As Rockingham Castle itself celebrates its 950th Anniversary, Piggy March and Bill Levett wrote their own little pieces of history this weekend when adding their names to the roll of honour for the CCI-S 3* and CCI-S 2* classes at the Fairfax & Favor Rockingham International Horse Trials.
For Piggy March it was a return to business as usual, having won three international classes at the event when it last ran back in 2019. Fast-forward three years and Piggy was once again at the top of the scoresheet – this time in front of a bumper crowd that were delighted to have eventing back in Rockingham Castle’s Great Park.
“It’s just fabulous to be back here at Rockingham. It’s crazy to think that we were last here in 2019, which was an amazing year for myself,” said Piggy.
“We’ve missed it very much and I think you realise that more so when you come back – the feeling you get when you drive through the gates.
“We are so lucky in our sport to have such amazing venues that we can bring our owners to and have a fabulous day’s sport. Rockingham is definitely a big aim for me during the season and it happily came off with a first rosette today on a beautiful younger horse coming up through the ranks.”
“He’s a really good, solid three phase horse,” said Piggy of Halo. “Having run so well here in the CCI-S 3* he will step up to Advanced level. I think he is a very exciting horse for the future and I am very interested in his progress.”
Piggy and the young stallion, Halo, owned by Jayne Mcgivern had been lying second after dressage on a score of 23.8, just behind Tom McEwen and Brookfield Braveheart. A pole down in the show jumping for Tom gave Piggy the chance to move ahead – an opportunity that she seized by delivering faultless performances across the show jumping and cross country.
Piggy March and Halo, CCI-S 3* winners at the Fairfax & Favour Rockingham International Horse Trials 2022 (Image, Adam Fanthorpe)
Piggy may have pipped him to the win but it was still a good day for Tom McEwen, who had two horses placed in the top four – Brookfield Benjamin Bounce in second (25.9) and Brookfield Braveheart, fourth (29). A great performance from Harry Mutch and HD The One saw them slot into third, finishing on their dressage score of 26.2.
There was a shake up of the order in the CCI-S 2* after the jumping phases, with Bill Levett and the Master George Syndicate’s Brideview Master George moving up from fourth place to take the win for Australia. Two super clear rounds with no time penalties left them at the top of the scoreboard on their dressage score of 25.7.
Bill Levett and Brideview Master George, CCI-S 2* winners at the Fairfax & Favour Rockingham International Horse Trials 2022 (Image, Hannah Cole)
All of the combinations in the top three completed on their dressage scores, with strong jumping performances also moving Tom Rowland and Honeybrook Extra Special up to finish second on a score of 26.1; and Will Rawlin and The Dominator into third with a score of 26.7.
“It’s very hard to win anything when there’s one hundred or so combinations in the class, so it was just very pleasing for the horse,” said Bill. “We’ve had him since a three-year-old and then a syndicate of people bought him from us, and they’ve followed him all the way along. So, that’s more satisfying as well.
“The great thing is that most of the owners were here to enjoy the moment because in this sport, like any sport, there’s lots of ups and there’s lots of downs and you’ve just got to try and make the most of the ups. It’s great they were here to just really enjoy the moment of him winning a prestigious class.”
Rockingham Castle has seen plenty of entertainment on horseback through the centuries, from Knights meeting at the tilt to Medieval Kings heading out to hunt in the surrounding forest, and over the last ten years the Horse Trials have taken their place in the venue’s rich tapestry of history.
Having lost the last two running’s through the impact of Covid, Rockingham’s return to the eventing calendar was much anticipated, and it didn’t disappoint.
“It has been an absolute pleasure to have the Horse Trials back at Rockingham this weekend and so lovely to see so many people enjoying such entertaining sport,” said event organiser, Lizzie Saunders Watson. “We have two worthy winners in Piggy and Bill.
