There was a sense of déja-vu as Caroline Harris, Britain’s second rider out on the Agria Blenheim European Championships cross-country course, fell foul of the same fence as her squad-mate Yasmin Ingham.
Fence 22, the FEI Mounds, features an oxer on a mound on a related distance left-handed to a corner, which proved influential all day. Caroline looked to be enjoying a super round on D. Day – owned by Lucy Matthews, Fiona Olivier, Marie Anne Richardson and Heather Royle – until it unravelled on the top part of the course. First she had a run-out in the GFS Saddles water (fence 20), followed by a second at the corner at fence 22, which pitched Caroline out of the plate.
The 2024 Pau winner was lying 30th after dressage on 34.4. She was riding as an individual for the British squad, which runs in partnership with Agria, on her senior championship debut, so this elimination does not affect the British team result.
Known for their speed across country, Caroline set out in determined fashion on this brilliant cross-country campaigner and got off to a great start.
Caroline didn’t have the ideal stride at the first table on the front lawn, and had to steer him through on a long rein, but D. Day was straight as a die through the related angled corners, having to stretch but negotiating them easily.
But he just misjudged the fence which caused his first run-out, before arriving at the big corner at the FEI Mounds on an awkward half stride. The horse looked like he would try to jump it, then thought the better of it, dislodging Caroline in the process. She landed on her feet and led D. Day away.
Irish individual rider Sarah Ennis caught the eye with her bold round on 10-year-old Dourough Ferro Class Act. He gave the fences so much air, galloped keenly throughout and finished full of running for 18 time-faults – the second-fastest round in this early section. This should move them up from 17th place after dressage.
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“What a horse he is!” said Sarah. “I was a little concerned as he was jumping too high, ballooning everything. But you could put a two-year-old on. You just say, ‘go here’, and he says, ‘OK, there’s the flags’. I never had to squeeze him, he’s just so honest, and he loves it. He’s one in a million.”
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Martha is an experienced journalist who is mad-keen on horses and dogs. Her reporting CV includes the Paris Olympics, European championships, Aachen World Equestrian Festival and World Cup finals. After growing up with assorted liver and white springer spaniels, she enjoyed 14 years with two rescue dogs. Now, her constant companion is Fidget, an extremely energetic and habitually muddy black and white springer. Martha has written on topics as diverse as a top horse’s clone to the best GPS trackers for dogs, as well as equestrian and rural matters for Country Life, The Field, The Times, The Spectator and The Telegraph alongside Horse & Hound.
