dressage test at Bicton International Horse Trials supported by Chedington, this afternoon (10 June), scoring 30.2, to put them in second at the moment behind Laura Collett and Dacapo on 29.7.

“He was good — we had a couple of silly little mistakes, but actually he was much more rideable and his good bits were really mega good,” Sarah said of her own and husband Brett Bullimore’s 10-year-old. “It’s just a shame about the silly little mistake going into the right canter half-pass — I probably didn’t hold him enough on the outside rein and we just sort of swept into it — we’d come across so beautifully in the left half-pass and we changed over, and then he was like, ‘oh, canter’, but he was so quick to correct it, so that was just such a silly thing to throw marks away on. But as I say his good bits were so good in the grand scheme of things.”

Sarah said she was delighted to be named as a reserve on the Olympic nomination list.

“It’s lovely to be thought of and to be on the list is even more special because we bred him, so we’ve had him all of the way through. Just to be mentioned is fabulous. It definitely bodes well potentially for the Europeans too — that would be the realistic aim for him at the moment. It’s probably a year too early for him to go to an Olympics.”

Ben Hobday and Shadow Man II (pictured below) have also gone into third place at this point in the CCI4*-L competition, scoring 30.8.

“I’m really pleased — he was very obedient, but I’m a little bit disappointed in myself for the last flying-change as we’ve been working really hard on everything, especially with Chris Bartle,” said Ben after his test. “We’re constantly trying to try to improve that little bit every time so I always feel naturally a little bit disappointed, because it’s never perfect.”

(Image credit: Peter Nixon)

Read the full report from Bicton in the 17 June issue of Horse & Hound magazine and keep checking back to horseandhound.co.uk for further updates and insight

Bicton Horse Trials dressage times released: find out when Olympic longlisted horses start

Pippa Roome — Wed, 09 Jun 2021 17:22:43 +0000

The Bicton Horse Trials dressage times have been released, for the event supported by Chedington.

Sarah Bullimore is the first into the arena in the Chedington CCI4*-S section, riding Conpierre, at 8.15am on Thursday (10 June).

Seven of Britain’s Olympic longlisted combinations come forward in this section and all are in the first half of the section starting on Thursday.

Piggy March (Brookfield Inocent) is the first of the longlisted riders into the arena, at 10am, followed by Laura Collett (London 52) at 11.15am. Tom McEwen (Toledo De Kerser) starts just two horses later at 11.30am, with Nicola Wilson (Bulana) the next longlisted rider in at 12.07pm. Ros Canter (Allstar B) is scheduled to start at 12.22pm, with Kitty King (Vendredi Biats) and Pippa Funnell (Majas Hope) back to back in the afternoon at 2.52pm and 3pm.

Horses to watch on Friday in this section include Kitty’s Rio Olympic ride Ceylor LAN at 9.15am and the 2019 Burghley Horse Trials winners Pippa and MGH Grafton Street at 3.52pm. Ireland’s 2019 individual European bronze medallists Cathal Daniels and Rioghan Rua are the last pair to perform in this section at 5.45pm.

Bicton Horse Trials dressage times: CCI4*-L

Tom is also the pathfinder in the Chedington CCI4*-L, riding Braveheart B with an 8.15am start time. Others to watch in this section tomorrow include Dacapo (Laura Collett) at 8.22am, Gortfadda Diamond (Emilie Chandler) at 9.22am and Corouet (Sarah Bullimore) – who is on the reserve list for Olympic nominations – at 4.07pm. The 2019 Badminton Horse Trials winners, Piggy March and Vanir Kamira, will finish the day tomorrow with a test at 5.22pm.

Strong tests on Friday are likely to come from Piggy on Brookfield Quality at 9.22am, Sarah on Reve Du Rouet at 10.52am and Kitty on Cristal Fontaine (4.07pm) – one of nine horses held at today’s Bicton Horse Trials first trot-up.

Article continues below…

More from Bicton:

(Image credit: Pippa Roome)

How to watch Bicton CCI5* Horse Trials: your essential guide

(Image credit: Pippa Roome)

Nine horses held and two eliminated at Bicton Horse Trials first trot-up H&H Plus

Nine horses were sent to the holding box and two eliminated in an eventful Bicton Horse Trials first trot-up this

(Image credit: Pippa Roome)

Bicton Horse Trials dressage times: under-25 CCI4*-L

The under-25 class dressage tests take place on Thursday and Friday afternoon, using the same arena as the senior CCI4*-L which has a lengthy lunch break scheduled to accommodate this.

