by bramhamadmin | Mar 26, 2024 | Uncategorized
Bramham celebrates 50-year milestone with Defender
This year, the Bramham International Horse Trials celebrates 50 golden years of eventing, and now, the birthday celebrations can well and truly begin with the announcement that Defender is title sponsor of the fixture.
The ‘Defender Bramham International Horse Trials’, runs 6 – 9th June in Yorkshire. CCI4*-L and CCI4*-S sections will be dedicated Defender competitions alongside the CCI4*-L U25, with a comprehensive timetable of competition running throughout the event; disciplines including the NAF Five Star BE 80 Championships, topflight jumping, Arena Eventing, Pony Club jumping and mounted games, showing and much more filling the four-day programme.
Anthony Bradbury, Marketing Director, JLR (UK) said, “Land Rover has been associated with Bramham’s eventing fixtures since 1974, and we are delighted to be part of their 50th birthday celebrations with Defender.”
Nicholas Pritchard, Event Director, Bramham continued, “Signing this milestone agreement with JLR really is the perfect way to mark our 50th anniversary, we couldn’t be more delighted to have the Defender name alongside Bramham.
“The brand, the vehicles and the support have been an integral part of the event for many years and this next evolution in the partnership is fantastic. We’re working with the Defender team to now plan a double celebration in June! We look forward to welcoming everyone to our idyllic slice of Yorkshire for what promises to be a memorable birthday year,” he continued.
The event box office is open for tickets, membership, camping and the boutique Bramham Hideaway glamping site – book before Sunday 2 June for some advantageous discounts on tickets via www.bramham-horse.co.uk. The website also has full timetable details covering four busy days of equestrian delights plus the information on shopping, eating and enjoying your Bramham visit – plus more on our 2024 charitable partner, The British Horse Society.
Keep up to date with us on social media – we’re on, Instagram, Twitter and Facebook so you won’t miss any of the news, updates and event info.
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Bramham Media Contact: Winnie Murphy, Press Officer – winsome22@live.co.uk or 07967 186556.
by bramhamadmin | Dec 21, 2023 | Uncategorized
Join Bramham for golden jubilee celebrations in 2024!
With the festive period upon us and a new year just days away, the Bramham International Horse Trials six-month countdown can begin! Set to run 6 – 9 June, it promises to be a historical year as we mark 50 years of eventing at the iconic Yorkshire venue – and of course, there’s the selection for the Paris Olympic Games up for grabs as part of this year’s competition for a number of the world’s best horse and rider combinations. Annually, the fixture partners with a charity, and for the 50th anniversary, who better than , The British Horse Society.
A programme for the first ever event hosted by the Lane Fox family in 1974 lists an organising committee of 12 under the directorship of George Lane Fox and a Junior and two Standard sections were held – with the entry list reading like a who’s who of eventing. HRH The Princess Anne, Captain Mark Phillips, Stephen Clarke, Jane Holderness-Roddam, Mary Gordon Watson all rode with the USA’s Bruce Davidson taking the top honours. As is the case today, topflight show jumping competitions were also held with Harvey Smith, Malcolm Pyrah and Lionel Dunning on the start sheets. Much of the land used originally is still part of the event’s footprint in the iconic park but the shopping village has nearly trebled in size!
Fifty years on, Bramham still attracts eventing’s elite and in an Olympic year, the focus on this idyllic Yorkshire will be more important than ever as the date makes it one of the final selection and qualification opportunities for teams from around the globe.
The British Horse Society (BHS) supports horses, riders and those who care about them, and the Yorkshire team has been involved at Bramham since the horse trials started in 1974, making them the perfect choice.
The BHS’s work includes making riding safer through road safety and saving historical bridleways, providing grants to hundreds of young people as they embark on an exciting career in equestrianism. As well as working closely with owners/carers to ensure they are fully equipped with the information needed to give their horse the best life possible.
