DESPITE having to abandon Saturday’s competition due to the ground conditions, the Land Rover Gatcombe Horse Trials went ahead on Sunday under sunny skies, writes Rebecca Rhodes.

The course at Gatcombe Park, designed by HRH The Princess Royal and her event organiser Patti Biden offered a technical but challenging course. Fence 7 A/B the Stratstone Land Rover Corners proved to be the undoing of many and saw a number of well fancied combinations have a run out and incur a costly 20 penalties.

Britain’s leading lady event rider, Izzy Taylor from Bicester in Oxfordshire had a triple success, winning Intermediate section G with Tregolls, Intermediate section H with Direct Tullyoran Cruise and Open Intermediate section K with Impromptu II.

Gatcombe-based Tom McEwen competed five horses, all finishing in the top 20. Tom was thrilled to win Intermediate section I on Royal Roxey, a great start to the season for this nine-year-old mare who Tom has had since an unbroken four-year-old.

Their aim for 2018 is to compete in the International class for eight and nine- year-old horses at Blenheim Palace in September. Tom was placed 9th and 15th in the Advanced Intermediate class on BGS Class Affair and Watkins. Both these horses were previously competed by Zara Tindall, Tom has taken the rides whilst Zara and husband Mike await the arrival of their second child.

Local rider Tom Rowland who has relocated from Andoversford to Ampney Knowle near Cirencester finished in the top 10 with his three rides. Robin Patrick’s horses MGH Maybe A Mission was equal 2nd in Section H and Possible Mission was fourth in section K. Colby II, owned by Pixie Thomas was 8th in section J. Tom was delighted with Maybe A Mission’s result which has rewarded the owners patience, after the horse picked up a minor injury last season. Colby II will next compete at Belton Horse Trials in the CIC** class before crossing the channel to compete in the CCI*** at Saumur in France.

British-born Lucy Jackson who rides for New Zealand, recently moved into Tom Rowland’s previous yard at Andoversford. Lucy took second and fourth in the Advanced Intermediate section with Gillian Greenlees horses Willy Do and Superstition II.

Willy Do,17, who is co-owned by Lucy, has competed at Badminton and Burghley but will now be aimed at the Event Rider Masters competitions. Superstition II heads to Norfolk next weekend where he will compete in the CIC*** at Burnham Market.

A number of horses who are entered at the Badminton Horse Trials in May were competing at Gatcombe, including popular local rider Harry Meade from West Littleton and his ride Away Cruising. Australian Paul Tapner from Highworth with Bonza King of Rouges who finished fifth in the Advanced Intermediate. New Zealand’s Dan Jocelyn, based in Oaksey fifth in Open Intermediate Section K and previous Badminton winners Australian Sam Griffiths and Paulank Brockagh, 12th in the Advanced Intermediate.