Bicton Arena’s July showjumping show (7 – 16 July 2022) was a showjumping extravaganza seeing over 1,000 horses compete during the two weeks and over 1,400 rounds in the main arena.
“We had a fantastic entry for our July show and despite the warm conditions the horses and riders coped well with the extra provisions put in place by our fantastic show team here at Bicton. Congratulations to all the winners and thank you to the team who once again pulled out all the stops to make the show the perfect setting for both amateur and professional riders,” commented Bicton Arena Manager, Andrew Fell.
Angie Thompson, had a fantastic show with several wins including the Kitchen at Combe 1.40m Grand Prix and the Naked Horse Senior 1.45m Grand Prix, “We had a super tour with all of them, we got a couple of HOYS tickets and Grand Prix winners. I love Bicton Arena, it’s a tradition for us and we have been going for years since I was on ponies in fact! The ground was superb, I follow the county shows so being able to jump on such a perfect grass arena is brilliant. Having grass and surface arenas means there are always options if the weather changes – it caters for everything, and the show can carry on!”
Ashley Pulleyn, the joint winner of the Naked Horse Six Bar Challenge said, “Bicton is always a great show, everyone travels from afar to jump on an arena like that. Winning there always makes it that much better. We will be back at the end of the season, it’s just such a fun show. The whole team at Bicton Arena are a delight.”
“I had a really successful show and was in the money at least 40 times! The prize money was always great too and the show has a perfect spread of classes from 80cms to 1.50m for all horses,” added John Crippen who brought 19 horses to the show with his wife.
Local rider Chris Burton who has recently made the change from his illustrious five star winning eventing career solely to the showjumping arena, won the Chedington Equestrian Area Trial on the chestnut stallion Dantino B.
Full results from the show can be found on Equipe. We look forward to welcoming you to our next British Showjumping show in September.
Bicton Arena’s Pony Premier show that took place earlier in June provided a weekend of fantastic competition spirit and excellent riding. A packed schedule of classes saw some epic jump offs with a wealth of deserving winners.
The show included a 128cm qualifier for Horse of the Year Show (HOYS), sponsored by Blossom Home Care Franchising, the win was taken by Agnes Kerr, riding 18-year-old grey gelding Taggarts Express, “I’ve ridden at Horse of the Year Show before in showing but it’s been my dream to qualify to showjump there. My pony gave me his all today I’m so pleased with him.”
Katie Bradburne riding 13-year-old grey mare Dolly Du Carel won the T & D Barrs Plumbing and Heating Ltd. HOYS 138cm qualifier, “It feels so amazing to have won the HOYS qualifier but it being at Bicton made it even better! I am absolutely thrilled to have won my second qualifier this year being one of four treble clears in the class. I am already halfway through my last year on ponies, which is heart-breaking but moments like these make me feel even more lucky to have her. Dolly loves competing and always knows when she is in a big class – she gets so excited! I would also like to thank T and D Barrs Plumbing and Heating Ltd for sponsoring the class.”
The Pony Showjumper of the Year was split between three riders: Harriet Hodge, Tilly Bamford and Phoebe Farman, due to the weather not playing ball, resulting in the jump off being withdrawn from the competition.
Tabitha Kyle took a double win with Oakley III, owned by Lucinda Campbell in the Blue Chip Pony Newcomers Second Round and the Foxhunter Second Round, both supported by Redpost Equestrian.
Bicton Arena Manager Andrew Fell, added “Thank you to everyone who made the Pony Premier possible, our sponsors, my fantastic team and, of course, our enthusiastic ponies and riders.”
Full results can be found here
Thank you to ESP Photography for the images.
A fabulous weekend of competition was had at the Bicton Arena Horse Trials (1) this weekend (22-24 April) set in the stunning grade one listed parkland at Bicton Park, Devon, owned by Lord and Lady Clinton.