Amy Clements, The British Horse Society (BHS) Regional Manager for Yorkshire said; “We’re delighted to have been named the official charity partner for Bramham Horse Trials 2024. The British Horse Society has attended the event since it first opened its doors 50 years ago, so it is a real honour to have been chosen to partner with them during such a significant year. Being the nominated charity is a great opportunity for us to raise awareness and money for all our charitable work during the exciting event. It’s opportunities like this that make a real difference to us, and enable us to continue to support horses, their owners and those that care for them by improving welfare, safety, access, participation and education.”
The Bramham team are finalising the timetable, and all the showcase competitions make a return. The showcase CCI4*-L, the Under 25 CCI4*-L and the DEFENDER CCI4*-S sections will provide the main viewing with cross country courses designed by Olympian Ian Stark, in his swansong year at Bramham. The country’s best grass roots combinations tackle the NAF Five Star BE 80 National Championships with elite showjumping classes, Pony Club showjumping and mounted games, showing, youngstock, breeding and hunter showing competitions and the ever-popular Saracen Horse Feeds Arena Eventing with 90cm and 100cm classes also part of the bumper programme.
Away from the equine action in one of the most stunning parks in Yorkshire, there’s a bustling trade stand village of over 130 outlets, a food hall and catering and refreshment options for every taste. At Bramham, we champion sustainability and once again, we’ll be working hard to continue to reduce the carbon footprint of the event on our environment with a number of initiatives including ‘zero to landfill’ thanks to Wetherby Skip Services. More news on that to come.
The Bramham Box Office opens on 8 January 2024 to secure tickets, memberships and camping passes. A gift voucher could make the perfect last minute Christmas gift! You can purchase £10 and £20 options to be used as part or full payment towards tickets online by 2 June 2024.
The BHS Shop also has a great range to help you over the festive period, and beyond, including last minute Christmas cards, books, a selection of merchandise and items for stable and yard. Or why not make a donation in lieu of a gift or cards this year?
Event Director Nicholas Pritchard commented, “This year’s event was memorable…but 2024 promises to be even better. We’re proud to mark 50 years in the eventing calendar and hope many will come and join us as we celebrate and reflect on how much has changed since George Lane Fox had a vision to run a northern version of Badminton and Burghley. It feels extra special to have the BHS involved as our charity as they’ve had a stand at every one of our 50 years, just incredible! An Olympic year always has an extra buzz about it and with many riders heading to Britain ahead of Paris to prepare, we should be in for fabulous competitions. I’d like to sign off for 2023 with a thank you to all who make the horse trials possible – the riders and their teams, the sponsors, the volunteers and the spectators. Merry Christmas and happy New Year to you all – see you in 2024!”
Follow us on, Instagram, Twitter and Facebook as we build towards a 50th anniversary show to remember – a visit to the website www.bramham-horse.co.uk will give you all the info you need to plan your visit during 6 – 9 June 2024.
Bramham International Horse Trials
Winnie Murphy, Press Officer
E | winsome22@live.co.uk
M | 07967 186556
Editor’s note:
The British Horse Society
The British Horse Society is an equine charity dedicated to education, equine welfare, protecting and increasing access to bridleways and equestrian routes, and safety for horse and riders. The Society’s thriving and active community of staff and volunteers are committed to improving the lives of horses everywhere.
by bramhamadmin | Jun 11, 2023 | Uncategorized
Pippa Funnell is used to historic moments. Her glittering career has been full of the highs and lows of a tough sport and, today, she added a new chapter to her eventing memoirs with a fourth win at Bramham, making it a victory in each of the last four decades – 1992, 2002, 2010 and now, 2023.
Riding a relatively new partner in Sarah Ross’ MCS Maverick, Pippa arrived at Bramham in a relaxed mood with a single horse to run, intent on a nice, quiet week and ensuring everyone was aware she wasn’t going to be competitive. Her only mission was to learn more about the talented but quirky 10-year-old. Perhaps that mindset took the pressure off because the Surrey-based rider has ridden as well this week as any in her extensive career.
