Bubby Upton sits at the top of the Bramham Horse Trials dressage results for the under-25 section as the first-phase action finishes.
Bubby scored 26.5 with a punchy, accurate test on her mother Rachel and the Zebedee Syndicate’s Magic Roundabout IV, giving her a 3.2-penalty lead. Her mark is particularly impressive because it would also put her at the head of the senior section (which is being led on a score of 29); the two sections share a ground jury so scores are directly comparable.
“I’m so chuffed. He does not like dressage at all, he finds it so difficult. He’s not made for it in his conformation whatsoever, he’s really long in the back,” said Bubby.
“In the past in big atmospheres he’s got really worried, but he worries because he’s just trying so hard. Then when he can’t do something, or he knows it’s not quite good enough, he panics and then when he panics he’s really difficult to ride.
“So I really took my time when I went in and walked quite a few circles just so he relaxed. I was cantering round the outside and I couldn’t believe how good he felt. He was amazing in there.”
Bubby is in the unique position of being a former under-25 national champion but also a Bramham debutante – she won the class in 2021 when it moved to Bicton.
She said: “I’ve obviously heard a lot about Bramham over the years. I walked the course and it’s everything that you ever hear – very big, very technical, very intense, hilly. But I’m so excited to get out there on him and give it a crack because I guess at the end of it, you know what horse you’ve got, so fingers crossed we have a good spin.”
Magic Roundabout suffered an injury in a freak accident in the field last year which put him out of action for most of the season – “which was gutting” – but now he’s back, Bubby hopes to aim him for Burghley.
“He came from Piggy March’s yard and she’s always said to me he’s a Bramham and Burghley horse,” said Bubby. “So I’ve kind of always had that in my head. He’s super blood, he really gallops, really jumps. This is probably the best preparation you can have for Burghley so that’s why we’re here.”
Yesterday’s leader, France’s Morgane Euriat, sits second in the under-25 Bramham Horse Trials dressage with her own and Michele and Jean-Pierre Euriat’s Baccarat D Argonne, who was sixth in this class last year. Richard Coney holds third for Britain on his own and his mother Wendy’s Mermus R Diamonds.
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