Selina Milnes and Iron IV took the honours in the Rathbones Advanced Intermediate following an influential showjumping phase, finishing on a score of 37.6, “We could really see that the Bicton team had put in a lot of effort with the ground and the fences were dressed well. Bentley (Iron IV) was full of it, he ate up the cross country course and was really open and forward. It was a great final prep run before Badminton next week,” said Selina about the 13-year-old gelding owned by Mr William Rucker.
It was a successful weekend for the Bristol based event rider who also came second in the Symonds & Sampson Open Intermediate Section G on Cooley Snapchat followed by another second in the NAF BE100 Section N on six-year-old Cooley Capri.
Former British and European U21 Champion Phoebe Locke had a double of wins at the weekend firstly with MGH Oat Cake owned by Thomas Vicary, a 28.5 double clear put them in the top spot of the PKF Novice Section B. “I’m so happy with this horse, he really showed the class I know he has, it’s only our third event together and it was fantastic to have his owners there to watch him,” said the Royal Wootton Bassett based young event rider.
Her second win of the weekend was with her own 19-year-old Pica D’Or winning the Symonds & Sampson Open Intermediate, leading from the start with a dressage score of 27.3. Phoebe commented, “Pic really is the most incredible horse ever, he is out of this world and still keeps me on my toes all day, I’m so proud of him.”
Event Director and Bicton Arena Manager Andrew Fell, added “What a weekend of competition we have had at Bicton, the team did an amazing job and worked so hard to make sure the ground was perfect – we put a quarter of a million litres of water down on Thursday. We were pleased to see our hard work had paid off as we watched some fantastic cross country rounds including the likes of Olympics gold medalists Laura Collett and Tom McEwen on their Badminton hopefuls, London 52 and Toledo De Kerser. We look forward to seeing you all again at our next British Eventing competition 30 -31st July.”
Full results can be found here.
Images thanks to Jayphotos
It’s full steam ahead this year for Bicton Arena as current sponsor Ariat extends its sponsorship portfolio at the South West’s leading equestrian venue by sponsoring the Newbury Arena which will now be named the Ariat Arena.
This will be the second year Ariat joins Bicton Arena’s family of sponsors, extending their support to become the new face of one of the venues popular grass arenas, where many derby and showjumping classes take place. The well-known international equestrian, country, western and work footwear, apparel, and accessories brand, provides a wide range of equestrian athletes with the best and advanced technology, alongside supporting many professional riders that compete at Bicton.
Melanie Selman, Ariat’s European Marketing Manager added, “We’ve partnered with Bicton on both venue and event-based sponsorships for the last year and are delighted to now expand this sponsorship to the Ariat Arena. We’re incredibly excited to see riders at all levels training and competing at Bicton and wish them every success for the coming year.”
Bicton Arena Manager, Andrew Fell commented, “We are so grateful to Ariat for extending their support. Our team at Bicton have worked with Ariat on numerous occasions since last year and to know they will be one of our leading sponsors is great news to start 2022. We cannot wait for this year to get underway along with the newly named Ariat Arena.”
Find out more about Ariat here: www.ariat.com/gb/en
A jam-packed weekend of competition saw over 450 competitors make the journey to the Grade 1 listed estate in Budleigh Salterton, owned by Lord and Lady Clinton.
A 32.7 score put Barnie Brotherton and his own 12-year-old Cash Casino well ahead of the field by nearly eight marks in the CCI3*-S class, sponsored by Rathbones. Following a successful run at Little Downham earlier in the month, where the combination won the Open Intermediate Under 21 class, this win has been the icing on the cake for the pair that are based with Harry Meade, in their final run of the season. “He felt amazing! Cash Casino had some time-off at the beginning of the season which gave us a chance to really focus on our dressage, so I was really pleased that he was second after this phase. It finally all came together in the final round where he jumped a nice clear,” said 18-year-old Barnie.
