Young horses were on show this weekend at Alnwick Ford International in the six- and seven-year-old The Howden Way Young Horse classes. The age classes give riders a platform in which to showcase their talented six- and seven-year-old event horses.
The seven-year-old class was awarded to Katie Magee and Lady Sharon Parnaby’s Cushlas Indigo, who have already enjoyed success in the age classes this season when winning the seven-year-old class at Osberton in May. The pair added 0.4 cross-country time penalties to their 29.8 dressage for a total winning score of 30.2.
“The cross-country at Alnwick Ford rode really well,” said Katie. “The new loop that they put in last year has made it flow well with a nice variety of questions, and the horses felt like they learned something from the day.
“’Indy’ goes to Aston Le Walls 3* next, hopefully. We had a really good session with Nicola Wilson recently and he’s really improving in his training all the time.”
Lizzie Baugh and her own and the Spice Syndicate’s Calida Spice were runners up, while Sammy Oliver and her own and Graham Noon’s Millionheir took third.
Six-year-old class
A finishing score of 25.1 saw Lucinda Atkinson and PRF Made In England awarded the six-year-old title on a finishing score of 25.10.
Of her victory, Lucinda said: “It was our very first novice. She has only done three events this year as she had an injury which needed some time to recover, but she was second at Northallerton (2) in the BE105 and has come here and won the six-year-old class, so I couldn’t have asked for more. She was bold over the cross-country and made it feel very easy.
“Her breeder and previous owner Pauline Fletcher sold her last year and I managed to secure two new owners – Amanda Rowe and Jane Crossley. She is very bold and careful and a very nice horse with a lovely temperament.
“We’ll hopefully keep going now and do the young horse championships and possibly Le Lion. Being British-bred with a good record, she has a good chance.”
Daniel Scott and Gill Barclay’s Ballymolloy Roscoe were runners up, finishing on a score of 25.8. while Sebastian Roldan and Duncan Fisher’s Oughterard Sky Special took third on 28.
The series, supported by The Howden Way, is an ideal opportunity for riders to expose their up-and-coming eventers to the atmosphere of bigger venues, while competing against other horses of the same age. The classes offer recognition for the highest performing horses in these classes.
The Young Horse classes take place throughout the spring and summer in some of BE’s most stunning venues with the 6-year-old classes running at novice level, and the 7-year-old classes running at intermediate level.
The top three in each class receive an additional £250, £150, £100 respectively on top of the prize money already generated and awarded by the prize money calculator.
For dates of the young horse classes this year, please click here
Alongside these classes, the performance of young horses competing with British Eventing is acknowledged within The Howden Way Young Horse Leagues which can be found here. There are four leagues which cover the ages of 5 years, 6 years, 7 years and then the ages of 8 & 9 combined. The leagues display the average of a horse’s three best finishing scores via a Power Based Average score which highlights the ability to repeatedly finish on a low score.
The 2024 Young Horse Championships take place at Cornbury House Horse Trials in Oxfordshire between 12-15 September. The classes will also benefit those aiming their young horses at the FEI World Breeding Championships at Le Lion d’Angers, which hosts a CCI2*-L World Championship for six-year-olds and a CCI3*-L World Championship for seven-year-olds.
Images courtesy of Action Replay Photography