Heidi Coy starts the Thursday action on Halenza at 12.52pm and she is also first out on Friday, riding Russal Z at the same time. Heidi also has Carrisean Tigerseye at 3pm on Friday.

Yasmin Ingham is the other three-horse rider in this section, with Night Line (1pm Thursday), Rehy DJ (3.07pm Thursday) and Banzai Du Loir (3.07pm Friday) on the start list.

Horse & Hound magazine, out every Thursday, is packed with all the latest news and reports, as well as interviews, specials, nostalgia, vet and training advice. Find out more about getting the magazine delivered to your door every week.

Britain names nine pairs as nominated entries for Olympic eventing

Pippa Roome — Mon, 24 May 2021 09:39:34 +0000

The nine pairs, plus three reserves, who will be submitted as the British Olympic eventing entries for this summer’s Tokyo Games have been named.

British Equestrian and the British Eventing selectors confirmed the following pairs will be given to the FEI as Britain’s nominated entries – only combinations who appear on the nominated entries list, which has a closing date of 21 June 2021, may be put forward to the British Olympic Association for selection to the Games.

Ros Canter with Caroline Moore’s and her own Allstar B, groom Sarah Charnley
Laura Collett with Karen Bartlett, Keith Scott and her own London 52, groom Tilly Hughes
Pippa Funnell with Marek Sebestak’s and her own Majas Hope, groom Emily Gibson
Kitty King with Diana Bown, Sally Eyre, Samantha Wilson and Sally Lloyd-Baker’s Vendredi Biats, groom Chloe Fry
Piggy March with John and Chloe Perry and Alison Swinburn’s Brookfield Inocent, groom Amy Phillips
Tom McEwen with Fred and Penny Barker, Jane Inns and Ali McEwen’s Toledo De Kerser, groom Francesca Gorni
Harry Meade with Mandy Gray’s and his own Superstition, groom Jess Errington
Oliver Townend with Karyn Schuter, Angela Hislop and Val Ryan’s Ballaghmor Class, groom TBC
Nicola Wilson with James and Jo Lambert’s Bulana, groom Ruth Asquith

Reserve nominated entries:

Sarah Bullimore with the Kew Jumping Syndicate, Brett Bullimore’s and her own Corouet
Ben Hobday with Jane Chamber’s and his own Shadow Man
Oliver Townend with Angela Hislop’s Cooley Master Class (subject to successfully completing a confirmation event)

The announcement from British Equestrian adds that “selection decisions are subject to the athlete and horse maintaining fitness and performance, and this list may be amended at any point up to 21 June 2021”.

The selected British Olympic eventing team of four pairs who will travel to Tokyo, plus reserves, will be announced on 28 June.

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Nominated entries for Britain’s jumping and dressage combinations will be announced on or around 28 May and 18 June respectively. Nominated entries for the Paralympic dressage squad will be published on or around 14 June.

‘He gives me goosebumps in every phase’: Laura Collett and London 52 in winning ways in ‘mini Olympics’ at Aston-le-Walls H&H Plus

Lucy Elder — Tue, 18 May 2021 11:00:26 +0000

Laura Collett and London 52 continue their winning ways at this “mini Olympics”, and the world champion wins on her dressage score

LAURA COLLETT and her five-star winner London 52 continued their run of blistering form with victory in the Dassett Eventing CCI4*-S section A (pictured), while reigning world champion Ros Canter claimed the other section aboard rising star Lordships Graffalo.

Laura and the 12-year-old gelding, whom she co-owns with Karen Bartlett and Keith Scott, added nothing to their leading 20.5 dressage to win by a 2.4-penalty margin. The pair’s record now stands at five wins from six starts since October 2020, including Pau CCI5*-L and Little Downham CCI4*-S.

“He gives me goosebumps in every phase,” said Laura. “He’s lush to ride on the flat, because he’s such a show-off, then when showjumping you feel like you could jump the moon, and across country he is so confident – he’s just like, ‘Come on Mum, let’s go!’ He is more than the horse I thought he was. He’s unbelievable.

“There are so many competitive combinations that coming here felt like a mini Olympics in that section. You just know they are not going to make any mistakes behind you, so I felt like there was quite a lot of pressure today. But as soon as I was on him, I just enjoyed him as he is so special.”