Over 100 competitors took part in the pilot BE90 3 Day Event which ran alongside the popular BE100 3 Day Event, both sponsored by NAF. The long format competition took place over three days that included roads and tracks and a steeplechase, a unique opportunity for all competitors. With the added incentive of the top 10 percent of finishers qualifying for the BE90 and BE100 Championships held at Badminton Estate in 2022.
12-year-old Zara Head rode her own six-year-old mare Clenagh High Society to win the BE90 3 Day Event on a score of 28.5. The young pair took it all in their stride, “She was amazing and really bold going cross country, it was a challenging course, but she made everything feel so easy,” said Zara.
Seven-year-old Pull Ya Socks Up owned by the Socksessful Syndicate was crowned the winner of the BE100 3 Day Event with Stratford-upon-Avon based Harriet Dickin finishing on a score of 27.1. “We won the BE100 at Broadway last week so that put us in good stead coming to Bicton and I knew he was fit and ready. We have an event and racing yard so we find the fitness phase of a long format competition quite easy, although he can be tricky to ride as he’s big, but we managed to hold it all together to take the win,” said Harriet.
NAF’s UK Marketing Manager, Isla Boxall-Loomes added “We were really pleased to have been able to support the BE90 and BE100 Three Day Events at Bicton Arena. Both sets of classes look to have been a real hit with competitors and have been a highlight in this year’s eventing calendar. We’ve loved reading everyone’s stories from the event across our social media platforms and it’s been wonderful to read such positive feedback.”
Bicton Arena’s Manager Andrew Fell commented “What a fantastic weekend of competition we have had here at Bicton and congratulations to all the winners – what an outstanding end to our busy season! I’m so proud of the team who have worked tirelessly to bring this all together and a huge thank you to our team of volunteers and sponsors who made this all happen.”
Full results can be found here: www.eventingscores.co.uk
Have you entered the NAF BE90 or BE100 3 Day Event at Bicton?
Perhaps you are thinking of giving it a go next season?
We have teamed up with class sponsor NAF to offer a few tips for competitors on what to expect next week.
What how does it differ to a normal one-day event?
The competition takes place over multiple days with the showjumping phase being held on the last day, in reverse order of merit. It gives you a chance to compete like professional riders do at an international three-day event. You will also undertake the Road & Tracks and Steeplechase phases as well as a trot up in front of a Ground Jury on the final morning of the competition.
There will be rider meetings on Thursday and Friday, its mandatory that you attend one of these where you will receive lots of information and to ask any questions you may have.
NAF Five Star Stabling Tips
When stabling away from home gut health can become compromised, feeding a digestibility enhancer can help to provide microbiome stability, a simple Instant Biotics Syringe can support their stay away in an instant and settle their tummy.
Dressage
Taking place either Thursday or Friday the dressage will be in a 20m x 60m arena.
NAF Five Star Dressage Tips
Take advantage of our sponsors care range when tacking up for your test, deal with those stains fast with the popular Muck Off stain remover, while Paint it Black and Clear helps to give hooves a professional edge and spray Silky to make sure all those manes and tails are tangle free. Get the look with their Plait it Up spray to help give you the grip while keeping wisps at bay to their Mark your Mark quarter mark spray. Finished off with some Razzle Dazzle to really help you stand out in front of the judges and a quick saddle and bridle touch up with NAF Sheer Luxe Leather Cleanse and Conditioner and you are ready for the centre line!
Cross Country
This is a four phase discipline that will take place on Saturday.
Phase A (Roads & Tracks) – This is a good trot around the Bicton parkland, there will a timed 1 minute break at the end of this phase and phase B.
Phase B (Steeplechase) – 5 x chase fences, the distances and optimum time will be given at the briefing. When you have finished, the time automatically starts for phase C.
