1 August 2019 Horse&Hound 69
RESULTS
CCI4*-S.—1, VendrediBiats(KKing)
26.1,0,4.4=30.5;2,BallaghmorClass
(OTownend)25.1,4,3.6=32.7;3,
Springpower(I Taylor)25.7,8,0.4=34.1.
CCI3*-S.—1, HighdownMarch(P
French)29.7,0,0=29.7;2,JohnTheBull
(SBerry)26.1,4,0=30.1;3,Hartacker
(I Taylor)29.7,4,0.4=34.1.CCI2*-S.—
1, MerrywellTradition(HMeade)
27.3,0,0=27.3;2,AskForManchier(T
Jackson)27.9,0,0=27.9;3,Brookfield
CavalierCruise(HMeade)28.9,0,0=28.9.
OIsecG.—1, Ulises(OTownend)
27.5,4,0=31.5;2,BalladeerDurbanHills
(SWay)24.8,0,6.8=31.6;3,Zelandnew
BK(JRushbrooke)29.6,0,3.2=32.8.
secH.—1, SpringwindVangelis(I
Taylor)23.6,0,5.2=28.8;2,Rowland
(JRushbrooke)29.3,0,0.8=30.1;3,
TartanChill(KStephen)29.6,4,0=33.6.
ON.—1, RomaVictor(SStraker)
31,0,3.2=34.2;2,Geffory(I Bamford)
26.3,4,5.6=35.9;3,VickDuGisorsJRA(R
Kitajima)31.5,4,7.2=42.7.novsecD.—1,
GreenacresSpecialCavalier(CPowell)
35.3,0,0=35.3;2,I GW(JAtkinson)
35.3,0,6.8=42.1;3,CairnviewRomolu(M
Kent)37.5,0,5.2=42.7.secE.—1, Miss
Pandora(JSommerville)30.8,0,0=30.8;
2,Abacus(LNicholson)30.3,0,6=36.3;3,I AmQualityDHI(LSugden)
34.5,0,3.2=37.7.secF2.—1, NelsonDe
LaPomme(OTownend)28.5,0,0=28.5;
2,RockMidnight(CPowell)
24.5,0,4.4=28.9;3,P GWithernay(C
Whittle)31.8,8,2=41.8.BE100sec
I.—1, ShadowShannondale(EHobday)
21.3,0,0=21.3;2,RustenbergDiamond
(LFenwick)22.8,0,0.4=23.2;3,HHS
Canya(RMacpherson)22.3,0,1.2=23.5.
secJ.—1, CooleyEmpire(JAtkinson)
25.3,0,0=25.3,2,Upsala 30 (EJoswig)
31.5,0,0=31.5;3,ShadowStarQuality
(EHobday)33,0,0=33.BE90open.—
1, CapitalInvestment(LAtkinson)
27.8,4,0=31.5;2,SingingInTheRain(L
Atkinson)29,4,0=33.3,BeMyRomeo(G
Prest)35.5,0,0=35.5.BE90secL2.—1,
Irbine(EMetcalfe)24.3,0,0=24.3;2,
BlueXVIII(RMiddleton)30,0,0=30;
3,BankwoodArizona(NHadkinson)
25.8,4,1.2=31.secM.—1, JustsoGeorgia
(DJob)28,0,0=28;2,BeauBaldiniZ (C
Taylor)30.8,0,0.8=31.6;3,PallasVank
Wish(JPitt)28.5,4,0=32.5.5yo.—1,
Manfriday(AMorgan)22.3,0,0=22.3;2,
NgongValley(HWright)25.8,0,0=25.8;
3,DonLuxury(DKennedy)
23.5,4,0=27.5.4yo.—1, Shananshah
(TCanton)23.8,0,0=23.8;2,JustThe
Biscuit(CBell)31,4,0=35;3,CrispySea
(HTowers)30.5,8,0=38.5.‘FORWARD
RIDING SHOULD
BEREWARDED’
BLYTH TAIT is
known to most
inthe sport as
a double world
champion and
Olympic gold medallist.
However, these days he is also
quietly carving out a second
career as a cross-country
course-designer. He has
been involved in designing
the grassroots level tracks at
Burgham for some years, under
the watchful eye of Tokyo 2020
course-builder and Burgham
and Blenheim four-star
designer David Evans.
