North-east riders success at the Landrover Blair Castle International horse trials
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Running over four days from Thursday, August 25 -28, Landrover Blair Castle International horse trials saw amateur Scottish riders compete alongside professional international competitors.
In the British Showjumping classes, Oldmeldrum rider Carolyn Andrews topped off the summer season with on her 12 year old gelding Firado II (known at home as Wee Man) by Diarado with a second and third in the 1m10 classes and a sixth in the 1m15.
This was in classes with 40+ entries.
She commented: “He jumped absolutely fab this weekend.
"He loves jumping here and comes alive with the atmosphere and loves a crowd.
“Wee Man has had a great summer season after coming back into work after an injury in the field in which he fractured his skull which caused him to have time off.
"We weren’t sure he would come back into competition again after the vets said he might just end up being a horse that would only be able to hack. "We are truly grateful for what he has achieved this year coming back up to jump 1.15/1.20 level.
"He’s a one in a million horse.”
No stranger to the show ring was Aberdeenshire rider Sam Winn, this time not on her Clydesdale but on Curious George, her six year old home-produced coloured Irish gelding.
Sam notched up a hattrick with fourth in ridden show cob, highest placed amateur and fourth in a large class of ridden native coloureds.
“George is not always the easiest but I'm just delighted with how he is coming along," she said.
"He just makes me smile weather naughty or nice.”
Deeside-based Marion Breen-Dreelan and her 14 year old Annaghroe Apatchie set off for Blair International Horse Trials last Wednesday, from Durris to compete in the Novice working hunter the next day.
In a huge class of 66 competitors, only 24 jumped clear on a very technical course in a huge atmosphere.
Marion was delighted to have been one of the clear rounds.
This was made even more special as she is currently receiving on going weekly chemotherapy treatment for Triple Negative Breast cancer.
To make it to Blair was very special for her and important as part of Marion's mental positiveness and focus in fighting breast cancer.
And Marion didn’t leave it there but also competed on Apatchie in the National BE90 class on Friday, August 26.
After dressage and showjumping the stamina required for the cross country phase had run out so Marion and Apatchie called it a day.
"For us both to even be at beautiful Blair, the horse event of the Scottish season, is truly amazing for me," she said.
"I am so grateful to everyone for their support, kind words, gestures and encouragement. Just being there and competing while undergoing chemotherapy and also enjoying the whole equestrian atmosphere is something special that will stay with me forever."
In the centrepiece international eventing classes, Tom McEwen on Luna Mist took a first place win and £4,000 prize in the CCI-L (long format) 4* class.
An activated safety clip at fence 15 and the subsequent 11 penalties if a horse activates this saw dressage leaders Oliver Townend and Cooley Rosalent handing the lead to Oliver’s Tokyo Olympics team-mate Tom.
This left Oliver Townend on Colley Rosalent in second. Meanwhile the CCI-S (short format) 4* was headed by French rider Astier Nicolas on Babylon de Gamma, with Oliver Townend in second on As Is and Tom McEwen in third on Brookfield Quality.
The BE 90 and 100 Scottish Championship classes ran over the weekend (August 27-28).
Heading the BE90 was Zara Weit on Deloughtane Rockstar.
Third place went to Aberdeenshire rider Eilidh Herd on Zuccheros Deff Leppard with an exceptional dressage score of 24.
Ruby Thomson on Penstrumbly Calon Lan led the way in the SC100 class.