Phase C (Roads & Tracks) – taking place on the national nature reserve of the Pebblebed Heaths, this phase should be executed at a good walk/trot pace all the way around. At the end you need to trot for the last 150m so that the vet can check your horse is sound. When you get into the D box/10 minute box, the vet will check your horse’s heart rate and respiration to see if they are fit to continue. In the 10 minute box you need to have a team of people ready to help you so you can sit down and think about your cross country course whilst everyone can look after and wash your horse. Stewards will keep you informed and let you know how long you have until you need to get back on board to start the next phase, the cross country.
Phase D (Cross Country) – this will take place over the beautiful Grade 1 listed parkland, a fit horse is required as the terrain is undulating. Watches capable of being started, stopped and recording lapsed time are allowed.
NAF Five Star Cross Country Tips
Make sure you are prepared with some NAF Event Grease to help reduce impact should any knocks occur, long lasting, water resistant and highly effective. When you have completed your round, wash them down with some Cooling Wash to help cool and refresh those hot and tired muscles and then apply Ice Cool clay or Gel to help naturally soothe, tighten and restore tired legs overnight, easily washed off in the morning.
When you give them their evening feed, include Electrolytes which are essential to replace the sweat and the important body salts that are lost throughout this process. Failure to replace can result in fatigue and poor performance, NAF recommend Electro Salts added into their feed or Liquid Electro Lytes which can be syringed or added into feed and water.
Trot Up
On Sunday morning there is a trot up that you will need to do with your horse so the vet can check he is sound. There is a prize for the best dressed competitor and turned out horse!
NAF Five Star Trot Up Tips
As with your dressage preparation, we all want to look fresh and ready for action at the trot up, take advantage of the NAF Care Range with their Show Off Shampoo capable of restoring a tired coat and promoting a healthy shine. Support white socks with Brighter than White an easy to apply chalk or paste to support coat colour and be ready for any ground jury.
Showjumping
The showjumping will take place on a surface on Sunday with 8-13 jumping efforts and it will take place in reverse order, the top 10 jump last and as you can expect, the course will be up to height.
NAF Five Star Showjumping Tips
For those lacking enthusiasm on their final day, an EnerG Shot can help to provide fast release energy and offer essential amino acids to give them a boost for the final round!
It really is a competition experience to remember, here is what a few of last year’s competitors had to say about it:
Katy Mousdale – BE100 3 Day Winner – “Just come and give it a go, everyone is really helpful – even on the Roads & Tracks people point each other in the right direction. All the officials and volunteers out there help you and it really sets the horse up to go out cross country. I’ve never been here before and it’s stunning, the arenas really help and the team have worked so hard with the ground.”
Claire Deuten – 2020 competitor – “I think it’s a lovely event, the organisation is fantastic and the courses are really educational. The team do an amazing job, anything you want or need you just ask.”
For further information on the NAF range please call our FREE Nutritional Advice Line 0800 373 106. To find more details on the speed and phases – click here.
Don’t forget to join the Bicton 3 Day What App group by scanning this QR code:
Gemma Tattersall had a day to remember at the Chedington Bicton Park 5* Horse Trials: she not only won her first CCI5* in style on Chris and Lisa Stone’s Chilli Knight, but at the subsequent winner’s press conference, her boyfriend Gary Stevens seized the microphone to propose. Of course, she said yes!
Gemma had already become emotional as the magnitude of her victory gradually sunk in: she has known the 11-year-old chestnut gelding since he was born — he is by the Stones’ Badminton-winning Chilli Morning out of Kings Gem, a mare produced in East Devon by Mary King. “It’s been a long road, lots of hard work and a fabulous little horse,” she said.
It was the first all-girl line-up since Pippa Funnell led Pia Pantsu and Jeanette Brakewell at Badminton in 2003, and here was Pippa on the podium again, in second place after a beautiful clear showjumping round on Nick and Barbara Walkinshaw’s Billy Walk On. “I couldn’t fault him,” said a visibly delighted Pippa. “He couldn’t have done anything more.”
