Blenheim 2014: Trot-up Day - Sleek Lines & Smooth Operators

The First Horse Inspection - CCI*** ("The Trot-up")

September is my favourite month of the year for all sorts of reasons - great light for photography, the autumn colours are just coming through, warm sunshine, birthdays, and not least because it's time for Blenheim Palace International Horse Trials, the last big three-day-event of the UK calendar, and one of the best to visit. As I'm free from the shackles of work for the rest of the month I'm planning to be at Blenheim every day.

New To Blenheim - Aston Martin 

Whilst officials and exhibitors were busy putting the final touches to the main site, down by the stables the sport's fashion parade, the first horse inspection, got the competition underway this afternoon. In beautifully bright sunshine all competitors dressed up in their Sunday best, polished their horses and presented themselves to the Ground Jury & Veterinary Delegation by way of the 'trot-up'. All passed although a few made a visit to the holding box for closer inspection.

King Of Cool - Ben Hobday

Blenheim 2012 | Spectacular Sunshine & Competition Once More

Fidelity Blenheim Horse Trials | Cross Country Day

This year's Fidelity Blenheim International Horse Trials, was as good as any I've been too over the last 10 years - the weather was the best we've seen at a horse trials in the UK all year, and bumper entries for both the CIC & CCI classes, including a few new international faces we've not seen on these shores, provided all the thrills & spills you could want from a three star competition. Sadly I only managed to attend on Saturday for the CCI cross country.

Paul Tapner | Classic XC Position

Australian man in form, Chris Burton, had led the dressage on the Hanoverian, UnderDiscussion, that he brought with him from Australia, and won Aachen with in the run up to the Olympics. When I saw him about half way round the cross country at the big drop fence they were travelling well, but uncharacteristically for both horse and rider they picked up 20 penalties further on the course, ruling out any chance of holding their lead. Still, with only 8 time penalties, a good dressage score, and a clear show jumping round they managed to stay in the top 20 - pretty unusual in a competitive 3 star.

His countryman, and good friend, Paul Tapner, had a mixed weekend with his two horses. Setting out on his first horse, the stallion Wickstead Didgeridoo, Paul had a sticky moment at the huge ditch early on course, and had an unfortunate fall at the big drop half way round. He followed this up with a masterclass of competitive cross country in his second round on Kilronan, finishing the weekend off with a clear showjumping round to end up 5th. I've loved this little grey horse every since seeing them at Gatcombe CIC** & Pau CIC** last year. He possibly heads to Badminton next year now.

Blenheim | A Change In Nations Fortunes

Piggy French Warms Up To Win Blenheim CCI***

A change of venue, from the grand surroundings of Burghley, to the even grander surroundings of Blenheim Palace, gave many a change of fortune, expect perhaps the British, who excelled at both. William Fox-Pitt added 1st & 3rd in the CIC*** (split by Sarah Cohen) to his historic Burghley win, and finished 10th in the CCI*** won by Piggy French aboard the horse she won the Olympic test event on.

The fate of nations in eventing is so often cyclical, dependent on bringing enough elite horsepower together at the same time. British & New Zealand are currently the super powers with riders having invested heavily in breeding and selective purchasing like no other nation except perhaps Germany, in a bid to break the cycle. The Australians who, not too long ago, could boast triple Olympic medalists on their team with elite 4 star horses, are currently climbing out of 'recession' with fresh talent like Paul Tapner & Sam Griffiths, and may perhaps not make up an all conquering team in time for London 2012, having failed to qualify so far, plus two of Paul Tapner's elite list horses are currently on the injury list.  None of this would prevent them from fielding some pretty strong individuals.

Team Australia - In My Back Yard

Paul Tapner & Sam Griffiths | On The Australian Elite List

One of, if not, the largest contingents of foreign event riders based here in the UK hail from Australia, and after two weeks in and out of planes, trains & automobiles watching events (in-between the day job) I finally managed to get to see my own horse earlier this week, only to find almost all of the Aussies in my back yard for an Australian Event Team training clinic. What a treat!

