New Zealand’s Jesse Campbell and Gambesie have taken the early lead in the Bramham Horse Trials dressage in the Land Rover CCI4*-S section. The combination scored 28.6, with Caroline Powell and the Chris Mann-owned Greenacres Special Cavalier in second on 31.9.
“I’m delighted – he’s still a bit low mileage so it’s great to get him in the arena,” said Jesse after his test. “There were a few little little baby mistakes, for example going down the centreline disunited is probably not what you want to do – it’s kind of one-O-one of dressage! – but on the whole I’m really happy with him.”
The elegant chestnut was mostly very good in his work, including good flying changes, with the test being smooth and accurate.
“He is a really cool horse, but he is a little bit quirky like all the good ones are,” explained Jesse of the 11-year-old he co-owns with Sarah Moffat. “He’s a bit of a character, quite spooky, quite full of himself and quite into everything, but at the same time he is very generous.”
Gambesie was originally produced and campaigned to CIC2* (now CCI3*-S level) by Jonty Evans before his accident.
“We’ve had him since Jonty’s accident and he’s had some niggly injuries, but has always been incredibly talented,” said Jesse. “So at the moment, he’s just sticking with the short format events with the aim to go to Aachen in a few weeks, which I think he’ll do really well at.”
Izzy Taylor and Happy Days, who is owned by Alex Colquhoun, Caroline Wilson and Lavinia Taylor are in third at this early stage of the Brahmham Horse Trials dressage on 32.7.
Keep up-to-date with all the action from Bramham via horseandhound.co.uk and read the full magazine report in the 16 June issue of Horse & Hound
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