Piggy March, the heroine of cross-country day, hit two rails on Trevor Dickins’ Vanir Kamira, but such was the three female riders’ supremacy that she slid no lower than third and showed great grace in defeat, immediately congratulating Gemma.
“I can’t believe I’m sitting between these two legends of the sport,” said Gemma. “Pippa has been my heroine for ever and Piggy is just the best rider in the world.
“I never dared to dream. Before the showjumping, I tried to pretend that I was going into Ring 2 at Hickstead, which is my local event and where I jump day after day.”
The world champion Ros Canter showed she has another star in the making with fourth place on Pencos Royal Jewel, and Pippa was also fifth on Majas Hope. The men finally got a look in with Richard Jones, Oliver Townend, Padraig McCarthy and Tim Price filling sixth to ninth places, and Felicity Collins performed a beautiful clear round to rise two places to 10th and seal a perfect first five-star completion.
Riders heaped praise on Event Director Andrew Fell and his team for producing such a beautifully presented competition at just 11 weeks’ notice. Pippa said: “I think I speak for all the riders when I say how much we appreciate being back competing in front of spectators. You have made us raise our game.”
“Bicton has long deserved this level of competition,” commented Dr Geoffrey Guy, the owner of Chedington Estate in Dorset, which generously sponsored the Horse Trials. “Chedington is delighted for Gemma Tattersall and Chilli Knight who showed excellence in all three phases to claim the title.
“Chedington Equestrian is passionate about creating opportunities for horses and riders to train and compete under the best conditions and this weekend Bicton have provided an absolutely World Class setting for a very important fixture for horses and riders. Chedington is delighted to have played a part in this event and look forward to working with Bicton in the future to continue to be able to offer the highest calibre of events in the UK.”
British Eventing’s Chief Executive Officer and Event Advisor, Helen West added, “It gives me great pleasure to thank Bicton Arena, its sponsors, riders, owners, volunteers and all who have supported this one-off event. I know it was a huge challenge managing the only five-star competition in the UK this year and we are indebted to everyone for taking this on. It has been a wonderful weekend of competition and top-class sport.”
Find full results on www.eventingscores.co.uk and re-live the action on www.horseandcountry.tv/eliteeventing
One of the happiest riders after cross-country at the Chedington Bicton Park 5* Horse Trials was 23-year-old Felicity Collins who was celebrating a long-awaited first CCI5* completion. “It definitely feels like a milestone and a relief,” said Felicity, whose well-judged clear round with 23.6 time penalties elevated her to 12th position overnight on RSH Contend Or.
The pair contested Pau in 2019, where they retired three-quarters of the way around the cross-country when the horse became too strong. “My brakes failed — he is a strong horse — and it’s been such a long wait to have another go.”
Felicity, whose mother Vicky many people remember being placed at five-star level on Welton Molecule, bought “Micky” when he was rising six from Sarah-Jane Knight at Richmond Sport Horses. “It was in 2015 while Badminton was on the television and she rang me up and said ‘I’ve got your Badminton horse’,” explained Felicity.
“He was too sharp for her and he has sometimes been tricky. In hindsight, Bicton has come at the right time for us as we’re now a far more established partnership and have done 10 double clears at four-star level.
“I’m so proud. I have always thought a lot of the horse and now I’ve been able to show the rest of the world what he can do. Covid has hit my business hard and I am desperately trying to build up my yard again, so I hope my performance yesterday will have caught the eye a bit.”
Five-time Olympian Ian Stark travelled down to the Chedington Bicton Park 5* Horse Trials to promote British Eventing’s new charity, the British Eventing Support Trust, which aims to help riders who are struggling after injury or mental-health problems.
Ian, a three-time Badminton winner, multi-medalled member of the British team for 16 years and now a course-designer, is chairman of the British Eventing Support Trust, for which trustees include former eventer and thoroughbred breeder Lady Lloyd Webber and businessman Mark Sartori, owner of Izzy Taylor’s European championship ride.