In second was Izzy Taylor and Monkeying Around, who added 0.4 of a showjumping time-penalty to their 22.5 dressage, with Tom McEwen and his Pau 2019 and 2018 world team gold medal-winning ride, Toledo De Kerser, in third.

Tom McEwen and Toldedo De Kerser (Image credit: creditUnknown)

Captain Mark Phillips’ international course, which replaced cancelled Chatsworth and served as a pre-Olympic trial, was met with widespread acclaim from riders, as was the ground.

The course opened with long, galloping stretches, before an intense midsection run over a new 800-metre loop, funded by the Horse Trials Support Group and Event Horse Owners Association. This made use of Aston’s arenas, water complexes and man-made undulations, and featured a rapid-fire sequence of accuracy questions.

The double of brushes at 21ab, followed by the cannon brush at the bottom of the slope, added frustrating late penalties for some, including Tom McEwen and his second ride, Dreamaway II, who was lying third after dressage in section B.

“It was a bit of a green mistake, the rest of the round he was top class,” said Tom. “As Andrew Nicholson’s comment said in Horse & Hound [22 April], at times you need these [moments] – if everything is perfect, you think everything is perfect.”

“HE TOOK IT ALL IN HIS STRIDE”

Ros Canter and Lordships Graffalo (Image credit: creditUnknown)

ROS and nine-year-old “Walter”, owned by Michele Saul, produced fault-free jumping performances to win Dassett Eventing CCI4*-S section B on their first-phase score of 21.8. Their clean jumping sheet pushed the pair ahead of dressage leaders Piggy March and Brookfield Quality, who picked up 1.6 cross-country time-faults to finish second.

“It was probably the first time I’ve pushed him along speedwise and I was really impressed at how fast he is,” said Ros. “He took it all in his stride, he’s a lovely horse to ride across country because he can accelerate away from a fence and come back really quickly. The time felt relatively easy because even on the fiddly bits, I could push on for a few strides and then get him back again. He seems well suited to the short-format competitions.”

Kitty King and her Burnham Market winner Cristal Fontaine were third, while her 2019 Europeans ride Vendredi Biats pulled a shoe so took it steady. Fourth went to Gemma Tattersall and Jalapeno III. This was the first international run for Chris Stone’s mare since sustaining a leg injury at Pau 2019.

“She had all of last year off. We brought her back slowly, with lots of strengthening work,” said Gemma. “I was absolutely over the moon with how she went. She was a new ride for me in 2019; we had a full season together and some great results, but I always felt I was riding someone else’s horse, which I was as Karin [Donckers] had done an amazing job with her. Now she feels like she’s my horse and just felt incredible across country – she purred along.”

Bubby Upton is establishing herself as a rider to watch in the senior ranks as she makes the step up on her first season out of young riders. The 22-year-old multiple youth medal-winner added another two top-10 placings to her four-star record, with fifth in section B on Cannavaro and seventh in section A on Cola III.

“I was looking back through the results and I had to pinch myself. They have really shown their potential this week,” said Bubby, who finished on her dressage score on both rides.

She added she has spent the winter focusing on how to get the best out of Cannavaro on the flat and has also been working on Cola’s showjumping with the help of Tina Fletcher.

“I feel so lucky to ride these two horses; it’s been an amazing journey and we’ve learnt everything together,” she said.

Sweden’s Ludwig Svennerstål on Balham Mist and China’s Alex Hua Tian and his Rio 2016 Olympic ride Don Geniro were the highest-placed non-British riders, taking eighth place in section A and B respectively.

The three advanced section winners all finished on their dressage scores: Tom McEwen (Class Affair), Fiona Kashel (Drumhowan Black Magic) and Tom Jackson (Forrest Gump 124).

Tom Jackson also claimed an intermediate section aboard HH Moonwalk, while Laura Collett added an intermediate victory with Moonlight Charmer to her Aston haul.

The Cadenza Eventing CCI2* proved a happy hunting ground for Eliza Stoddart, who won with De Pleasure and finished third and fifth with Idonna W and Codebreaker.

Piggy March (I Diablo Joe) and Adam Harvey (Picasso V) were the open intermediate victors. The remaining intermediate sections were won by Kevin McNab (Vidalgo), Sian Davies-Cooke (Harthill Storm), Khia Cadney-Moon (Cooley Exchange), Gemma Tattersall (Johan-Some), Harry Meade (Russeljacket) and Tom Rowland (Quintilius).

