‘He grows in there’: Pippa Funnell and Gemma Stevens dazzle the Blenheim judges to spearhead British hopes
Pippa Funnell and MGH Grafton Street in the CCI4*-L at Blenheim Horse Trials.
(Image credit: Francesca Altoft Photography/The Jockey Club)
Burghley winners Pippa Funnell and MGH Grafton Street jointly top the British standings after dressage in the CCI4*-L at Blenheim Horse Trials with Gemma Stevens (née Tattersall) and Jalapeno III, with both combinations slotting into equal second.
Germany’s Malin Hansen-Hotopp retained her day one lead on her score of 24.6 with Bodel Ipsen’s 10-year-old gelding Carlitos Quidditch K. The pair head into Saturday’s cross-country with four seconds in hand over Pippa and Gemma who are tied on 26.3.
Pippa and the 14-year-old gelding presented a harmonious test, with judges Sue Baxter, Douglas Hibbert and Bobby Stevenson broadly united in their mark for the pair.
“He is always nicer in an arena – the arena lifts him and he grows in there, which is the nice way around,” said Pippa, who went onto explain why Blenheim Horse Trials was a good fit for Jonathan and Jane Clarke’s five-star winner.
“We chatted about it, it’s just been unfortunate with him because I had that fall at Badminton [this spring]. It was a shame, really, that he was ready to step up and go on after Burghley [2019] and then we had the Covid times, then the horse bruised his foot last year at Hartpury so we never got to do an autumn three-day.
“So really, this is his first three-day since 2019. And that is one of the main reasons behind the decision to come here and not Burghley, because having had that fall at Badminton, I think it was sensible to drop him down and do a CCI4*-L, being that it’s over three years now since he did his last three-day event.
“It’s nice to be back here and hopefully he will enjoy himself.”
Gemma and the talented Chilli Morning daughter, fourth here last year, come to Blenheim Horse Trials on the back of a CCI4*-S win at Millstreet in August.
“There were a couple of little small things I can take away that weren’t perfect, but she was very fluid, in a good outline, relaxed, happy, in front of me – she felt like she was enjoying herself,” said Gemma, who rides the 14-year-old mare for owner Chris Stone.
Gemma has found the key to Jalapeno is a balance of give and take in the warm-up, which paid dividends and the mare showed just how at ease she was in Blenheim’s atmospheric arena with a pic of grass on her way out.
“It felt like it was much better than last year’s test where she was a bit tricky,” Gemma added.
“She is tricky when she gets really, really hard fit, which she is – she can be a little bit of a chestnut mare – But she’s also lazy, so it’s that really fine line of having her in front of you, but without annoying her.”
Germany’s Dirk Schrade and Casino 80 are in sixth, also on a score of 29 but with Bubby ahead on collectives.
Matt Heath was delighted with Plum Rowland’s Askari, who continues to benefit from the experience he gains in these bigger atmospheres. To produce a strong performance in front of Blenheim Palace is particularly special for Matt, as it is this slice of Oxfordshire parkland that inspired him to take up eventing instead of going into racing.
“He’s been a little bit volatile all week if I’m honest, but that was by far the best work he has done in the arena and that’s exactly where you want it,” said Matt, who is in provisional seventh after dressage on 29.3.
“He has been pretty consistent in this phase this year. He used to be a bit spooky and he’s got a lot better. He did everything where it was meant to be, it was a clear round. I think the canter work could have done with a little bit more oomph to just creep a couple of marks more. It’s difficult; if you get him quiet enough for the trot work to be where you need it to be, sometimes you lose a little bit of power in the canter. That’s something to work on for next year.
“He’s done Bramham this year, and that’s big atmosphere as well. I’ve kept exposing him, he came here last year when he was very green, so he has been in these big arenas and is just starting to feel that’s where he belongs.”
Piggy March and Halo head the leaderboard after dressage in the young horse CCI4*-S
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