Boomerang Stables near Lambourn in Berkshire is something of a hub for many Australian & New Zealand riders, most of whom are based within a short drive of the place. With eventing facilities to rival any available in the UK; 2 outdoor all weather arenas, a decent sized indoor arena with viewing gallery, a 40 acre cross country schooling facility with over 100 fences of all types (see link below), and enough stables & grazing to support 40+ horses plus hay production. It's been base camp for many international riders over the years, including Mark & Sandy Phillips, and Bltyh Tait, and before that was an 400 acre thoroughbred stud, subsequently carved up. I've been here for 10 years now.

Blenheim Horse Trials | Ruth Edge Sitting Pretty Once Again

Ruth Edge | 2nd After The Cross Country Phase

We set off for Blenheim Horse Trials in full combat gear, prepared for anything the great British weather could throw at us, which proved completely unnecessary as by the time we'd walked from the carpark to the course, the sun came out, and barely took a break all day. The conditions could hardly have been more perfect for horse, rider, or spectator. Blenheim has the best going of any parkland venue you'll find in the UK, and the only hard ground you came across today was on the well worn crossing points on course. I'll bet the American riders were pleased they were here rather than at the AECs in Chattahochee Hills, which looked like a bit of a dust bowl, which is a shame as it looked like being a fab event, with bumper entries, albeit also host to what turned out to be a rather unorthodox US WEG Team Selection Trial in the Advanced Championship.

Dressage supremo, Ruth Edge, sadly picked up a few time faults on her way round the Blenheim cross country course, but I watched her through the water and I thought she looked every bit a winner. The 3.6 time faults does, however push William Fox-Pitt into the lead, by just under 2 points. Ruth has at least laid any cross country gremlins to rest and can sleep easy tonight. I hope she manages to end the 'big stars' season on a high with a win here.

Blenheim Horse Trials | The Cross Country Photos

Here's a selection of photos from Blenheim Horse Trials 2010 CCI*** cross country day. Video footage follows shortly....

Blenheim Horse Trials | The Cross Country Watch List

The Start | Blenheim Cross Country Day

Surprise, Surprise Ruth Edge heads the leader board going into the Cross Country, for both CIC & CCI classes. Don't get me wrong, I'm a big fan of Ruth Edge, and I don't envy her, as everybody must be thinking 'here we go again". Ruth is very capable and has managed to pick up a few big prizes during championship years, like the British Open during the Athens Olympics year. This year's field is missing many of the usual horses you'd expect, but does at least provide a chance for some of the rising horses and riders to get a little more experience.

Anyway, I just wanted to do a short post having looked through the CCI dressage scores, to see which horses I was most interested in watching, so I can plan my 'family duties' around these where possible. So apart from watching Ruth, I will be looking out for Matt Ryan on MayBee, as I'm interested to see whether this is a London 2012 prospect for him, if he ever gets his nationality sorted one way or another.

Others include Mark Todd, just because it's Mark Todd. Sharon White, as I've read a little about her recently. Kitty King on High Havoc, because I know the owners, and Andrew Nicholson because he's so exciting to watch cross country, especially at this level on his 'not so top' horses. I might also watch Pippa Funnell on Pure Addiction, but probably only because I managed to video this horse's dressage test at Highclere but missed the cross country.

Blenheim beckons.... "come eventing, come eventing"

Blenheim Horse Trials | Last of The Big Three

Ostentatious Surroundings

Blenheim always signals to me, the end of the UK eventing season, as the last of the big events before the nights draw in and weather really starts to turn cold. I'll be going this year for cross country day, for the first time in a few years, so this is just a short post to get the ball rolling, and get myself in the mood.

Dressage starts on Thursday (today), and even with the World Equestrian Games only days aways now, there is a big international field with plenty of WEG contenders taking our their green advanced horses in preparation for earning a shot at a 4* next season.

Here's my tourism pitch, as to why you should visit Blenheim:

These are the most ostentatious surroundings for a horse trials you will ever come across, it's the largest 'palace' in the UK (I think!), and the birth place of Winston Churchill (UK prime-minister), he's buried just around the corner in Bladon, and is situated just outside Oxford.

Carry your bag sir?

Carry your bag sir?

Does anyone need a groom or an extra pair of hands at Blenheim, Burghley, WEG or any other event for that matter?

It's been a very long time since I worked as groom or pupil, or mucked out for that matter, but having recently sold my business I find myself with a fair bit of spare time on my hands over the next few months, so in between riding, blogging, annoying the wife and helping out with the children, I thought why not "see how others do it" [eventing that is], I should actually end up learning something that will help me with my own horse.