NEWs

Lizzie Baugh scores at Chatsworth

Young rider Lizzie Baugh scored the biggest win of her career when scooping the CCI4*-S at the Chatsworth International Horse Trials sponsored by Delarki.

Lizzie, 25, from Newark, Nottinghamshire, set the early target for cross-country time (11.2 penalties) with a superb round on her home-bred gelding B Exclusive which no other rider could match, and she received the trophy from CJ Sellors for finishing nearest the optimum time.

“I didn’t really mean to be so fast, as this is a prep run for Bramham next month,” said Lizzie. “But I thought that I must be positive and the horse seemed to pick up all the lines easily.”

The pair have had a useful preparation for the big-time atmosphere, as they performed the “guinea-pig” test at Badminton (the pre-competition test that allows the judges to get their eye in) and their dressage score of 27.2 at Chatsworth was a personal best.

The experienced Chinese Olympic rider Alex Hua Tian was second on Chicko ahead of the dressage leaders, Caroline Harris and D. Day, who lost their advantage with three show jumping rails down.

The fourth-placed rider, Emma Thomas, 20, won the prize for best under-25 rider. She had the second fastest time aboard Rebecca Velarde’s Icarus X, a horse that came from the show jumper Jamie Wingrave.

“He was a bit of a wild child, but he is 10 now and loves his job,” said Emma, who is based in Warwickshire and has training with Pippa Funnell through the Westko Foundation. “I love it here at Chatsworth. It is so beautiful and is a proper, bold cross-country track.”

New Zealand rider Samantha Lissington scored a notable one-two in the advanced class riding Ricker Ridge Snoot GNZ and Lord Seekonig.

“This weekend has been quite a challenge with the weather conditions and would never have happened without such a dedicated and hardworking group of officials and volunteers,” said event director Patricia Clifton. “I would also like to thank the riders and spectators very much for their patience with all the necessary alterations. We hope for better weather in 2024!”

For full results, visit www.eventingscores.co.uk

Photo: The top three in CCI4*-S Section H at Chatsworth International Horse Trials, sponsored by Delarki: Alex Hua Tian (second), Lizzie Baugh (first) and Caroline Harris (third) with the Duke of Devonshire and Adrian Clarke of Delarki. Credit: Libby Law/Chatsworth International Horse Trials

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