NEWs

Outstanding cross country day for Britain at European Champs for Juniors and Young Riders

It has been a simply outstanding day of cross country riding round Eric Winter’s courses from our Team NAF British riders at the European Championships for Juniors and Young Riders.

In front of a home crowd at Hartpury University and Hartpury College in Gloucestershire, each one of our riders representing Great Britain under the title sponsor banner of Team NAF delivered a brilliant performance to leave the Young Rider team in the gold medal position and the Junior team in silver, just one mark behind the Germans.

Britain’s Young Riders in double gold medal positions

In the European Championship for Young Riders supported by Commscope Ruckus the time proved incredibly influential, with just four rounds inside the time recorded throughout the whole competition. We are hugely proud that three of these rounds came from our Team NAF British team riders, with the fourth achieved by Ireland’s Sadhbh Bolger.
As pathfinders for the British team, Alice Casburn and Topspin were one of the first combinations to take on Eric Winter’s challenging track, which required brave and bold riding. The pair flew round the course to post one of the fastest times of the day and give a boost of confidence to the rest of the Team NAF British riders.
Britain’s pathfinders, Alice Casburn & Topspin on their way to a clear inside the time

Ibble Watson and Aristoteles S Z were next on course, adding 8.4 time penalties to their dressage mark to leave them on a score of 37.8 and in eleventh place individually.

Ibble Watson & Aristoteles S Z make it two clear rounds for the team

Millie Juleff and All We Need overcame a hold out on track to deliver a superb clear round. They became the second British combination to stop the clock inside the optimum time, staying on their dressage score of 31.4 and moving up into the individual silver medal position.

A clear with no time penalties moves Millie Juleff  & All We Need into the individual silver medal position
“He was just amazing. He was flying and felt so good,” said Millie after her round.

“It’s amazing,” she added of her individual silver medal position. “It obviously puts the pressure on for tomorrow but he’s a great jumper, so fingers crossed.”

By the time Molly Faulkner and Call me Cooley entered the start box as our final team rider, things were already looking very positive for the Brits. Another fabulous performance – the third British round inside the optimum time – confirmed the team’s place at the top of the standings and moved Molly up into fourth place individually.
Molly Faulkner & Call Me Cooley deliver a clear inside the time to be lying fourth individually
Phoebe Hughes and Top Biats (competing as an individual) added just 5.2 time penalties to their brilliant dressage score, leaving them on a total of 30.9 and keeping them in that coveted individual gold medal position.

“He was so cool the whole way round,” said Phoebe. “He saved me a few times, especially at the last! It wasn’t very pretty but we made it round and today isn’t a day when you’re meant to be pretty, that was yesterday. I couldn’t be happier. He got tired towards the end so I slightly took my leg off as I knew I wanted to round and get that clear round.

“I’m excited to be going into tomorrow in the lead. I’m a bit of a weird one; I like to react to pressure a bit, so fingers crossed for tomorrow.”

Phoebe Hughes & Top Biats keep hold of the individual gold medal position

Our other combination competing as an individual, Polly Muirhead and Penhill Touch of Class, added just two 2.4 time penalties to their dressage mark to be lying on a score of 38.2 in twelfth.

A great round for Polly Muirhead & Penhill Touch Of Class leaves them lying twelfth

It was a great performance all round for our Team NAF Young Riders, with all six British combinations placed in the Top 12 after cross country.

Juniors keep hold of team and individual silver medal positions

Our Junior team remain in the silver medal positions at the European Championship for Juniors supported by Hartpury University, after all four team members delivered quick clear rounds – three of which were inside the optimum time. The team are now just one mark behind the Germans as we head into tomorrow’s show jumping.

Team pathfinders, Finn Healy and Fathers Compromise got us off to a great start. They finished the day on their dressage score of 31.1 and well-placed in seventh position individually.

“She was amazing,” said Finn after their round. “I’m so over the moon. I was really nervous this morning because there’s a lot of pressure being first out. I wanted to make sure I got a clear home for the team to get us off to a good start and I’ve done that, so I’m really chuffed.”

Finn Healy & Fathers Compromise got Great Britain off to a great start

Grace Donnor and Cooley Ramiro were the second of the team riders out on course. They picked up just 4.4 time faults to give them a score of 34.9 and leave them lying inside the Top 2o in eighteenth place.

Grace Donnor & Cooley Ramiro pick up just 4.4 time faults to be lying eighteenth

Jasmine Underwood and Indian Girl G were another combination to come home clear inside the optimum time. The stayed on their dressage score of 31.1 – the same score as teammate Finn Healy and Fathers Compromise in seventh. Jasmine moves a place ahead in sixth though, with her round being slightly closer to the optimum time.

A clear inside the time moves Jasmine Underwood & Indian Girl G into sixth

You could feel the excitement in the home crowd as Isabelle Cook and Mexican Law began their round. The anchor leg of the British Junior team and lying in the silver medal position, there was a lot to play for in their round. If they were feeling the pressure Isabelle and Mexican Law didn’t show it as they brought it home for the team – finishing the cross country on their brilliant dressage score of 26.6 and remaining in the silver medal position.

Isabelle Cook & Mexican Law bring it home for Britain and remain in the individual silver medal position

“She was amazing from start to finish,” said Isabelle. “I just kept moving the whole way round to try and get the time and she just cruised round. It was such a lovely course and everything just came up really well for me.

“The team’s in such a strong position, so fingers crossed going into tomorrow that everything goes to plan.”

Our individual riders also did a fabulous job, both coming home clear inside the time. Holly Clarke and Nico are lying sixth with a score of 30.5 and Jaymee Savill and Grange Ash Sparrow, eleventh with 32.2.

Holly Clarke & Nico are lying sixth after delivering a clear inside the time

 

Jaymee Savill & Grange Ash Sparrow  are another British combination to deliver a clear inside the time, it leaves them in eleventh at this stage

“I couldn’t be more delighted for them,” said Youth Performance Manager, Darrell Scaife speaking of the Junior team’s performance. “We’ve had six clear rounds, five of them inside the time. They were really competent and capable at their job, so for me it was a very straight forward morning!

“It’s been a really great afternoon after a really wonderful morning,” he added after the Young Riders performance. “The Juniors set off and the Young Riders really followed them. They had a plan, they stuck to their plan, they were very clear about what they wanted to do. It’s their competition and there are medals to win and they were very hungry to fight for them.”

“What’s been really wonderful to see is that these two squads have really become one team. I’m really chuffed. It’s a strong position to be in. We’ve still got a lot of work to do tomorrow but I’m really pleased with everybody.”

Get set for tomorrow’s finale

Tomorrow’s show jumping promises to be a real thriller! Tickets are still available, so if you don’t live too far from Hartpury get yourselves along to support the team and hopefully see our Team NAF riders get on that podium.

The second horse inspection takes place at 8am tomorrow morning for the Juniors, followed by the Young Riders at 9am.

Action gets underway in the show jumping for the Juniors at 10.30am, with the medal ceremony at 1pm.

The Young Rider show jumping starts at 2.15pm, with the medal ceremony at 4.30pm.

You will be able to find all start times for tomorrow’s show jumping and follow live results here.

Don’t forget, you will be able to watch all the show jumping action live courtesy of Clip My Horse here.

 

British Eventing would like to thank NAF, title sponsors of the Junior and Young Rider Eventing Teams. Thanks also go to Event Collection, Fairfax & Favor, Holland Cooper Equestrian, LeMieux, Racesafe Equestrian and Welligogs who are further supporting the teams with kit.

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