A little over a year ago Gillian Beale King switched disciplines and moved across an ocean to take up a life-changing opportunity in Ireland — 18 months on and the US rider tops the overnight young horse CCI4*-S dressage standings on her Blenheim Horse Trials debut.
Gillian and the nine-year-old Derena Super Star’s first-phase performance was rewarded with a mark of 27.6 from the judges, including a nine for their trot half-pass from Andrew Bennie at C, which is the best ever score by a US rider in this class.
The 30-year-old returned to eventing following a 10-year break in 2021 following an offer to ride for the Ames’ Belline Estate in Ireland. Her career to that point had been mainly focused on showjumping, but eventing is in her – and her family’s – blood and she is relishing the return.
“I’m very hungry. I work really hard day in, day out. I didn’t move across an ocean to give it half a chance. I put my all into it,” said Gillian. “Richard [Ames], the owner, puts his all into it, as do the girls, and we all put 110% – if not more. I’m such a believer that the more you give your horses, the more they give back to you.
“It’s spectacular here – I pinch myself. Growing up my role model was Pippa Funnell, she was my absolute favourite and at the trot up yesterday, she was 10ft from me. I was like, ‘there’s the palace and there’s Pippa – this is amazing!’”
Gillian’s return to eventing also has a poignant family tie. Her grandfather, Major Jeremy Beale, won Burghley in 1965 on Victoria Bridge, and rode on the British team alongside Gillian’s late grandmother and namesake, Gillian Morrison Beale.
“I’ve heard my grandfather speak about Blenheim,” she added. “As an American who has been showjumping for the past decade, Blenheim is something you just dream of, so to actually be here I have to pinch myself – it’s just magical. To be on British soil is very special. I have loads of family in the UK who are coming later in the week to watch, so it will be lovely to see everyone on ‘home’ soil in a way.”
The reality of her achievement, on her first international competition in Britain, comes across in the pride in her voice as she speaks of the horse and the team involved. Richard, holding Derena Super Star, delivers affectionate praise on the gelding while Gillian chats.
“He’s a really special horse and we have taken some time to get to know each other and work out some kinks. We’ve had some real highs and some not such great tests. To come out here today and to just give me his all, I couldn’t be more proud of him and the hard work of the girls here and Richard the owner, over there kissing him,” she said.
“It really does take a village and he is just a really phenomenal horse. He trots like a dressage horse and so definitely for me, having been a showjumper, it’s an adjustment to learn how to ride a horse like him.
“He is just such a wonderful horse. I love them all, that’s why I do this, right? We do it for the horses and he is just such a lovely guy in the stable, at the competitions, he doesn’t really change. He maybe ever so slightly backed off in there, I didn’t get maybe quite as much extension as I would have hoped in the trot. But he obviously was putting his best foot forward to me and it’s a credit to the whole team.”
Thursday afternoon’s dressage session at Blenheim Horse Trials delivered a refresh of the podium places. Sarah Bullimore and her rising star Evita AP’s elegant performance left the pair just 0.2 of a penalty adrift of Gillian and Derena Super Star to take provisional second on 27.8.
“She was a little bit surprised by the crowd in the corner, as it is very close. We had one slight moment where she went to spook in the walk as someone moved,” said Sarah.
“It’s a shame for the younger ones that is so close that side and the older ones have the quieter arena, but it’s fabulous experience for them. This is where they come to learn, find out about and get used to those things, because how do you train for that without being in these sort of environments. I’m really pleased with her, she has it all there and is a really exciting one for the future – she is only an eight-year-old.”
Sarah, who rides the mare for the Seahorse Syndicate and her husband Brett, is eyeing Boekelo with the Con Air 7 daughter after Blenheim.
“She has the most fantastic brain and is such fun to ride that she has just been a pleasure to produce up the grades. Hopefully this will be another good stepping stone for her,” she said.
“We took an embryo off her last year, so we have a fabulous foal, who is three months old now – he is an absolutely cracking foal – so it’s really exciting to continue her bloodlines as well.”
Thursday lunchtime eight- and nine-year-old CCI4*-S Blenheim Horse Trials dressage leaders Selina Milnes and Cooley Snapchat end day one in provisional third (28.4), with Tom Jackson on Newton Belize (29.2) and Georgie Campbell with Darcy De La Rose (29.2) in fourth and fifth respectively. Australia’s Bill Levett riding Sligo Candy Cane and Flora Harris aboard Monbeg Alcatraz are equal sixth at this stage on a score of 29.9.
Germany’s Malin Hansen-Hotopp, also competing on UK soil for the first time, is the overnight leader in the CCI4*-L class with Carlitos Quidditch K.
Competitors at Blenheim Horse Trials wore black armbands, as a mark of respect to the late Queen Elizabeth II. Flags are flying at half-mast and a two-minute silence was held at noon, followed by a recording of Laura Wright singing the National Anthem.
Blenheim Horse Trials dressage continues in both classes tomorrow (Friday), with the CCI4*-L resuming at 9am and the CCI4*-S for eight- and nine-year-old horses at 10.30am.
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