Pippa and Maverick went into the cross-country phase in second place and a copybook clear round, despite the horse’s relative inexperience, put them into the lead with just 1.2 time penalties. However, a victory on the final day was by no means secured – hot on their heels and just 0.03 of a penalty behind sat Pippa’s good friend Piggy March, riding Brookfield Cavalier Cruise for Alison Swinburn and John and Chloe Perry. Despite being a little further back, Kiwi Jesse Campbell retained his third spot after two phases with Gambesie, with two time faults to end day two on 31.4.
All 31 combinations that came forward to the final horse inspection were declared fit to compete by the ground jury, and so the battle for the 2023 Bramham title began. With less than a fence separating the top five, the pressure was on – it would be a day of ‘clear rounds win prizes’.
Tom McEwen made a move up the leaderboard with the beautiful mare Luna Mist, thanks to a clear round that put the pressure on the top three. Jesse Campbell and Gambesie hunted round, neat as a pin, for an all-important clear. Next in was Piggy March and if there’s one rider who eats pressure for breakfast, it’s this one She rode a foot-perfect round with ‘Fletcher’ and was clear all the way to finish on 30.8.
Pippa had nothing in hand – not even a second over time – and only a faultless round would do. She would need to draw on every ounce of her hard-won experience to guide this unfamiliar, inexperienced horse around Jason Abbs’ course. Of course, Pippa has jumped to the highest level in eventing and has a second career in showjumping, so the Maverick couldn’t have been in better hands – and the pair made it look easy. A clear jumping round inside the time meant it was victory for Pippa – 31 years on from her first win at the Yorkshire venue and the perfect birthday present for her owner.
With a wry smile, Pippa said: “He’s just exceeded all my expectations. I feel a bit of a fraud being here – I genuinely didn’t know how he was going to be. I’ve had some fantastic spins on him, but I’ve not run him competitively. He was absolutely super, I thought, really class. If I can strengthen him up and he improves from this point, I’m really excited.
“I’ve been really quiet and patient with him this week. I didn’t even want to jump him this morning – I just kept him relaxed and did some polework to shorten him. He’ll certainly sleep well after this – he’s been running on adrenaline! I’m really chuffed – you often question if you’re doing it the right way when you’ve got a horse that wants to go faster than you want to. I’m also chuffed of the owner, Sarah is so nice. I’m just disappointed she’s not here, but her family organised a big party ages ago for her birthday.
“I wanted to bring him here to find out what have I got, whether it was worth putting all that time in at my age – at the moment, it’s definitely been worth it! It’s amazing how special winning a big one is when you get to my stage, I really can’t tell you,” she said with a tinge of emotion.
Piggy was clearly delighted with her young debutante, too. “He was cool, really good,” she said. “First one and I’m excited – he felt really careful and easy today, it didn’t take anything out of him. It didn’t go as well as maybe I hoped but, until you do it, you don’t know and it’s tough out there. The cross-country is about as tough as it is for a four-star, and to deal with it well and come out and jump nicely is great.
“He was really brave yesterday, came home full of running and pulled up amazingly. It’s an exciting feeling when you get one that runs around Bramham and it feels fun and easy. It’s testament to the horse – he’s a very straightforward, level character and has a very old head on younger shoulders,” she added.
Third-placed Jesse Campbell made sure that the New Zealand fern adorned the results sheet with cute chestnut Gambesie, for owner Sarah Moffat. He explained the key to his successful jumping round was some influence from a familiar face on the showjumping circuit.
“Yeah, he was cool. He’s a super jumper and we managed to have a really cool jumping session on Monday with coach Shane Breen. I sent him a message last night – he just said ‘relax and just remember how to be a showjumper’. The horse just did it all for me, he is magic.”
And so the curtain comes down on Bramham 2023 – we’ve been blessed with great weather, bumper crowds and fantastic displays of the horse-human bond. Thank you to all who make it happen – our loyal sponsors, the legion of 500 volunteers, our fantastic fans, the riders, grooms and owners and, of course, the equine heroes.
