Festival of British Eventing

Revamped cross country course proves a real test at Gatcombe

Mary King is proof that life really does begin at 40 and before winning an individual silver medal at the European Championships in Italy in September she claimed her fourth British Open Championship at The Festival of British Eventing with Call Again Cavalier, 17 years after first winning the title.

The combination led from start to finish and after a clear round in the show jumping added just 7.2 time penalties on the cross country to keep them ahead of William Fox-Pitt, who was looking for his fifth British Open Championship, with his veteran course specialist Moon Man. As usual the cross country was run in reverse order of merit, creating a very exciting finish for the large crowd.

This was the 25th anniversary of the first ever event at Gatcombe and the excellent going following the very wet summer meant that only seven of the 46 starters in the British Open Championship withdrew before the cross country. Mark Phillips had made a number of changes to the course to create a real test that caught out a number of top four-star horses, including Oliver Townend with his European Championship ride Flint Curtis and William Fox-Pitt on his second ride Ballincoola.

The new fence at the folly – a narrow Land Rover logo followed by a turn to two more narrow angled logos – caused some concern among the riders beforehand and was among the most influential on the course. A number of competitors, including Mary King, opted for the longer route at the Countrywide Mushrooms towards the end of the course after four of the first 10 starters had a run-out at the very narrow second element taking the direct route.

The ultra-consistent Andrew Nicholson claimed two top six places, taking third with the very experienced Lord Killinghurst and fifth with that horse’s half sister Ginger May Killinghurst. Reigning champion Lucy Wiegersma did not give up her title without a fight and was fastest across country but had to settle for fourth place this time.

The cross country also proved very influential in the British Intermediate Championship and Oliver Townend, a former winner of the British Novice Championship, put in one of the fastest rounds to win on his own grey mare Daisy Crazy.

William Fox-Pitt successfully defended the British Novice Championship title when he was the only rider to finish inside the optimum time on the cross country with Cool Mountain. This put him ahead of great rival Andrew Nicholson, who finished on the same score with Avebury but was slower across country.

The two CIC*** sections were won by Tina Cook with the former Burghley Young Event Horse champion Miners Frolic and Daisy Dick on the 2006 Blenheim winner Springbok IV, while 18 year old Georgie Spence clinched her place in the British Young Rider team after a one-two in the Young Rider Advanced Trial.