This year, as well as
designing the BE90, 100,
novice and OI tracks, Blyth
also designed his first CCI2*-S
course, and admitted to some
“pre-match nerves”.
“When you’re riding, you’re
justresponsibleforyourself
andanymistakesyoumake,but
whenyou’redesigning,you’re
responsibleforeveryoneand
that’sa bigresponsibility,”he
admitted.“I’mhappyasI sawriders coming back happy and
well and the class riders rode
the tracks exactly as I had
envisaged.”
Blyth plans to design in
his native New Zealand and
Australia later this year. He is
keen to draw on his 35 years as
a top-level eventer and reflect
his clear opinions on the type
of course he would like to see
as jockey.
“We all acknowledge
the sport has become more
technical in recent years,” he
said. “However, I still want to
test athleticism, control and
balance, but in a forward-
moving way. Cross-country is
all about being brave and bold,
and I believe that forward riding
should be rewarded. Hopefully,
thiscomesacross
inthecoursesI
design.”COURSE-
DESIGNER’S
VIEWInadditiontoherthirdplace
withthe“exciting”Springpower,
IzzyTayloralsooccupiedsixth
placewithMarkSartori’sand
herownMonkeyingAround,
andeighthwithAlexPhillips’
PerfectStranger.
“Thecross-countrycourses
herearefantasticandalthoughDi
Boddy’sshowjumpingtracksare
alwaysuptoheightandtechnical,
theringis niceandbigandthe
horseslearna lot,whichis what
they’reallherefor,”shesaid.
‘HE’SGOTITALL’
UNFORTUNATELY,the
showjumpingwasIzzy’s
undoingintheHowardRussell
ConstructionCCI3*-S.Second
afterdressage,PSHLavaFlow
slippedandploughedintoa fence,
depositingIzzyonthegroundin
the process. The business end of
the leaderboard opened up even
further when Oliver Townend
opted to give two-phase leader
Cooley Master Class a schooling
run across country and they also
dropped out of contention.
Neveronenottocapitalise
ona competitivesituation,Piggy
FrenchbroughthomeJohnand
JudithAddicottandhusbandTom
March’sHighdownMarchonhis
dressagescoreof29.7tonotch
upherninthinternationalwinof
theseason.
“I’dhopedhe’dgowellhere
ashe’sgotit all,”saidPiggyofthe
eight-year-oldsonofJaguarMail.
“Hejustneedsmoremileage.
“Heonlystartedeventingas
a six-year-old,soI stillthinkof
himasa seven-year-old.Forthat
reasonhewon’tgotoBlenheim
thisyearfortheeight-andnine-
year-oldclass,buthe’llhopefully
goadvancednextyear.”
Shealsoechoedothers’
complimentsabouttheevent
andhighlightedsomeofthekeylearningsshefeltyoungerhorses
would take from it: “I think the
two water complexes at 13 and 14
were tough and, coming together,
they are a real eye-opener for
youngsters. The showjumping was
also up to height, particularly in
the three-star.”Ireland’sSusieBerry,whois
basedwithPiggy,madeit a one-
twofortheyardaboardHelen
Caton’sJohnTheBull.Oneof
manytorolla poleshowjumping,
thepaircamehomeinsidethe
cross-countrytimetocomplete
justbehindthebosson30.1.
Theeight-year-oldwas
originallyproducedbyJonty
Evans,butHelenofferedSusiethe
rideafterJontyhadhisserious
ridingaccidentlastyear.
“Wewantedtokeephimwitha British-basedIrishriderandI
offeredSusietherideaftertalking
it throughwithJonty,whohas
alwaysbeenkeentosupport
upcomingtalent,andSally
Corscadden,”saidHelen,referring
totheIrishhighperformance
director.“I’moverthemoonand
Susiehasgothimgoingwell.”
IzzyTaylorwasthirdwith
CamillaBehrens’talented
seven-year-oldDutch-bred
Hartacker,inhisfirstcompletion
atthislevel.‘The team here do a job that is
second to none — that’s why I and
so many others come’
OLIVER TOWNEND ON BURGHAMPiggy French pilots eight-
year-old Highdown March
(by Jaguar Mail) to top of
the field in the CCI3*-S