Put the dates in your diary now to join us next year – 6–11 June 2024.
Full results – Times & Results | Bramham (bramham-horse.co.uk)
by bramhamadmin | Jun 11, 2023 | Uncategorized
When Bramham was forced to cancel in 2021 due to the Covid pandemic, all the classes moved to substitute venue Bicton and it was there Newmarket-based rider Bubby Upton took the U25 title – her first four-star win. However, she always had a yearning to compete at Bramham, so set her sights on contesting the U25s once again in her last year at the level.
Her chosen partner for her Bramham debut was The Zebedee Syndicate and Rachel Upton’s Magic Roundabout IV. They put in a supreme dressage performance to score a career-best 26.5, which gave them a 3.2 margin going into the cross-country over France’s Morgane Euriat riding Baccarat D Argonne. Saturday’s cross-country proved an influential affair, with just one rider going clear and inside the time – and that was Bubby with ‘Magic’.
Sunday dawned sunny and bright, with seven combinations remaining in the U25 section. Sadly, Max Warburton and Monbeg Exclusive were spun at the final horse inspection, but this is a combination who are certainly ones to watch in the future. This left just six pairs to come forward and jump around Jason Abbs’ showjumping course.
Clear rounds were at premium but, overall, the top three remained the same as the overnight roster. Sasha Hargreaves and Woodlands Be Daring had two down, but retained their place on the podium, while Tom Bird – impressive yesterday with the grey Rebel Rhyme – conjured the only clear to stay on their two-day total of 39.8, keeping them in the runner-up spot. Bubby and Magic had the luxury of a 13.3 penalty cushion, but Tom’s clear round certainly put some added pressure on.
Bubby is a great rider over the coloured poles and Magic looked full of running after yesterday’s rigors, and they didn’t look like touching a fence until they breathed on the second fence of the double at 11 and the pole fell for four faults. They were clear the rest of the way to take the title and add a second U25 title to Bubby’s growing list of accolades – plus, it has confirmed her growing suspicions that Magic was a Burghley contender.
After the prize-giving and lap of honour, Bubby said: “He jumped fantastically. Obviously, being the competitive person, I was annoyed to have a rail, but I didn’t particularly feel like we could have done anything differently – it’s just one of those things. He tried so hard, so I’m absolutely thrilled with him to be honest. I can’t fault him, he’s given me his all this whole week. To win is obviously fantastic, but more important is the feeling he gave me in preparation for Burghley, which is really exciting for us all.
“Bicton was a huge win for me because it was my first at that level and on a horse that I never thought would compete at that level, so that victory was probably the most special of my career. The chat was that Magic should win here, so I felt a bit of pressure, and maybe then people expect it as opposed to the shock that it was in 2021, but of course it’s still unbelievably sweet to win any class and the horse deserved it so much the way he’s performed all week. The best test of his life, yesterday was such a buzz and the feeling round this track was pretty special, to be honest. I’m just pleased to have been able to get the job done,” she summed up.
Runners up Tom Bird and Rebel Rhyme have an amazing partnership – the sizeable Irish gelding was bought as Tom’s first horse off ponies, with the plan to do novice eventing. Four years later, they’ve just finished second in a four-star!
“He was just super,” said Tom. “He’s a big horse and struggles a bit in the showjumping sometimes, particularly on the third day. Today, he came in and was just so calm, it really felt like it might just be the day it all came together. I think he was the only clear in the class – I was just over the moon with him.
“Yesterday he just ate it up. Bramham is massive – it never feels easy – but he just cruised round. He was on it, on his lines. We walked the course, had a plan, stuck to it and it just worked. We used the hills at home to get fit because we came here last year and, in hindsight, he wasn’t really fit enough, so this year we got him fitter and he felt like a different horse. He finished really well, pulled up well and jumped the round of his life today. What a week, I’m so proud of him!” added a clearly delighted Tom.
Tom was quick to thank his team, who have made the week possible, those with him here and those who’ve stayed behind, and plus his trainers, Chris Bartle – “He’s been with me through thick and thin, it’s not always gone our way but he’s stood by me” – and Pammy Hutton, who has recently come on board to help with dressage.
