Matthew Wright wins second Express Eventing qualifer
Matthew Wright claimed his second win of the Express Eventing Series at the Lincolnshire Show on Wednesday (22 June).
He won the top prize of £3,000 finishing on a score of just 4.5.
Wiltshire-based Fiona Hobby finished second on a score of 8.15. But as Matthew had already qualified for the final (which will be held at the Horse of the Year Show in October) Fiona also qualifies.
Matthew led from the dressage phase with an initial score of 8.5 followed by a clear cross-country round. Fiona jumped a clear showjumping round, meaning Matthew had to do the same to secure victory.
“It’s been a tight competition, I knew the pressure was on with Fiona just behind me, I’ve never seen her horse drop a pole so I knew we had to jump well — and the horse really did just that,” he said.
William Murray, who is based in Northumberland, also qualified for the final as the highest placed young rider, finishing fifth overall with the gelding Brightside.
There are two Express Eventing Series qualifiers remaining — at the CLA Game Fair on Sunday 24 July, and the Festival of British Eventing of Gatcombe Park on Saturday 6 and Sunday 7 August.
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A graduate of Exeter University, Amy joined our news team from Redpin Publishing in 2008 as news writer. She was promoted to deputy news editor in May 2013 and became news editor in April 2015. She left Horse & Hound in March 2016 to take up an editorial position in Dubai.