“HE’S ALWAYS OOZED CLASS”

(Image credit: creditUnknown)

SARAH BULLIMORE’S tiny talented home-bred Corouet (pictured) is blossoming from a young horse star into a serious top-flight contender. The “cocky” 15.2hh is the eldest offspring of Sarah’s five-star mare Lilly Corinne and by Balou Du Rouet. The 10-year-old gelding fits an enormous personality and ability into his pint-sized package.

“There were some good bits in the dressage, but it wasn’t as good as it can be,” said Sarah, explaining a horse napping on the walkway next to his arena resulted in a bit of a “wibbly wobbly” first centre line as he shouted to his new friend.

They followed up with an enthusiastic double clear to add nothing to their first phase score of 27.4, climbing 14 places to finish fifth in four-star section A.

“He has always oozed class,” said Sarah. “He is getting better and better all the time. It’s so lovely that we’ve had him since day one, so it’s really special.”

You can also read this report in the 20 May issue of Horse & Hound magazine.

Three five-star winners, a medallist and an unusual mare: 17 top horses have fun in the sun at Aston-le-Walls elite event

Pippa Roome — Thu, 01 Apr 2021 16:52:07 +0000

The advanced sections at Aston-le-Walls on 31 March oozed quality as five-star and championship horses came out to play in the sun.

Let’s have a look at the superstars who were competing…

Harry Meade pilots Mandy Gray’s Superstition. (Image credit: Peter Nixon)

Harry continues his comeback after his serious head injury last autumn as he rides Superstition, with whom he won a four-star long at Strzegom in 2019.

Laura Collett riding Mr Bass, owned by Nick How, Keith Scott and Laura herself. (Image credit: Peter Nixon)

Mr Bass was second at Luhmühlen Horse Trials five-star in 2018 and has won three times at four-star short level.

Matthew Heath and The Lion, who belongs to Emma Clarke, Clare Davis and his rider. (Image credit: Peter Nixon)

This pair have completed Burghley Horse Trials four times and Badminton Horse Trials once and The Lion is now a grand old campaigner at 19.

Hector Payne on Dynasty, owned by Jeremy and Judith Skinner and David and Margie Hall. (Image credit: Peter Nixon)

This pair have been 11th in the under-25s at Bramham Horse Trials and completed the cross-country at two five-stars.

Tim Price on Xavier Faer, who belongs to his breeder Trisha Rickards, Nigella Hall and Tim. (Image credit: Peter Nixon)

Xavier Faer, who has been third at five-star twice, is one of the horses Tim has on the Land Rover Kentucky Three-Day Event 2021 entries list.

Sarah Bullimore riding Reve Du Rouet, owned by Chris and Sue Gillespie and Sarah’s husband Brett. (Image credit: Peter Nixon)

Reve Du Rouet has completed 12 five-stars, finishing fourth at Burghley twice and second at Pau Horse Trials.

Tina Cook with Elisabeth Murdoch and Keith Tyson’s Billy The Red. (Image credit: Peter Nixon)

Billy The Red is a European team gold and silver medallist and also finished ninth individually at the 2018 World Equestrian Games.

Nicky Hill on her own MGH Bingo Boy. (Image credit: Peter Nixon)

This pair were 18th on their Badminton debut in 2019.

Piggy March on Trevor Dickens’ Vanir Kamira. (Image credit: Peter Nixon)

This pair won Badminton in 2019 and have been second at Burghley twice.

Yasmin Ingham on Janette Chinn and Sue Davies’ Banzai Du Loir. (Image credit: Peter Nixon)

Banzai Du Loir was the eight- and nine-year-old champion at Burnham Market Horse Trials last autumn.

Pippa Funnell pilots Jonathan and Jane Clarke’s MGH Grafton Street. (Image credit: Peter Nixon)

This combination won Burghley in 2019.

Kevin McNab riding Scuderia 1918’s Scuderia 1918 Don Quidam. (Image credit: Peter Nixon)

Kevin and Scuderia 1918 were seventh at Pau in 2019 and second in the CCI4*-S at Burnham Market last autumn. They head to Kentucky later this month.

Austin O’Connor on his own and The Salty Syndicate’s Colorado Blue. (Image credit: Peter Nixon)

This horse was third in a CCI4*-S at Little Downham last autumn and is on Ireland’s Tokyo long list.

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Mollie Summerland riding her own Charly Van Ter Heiden (Image credit: Peter Nixon)

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Piggy March on John and Chloe Perry and Alison Swinburn’s Brookfield Inocent. (Image credit: Peter Nixon)

This pair were the runners-up at Pau last year.

