“He was really good, I’m just a bit annoyed of myself because I was trying to really go for a left half-pass, which was stunning, and then I just didn’t give him the time to change over into the right one before I asked for the big trot so he broke into the canter which he’s never done before, but that was definitely rider error,” Laura said, referring to London 52 breaking into canter in his trot half-passes. “But he was really with me and let me really ride him so I’m pleased with him.
“He’s only just started to feel safe enough to be able to go and press for more and that is what coming here was about — we know he can do a safe, smart test and it’s about trying to see how much we can push him in the arena so I was pleased that he took it all really well it was just a misjudgment by me, rather than him making a mistake. Obviously coming here on the Olympic longlist adds pressure — there’s so many amazing combinations that what will, be will be and I just have to keep keep doing what he’s doing and hope he stays in the form that he’s in and if we’re good enough, we’re good enough and if not, we’ll go to the Europeans, hopefully.”
“I’m super-happy with him. Sure, some bits can be a bit better but it was another really good solid test. I was most happy with his walk as he’s really starting to swing like he can out hacking,” said Tom of the 14-year-old, owned by Fred Barker, Penny Barker, Jane Inns and Alison McEwen. “The basics were all good there were just a couple of mistakes on my behalf such as the extended trot — I just went to balance him as I thought we had too much and I thought, ‘We better balance because it’s going to go out of control’, and I actually just broke his rhythm. But all in all, I’m delighted with him.”
Never miss out on the latest happenings in the equestrian world
Read the full report from Bicton in the 17 June issue of Horse & Hound magazine and keep checking back to horseandhound.co.uk for further updates and insight
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Former web features editor, point-to-point editor and digital racing editor
Gemma is an experienced journalist, who was a member of H&H staff from 2014 to September 2025. She is passionate about all equestrian sports, including racing and point-to-pointing. She has enjoyed riding out for top trainers Nicky Henderson and Charlie Appleby and took part in a charity Flat race at Epsom in August 2018. Gemma’s has reported from numerous five-star events around Britain and Europe, as well as European championships.
