Britain’s Gemma Tattersall achieved her first-ever five-star eventing win when overtaking the overnight leaders in Sunday’s final jumping phase at the Chedington Bicton horse trials in the UK. Tattersall was the only rider to finish on her dressage score, with Chilli Knight, who is owned by Chris Stone.
“It’s been a massive road to this point – I’m 36 and I’ve won a five-star,” said Gemma. “There was never a point when I thought Chilli Knight could win a five-star. If you’d asked me out of all the horses I’ve ridden if he could win my first five-star, I’d have said absolutely not, but he’s got all the heart in the world.
“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.”
Piggy March and Vanir Kamira, the 2019 Badminton champions, led after cross country but in the final phase lowered the oxer at fence and a spread fence over the water tray, moving them down to third. Pippa Funnell moved up to second with Billy Walk On and also filled fifth place on Majas Hope, behind Ros Canter with Pencos Crown Jewel.
In a new initiative, course designer Mark Phillips awarded the 2TheBarn Horsemanship Award to March, recognising the rider who had best demonstrated “good judgement and intelligent riding.”
Canada’s sole contender, Mike Winter, was 12th after dressage on 29.6 but retired El Mundo on cross-country. His strong-pulling horse took nearly all of the arena to turn after jumping the Top Spec Brushes, one of the accuracy fences set in the Bicton’s sunken grass stadium, and ran out at the skinny at the bottom of the Cliffhanger Drop, finally calling it a day after jinking out at the Stumps, a combination at fence 21.
This was the first five-star CCI in Britain in two years because of the pandemic, supposedly a one-off event to help fill the gap caused by the cancellation of Badminton and Burghley in both 2020 and 2021. However, general reaction to the exquisite presentation of the venue in the south-western county of Devon suggests there will be considerable enthusiasm to see it return. Bicton also staged a “substitute” four-star in June at short notice, following the decision of Bramham to cancel.
The brand new track was deemed a true five-star. Funnell observed that the undulating terrain at Bicton provided an extra challenge: it is similar to Burghley’s but there riders who have competed many times have the advantage of knowing how the land rides, even when the fences are different.
“I’m elated,” said Funnell of Billy Walk On. “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, including Oliver Townend with Tregilder and Tim Price with Ringwood Sky Boy – and three achieved the optimum time, including the winner.
Both the 4* and 5* events at Bicton were sponsored under the Chedington label by pharma multi-millionaire Dr. Geoffrey Guy, known as ‘Dr. Pot’ due to his work on cannabinoids for therapeutic use.
Full results here.
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