Miranda Collett, the lady behind eventing’s state-of-the-art live scoring programme, is the master of unflappable juggling. As well as Bicton, four other BE events are using her system this weekend plus nine Pony Club competitions, to whom she gives the service for free, and she was fielding questions from Scotland and Cheshire.
Miranda, who lives only 20 minutes away from the Bicton Arena in Devon, was formerly a database manager at the National Lottery Community Fund for 20 years, until taking redundancy eight years ago. She was already a BE scorer when she started work on www.eventingscores.co.uk.
“I wanted a system that would do what I wanted it to do, and it has gradually spread. Last year it became the national system,” she explained.
“I learned from other systems, such as BDWP, but I deliberately don’t do entries, although I work with multiple entry systems which are all uploaded onto the site, basically via an Excel spreadsheet.
“I enjoy the sport and I enjoy the intellectual challenge, but the real satisfaction is in working on something that is usable on the day — my target was to be able to do a 30-second explanation.”
Miranda gives credit to Ian Pearce, PA supplier at Bicton. “Nothing would have happened without him — he finds me wifi in all sorts of greenfield sites. And then there’s Harry Park and Nick Chubb [PA suppliers] — they have all embraced change.”
“The system is constantly evolving. I’ve got two young people listening in to scores, replacing the motorbike score-collectors of old. The riders are the easy part; eventers have always been web-literate.”
Bubby Upton paid an emotional tribute to her two horses after a superb cross-country performance in the CCI4*-L u25 at the Bicton International Horse Trials, supported by Chedington, saw her in first and second places.
The former Junior European champion leads on a score of 27.7 on Cola lll — the only horse inside the optimum time of 10 minutes 8 seconds — and is second on Cannavaro with 33.5, having added 5.2 time penalties.
The under-25 riders tackled Bicton’s challenging cross-country track with admirable gusto. Heidi Coy is now in third place on Russal Z and dressage leader Yasmin Ingham showed cool horsemanship, taking the relatively inexperienced Banzai du Loir steadily to clock up 8.4 time penalties for fourth place.
Yasmin and Heidi both had hectic afternoons with three horses apiece. Yasmin is also in seventh place with Night Line and 15th after a run-out with Rehy DJ; Heidi is 10th on Carrigsean Tigerseye and 14th with 20 penalties on Halenza.
Emily King is ninth on Valmy Biats after incurring a frustrating 11 penalties for knocking a frangible fence — but for that she would have been fifth.
“Cola is the horse of a lifetime,” said Bubby, 22, who juggles riding at weekends with studying for a sports management degree at Edinburgh University. ” I’ve had him since he was six and he keeps on pulling it out of the bag. Both horses dug so deep. They mean the world to me and when they try that hard, you love them to pieces.”
Tomorrow’s CCI4*-S cross-country finale could come down to mere seconds over the optimum time. With 0.4 penalties for every second over, the joint leaders after show jumping, Tom McEwen (Toledo de Kerser) and Ros Canter (Allstar B) have nothing in hand over Kitty King (Vendredi Biats), just one second over Japan’s Kazuma Tomoto (Vinci de la Vigne) and two over Oliver Townend, who is lying fifth on Cooley Masterclass.
There were also clear jumping rounds from New Zealand’s Jesse Campbell (Gambesie, sixth), China’s Alex Hua Tian (PSH Convivial, seventh) and Australia’s Kevin McNab (Scuderia 1918 Don Quidam, eighth) and Christopher Burton (Quality Purdey, 10th).
Dressage leaders Laura Collett and London 52 are now ninth with a rail down and dressage runner-up Alex Hua Tian with Don Geniro is 39th after an unfortunate three fences down.
The CCI4*-S cross-country starts at 10am tomorrow. Follow the action on Horse & Country (www.horseandcountry.tv) and with live scores and times on www.eventingscores.co.uk
Nicola Wilson produced a brilliant performance on JL Dublin — clear and inside the optimum time — to stay at the top of the CCI4*-L leaderboard after a thrilling cross-country phase at the Bicton International Horse Trials, supported by Chedington.
