What a setting for a networking lunch! @BeltonNewsNT @InvestLincs @jilymac @ColinDavie1 @CllrmHill #BeltonLincs #beltonhorsetrials pic.twitter.com/Cpb8f5Hp6b
— Stirlin Developments (@stirlindev) March 31, 2017
Many of our UK-based riders headed to the Belton Park International in Lincolnshire. In yet another stunning setting, complete with stately ‘home’, the Kiwis performed very well. Many of them had their Badminton-bound horses out for a run.
Sir Mark Todd and Leonidas II were second in the Lycetts Grantham Cup (CIC3*), a class that Sir Mark has won before. He was just 0.4 behind the eventual winner, Izzy Taylor on KBIS Starburst (score: 43). Both riders finished on their dressage score. Izzy was also fifth on Frog Rock, the New Zealand horse previously campaigned by Annabel Wigley, who is expecting her first baby.
Another great day at #BeltonHT. Credit to @bedeevents – excellent as always 🙂 Izzy Taylor and KBIS Starburst winning the 3* Grantham Cup pic.twitter.com/wO956ddrPX
— Mace Maclean (@MaceMaclean) April 2, 2017
Sir Mark was 14th in the class on NZB Campino, who, along with Leo, will be aiming for Badminton this year. He had a 43 dressage but a rail down show jumping and 3.6 time across the country.
Caroline Powell is heading to Badminton with Onwards and Upwards and will be pleased with his run at Belton, scoring a 48.9 dressage and adding two time faults. She also had Sinatra Frank Baby in the class, and while the dressage wasn’t his strongest phase, she will be delighted with the just 2.8 time penalties she added to the 52.6 dressage score.
@PowellCaroline and Onwards and Upwards looking great #BeltonHorseTrials #eventing #XCVideo pic.twitter.com/fVqgvwgOHH
— An Eventful Life (@eventfulifebook) April 2, 2017
It was a very competitive field with plenty of clear jumping in the cross-country, so dressage and time were major influences. Andrew Nicholson finished out of the money on Swallow Springs and Byrnesgrove First Diamond, as did Jesse Campbell and Kaapachino, who did a lovely dressage but unfortunately fell from the leader-board with 16 show jumping faults.
Tim Price had a good win on Xavier Fair in the advanced section, with a dressage of 29.9 and just 1.6 time faults. He finished 3.2pen ahead of Oliver Townsend on ODT Ghareeb. Tim is next up on the wait list at Badminton with this horse, and is guaranteed a start as he has Ringwood Sky Boy entered as well, but is hoping to take him to Kentucky. Tim gave RSB a run in this class too, doing a dressage of 35.7, having one show jumping rail and 15.6 time faults. Andrew Nicholson was in the same class with Nereo, who is heading to Badminton soon. He did a dressage of 34.6, adding five show jumping faults and 14 time faults to finish 14th, and is probably all the better for the run. Another Badminton horse in this class was Dan Jocelyn’s Dassett Cool Touch, who also had a show jumping rail and added 12.8 time to his 39.1 dressage score.
Blyth Tait had his Badminton-bound Bear Necessity V in the Intermediate class, and finished fourth after adding a show jumping time fault to his 31.8 dressage. He was also seventh in the same class on Darius IV and 11th on Leo Distinction, jumping clear across country on all three of them.
Other horses Badminton-bound horses were having a run in the Advanced class, including Tim and Bango, and Andrew and Qwanza. Both had a cruisy cross-country, collecting 12 and 13.6 time faults respectively, and finishing 16th and 17th. Tim also had Kindred Spirit IV in this class, and Dan Jocelyn had Blackthorn Cruise, both gathering quite a few time faults in the first serious run of the season, finishing 20th and 21st.