Full-time equestrian Sasha was pleased with her time at Bramham. “It’s been an amazing week,” she said. “His dressage was really, really good, but our changes are definitely a work-in-progress, so we didn’t get them, but the rest of the work was great. Cross-country was slightly terrifying! Along with everyone, I didn’t have the best preparation, so I was very nervous, but he was unbelievable out there. It’s only our second four-star long – we did Blenheim, which didn’t quite go to plan. So it’s been nice to come here and put a few demons to bed – he was just unbelievable the whole way and made if feel like a walk in the park. I think it really took it out of him a bit today, he was a bit flatter than I’d normally expect him to be, but he really tried his hardest.”
For full results, visit EventingScores
by bramhamadmin | Jun 10, 2023 | Uncategorized
The final day of the DEFENDER CCI4*-S was an extraordinary rollercoaster ride, with the leaderboard changing dramatically over the two jumping phases. Spectators were kept on the edge of their seats, with the final result still unclear right up until the penultimate competitor.
First up was the showjumping, which started bright and early in the main arena to get the Saturday programme underway. Course designer Jason Abbs set the riders a flowing but technical track, where clear rounds proved to be at a premium. Both the leader, Tom McEwen with Fred and Penny Barker’s MHS Brown Jack, and the third-placed Ros Canter with Lady Milnes Coates and Deirdre Johnston’s MHS Seventeen, rolled a pole to drop down the order. However, Australia’s Bill Levett, who was sitting second overnight, expertly rode a clear with his own and Elisabeth Murdoch’s Sligo Candy Cane to take pole position going into the all-important final cross-country phase.
With the two sections of CCI-L 4* done and dusted by lunchtime, the park was opened to the short section riders and, after a few riders, it became clear that the time would play a significant role in the competition. The undulations of the park, the testing track set by Ian Stark and the hot conditions all needed careful management by riders as they tried to get the best from their horses.
The first combination to make a mark for others to follow was Katie Magee and the Jaguar Mail-sired Treworra. Their dressage of 35.8 left them in 23rd position, but a single showjumping pole and a quick cross-country for 6.8 time gave them the early advantage.
The first of the challengers to the top spots was Ros and MHS Seventeen – their lowered pole may have put them off the podium, but they were still in with a chance of seizing it back. However, the horse is just a 10-year-old and this would be his first trip cross-country at four-star level. The pair started well, but then misjudged the B element of the Bramham Round House – a skinny on a bounce stride after a ha-ha step – and skipped past. Ros gathered up the gelding and they negotiated the long route successfully, but then had a further run-out at the Speedi-Beet Double towards the end of the course. Ros brought the gelding home safely, but their chances of a top placing were gone.
Shortly after, it was Tom McEwen’s opportunity to rise back up the rankings with MHS Brown Jack – another young horse still learning his trade. Tom and Jack were another combination to fall victim to the skinny at fence 7B, but put in a great round from there on, which will give the horse confidence for the future but put them out of the running.
Nicola Wilson pupil Robyn Gray and Gelukkig, owned by Jan Ball, started the day in ninth thanks to a dressage of 34.2, but were one of the few combinations to go clear in the showjumping. They had a fantastic run through the park for just 9.2 time penalties, giving them a final total of 43.4 to take the lead at that stage.
Their time at the top was relatively short-lived, however, because experienced rider Selina Milnes entered the fray with William and Angela Rucker’s nine-year-old, Irish-bred Cooley Snapchat. They sat eighth after dressage and were faultless in the showjumping, so a speedy cross-country would put them in touching distance of the podium. They were one of the rounds of the day, cruising round the course and making it look easy. They gathered just 1.2 time penalties for a final score of 34.9, putting them atop the leaderboard.
