Katy Lawrence topped the LeMieux BE100 grassroots championships results at the Mars Badminton Horse Trials on her own 14-year-old mare Cheyenne Balloon, adding nothing to her dressage score of 25.9.
Katy, a freelance coach from near Gatwick, Surrey, was given Cheyenne Balloon three years ago, and the pair started eventing then.
“This is way above anything we’d have dreamed of – wow, it’s such a lovely feeling,” said Katy. “I knew she was capable, but she’s either very relaxed and chilled or she can get quite het up and get her knickers in a twist, so I didn’t know whether I would keep her together, to be honest. But yesterday in the dressage she stayed with me, and today she jumped really well.
“It’s incredible to ride round here. It’s all a bit of a blur, and I wish I could do it again.”
Just 0.2 of a penalty behind the victorious pair were Kent’s Maisie Morgan and her own nine-year-old Bright Rinco, who received a “wild card” qualification for these finals. They remained on their first-phase mark of 26.1.
“I’m so chuffed – it couldn’t have gone any better,” said Maisie.
They were 0.8 of a penalty ahead of Badminton stalwarts Jane Rogers and Corrieview Merlin Magic. Jane and her home-bred palomino led after dressage on 22.9, but had one pole down in the showjumping for eventual third in the BE100 grassroots championships results.
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Axminster-based Jane, 60, and Corrieview Merlin Magic, 18, have qualified for the grassroots championships every year since 2017, and finished second in 2023.
“It’s been a rather manic time getting ready for this, because on 12 January I had a crashing fall off the horse I rode in the BE90 class here today [Corrieview Oscar, ninth].
“I broke my pelvis and ribs, I was in hospital for four days, I was concussed and suffered from vertigo afterwards, so it was a real rush to get ready to come here this week,” she said.
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A St Andrews’ graduate, Catherine joined Horse & Hound in 2002 and stayed for 11 years in a variety of roles until she went freelance in June 2013. She rejoined the team part-time in November 2016 as hunting editor. She pretty much lives on the hunting field or at the racecourse, but also loves eventing, as a journalist, press officer and competitor. She was H&H’s sole accredited journalist at the London Olympic Games and has reported from major race meetings and eventing, showjumping and dressage championships and shows round the world, and has hunted all over Britain and Ireland.