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Louise Harwood on Anna Mason’s The Dumb Blonde. (Image credit: Peter Nixon)

We love this mare, who definitely breaks the mould for what an advanced horse normally looks like.

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Sarah Bullimore’s figure-of-eight jumping exercise for focus

Stephanie Bateman — Sun, 10 Jan 2021 16:24:31 +0000

The five-star eventer shows how the figure-of-eight jumping exercise can help develop balance, rhythm and the ability to land on the correct canter lead

Aim

This is a very versatile exercise because, depending on the experience of the horse and rider, it can be started in trot with just poles on the floor and built up to canter over a variety of fences, including oxers and skinnies.

It is also great for overly fresh or erratic horses as the rider has to concentrate quietly on the rhythm, balance and line of the circle, which maintains the horse’s focus. Additionally, the rider has to think ahead, always looking up and forwards to the next fence or risk missing it, as it is only a handful of strides away.

The exercise can also stop horses anticipating the route, because you can change the course by continuing straight down the long side occasionally instead of staying on the circle.

The exercise

(Image credit: creditUnknown)

1. Set up the poles on the circle as shown in diagram one (above). Ride over the middle pole at X and continue on a circle. Begin with poles on the floor, then when horse and rider are confident with the exercise, build the poles up into small fences. Start off on a 20m circle on each rein, then progress to changing the rein over the fence at X to ride a figure-of-eight.

2. Aim to keep the horse balanced and rhythmical to the middle of each fence by staying central in the saddle; keep the line of the circle by steering with your legs. The horse should be encouraged to land on the correct lead if you keep your weight in the inside stirrup; allow the outside leg back and open the inside rein slightly as the horse takes off. He should switch leads when changing the rein over the fence at X.

3. To increase the technicality, you can add a further fence at A and C (as shown in diagram two, below), or change the fences down the long side to skinnies or make the fence at X into a parallel. The fences don’t need to be big — I keep the height to around 80cm — although the fence at X could be increased if you want to incorporate something a bit bigger as you master the exercise.

(Image credit: creditUnknown)

Tips and pitfalls

Make sure that your horse is properly warmed up before starting, especially in colder weather.
Keep the exercise simple — don’t increase the difficulty too soon.
Ride from the inside leg to outside rein to bring the horse’s shoulder round on the turns — don’t pull the inside rein or you’ll lose the shoulder to the outside of the circle.
Keep your hands down and soft, using your legs to keep riding forwards to the poles or fences.
When changing the rein, step into the inside stirrup, looking up in the new direction. To aid the change, you can slightly open the inside rein out to the side.

Sarah Bullimore: ‘We missed out by 0.1 of a penalty, but in my eyes, we won’

Gemma Redrup — Sun, 22 Nov 2020 12:24:38 +0000

Five-star event rider Sarah Bullimore has enjoyed a number of impressive results at the highest echelons of her sport. Most of these results have come with Reve Du Rouet (pictured), who Sarah has produced since he was a four-year-old, and include second place at Pau CCI5* in 2017 and fourth place at Burghley in both 2018 and 2019.

“He’s a lovely horse and talent-wise he is amazing, but he has been tricky in his brain,” says Sarah of the now 16-year-old gelding when H&H eventing editor Pippa Roome chatted to her on episode 25 of The Horse & Hound podcast. “You have to work him and keep him happy and you can’t take him on head on, you have to just work around it and find another way — it’s all about keeping his brain right. But I think we’ve got the right mixture now and he is one of the most consistent, reliable horses on the circuit.”

Reve Du Rouet has completed a whopping 11 CCI5*s and Sarah cites her second place at Pau as her biggest highlight to date with the son of Balou Du Rouet.

“We came so close to winning at Pau and in my eyes he did win, as with the modern day scoring system we use now, he would have done,” explains Sarah. “It was something ridiculous like 0.17 of a second that pushed us over into one more time-fault on the cross-country that meant we lost the title by 0.1 of a penalty. And both of his fourth places at Burghley were brilliant too — both were foot-perfect cross-country rounds, which was special.”

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Sarah Bullimore’s figure-of-eight jumping exercise for focus

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Sarah still has hopes that, despite his age, Reve Du Rouet can still compete on the big stage when the 2021 season comes around.

“He’s tough and sound and hopefully he’s still got a little bit of competing left in the tank. He still prances around like a spring chicken and we say that he’s basically four, four times over now,” she laughs.

