Eventing reports
Pontispool 1 horse trials 2011
Lucy Loughton, riding her grandmother Penny Edwards’ Abigail III, continued her excellent start to the season by winning the Open Intermediate at the Griffin Nuu Med sponsored Pontispool (1). The pair were second after dressage to Abbie Hughes and Ramiros Secret but the show jumping proved to be influential so when Abbie lowered three to Lucy’s one the door was open for a good win. “I’ve got a touch of " four faultitis" at the moment” Lucy explained “ but Abigail more than made up for that with her cross country round. This was just the result we needed as I’m going to take a few weeks off now to concentrate on my A-Levels.” The pair, who were on last year’s Junior European team, now head for the National Junior Championship at Glanusk. Jo Rimmer and Finnegan’s Whiskers were one of the few to have a clean sheet in the show jumping which moved them up to second, with Anna Tomson riding her own Master Floub in third.
Rosie Thomas was delighted with her win on Watzman in Intermediate section A as this was her first Intermediate run at Pontispool “There were some serious questions out there” she said “but it was nicely balanced and well built.” Watzman’s owner Tracey Whiting had bought him to do dressage but he just wouldn’t go for her and was sent to Rosie to sell. “Tracey loves him to bits and even had an all over body scan to see if there was anything wrong but it’s just that he finds dressage boring, two circle in the arena and he’s had enough.” Rosie explained “but going out and jumping, that’s different, he loves that!” Once Rosie started eventing him they quickly moved up the grades and now Tracey has decided to keep him as she loves being an event horse owner.”
Section B was won by Portuguese rider Luis Principe with his own Vardigo who completed the day on their dressage score of 24.6. This excellent mark was no big surprise as Luis, who has been based in the UK for the last 12 years, is a International Grand Prix dressage rider who events for fun. He bought the nine year old by Lincoln from a friend two years ago and in just 15 events has move up to Intermediate. “Unfortunately I will now have to sell him” Luis explained “As, with the Europeans Championships and then the Olympics next year I need to concentrate on dressage.”
British based American rider Cindy Rawson made a welcome return to winning form, after a break away from eventing (see box) by winning section C on Mocharabuiee. She took over the ride from owner Ruth Bowerman last December as Ruth is off to University. “Having seen how well the older riders like Mark (Todd) and Mary (King) were doing I felt inspired to have another go so when the chance to ride “George”, as he’s know at home, came up I jumped at it”
Like so many events this spring Pontispool was plagued by lack of rain although organiser Richard Mitford-Slade and his team did sterling work to produce the best going possible which resulted in far less withdrawals than might how been expected.
Another String to her Bow!
When Cindy Rawson had to retire her top horse Ashdale David’s Way in 2007 she felt she’d have enough of eventing. “It also coincided with my mother becoming seriously ill so I went home to the States to look after her for a while” Cindy explained “When I came back I felt I wanted to do something different so, as I’d always wanted to go to University, did a two year course at Exeter studying French and Spanish. I also started playing the violin again, another love I’d neglected for years. Much to my surprise I was asked to join the Exe Valley String Quartet and we now do about 50 “gigs” a year. The money I make from that helps to pay for my horses”
The Joys of being an Organiser
Event organiser Lucy Fielding-Johnson had an interesting conversation with a horse owner in the run up to the event “As I was doubling up as entries secretary the lady concerned rang me on a Sunday and was surprised to find me working. She then said “Still I expect British Eventing pay you well for running an event.” After I stopped choking and explained to her in fact we have to pay BE she was astonished and replied “Well they should be paying you!”