MARLBOROUGH based New Zealander Tim Price also had cause to celebrate at the Brand Hall event in Shropshire, when he took home the CIC* international one day title, writes KATE HEALEY.
He led from start to finish on Christina Knudsens horse Wesko, now eight and who only turned to eventing this year, seeing off a strong field by three points.
Wesko had show jumped with an amateur lady rider before, who was I think doing 1.30m classes with him, and came to me at Christmas, said Price, who is based in Marlborough with partner and fellow international Jonelle Richards. Hes a Thoroughbred cross I dont know his breeding or much of his history but we just clicked from the start.
Its always a gamble to take a show jumper eventing, as you never know how they will go cross country but he loves it.
The horse has not been out of the top three in seven outings this year, also scoring wins at Tweseldown, Somerley Park and Broadway BE events.
Hes a really good jumper and quickly learnt to adapt to the quicker cross country style, Price added.
He also has a real presence and appeal about him, which is good for dressage, and he grows in the arena. I just wish I could have a few more horses like him.
The horse will now make the move up to Intermediate level and will probably aim for another international event in France towards the end of the season.
Westburys Ian Wills won the four year old qualifier at Brand Hall, which leads on to the British Young Horse Championships in Hampshire at the end of the year.
This was on Diana Brodies highly-promising gelding Hartpury Sky is the Limit, who was making his BE debut.
The youngster, who is by Hartpury Colleges advanced event sire Take It 2 The Limit, was the highest scoring three year old showjumper in the national British Equestrian Federation Futurity Series in 2010.
Swindon 18 year old Danielle Dunn was runner-up in the Open Novice section on her German bred chestnut Romantik.
The teenager was also 11th at the Houghton Hall CCI** international three-day event at the end of May on her top ride What a Catch II, who jumped a promising quick clear cross country.
n Dauntseys Beanie Sturgis was the best local performer in the top CCI*** three-day event section at the Yorkshire Bramham International Horse Trials, which drew a world class field to the venue near Wetherby.
The 36 year old, who took a year out in 2010 to give birth to son Sid, finished 14th on the 11 year old Lebowski.
The pair, ninth at the Chatsworth CIC**** last month, jumped a great clear inside the time cross country and just one show jumping error kept them out of the top ten.
Hodsons Tom McEwen was seventh in the British U25 Championship CCI*** at Bramham, riding Dry Old Party.
McEwen, who turned 20 last month and won team gold at the Young Rider European Championship in 2010, pulled up from 11th after dressage after he too went clear inside the time cross country.
He also had one down in the final show jumping phase, which cost him fourth spot.
Bramham also staged a CIC*** (one day international) where Marlborough -based New Zealand Olympian Andrew Nicholson clinched third place on Armada.
The Spanish-bred horse, eighth at the four star Burghley event in 2009, looked back on form after a fall at the Chatsworth International in May and would have won but for a single show jumping error.
Purton-based Neil Spratt, who also competes for New Zealand, was sixth on Jo Cliffords 10 year old Elton II, who was making his three star debut in style.
Sourced from: http://www.thisiswiltshire.co.uk/sport/9069758.EQUESTRIAN__Price_is_right_at_Brand_Hall/