Hayden Hankey blitzed into the lead of the CCI4*-S class for eight- and nine-year-olds at the end of Friday morning’s dressage session at Blenheim Horse Trials. The morning’s contenders in this young horse section had failed to make much of an impact at the business end of the leaderboard, until Hayden, penultimate to go before the lunch break, produced a polished display on Heads Up to take a 3.3-pen lead over Gillian Beale King (Derena Super Star) on 24.3.
Hayden is as adept between the white boards as he is in the show ring or the hunting field, and the skills of this all-round horseman came to the fore. But while to spectators this seemed like an impressive display from an eight-year-old, Hayden implied there is much more to come. There were a few green wobbles, notably in an early shoulder-in. But he barely made a mistake, consistently scoring 7.5s, and earned a nine for his extended trot.
“He did a nice test, he’s incredibly talented on the flat,” said Hayden, who partnered Heads Up to win the working hunter final at Horse of the Year Show in 2019. “Probably a couple of little errors snuck in, where I got a bit close to the boards and lost my rhythm once or twice. At the last halt, I should have held him into it.
“He’s developing all the time. He is world-class, but he’s only eight and he’s very big. What he’s producing now is only a shadow of what he will be producing in six, 12 or 18 months’ time.”
Heads Up, owned by Hayden and Catherine Witt, is something of a class act in this field. Besides his Horse of the Year Show win as a five-year-old, he has finished runner-up at the British young horse championships at Osberton at six, and fifth at the young horse World Championships at Le Lion last year. By Obos Quality 004 out of a Lux Z mare, this eight-year-old bay has been tipped as the one to help Hayden fulfil his undoubted talent with a crack at five-star.
Hayden described the horse as “as nice in his brain as he is to look at”.
“He’s beautifully put-together with amazing paces, and he’s a genuinely lovely person who tries,” he said. “If we’re lucky this weekend to get a result, fantastic. If we don’t it doesn’t mean he won’t be top class. I have to try to look after the pressure and not put it on him.”
Blenheim Horse Trials dressage: Zorro into top-10
Imogen Murray was the only other rider on the second morning of dressage (Friday, 16 September) to slot into the top 10 in the CCI4*-S. She was riding the 17.2hh MDSandyhill Zorro, and they lie in 10th at this stage on 30.3. They scored a nine for their final halt, but a little jog in the medium walk earned a four, which pegged their final mark back a touch.
“It’s his first four-star and his first time in any big atmosphere,” said Imogen. “He’s a bit of a ‘Covid baby’ in that he’s missed out on anything like this. He is a bit spooky and I felt him go within himself, almost go lazy. But he stayed with me, and just made that one tiny mistake in the walk. For his first time, linking all the test together and with the atmosphere, you can’t ask for any more than him trying.
“He’s come here for the experience rather than to win, so hopefully next year he can be competitive at this level.”
Imogen admitted that Zorro, owned by Julie Skillin and the MS Team, was so sharp as a young horse that he made her “quite nervous”.
“So I had to put my brave pants on, and it’s been onwards and upwards,” she said. “He gives it all the drama, but he actually wants someone telling him what to do.”
Behind Heads Up and Derena Super Star, in first and second, lie Evita AP (Sarah Bullimore), Cooley Snapchat (Selina Milnes), Newton Belize (Tom Jackson) and Darcy De La Rose (Georgie Campbell) rounding out the top six. Five penalties cover this leading group.
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