Gemma Tattersall is new British Open Champion

Gemma Tattersall fulfilled one of her great ambitions when becoming British Open Champion at The Festival of British Eventing, presented by the British Equestrian Trade Association, after riding a brilliant, bold cross country round on the ex-racehorse Arctic Soul.
 

Gemma, 32, is riding a wave of confidence – the win was also her second in the Event Rider Masters series, in which she now tops the leaderboard.

Gemma was only 11th after the showjumping phase but she set a blistering pace on the scopey Arctic Soul to finish just three seconds over the optimum time. None of the others could catch her and, to her delight, she was still topping the podium when the last combination, Marcio Jorg and Lissy Mac Wayer, set out.

Last year’s winner, Oliver Townend fell at the fourth fence with Note Worthy, and Bill Levett, lying fourth going into cross country, also had a fall with Shannondale Titan on the later part of the course.

Sweden’s Ludwig Svennerstal finished runner-up on Balham Mist, Somerset-based part time farrier Alexander Bragg was third on Zagreb, by far his best result at Gatcombe, and Sir Mark Todd was fourth on the grey Kilubrid Rhapsody.

"Gatcombe is such a special event," said an ecstatic Gemma, who now sets off for the European Championships in Poland on a wave of confidence.

"It’s the home of British eventing and I’ve been wanting to win the national title ever since I finished third in 2010 and it really fired me up.

"Arctic Soul is the best cross country horse in the world. I put on my brave pants today and we saw every fence right and every stride. I’ve never been so fast in my life."

Oliver Townend wins 10th national title

Oliver Townend took his tally of national titles to an impressive 10 with victory on Angela Hyslop’s Khoi Traveler in the Smith & Williamson British Intermediate Championship at The Festival of British Eventing at Gatcombe Park, presented by the British Equestrian Trade Association.

The heavy rain stopped in time for Oliver to produce an inspired cross country round on the 11 year old flaxen-maned chestnut, clocking up just 4.4 time penalties to rise from only 33rd place after dressage and finish less than a penalty ahead of the runner-up, Matt Heath on Sportsfield Lord Livesey.

"He was a racehorse so if any horse was going to cope it was him, although actually the ground has held up superbly," explained Oliver, who has won the Intermediate title three times before, in in 2007, 2008 and 2015.
"Three days ago I wasn’t going to bring him here because he came late to eventing and I thought his dressage was a little bit behind, so this is quite a surprise!"

Ben Hobday is crowned Dodson & Horrell British Novice Champion

Ben Hobday secured his first national title when he led the prestigious Dodson & Horrell British Novice Championship from start to finish with Jane Chambers' and his own rising star Shadow Man II.

A dressage score of 27.3 left the pair at the head of the pack from the outset. They maintained this position throughout with a foot-perfect clear in the showjumping followed by an economical trip across country for just 6.8 time penalties.

“A lot of the riders were quite shocked when they heard I was in the lead,” joked Ben, who has been having help from dressage riders Matt Frost and Jess Dunn. “The test was everything I hoped it would be; he kept his concentration and I could ride him bravely forward.”

William Fox-Pitt, so often a winner of this class, had to settle for second place this time with Catherine Witt’s classy-looking The Graduate.

Hayden Hankey and You've Got The Lux posted the fastest round of the section for 3.6 time penalties and eventual third place.

Collins clinches The Corinthian Cup

Lorna Collins and Blackrock Ricardo scored a pillar to post victory in the TopSpec Challenge for the Corinthian Cup, a National Restricted Novice Championship at The Festival of British Eventing, presented by the British Equestrian Trade Association (BETA).

Lorna last competed at The Festival of British Eventing 11 years ago, when she finished 43rd in the British Novice Championship on Benson, but the amateur from Melton Mowbray scored a career-best result when she returned this time with a precocious six-year-old son of Ricardo Z.

“I’ve not managed to ride him much this week as I’ve been to-ing and fro-ing to Pony Club camp with my eight-year-old son, Joseph,” admitted the stud groom, who is married to Quorn huntsman Peter Collins. “My only aim was to give him a nice experience; I was just hoping for a double clear.”

A lack of practise mattered not a jot as the pair turned in a dressage score of 24.6 and delivered one of the most polished showjumping clears of the section.
“He jumped beautifully considering how boggy the ground had become by the time I went,” enthused Lorna. “He went to Burghley for the Five-Year-Old Young Event Horse Final last year, so he is used to a bit of atmosphere, but even so he really surprised me with how he took it all in.”

Cornwall-based Katie Hancock and her own Coddstown Pet so nearly added the Corinthian Cup to the BE100 Mitsubishi Motors Cup they won at Badminton earlier in the year, but a rub of the second showjump meant they had to settle for second.

 

Full results HERE.