Horse & Hound – 08 August 2019

EVENTING

MAGICMILLIONSFESTIVAL

OFBRITISH EVENTING

2-4 August

EditedbyPippaRoome

[email protected]

@pipparoome

JonellePriceis

inthemoneyto

cointheBritish

open,tworiders

retaintheir 2018

titlesandTina

Cookfliestheflag

forex-racehorses

with a fitting win

ByLUCYHIGGINSON

Price cashes in

MagicMillionsFestivalofBritish

Eventing,Gatcombe,Glos

GATCOMBEis aboutfoot-to-the-

floorcross-countryriding,and

theMagicMillionsBritishopen

titlewassecuredbya virtuoso

performancefromJonellePrice

andClassicMoet.Suchis this

mare’sspeeduphills,thepair

wereabletocompensatefor

a loweredshowjumpwiththe

fastestroundoftheday.

“YouonlyentertheBritish

openif you’regivingit a crack,”

smiledJonelleovera glassofMoët

(whatelse?)afterwards.Thesore

feetthatpreventedthemare’s

defenceofherBadmintontitle

inMayarenowresolved,andher

nexttargetis Burghley.

Despite£10,000tothewinner

andfour-figureprizemoneydown

tofifth,therewereonly 25 entries

and 15 forwardtocross-country,

withdressageleaderIzzyTaylor

andMonkeyingAroundamong

thosewhoscratched.

Thegroundwasnotthe

problem—thegoingwassuper

—butthisis a hillycoursewith

anold-fashioned,undulating

showjumpingarena.

“Wehavesomanychoices

now,withfivefour-starclasses

inthreeweeksatthistimeof

year,thatunlessyouhavea true

Gatcombehorse,youdon’tbring

it,”reasonedJonelle.

ButPippaFunnellbelieves

moreshouldcome:“Thisis what

eventingis about.Itteachesusto

situpandthehorsestofindtheir

balance.Andit’sgreatforfitness

beforeBurghley.”

BenHobdaylandedsecond

andtheBritishnationaltitleon

thehorsewithwhomhewonthe

novicechampionshipherein2017.

Hefollowedhissmarttestonhis

ownandJaneChambers’very

elegantShadowManIIwitha fast

andstylishroundacrosscountry.

“He’sthebestthingsince

slicedbread,thathorse,butwhat

makes this so special is winning

JonellePriceand

ClassicMoetpulloff

anotherblisteringlyfast

performanceacrosscountry

toheadtheBritishopen

and claim the £10,000 prize