The 2024 Aspen Cooling Osberton International Horse Trials came to a fittingly exciting conclusion today, with the Rathbones CCI3*-L, Arena Saddles CCI2*-L and Agria CCI1*-Intro classes facing an up-to-height, technical showjumping finale in the main arena.
Agria Lifetime CCI1*-Intro
Alicia Hawker took home the Agria Lifetime CCI1*-Intro professional section after leading overnight with Sea Gazelle owned by Hambro Sport Horses. They finished on their dressage of 28.4. Alicia said, “We have had a lovely week at Osberton with Sea Gazelle. She’s a six-year-old mare doing her first international so she’s been fantastic in all three phases. She produced her best dressage test to date and pinged round the showjumping and she absolutely loves cross country so had a great time going round that today. She is owned by Hambro Sport Horses who have had her since a three-year-old and I’ve ridden her for the last couple of years to produce her to 1* level.”
In second place was Willa Newton on Mrs Julia Westmoreland’s Watermill Cruise finishing on their dressage score of 30.9.
Finishing in third was Robyn Gray and Ms Jan Ball’s First True Wish who climbed the leaderboard to finish on their dressage score of 31.5.
Winner of the Agria Lifetime CCI1*-Intro Amateur’s section was 13-year-old Harry Watkinson and Project Pony’s Mick’s Boy finishing on their very respectable dressage score on 31.9. Harry said, “It feels amazing, I’m so lucky to be given Mikey from Project Pony, it’s such an amazing opportunity to ride him. I got him in February, Project Pony brought him from France and I’m the lucky one to ride him and it’s our first season so I’m so happy that we’ve managed to achieve this.”
Arena Saddles CCI2*-L
It was all change in the Arena Saddles CCI2*-L with Saturday’s leader Florence Wiles and Shadow Lad unfortunately not making it through this morning’s horse inspection. The showjumping proved influential with yesterday’s second place Caroline Powell having an unfortunate pole which dropped them into fourth place.
It was Great Britain’s Gutherie Shields and Elizabeth Golby’s Schindlers Boy who took the win today finishing on their dressage score of 30.1. Of the win Gutherie said, “I wasn’t expecting it, it’s special. We came here, we were going to be happy with a 35 dressage and get round a cross country course, we weren’t coming here to win. It’s the last one of the year and he’s going to go on holiday but we won two weeks ago at Allerton so we were just coming here well prepared but we thought there is so many other good horses entered that we wouldn’t be in contention but very happy, I’m very grateful.”
Toby Pigott in second with his own JTH Maradonna also finished on their dressage score of 30.6. Toby said “really really pleased with him, he stepped up to intermediate this year, he’s been doing greatly. He’s had placings at intermediate and he can enjoy his holiday now.”
Third place went to India’s Shashank Kanumuri and Proespero International LTD’s Gideon II. He said, “This is my first ever long format event and I’ve just had the horse a month and a half but he gave me so much confidence to go up to the next level, see how a stay away event works, it’s all a little bit new for me but I quite enjoy it and I want to do a couple more of these next year. He’s been with Andrew for six years, I just got him recently. I learn so much from him, of course he helps me a lot, sometimes, but there is a lot to learn from him, and it’s really helping me and giving me more experience.”
Rathbones CCI3*-L
The showjumping was again influential in the Rathbones CCI3*-L and a pole for Piggy March and Subtle Finesse owned by Maggie Demuth knocked them off the top spot and into third place.
Finishing first was Nina De Haas from the Netherlands riding Mr David Schofield’s Ballylaffin Juno. The pair finished on their very impressive dressage score of 26.3. Nina said of her win, “It’s just amazing, I didn’t expect it at all. So pleased with him, he tried so hard for me, and he couldn’t have been any better. So, I’m really, really happy.”
In second was Brier Dunn riding her own Caherconree Rocky and they also finished on their dressage score of 29.8. Brier said “I’ve ridden him since he was four and then I bought him when he was six and he is eight now. He is just a fantastic horse, he’s been a bit tricky but when he is good, he’s worth all of the tricky days. You normally know when you get him out of bed in the morning, you know which Rocky you’re going to get and luckily, we got the very good Rocky this week. His dressage was beautiful, he was with me the whole time, cross country is the biggest thing we’ve ever done together, and I didn’t know how he was going to tackle the course, and he just gave me absolutely everything.”
Agria Lifetime Equine Novice Three-Day Telstar Trophy
There were no changes to the leaderboard in the Agria CCI1*-Intro with Evangeline Gaskell riding Lynsey Gaskell’s Halcyon Graf finished on their dressage score of 32.5. Second and third remained the same with Sophie Roach and her own Volatis Taranis and Elle-May Marler on her own Jarveyville both having a pole in the showjumping finishing on 37 and 42.9 respectively.
Of the win Evangeline said “I’m really really pleased, he was just on top form all weekend, it’s been a tough two years to get back going from where we’ve been, but he was just foot perfect all weekends so couldn’t be more pleased. We kind of lost our cross country mojo a little bit and we’ve done a lot of training with my coach Hayden Hankey and I owe a lot to him because he’s helped me get out of the rut that we were in and we’ve just ran a couple of times, brought him here and he’s just felt back to his old self so I’m really really pleased.”
Osberton International will return to the calendar in October 2024, with dates to be confirmed soon. Visit bede-events.co.uk for further information on dates and next year’s league competitions.
Release supplied by event.