Britain’s Olympic gold medal trio, Oliver Townend, Tom McEwen and Laura Collett, who credits the Injured Jockeys Fund’s (IJF) rehabilitation centre at Oaksey House with getting her back to fitness after a serious fall, are also giving the charity their backing and a series of fund-raising events are planned for 2022.
“It’s important to look after our own and we can definitely do more,” said Ian. “The charity will be purely to support riders, whether that be for referrals, including for mental health, or for sending them to one of the IJF centres for rehabilitation after injury.
“We’re now much more aware of mental-health issues these days and we want riders to be able to ask us for help, and that includes riders from any nation that are members of BE. The IJF has set a high standard in racing and it’s important that we raise our game.”
The charity will also be working with Riders Minds, an online resource and helpline founded by the late event rider Matthew Wright.
Further information can be found on www.britisheventing.com
Piggy March produced the cross-country round of the day to take the lead in the Chedington Bicton Park 5* Horse Trials after an exciting day in which the cream rose to the top and a bumper crowd basked in the sunshine.
The scene is set for a thrilling finale tomorrow, as Piggy and Trevor Dicken’s gallant mare Vanir Kamira have no margin for error over Gemma Tattersall and Chilli Knight in second place or third-placed Pippa Funnell on the long-striding Billy Walk On.
World champion Ros Canter had a brilliant first five-star ride on Pencos Crown Jewel to lie fourth going into the final showjumping phase and OIiver Townend is in fifth place on Tregilder despite incurring a frustrating 11 penalties for triggering a MIM safety clip.
Piggy was fulsome in her praise of her bold mare. “She puts her snout down and off she goes. She’s all heart and guts. That track was by far the hardest terrain I’ve ridden, but it was probably made for her.”
Captain Mark Phillips awarded the 2TheBarn Horsemanship Award to Piggy; this award was created in conjunction with Event Director Andrew Fell and FEI Rider Representative William Fox-Pitt to reward the rider who, in the opinion of the course-designer, had demonstrated good judgement and intelligent riding.
Gemma Tattersall has fulfilled every eventer’s dream of knowing a horse from foal to five-star: she was there when Chilli Knight (“Alfie”) was born and, at Bicton, she was the first rider to finish inside the optimum time of 11 minutes 16 seconds. “It’s just the biggest relief and elation. He’s now become one of the best cross-country horses in the world. He feels like a little pony at home, but on the cross-country he turns into a lion.”
Pippa Funnell was the only rider to complete on two horses — she is eighth on Majas Hope having lost time when getting tangled up in string. The 52-year-old admitted she was wondering if this would be her last five-star, but a brilliant day has reinvigorated her and she described her round on Billy Walk On as one of the best rides of her career.
“I’m elated,” she said. “He’s not the fastest horse but my horses do a lot of hillwork in the Surrey Hills and it was nice to come here knowing that your horse is fit enough for you to ask the questions. I really enjoyed it. I came here thinking I should retire, but I’ve had a really good time. Bicton has put on an outstanding event and it has been so lovely to have crowds again.”
Nineteen of the 31 cross-country starters completed with 12 penalty-free rounds — four riders triggered a MIM clip —and three achieved the optimum time. Richard Jones rose impressively up the order to sixth place with a good clear for 8.8 time penalties. Padraig McCarthy was the first rider around clear, on the elegant grey HHS Noble Call, and is now seventh.
“We have all enjoyed watching the top-class action at Bicton Park today,” said Event Director Andrew Fell. “The course lived up to its expectations and was a true and fair five-star cross-country test over Captain Mark Phillips’ course. It will be a worthy winner that takes home the trophy tomorrow.”
The first horse inspection is scheduled for 9.00am tomorrow and the showjumping phase at 1.30pm. Follow the action with live scores on www.eventingscores.co.uk and livestreaming on www.horseandcountry.tv/eliteeventing