‘He is a horse we have a lot of belief in’: top rider scores home soil win in Blair Castle Horse Trials CCI2*-L

Wills Oakden delivered a textbook clear showjumping round on Keep It Cooley for a home soil win in the Land Rover Blair Castle Horse Trials CCI2*-L.

The final phase of today’s (28 August) competition caused a major shakeup to the leaderboard – and a clear round was crucial. Wills kept the pressure on overnight leader Lucinda Atkinson when he and his wife Stephanie’s seven-year-old Ramiro B gelding “Michael” cruised round the track within the time, to finish on their 28.3 dressage.

“He’s always been a careful jumper and the plan was to go in there and put the pressure on, and he did. He is a horse we have a lot of belief in and a horse that we absolutely love,” Wills told H&H after his brilliant round.

“We came here wanting to be super competitive – without saying we were going to come and win because you never know – but we wanted to be as close as we possibly could and he’s proven what a good talent he is. Hopefully it will continue to shine through as he goes up through the grades.”

Will – who was also third in the CCI3*-L with Cooley Pot Of Gold – said Michael had learned plenty during his first ever two-star long.

“It’s been a brilliant experience, that’s why he’s here. He came here to gallop up and down the hills and to learn all about that kind of thing,” he said.

“The crowds here, you can’t replicate the atmosphere anywhere else in Scotland so it’s been a valuable experience for him, and the win was a bonus. There’s no backdrop like it here, it feels like the end of season festival. The event means a lot to a lot of people; not just riders, but volunteers, spectators, everyone. To win on home soil is very special.”

Pippa Reynold’s Twice Proved looked a little on the exuberant side as they navigated the course and took down the wavy planks at fence eight, which dropped them into fifth place on 32.2. Italy’s Vittoria Panizzon, who was in third with Dido Darling’s Irish Jig III, also had a pole to drop them into seventh on 33.2.

The Netherlands’ Nina De Haas finished on her 29.9 dressage score for second place with Martin and Kerry Richard’s seven-year-old JVK Mr Maguire. Harrison Colling jumped clear for third on his own seven-year-old gelding Trevi Fountain. Blair Castle Horse Trials marked both combination’s first two-star long.

Blair Castle Horse Trials CCI1*-Intro

The CCI1*-Intro classes were once again popular among competitors, drawing in riders from across the country. Section E featured 86 combinations and section F had 98. Both sections ran the showjumping phase on Saturday (27 August). Section E’s cross-country took place on the same day, and section F’s took place today (28 August).

Amelia England was crowned winner of section E with her own 13-year-old mare Eluna. The pair produced a 29 dressage and added just 1.6 time-penalties across country. Hannah Pearce and her own Valdoctro was second on 31.2. Louisa Milne Home was third with Angela Hamtilon’s Carneyhaugh Harmony on 33.2.

Eluna is a relatively new ride for 18-year-old Amelia and was formerly campaigned by Wills Oakden to two-star.

“The win has not sunk in yet,” she told H&H.

“I got her during my A levels and got on with her straight away. She loves what she does which makes my life a lot easier. She likes to sparkle!”

Amelia, who has ridden a couple of novice tracks with Eluna, said the cross-country rode “really nicely”.

“Everything I asked her to do she did perfectly. Her ears were pricked the whole way, looking for the next jump. I was looking for the clear and I was over the moon with her,” she said.

Maia Fleming won section F with her own Candyman Leanorth at the pair’s first ever one-star.

Maia told H&H it had not been a smooth run up to Blair after she had a fall from the striking 18hh gelding at the water fence at the Bishop Burton International Youth Championships earlier this month – but this weekend could not have gone better for the pair.

“It was a really good and massive experience,” an over the moon Maia told H&H.

“The water here is very familiar to what it was when I had the fall and he gave me so much confidence going over it today. I couldn’t ask for a better horse. He came out of that box flying.”

Elizabeth Jelfs and her own Stonehavens Cloud finished on their 31.5 dressage for second. Emma Wake finished on her 32.2 dressage for third with her own Chrissi.

You might also be interested in:

‘He was phenomenal’: Tom McEwen tops Blair Castle Horse Trials CCI3*-L dressage with untouchable score

‘He was pretty outstanding’: Caroline Powell’s exciting six-year-old heads Blair Castle CCI2*-L after dressage

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