Of all the things that could be included in a risk assessment for a safe and enjoyable horse trials, exploding trade stands, escaping breeches and mini tornadoes would probably not be top of the list.
And when reports of such happenings filtered through the radio system at Childeric Saddles Little Downham (2) on Sunday (7 August) there was confusion at first.
“It was lunchtime,” Sarah Skillin of the organising team told H&H. “We had a cross-country course change coming up and lots of us were in the barn. We were sitting listening to the [officials’] radio, and all of a sudden, showjumping said ‘One of the trade stands has exploded’.
“Everyone paused but must have thought they were hearing things, then John our car-parking volunteer said ‘A whirlwind has just gone through the lorry park and everyone’s stuff is all over the place.
“Then someone said ‘Tigga’s [Saddlery] has just collapsed’. I thought ‘I’d better go and have a look!’”
Sarah went to investigate, and found the Tigga’s tradestand in “various states of disarray”.
“Various people were holding it up, poor Sally who owns it was in all sorts of states,” she said. “The showjumping team were rebuilding fences and Andrew [James] was about to restart his dressage test.”
Sarah said the mini tornado, or whirlwind, had appeared in one corner of a stubble field.
“It came across one corner of the cross-country — sending my fence-judges’ picnic flying — into the showjumping, where a friend of mine was in the arena, and fences six and seven were demolished in front of her, straight through Tigga’s and then through Andrew’s test, with various bits of Tigga’s stock,” she said. “Then it went through the lorry park; we found items all over the place, like breeches a long way from where they should have been.”
It is not known whether said breeches had been on people’s persons when the tornado hit but they were joined by other items such as saddlecloths, a long way from home.
The showjumping was held for 15 minutes while everything was secured and made safe, then the show went on, but Sarah said the origin of the tornado is a mystery.
“We’re used to wind; we’re in the fens,” she said. “But it wasn’t windy at all, just a bit of a breeze; the flags weren’t even flying properly.”
Sarah added that the tornado only lasted a matter of seconds, and although Tigga’s was battered, the Childeric stand next door was untouched. Similarly, no one on the other side of the cross-country course realised what had happened.
“It was just bizarre,” she said. “Someone said ‘I bet that wasn’t in your risk assessment’ and I said ‘No, definitely not’, but it will be next time! How do you mitigate against a tornado? You don’t.”
Sarah added that apart from the tornado — and a photographer’s car ending up in a ditch — it was a good event all round.
“It was a very laid-back, peaceful weekend, other than the tornado!” she said. “And my friend who was in the ring when it hit came fifth, and Andrew seventh, so both horses who were affected were placed.
“We definitely win the most entertaining event of the weekend!”
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‘Bloody hell!’ Horse and rider clear huge oxer as it blows down — with a Pimm’s gazebo flying overhead
‘Who falls off in the dressage!’ Rider bails out after mid-test tack malfunction
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