Top British event rider Piggy March on the ups and downs of her trip to the young horse World Championships in France
I’ve just returned from the young horse World Championships at Le Lion d’Angers, which has long been a favourite event of mine. This year was no exception with brilliant owners out there and a couple of lovely horses who are exciting for the future.
It was the first time I’ve made the trip abroad off my own back rather than with the British team since Brexit. The unknown aspect contributed to the stress – the French end is so badly signed, we spent an extra 90 minutes driving around – which wouldn’t be an issue for experienced travellers. But the fact so much time is wasted isn’t good for anyone and is detrimental to horse welfare.
If horses must wait for three hours for a cursory vet check and the stamping of a carnet, there needs to be a safe area where they can leave the lorry and walk around, which isn’t currently allowed.
Overall, the new rules added five or six hours to travel time, which is so frustrating. I hope it’s a work in progress and can improve – to go abroad is always such an exciting adventure. I also hope Britain can keep putting on educational events for young horses, so the need for foreign trips isn’t too great.
The other aspect of Le Lion which was disappointing was that the dressage judging felt uneven between Thursday and Friday; the competitors were all talking about it.
Andrew Bennie, president of the seven-year-old ground jury, is one of the best eventing ground jury members, with a positive approach and a realistic understanding of event horses. He will reward potential and a correctly trained and ridden horse, which keeps athletic horses with the necessary blood for five-star in the mix beside more dressage types.
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He had my two horses 2% apart, which I felt was correct, but the other judges were more negative about my horse on Thursday. Discrepancies included a 5.5 and a nine for a 10m circle. They were giving low marks for poorer work, which by the end of Friday they were forgiving.
I’d certainly find it hard to be a judge and I’m not usually one to make a fuss about this, but five of the top 10 horses came from the second half of Friday, which feels unbalanced. There used to be a lot of discussion about the emotion of Friday afternoon sending marks up, but this has largely disappeared recently. I hope this was a one-off and judges can continue to hold a standard. It was still a great event and the young horses gain valuable experience with the big crowds.
It was the first time I’ve been at Le Lion since the dressage and showjumping have been on a surface, which makes it fairer when it’s wet, rather than the later horses performing on cut-up grass. It used to be that showjumping clear at Le Lion moved you up at least five places but my two moved up one and three. Either we had a field of very strong jumpers or being on the surface played a part there.
Congratulations to the Prices
A huge well done to Tim Price not only for winning Maryland five-star, but for all his autumn success, and to his wife Jonelle on her Pau win. That they are numbers one and two in the world is a testament to them – they’re unbelievable competitors and fantastic people. Both are at the top of their game as riders and achieving success on a range of horses.
Jonelle must have felt a little flat having given Tim the ride on Maryland winner Coup De Coeur Dudevin, but we have to go with gut feeling on those decisions and what a boost that she was on top again at Pau.
Time out
It’s refreshing to get to the end of the year and step off the hamster wheel of constant travel. I enjoy looking for new, young horses and being able to produce the horses without the pressure of an event.
It’s a real focus of mine to be aware of what can make your horse a better eventer. I don’t hunt every season for the love of it – I spend so much time on a horse that I don’t particularly want to get muddy and wet for hours on the hunting field – but it can make a massive difference to horses, hardening them up, educating them, improving their footwork, balance and mindset as you cross unprepared country.
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Piggy March is one of Britain’s leading event riders, frequently winning at national and international events and representing her country. She made her five-star debut at Burghley Horse Trials in 2002, but had to wait until Badminton Horse Trials 2019 to claim her first five-star victory in her 25th start at the level. Piggy has won both team and individual medals representing Britain at the Europeans and World Equestrian Games, and has been selected for the Olympics, only to be ruled out from competing.