If you’d like to hear more from Sarah, listen to episode 25 of The Horse & Hound podcast or search “The Horse & Hound Podcast” in your favourite podcast app.

We are continuing to produce Horse & Hound as a weekly magazine during the coronavirus pandemic, as well as to keep our website at horseandhound.co.uk up to date with breaking news, features and more. Click here for info about magazine subscriptions and access to our premium H&H Plus content online.

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Air delivery: super semen delivered by plane to beat bank holiday traffic

“It was much more exciting than the normal checking of the UPS tracking system!” Lorna Wilson of Elite Stallions told H&H.

“They decided it would be faster, with bank holiday weekend traffic, to fly down. There’s a little airfield two miles away so it was perfect.”

Lorna said she normally sends semen via next-day Royal Mail delivery. There is a same-day service but with the distance between Elite Stallions and the Bullimores, and the traffic, it would have been a lengthy and expensive option.

“I was slightly disappointed because I’d suggested they wear suits and sunglasses, but it was all good, and we could track them home on flight radar.”

The vet from Rossdales was at the Bullimores’ ready to inseminate when the semen arrived.

“So we’ll know in a couple of weeks’ time,” Lorna said. “It was all good.”

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

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

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

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

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Another leading rider to slide was Selina Milnes, who plummeted down to 21st from sixth after clattering the triple bar. Four faults covered fifth to 28th after dressage, so even time-faults proved very expensive in this group.

“I hope she could go all the way. She just loves the jumping – she actually naps to get into the arena.”

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“I feel like the outline is coming better with more self-carriage and I was really pleased with the changes today – although he is good at his changes, he gets a bit worried about them and the head comes up. Today, we kept in the same rhythm and the head stayed down,” said Gemma.

“I felt like the trot work was really smart and I could really enjoy it, ride him forward and ride for every mark. He’s quite lit up, so I’m really pleased he went in there, listened, knuckled down and worked beautifully.”

The key to Pru Dawes’ 10-year-old gelding has been keeping life fun.

“He is a really careful jumper and he is better when he thinks things are really fun and not too serious,” said Gemma. “He goes jumping – and we go against the clock because he loves it.”

The pair won the eventers’ grand prix at Hickstead, won an advanced at Aston-le-Walls and were third at Millstreet CCI4*-S as part of their summer of fun campaign.

“A lot of preparation with him is about him having fun and it staying fun for him is really important. It makes it a lot more fun for us as well!

“He is still only 10 this year, it’s only our second season together and last season was just literally getting to know each other and I feel like this season he has had some fantastic placings and has been so consistent.”

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Sarah was studded in the knee the previous weekend and it was touch and go whether she would be fit to compete.

Corouet jumped down the drop at fence seven well and jumped the following brush oxer, but was too far off the final corner element, and ducked out.

Meanwhile the youngest rider at Burghley, Alice Casburn, 20, was very quick across country on Topspin. She added just 6.8 time-faults with the bold-jumping home-bred to move up the order from 30th to third at this stage.

“I’m so lucky to ride a horse like him who doesn’t mind what stride you’re on,” said Alice. “I had to tell him to simmer down in the first part of the course.

“It’s so special as mum bred the dam and grand-dam. He has grown up in the stable he was born in. He’s like a family member, the favourite child.”

Tom Crisp and the diminutive Liberty And Glory were another pair to put in a lovely clear round, despite the rider nursing three broken ribs.

“She found it easy enough but I’ve not ridden with any meaning for the last three weeks, since I fell off and hurt my ribs,” Tom said. “It was harder than I thought. To do a clear round a course like this is very special.”

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The mid-test halt was a highlight for individual European bronze medallist Corouet, with two nines from Judy Hancock and Katrin Eichinger-Kniely and a 10 from Andrew Bennie. There were plenty of other nines scattered through his score sheet, too.

“He is amazing,” said Sarah. “He can be quite a little number, quite dominant, but wow, he is a proper little superstar.”

Sarah is riding injured as she took a stud to her knee in a fall at Wellington on Monday.

“We had a couple of little mistakes so it could have been better, but he looked after me,” she said. “I’m not in the best possible place coming here so I’m just chuffed with him, he did help and was totally on side today.”

“It looked like William and his dog, but he has the attitude of a 22hh horse – he’s a big personality in a small package,” said Sarah.

Sarah said she is taking things a day at a time with her injury.

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