She was the first of six riders to achieve the optimum time of 10 minutes 8 seconds over what proved an influential track. “I am absolutely delighted with how he went — he just galloped and jumped,” she said of the 10-year-old Holsteiner owned by Mr and Mrs Lambert and Mrs Johnston. “Near the end of the course, I said ‘Come on,’ and on he went. He’s a super horse.”
Nicola was initially awarded 15 penalties for dislodging a flag at the downhill skinny fence at 24, but this was later rescinded. “It took me completely by surprise, as I did feel that he was straight.”
The scene is set for a nail-biting showjumping finale tomorrow as the price of one rail covers the top six horses. Piggy March is second with her 2019 Badminton winner Vanir Kamira and Ros Canter is third on Lordships Gruffalo.
Fourth to sixth places are filled by Gemma Tattersall (Santiago Bay), Kirsty Chabert (Classic Vl) and Laura Collett (Mr Bass), who only added 2.8 time penalties to her dressage score. Gemma is also in 10th place on Chilli Knight, the only rider to finish on a clean sheet with two horses.
There were 29 clear rounds, with errors well spread around the track. William Fox-Pitt, who has risen to eighth place on the mare Graffenacht, was among the leading riders to praise Helen West’s new 4* course. “I did think before I rode it, this is a really good course. It is the kind of track we have been crying out for [after a season interrupted by the pandemic]. I now know that I have a 5-star horse.”
Nicola echoed William’s sentiments: “When I saw the course, I couldn’t help but be excited; I couldn’t wait to get going. It was a treat to ride and the ground was perfect. I can’t praise the organisers enough.”
Tom McEwen, ninth on Dreamaway ll in the CCI4*-L, now holds a joint lead in the CCI4*-S. He showjumped clear on Toledo de Kerser, as did the world champions, Ros Canter and Allstar B. Both horses are longlisted for the Tokyo Olympics, as is third-placed Vendredi Biats with Kitty King.
Japan’s Kazuma Tomoto has risen to fourth place with a clear round on Vinci de la Vigne.
The CCI4*-S cross-country takes place tomorrow. Follow the action on Horse & Country (www.horseandcountry.tv) and with start times and live scoring on www.eventingscores.co.uk
Dr Geoffrey Guy, the man behind Bicton’s generous sponsor, Chedington, is probably better known in the racing world as a breeder, most notably of the reigning champion hurdler, Honeysuckle. Luckily for eventing, however, he has become involved in and enthused by this sport, enabling Bicton to upgrade to an international competition of this stature in just seven weeks.
“Bicton has long deserved a 4-star like this,” says the owner of Chedington, a beautifully appointed equestrian facility in Dorset. “We’ve got to know this place mainly through showjumping and we like it a lot. It’s only 35 miles away and we’re dedicated to rural enterprise, particularly in the West Country, so this seemed a great sponsorship opportunity. We see a natural partnership with our own facility for elite training.”
Australian Christopher Burton, the world number four in eventing, is the senior rider at Chedington and his wife, Rebekah, runs the centre. He is currently lying ninth in the CCI4*-S on Geoffrey and Kate Guy’s Clever Louis, a horse they hope will be on the Australian team at the Tokyo Olympics.
Dr Guy, a professor of medicine, first became involved in eventing through his daughters; one, Ellie, is now competing in show jumping and is based in Belgium. He designed the yard and facilities at Chedington Equestrian, breeds eventers as well as racehorses and is a shareholder in the Event Rider Masters series.
You won’t hear them — and few people will probably notice them — during cross-country day at the Bicton International Horse Trials, supported by Chedington, but they are the crucial linchpins of the action. This is the control team, headed by Roger Trivett and Carole King, sitting up in their eyrie-like unit high up on the course with the commentators.
There’s no time to look at the view, though. Their job is to keep track of the progress of each horse across country and to keep things moving —or to halt them if there is a broken fence or a fall — communicating by radio with fence judges, stewards, the ground jury, vets, doctors and the fence-repair team.
