THE NutriScience Equine CCI4*-L class had record-breaking entries for Ballindenisk with 37 competitors lining up to face the ground jury. A huge number of horses travelled from the UK, possibly owing to the European Championships being held at Blenheim Palace, meaning there was no equivalent class as would normally be the case.

It was tight at the top after the first phase with the top four all within less than one penalty. British rider Sarah Hedges and Igna (KWPN) just held the top spot after being awarded a score of 31.2 penalties by the ground jury of Wiebke Henning (GER), Marie Hennessy (IRL) and Faith Ponsonby (IRL). Nicole Mills and Joolz (KWPN) were close behind on 31.5 penalties. Unfortunately for both combinations their luck would end on cross-country day, with Mills falling on the flat before fence 14 and Hedges and her mount Igna parting company at the roller at fence 10.

Alexander Bragg (GBR) and Jaeger Master (AES), fifth place after dressage, jumped one of the quickest clear rounds of the day adding 5.2 time penalties to their dressage score of 32.1, leaving them in pole position ahead of the show jumping phase.

Pressure

Hayden Hankey (GBR) and Fools in Love, third after dressage, jumped clear on Peter Fell’s cross-country course adding just six time penalties to their dressage score of 31.8, leaving them just half a mark behind the leader. Jumping in reverse order, Hankey and the Harlequin Du Carel (SF) gelding, owned by Philippa and Mike Heler and the rider, jumped a clear round to put the pressure on the overnight leader. A pole on the floor and a handful of time penalties meant that Bragg and Jaeger Master had to settle for second place, handing the win to Hankey.

“I bought him as a five-year-old from my good friend Jim Derwin and have produced him up through the levels,” a delighted Hankey shared. “He’s been placed multiple times this year at this level, including third at Thoresby CCI4*-S, ninth at Belsay International CCI4*-S, and sixth at Bramham International Horse Trials CCI4*-L. He’s got a fantastic temperament - a real fighter but also a horse with great character, truly a horse of a lifetime. Looking ahead, the aim is Badminton 5* next year!”

Lizzie Baugh (GBR) and Crazy Du Loir will have been pleased with their competition, they only added time penalties on the cross-country phase to their dressage score to finish in eventual third. The 13-year-old mare by Rissoa D’ag Bois Margot, was previously campaigned to CCI5*-L level by Oliver Townend, with Baugh taking over the reins this spring.

Casey Webb and HHF Elegance were the highest-placed Irish combination finishing in seventh place. They were the fastest cross-country round, stopping the clock just 10 seconds over the 10-minute optimum time set.

Hot contest

The NutriScience CCI4*-S proved to be another hotly-contested class with an international line-up, but in the end it was Swedish rider Therese Viklund and Sella (SWB) who won the second feature class. The eight-year-old, co-owned with the rider by breeder Lena Nystrom, was in second place after dressage behind British competitor Kirsty Chabert and Classic VI. Hot on their heels after the first phase was Selina Milnes and Cooley Snapchat. Chabert maintained her lead after jumping a clear round in the show jumping, but opted to retire after early problems on the cross-country course.

Only eight horses jumped double clear in the show jumping on Saturday, leaving Milnes and Cooley Snapchat heading out onto the cross-country in the lead. A quick round left them with just 3.6 time penalties and a finishing score of 32.6. Viklund was one of only two competitors to achieve the optimum time on the cross-country course, which although leaving her on the same score as Milnes, granted her the win.

“I’ve known her since she was a foal, as I am good friends with her breeder,” commented Viklund. “I started riding her when she was five, and we’ve done the whole journey together. She competed twice at the World Breeding Championships in Le Lion d’Angers, finishing fourth as a six-year-old and 12th as a seven-year-old. As for the cross-country, it was a technical course, but rode really well - she was sharp and focused the whole way around.”

Marcio Jorge will be pleased with his week in Ballindenisk, as he took home third and fifth places with Castle Howard Casanova and Royal Encounter (ISH) respectively.

The highest-placed Irish rider was Sarah Ennis and the evergreen Grantstown Jackson (ISH) (TIH) - they were the only other competitors to achieve the optimum time on the cross-country course, finishing in eventual fourth.

Young rider Ben Connors, on his first attempt at this level, put in an impressive performance on OLS King Aragon (ISH) finishing in seventh place; this combination finished 10th at the Young Rider Europeans in Strzegom earlier this season.