CLYDA event fixture survived a late scare last weekend when the River Blackwater rose to within a whisker of bursting its banks. Fortunately, the converging tributaries did not back up and as the levels subsided, the well supported fixture was able to run as planned. In an added bonus, the heavy rain over the previous two days had left the free-draining ground in almost perfect condition, giving riders the opportunity to really stretch their horses over the galloping terrain.

“We were very lucky with the weather indeed,” confirmed joint organiser David O’Meara. “The river was very high, and it was fantastic that it didn’t flood. We had a torrential downpour in the morning as well, but within a few hours the ground had dried.”