Roger Trivett does cross-country control for most West Country events, from Launceston in Cornwall to Gloucestershire, but in ‘real life’ he owns Acanthus Press in Wellington, Somerset, printing, among many other things, horse trials programmes.
“I was initially asked to help the scorers — someone knew I could at least count — and then I was asked if I would like to go into control,” he explains.” Lucy Coveney [another team member] and I were first on the BE mentoring scheme and then I set up a bit of an alliance with Carole and we’ve built up a team of about seven regulars. I’ve never ridden, but I used to play a lot of sport and I love being part of a sport.”
Carole’s day job is book-keeping, which is perhaps why she is renowned for being well organised. She started off in horse trials as a volunteer manning the phone in control at West Wilts and became part of former West Country controller Ian Pratley’s team. She has officiated at 5* level, as well as at Chatsworth, Blenheim and Millstreet in Ireland.
“It has taken me to places I never thought I’d go,” she says. “The important thing is that we all know each other well, we have each other’s backs and we trust each other.”
Yasmin Ingham has set herself up for a second national under-25 title as she leads the young riders’ CCI4*-L u25 at Bicton International Horse Trials, supported by Chedington, after the completion of the dressage phase on Janette Chinn and Sue Davies’s Banzai du Loir.
Cheshire-based Yasmin, 24, who is originally from the Isle of Man, took the British accolade in 2019 when she finished second behind Ireland’s Cathal Daniels at Bramham. At Bicton, she was awarded a mark of 26.9 by judges Les Smith, Angela Tucker and Anne-Marie Taylor and holds a slender advantage over Bubby Upton, who is second and third after dressage on Cola lll and Cannavaro.
Both Bubby and Yasmin will have a busy cross-country day with three rides apiece: Yasmin is also lying 10th on Rehy DJ and 24th on Night Line, and Bubby has a ride in the CCI4*-S, Magic Roundabout IV.
Banzai du Loir won the CCI4*-S for eight- and nine-year-old horses at Burnham Market in 2020. “We’re still not 100% glued together,” Yasmin said of the 10-year-old chestnut that came to her from France in May 2019, “but there’s so much more we can do. He’s got the wow factor so I just need to nail a few areas, like the flying changes, but he has only done a handful of 4-star competitions. The cross-country will be a big ask for him, but he is the sort of horse that will jump where I ask him.”
The order at the top of the two senior CCI4* leaderboards remains unchanged, with Nicola Wilson heading the CCI4*-L on JL Dublin and Laura Collett and London 52 who not been headed in the CCI4*-S, which contains several potential Olympic combinations.
Tomorrow’s eagerly awaited cross-country phase begins at 9am with Tom McEwen and Braveheart first out on course in the 83-strong CCI4*-L.
“There have been some truly outstanding performances in the dressage arena, but now I am so excited to see how my cross-country track will jump and very much hope that the competitors will enjoy the opportunity to gallop through our beautiful Grade-1 listed parkland,” said organiser and course-designer Helen West.
Horse & Country will be livestreaming all the action; to tune in or subscribe, visit www.horseandcountry.tv
Chinese rider Alex Hua-Tian, who currently holds second and third places in the CCI4*-S at Bicton International Horse Trials, supported by Chedington, looks to have rich prospects for next month’s Tokyo Olympic Games.
With just the final afternoon session of dressage to come, Laura Collett has retained her overnight lead on London 52 on a mark of 21.0, but Alex is now in second place with Jilsonne Van Bareelhof (21.4), third on his likely Tokyo mount, Don Geniro (21.6), and 10th on PSH Convivial, also an Olympic contender, with a score of 24.5.
The 12-year-old Jilsonne Van Barrelhof – stable name “Chocs” because “he is big, brown and Belgian” – is the least experienced of the trio. “I am really pleased with him – he’s a lovely animal,” said Alex, who, at 31, is a veteran of three Olympics.