The fifth-placed combination after dressage were Mollie Summerland and Paula Cloke, Mark Johns and her own Flow 7. They had an extremely unlucky pole in the showjumping, but Mollie set off across the country in determined mood. The nine-year-old only have two seasons of eventing runs under his inexperienced belt, but looked every bit at home on course with an impressive – and quick – round. They stopped the clock at 6:37, five seconds under the optimum time, making them the first duo to make the time, a feat which duly handed them the lead.
Zara Tindall put herself and the Gledhill House Stud’s Class Affair in good stead with a clear round in the jumping, to add nothing to their 33.3 dressage in what is their first competitive outing since contesting the Kentucky CCI5*. A stylish spin around Ian Stark’s course earned them just four time penalties and slotted them behind Mollie and Flow 7 on the leaderboard.
The two-phase leaders, Bill Levett and Sligo Candy Cane, were the next challengers, but the influential Bramham Round House would put pay to their chance of a win. A run-out at the skinny was followed by a second refusal while attempting the long route, and Bill raised his hand to call it a day, saving the youngster for another day.
Will Rawlin and Ballycoog Breaker Boy, who he owns with Andy and Miranda Rawlin, were down in 14th place after the dressage and a pole down this morning dropped them a bit further down the order. However, the duo were most impressive across the country, answering every question on the course and cantering to the finish in an expertly judged 6.40 to complete on 38.8, which left them fifth at worst.
The final challenger for a podium place was Ireland’s Susie Berry and Killcandra Capitol, owned by TruckEast Ltd, and they headed out course as the penultimate combination on 35.1 They were travelling well, but had a glance-off at the corner in water at the Womble Bond Dickinson Pond. The plucky gelding attempted to jump it, but it was clear they hadn’t properly cleared the flags, so it was 20 penalties and Susie had to represent. Their chances were gone, but they did get home safe.
So, at the end of a long day of cross-country, the top 10 had a dramatic new look, with six new names joining the fray and the top accolade going to Selina Miles and Cooley Snapchat.
“Cooley Snapchat was super today,” said Selina. “I was a little disappointed with his dressage, but I think everybody was. He showjumped really well – I thought he might have gone a little bit green with the crowds to be honest, as he hasn’t done a lot, but he was super and jumped really, really well. On cross-country, he was just on it and so easy to ride – straight, not strong and he just keeps coming. I was a little bit worried about fence 7 – it was a serious question for a young horse, going into darkness, and I wasn’t sure how he’d react because he’s never seen anything like it in his life. He read it really well and just popped across.
“It’s brilliant to win here because it’s a big event and they [the organisers] make such an effort. I did come here thinking he could win, though,” she added with a rueful smile.
Mollie Summerland and Flow 7 took the runners up spot, while Zara Tindall completing the podium with Class Affair.
“This weekend was all about educating him,” said Mollie of her rounds. “I bought him unseen off the internet – I never tried him – and once again he continues to exceed expectations. He didn’t start eventing until he was seven, but he blows us away with his ability. He was totally fearless and I didn’t even think I was going fast – he just eats up the ground and it makes him such an exciting prospect for the future.”
Zara summarised her competition: “He [Class Affair] was good today. He jumped mega this morning – I wasn’t sure how he would deal with it because the cross-country was going on. Out on cross-country, he was good everywhere. He can be a bit of a monkey on occasions, so I wasted a bit of time at the beginning so that I didn’t light him up too early and I’d be able to turn him at the end. He was really good and I was really pleased with him – it shows why we love him when he’s good.”
Notable leaderboard movers also include Sophie Fouracre and Lordanna vh Leysehof Z, who started the day in 43rd and ended in sixth. Hector Payne made a 20-place leap with Dynasty to finish seventh, and eventual ninth-placed Xanthe Goldsack with Hi Tech came from 34th place.
The DEFENDER section was far from a dressage competition and proved an all-round test of horse and rider – their ability, stamina and partnership. Congratulations to Selina and Cooley Snapchat, who won through the day. This is a partnership we hope to be seeing much more of in years to come.
For full results – click here. Times & Results | Bramham (bramham-horse.co.uk)
