BRITISH eventing legend William Fox-Pitt won his first four-star short competition since 2017 at Houghton Hall International last weekend, where the three-man Irish eventing team of Joseph Murphy, Susie Berry and Austin O’Connor finished second in the first leg of the FEI Nations Cup series.
Fox-Pitt landed victory in the CCIO4*-S with his top horse Little Fire when the leader after the first two phases, Alex Hua Tian (China), picked up time faults across the country and slipped to fourth place. Fox-Pitt added nothing to his dressage score of 25.4 to win comfortably from Britain’s Selina Milnes, who jumped from sixth place overnight with Iron IV (30.0), and Britain’s Bubby Upton in third aboard Magic Roundabout IV (30.7).
Integrated into the class was the first leg of the 2021 FEI Nations Cup series, which Great Britain also won on an aggregate score of 98.5, ahead of Ireland on 115 and Australia in third of the three team on a score of 136.8.
All three teams had just three members, meaning no one had the luxury of a drop score. Gemma Tattersall was forced to withdraw with Jalapeno II, while Sammi Birch also withdrew from the Australian team, which only had three riders to start with, but the situation was rescued with the substitution of Sophie Adams.
Just seven weeks after breaking her arm, Susie Berry was best of the Irish with the 12-year-old gelding Ringwood LB (Iroko x Master Imp), who is owned by the rider, Helen Caton and Gwen Purce. After opening on a score of 32.2, they added 1.6 time penalties across the country, before jumping clear to finish in 14th place.
Berry also rode John The Bull in the class and was in 10th place after cross-country, before a troublesome show jumping round dropped them out of contention.
Joseph Murphy finished 29th with The Way Forward Syndicate’s Cesar V. They opened on a competitive score of 31.3, before adding 9.2 time penalties in the cross-country to finish on 40.5.
Austin O’Connor finished in 30th and 31st place. He rode The Salty Syndicate’s Colorado Blue in the team competition and finished on a total of 40.7 after a pole down in the final show jumping round.
The winning British team was made up of Tom McEwen with Zara Tindall’s Class Affair – a pair who were making their final appearance together as Tindall prepares to return after having a baby, Mollie Summerland (Charly van ter Heiden) and Georgie Spence (Halltown Harley).
Double for Canter
Reigning world champion Ros Canter won both sections of the CCI3*-L. The first victory in Section B came aboard the nine-year-old Irish Sport Horse mare Shannondale Nadia (Shannondale Sarco St Ghyvan x Lux Z).
Bred by Martin Walsh at Shannondale Stud, she was purchased as a three-year-old by her owner, Sharon Bayston. A strong opening score of 23.7, she was the overnight leader heading into the final show jumping phase and added just 0.4 of a time penalty to win on 24.1.
There was another ISH in third place, the eight-year-old Michael Brennan-bred Moonlight Charmer (OBOS Quality x Good Thyne), under Britain’s Laura Collett.
Meanwhile, Canter comfortably won Section C with Izilot DHI on a final score of 22.5, ahead of Oliver Townend with the seven-year-old Woods Rosbotham-bred Cooley Rosalent (Valent x Roselier), who won a silver medal at last October’s young horse world breeding championships in Le Lion d’Angers.
The Irish Sport Horse Coolparks Sarco (Shannondale Sarco St Ghyvan x Coolcorron Cool Diamond), bred by Michael Burke in Co Galway, took third place under Britain’s Nicola Wilson.
Ireland’s Joseph Murphy impressed when he slotted into sixth place with the 10-year-old gelding Choclat. The combination just added 1.6 cross-country time penalties to their dressage score to finish on 28.1.