“We’ve had our ups and downs with ‘The Don’, but Rio in 2016 [where they were eighth, a Chinese Olympic record] was pretty special because he was only nine. It was a gamble but he thrived. He is probably my first choice for Tokyo, but I wouldn’t be unhappy if I ended up taking PSH Convivial [bronze medallist at the 2018 Asian Games], who has just done his best ever test.”
Still to come are seasoned 5* combinations Sammi Birch and Hunter Valley for Australia plus Britain’s Kristina Cook with Billy the Red and Pippa Funnell on the 2019 Burghley winner MGH Grafton Street.
Nicola Wilson, who is longlisted for the British Tokyo squad with Bulana, has taken the lead in the CCI4*-L on Mr and Mrs Lambert and Mrs Johnston’s 10-year-old JL Dublin with a mark of 28.7. The in-form Laura Collett is currently second on Mr Bass (29.2) and overnight leader Pippa Funnell is now third with Billy Walk On (29.4).
The final quarter of the CCI4*-L field includes potential challengers Ros Canter with her Aston-le-Walls CCI4*-S winner Lordships Graffalo, William Fox-Pitt on Graffenacht, Kitty King with Cristal Fontaine and Gemma Tattersall on Santiago Bay.
Follow the action on Horse & Country (www.horseandcountry.tv) and through live results on www.eventingscores.co.uk
It’s not often that the FEI stewards are put in the spotlight, but this entirely voluntary, unpaid role is crucial to the safe, efficient running of any international event. At the Bicton International Horse Trials, supported by Chedington, the trio of Nicky Salmon, Jan Cottam and Ro Audley will be working 14-hour days, monitoring the stables, the arenas and the cross-country. They have to pass an exam every year and be fully conversant with intricate FEI rules – and rule changes: there has already been a change since they were published in March.
Nicky Salmon has been a British Eventing (BE) steward for some 40 years and an FEI one for around 20, officiating at European and world championships and Badminton, as well as an owner of five-star horses ridden by Andrew Nicholson. With Fiona Muirhead, she is the only British steward qualified to officiate at championships. “We wouldn’t do this unless we were absolutely passionate about the sport, but it is very exacting – if you don’t get 80% plus in the annual exams, you’re out,” she points out.
“It’s a long day – we are patrolling the stables at around 6am, and I particularly like to see that the grooms are OK – but we do this because we love being part of a team and the wonderful cameraderie that is part of this sport.”
Jan Cottam, who is also an organiser and BE official, officiated at the London Olympic Games. “I love the big events, of course, but I enjoy all levels from the grass roots up because I love the horses, the people and, above all, the sport. We have become a close-knit group of friends and all support each other, especially on the inevitable occasions when things go wrong. During lockdown we formed a WhatsApp group and had a Zoom meeting every 10 days, talking about everything from our gardens to our failed attempts at cooking!”
Ro Audley, who was an assistant district commissioner of the Puckeridge branch of the Pony Club, was recruited by Nicky, whom she bumped into at the ballet in London. She became a BE steward and was then put on the FEI’s Global Education Programme, which involved attending overseas events. This is her first visit to Bicton: “Helen West and her team have done an amazing job. She is so smiley and helpful and so well-organised,” she said.
All three reiterated that more – and younger – recruits are needed. Jan says: “We need to encourage more people to get involved. They can be assured that we will nurture them – and we’ll have a laugh.”
British Olympic longlisted riders Pippa Funnell and Laura Collett have made a flying start at the Bicton International Horse Trials, supported by Chedington, and are leading the CCI*4-L and CCI4*-S competitions respectively after the first day of dressage.
Pippa scored 29.4 on Nick and Barbara Walkinshaw’s upstanding Billy Walk On, just 0.3 ahead of early leaders Laura Collett and Dacapo. The 2019 Badminton winners Piggy March and Vanir Kamira are in close contention, in third, on 29.9.
“It wasn’t his absolute best, but it was definitely a ‘clear round’,” said Pippa, alluding to their mistake-free test judged by Christian Landolt (ground jury president), Annabel Scrimgeour and Tim Downes. “He finds the dressage phase difficult and is quite a shy horse, so I am very pleased with him.”
