A speedy round by Izzy Taylor in the British Equestrian Trade Association CIC3* at the Equi-Trek Bramham Horse Trials paid dividends today (10 June).
Riding Dr Patricia Turner’s 12 year old, Trevidden, Izzy finished six seconds inside the optimum time of six-minutes 35 seconds, one of only two riders to do so, to finish on her dressage score of 47.4.
“I’m chuffed to bits and delighted to have won,” smiled Izzy. “‘Trevor’ left a leg at the Sun and Moon combination near the end, but that was my fault — I changed my original plan after watching some riders go this morning. Lesson learnt: I won’t do that again!”
Izzy, who took the ride on Trevidden over from Simon Grieve in the autumn of last year, rose from 15th after the dressage and seventh after the showjumping to claim victory.
“He’s a lovely horse to ride and suits me across country as he’s naturally quick,” explained Izzy. “I had a shocker here last year when nothing went to plan, so it’s nice to put that behind me.”
Izzy Taylor and Trevidden
Second went to Paul Tapner and the three-star specialist Yogi Bear VIII, who jumped a double clear, adding 5.2 time-faults across country to finish on 51.2.
“Thankfully Yogi Bear saved the day,” said Paul. “I’ve had a really bad day with my other horses with them not finishing the cross-country. Maybe if I had gone better on them, I would have been more brave to go for the time on this horse.”
Third went to New Zealand’s Tim Price, who had a slick double clear on Cekatinka. They added six time-faults to a dressage score of 45.9.
“This mare is a bit of a dark horse,” said Tim of the 10 year old, originally produced by Ros Canter before Tim’s wife Jonelle took on the ride. Tim then got the ride when Jonelle fell pregnant and he is now reluctant to give her the horse back when she returns to competition.
“She doesn’t give any more than she has to but she delivers when it matter and she has become one of my favourites,” confessed Tim. “She does her best work in the ring and you can’t train a horse to be like that.”
Flora Harris and Monarts Masterpiece led after the showjumping, but 9.2 time-faults dropped them to fourth. Laura Collett, who had been second after the showjumping phase, also added time faults across country which dropped them to eventual eighth.
The only other rider to make the optimum time was the USA’s Tiana Coudray, who stormed round with Under The Clocks to finish fifth, climbing from 23rd after the dressage.
Full report of Bramham in this week’s H&H magazine, out 15 June.
