Scottish rider Cameron Swales notched up the first international victory of his career when winning the new Houghton Country CCI1*-S class at Alnwick Ford International Horse Trials (20-23 June).
Riding his own six-year-old Udo A Z, known at home as Apollo, Cameron was second after dressage on a mark of 26.9. He added 3.2 showjumping time-faults to that, but was flawless cross-country to beat the dressage leaders, Germany’s Josephine Schnaufer-Volkel and Bush Pepper AS, into the runner-up spot.
Cameron said: “I was quite shocked to win – Apollo has only done two events this year, both at BE100 level, but we love Alnwick Ford and thought, ‘Why not?’.
“I got him when he was a just-backed three-and-a-half-year-old – a blank canvas, and he’s a big horse and still growing, but he can really shift across country. He loves the dressage and cross-country but the showjumping has taken a while to come. He’s matured so much over the past few months, though, and I was delighted that he jumped a double clear round here. He’s the most lovely character and very easy to handle – he’s like a big dog.”
Cameron, 19, rides full-time and runs a yard with his mother in West Lothian.
He added: “It’s been a really good weekend – I rode my top horse, Millies Law, in the CCI3*-S on Friday and we are now qualified for the CCI3*-L at Blair Castle, and then Apollo won. It’s been lovely and sunny, the cross-country and showjumping tracks have been great – so much effort has gone into them and into making the going very good. It’s such a well-run event – it’s been like having a wee holiday!”
Irish visitor Gilby Monaghan, 15, won the Project Pony-sponsored Pony CCI2*-S on Longwood Laura, adding just 0.8 of a cross-country time-fault to his dressage mark of 31.3. Ten-year-old Connemara Longwood Laura is owned by Rolline O’Callaghan.
British riders Sofia Paul (Man In The Mirror) and Isadora Turner (Darwin IV) took second and third places, neither adding anything to their first-phase scores of 34 and 34.8.
The Alnwick Ford organising team were delighted to be able to hold a total of 30 sections at both international and national levels from CCI3*-S down to BE80 in the sunshine this weekend.
Winners came from all over the country, and included world number one Oliver Townend, top Scottish eventer Wills Oakden, Dutch Olympian Andrew Heffernan and many more local faces, such as Northumberland’s Emma Carmichael.
Event organiser Craig Anderson said: “We’ve had a fantastic event, and huge thanks must go to our sponsors and volunteers in particular for putting so much into making it such a success. Well done to all our winners, and we hope to see everyone who came to Alnwick Ford this week at its ‘big sister’ event, Burgham, at the end of July.”
Alnwick Ford hosted the first leg of the much-celebrated Northumberland Challenge, which unites the three Northumbrian international events: Belsay, Alnwick Ford and Burgham. Riders who win the CCI3*-S, CCI2*-S and, new for 2024, a BE100 class, at all three events can win cash bonuses of £25,00, £20,000 and £6,000 respectively. Due to the cancellation of Belsay last month, the Northumberland Challenge will roll over to Belsay 2025.
Ellie McCarthy, winner of BE100 section J on What-A-Catch, said: “I’m delighted to win my section at Alnwick Ford this weekend. It’s one of my favourite events and this was only our second run this season with so many events having to abandon, so it was great to be on form. We’re now eligible for the Northumberland Challenge which is a great opportunity for grassroots riders like me!”
The second leg of the Northumberland Challenge – which is supported by Hambro Sport Horses, NIS Group Ltd, InExpress Tyne & Wear and Equestrian Eye, as well as insurance brokers McClarrons – takes place at Burgham International Horse Trials (25-28 July). For more information about Burgham and to buy tickets, visit www.burghaminternationalhorsetrials.co.uk.
Pictures courtesy of Action Replay Photography.
For more information on the event, please visit www.alnwickfordequestrian.co.uk
Full results can be found here
Release supplied by event.