Pippa described the brand-new cross-country track, designed by Helen West with Captain Mark Phillips as Course Advisor, as: “The course we really need. We haven’t seen anything of this standard for a while [due to the pandemic]. It’s big and hilly – proper stuff – and I hope riders and horses will find it educational.”
Laura Collett riding Karen Bartlett and Keith Scott’s London 52 earned the outstanding mark of 21.0 in the CCI4*-S, in which most of the Olympic long-listed horses are running. The ground jury, Andrew Bennie (president), Jane Tolley and Anne Keen, placed Alex Hua-Tin second for China on 21.6 with Don Geniro, ahead of British Olympic hopefuls Tom McEwen (Toledo de Kerser) and the world champions Ros Canter and Allstar B, who are in joint third on 23 penalties.
That Laura could achieve such a brilliant score despite a minor mistake when London 52 briefly broke into canter in the half-passes speaks volumes for the superb quality of their performance. “That was entirely rider error, but otherwise I am really pleased,” said Laura of her 2020 Pau CCI5*-L winner, who looks in magnificent condition.
She added: “However, it’s not going to be a dressage competition! The course is seriously beefy, but I am sitting on a good jumper.”
World number one Oliver Townend, who is in sixth place on his dual Kentucky winner Cooley Master Class, agrees: “There are some unusual questions, some old-fashioned questions, and then there are the hills. But I am, so far, in a competitive position and will definitely be giving it a crack.”
Bubby Upton, a former Junior European champion, leads the under-25 CCI4*-L on Rachel Upton’s 14-year-old Dutch-bred Cannavaro from French rider Barbara Sayous on Opposition Filmstar.
“What a fabulous start to our inaugural four-star competition here at Bicton,” said organiser and course-designer Helen West. “It is such an honour to host this calibre of horse and rider, especially in preparation for the Olympic Games in Tokyo.”
Spectator tickets are available for the cross-country on Saturday and Sunday (www.bicton-arena.co.uk) and the competition is livestreamed on Horse & Country (www.horseandcountry.tv). For live scoring and start times, visit www.eventingscores.co.uk
The scene is set for a fantastic weekend of competition at the Bicton International Horse Trials, supported by Chedington, in East Devon where the park is looking at its summer best with organiser and course-designer Helen West’s noticeably upgraded and beautifully presented CCI4* track.
“I am so excited,” said Helen. “I have always wanted the opportunity to showcase Bicton to a wider, international audience. From a designer’s point of view, there is so much different terrain to play with, but I have been mindful of keeping the flow. It has been a joy being able to focus on one track [instead of several national classes] and being able to appreciate how beautiful the park is.”
Captain Mark Phillips has been acting as Course Advisor and Helen explains: “I was really chuffed because he hasn’t made many changes to my ideas – only subtle tweaks. He has so much experience as a designer and there is nothing he hasn’t tried, so his advice and support has been absolutely invaluable.”
Leading riders have been assessing Helen’s work and are full of respect. “The quality of the fences is fantastic,” said reigning world champion Ros Canter, who is competing her Olympic longlisted horse Allstar B in the CCI4*-S.
Tom McEwen, who also has his Olympic prospect, Toledo de Kerser, in the CCI4*-S, described it as “a proper track”. He added: “You would never underestimate the course here anyway, and you always know that they will do the work on the going [the track is being watered]. To come here and find ‘Bramham at Bicton’ is exciting and inspiring. They’ve done a super job.”
At this early stage of proceedings, Laura Collett holds the lead in both the CCI4*-L (on Dacapo) and the CCI4*-S on her Olympic longlisted horse London 52, and competitors in the under-25 CCI4* are starting their dressage phase this afternoon (results and start times on www.eventingscores.co.uk).
Tickets are still available for spectators on Saturday and Sunday (www.bicton-arena.co.uk) and live action is being streamed by Horse & Country (www.horseandcountry.tv)