The Eventer Challenge, presented by Spillers at Blenheim Palace International Horse Trials, is a hugely popular competition with over 800 riders competing over the two days of competition. Thursday – day one, is the Riding Clubs’ opportunity to display their talent at both 90cm and 100cm. The competition is a Derby style with a section of eight to ten show-jumps and six to eight cross country fences, plus a joker fence. Each team has four riders who enter the arena following each other, they have to complete the course within an optimum time.
BPIHT Riding Club Eventer Challenge – 100cm Team Competition
The winning team was Worcester Comice with a counting score of 3.6 penalties across the three best scoring riders. Team member and manager Lauren Gutteridge said, ‘We’ve been together for a few years as a team and came second here last year. So, it was nice to come back and achieve what we wanted to do!” Teammate Karen Richardson added, “It was a good round, and a tricky tight course. We have competed as the same team before so we know each other well and it’s great to come back all put in a great performance.”
BPIHT Riding Club Eventer Challenge – 100cm Individual Competition
The Individual winner of the 100cm competition was Lara Gascoyne from Evenlode Riding Club on Templar Esprit.
BPIHT Riding Club Eventer Challenge – 90cm Team Competition
Horsham & District Riding Club were victors in the 90cmTeam competition, a surprising but delightful win according to Team Manager, Caroline Exley. “It was a long day and we had to wait until close to the end before getting onto the course but it just all came together with a counting score of just 1.7 penalties and we are over the moon! As a club we have mums who were members, two of whom who now have their children, Elsa Allan and Emily Hamilton as juniors in the team. For Elsa it was actually her first time in the team! It really is the most beautiful place to compete with fantastic organisation”, she concluded.
BPIHT Riding Club Eventer Challenge – 90cm Individual Competition
The Individual winner of the 90cm competition was Rebekah Foote and Kilpatrick Sheeba from West Oxfordshire Riding Club.
ROR Southern Regional Dressage Championships 2023
The first day of the RoR dressage competition, sponsored by Allen & Page brought ex-racehorses turned dressage divas to the arena. Day one of the two day Championships began with the Introductory Open and Restricted Classes. Laura Taylor and Aso gained first place in the Open class with an impressive score of 76.59%. The Introductory Restricted class saw Rachel Chamberlain on Edgefour with an equally striking score of 72.27%.
The Preliminary Restricted class was won by Charlotte Richardson riding Teninarow (Kumi). Kumi has been owned by Charlotte for two and a half years and this is their first time at Blenheim. Already a tall horse he has grown a hand in the time she has owned him! He has mostly done dressage but is showing promise as an allrounder, with eventing being their main aim. Commenting on her superb performance, gaining a score of 73.25%, Charlotte said ‘He did really well, he coped incredibly well with the busy atmosphere. Usually, he’s very laid back but he’s never been in this environment before’.
The Preliminary Open class was won by Susie Gladders and Camogue Wood on a score of 67.75%.
Lucy Boultbee-Brooks and Geordie B topped the placings in the Novice Restricted Class scoring 68.33%
The Competition continues tomorrow with Novice Open, Elementary and Medium classes.
