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The Inaugural Nunney Horse Trials

More than 700 competitors took part in the first ever Nunney International Horse Trials, which ran from Friday 15th - Sunday 17th June and included the KBIS sponsored international CIC**class.

 

Despite severe weather conditions at times all three days ran

exceptionally smoothly. The ground, which had taken some heavy downpours in the lead up, held up particularly well out on the cross country course, allowing riders to have a good run over Adrian Ditcham’s newly built track helping make for an exciting competition across all classes.

 

It was however the KBIS CIC** class which drew in the crowds. The dressage took place on the Saturday in the main arena. Surrounded by trade stands with the occasional gusting winds, for some it was a little too much to take in. But local riders Janine Jansen and Kate Allen came out on top with scores of 41.7 and 44.4 respectively going into Sunday’s jumping phases.

 

A pole in the show jumping for Janine proved to be costly as Kate took full advantage producing a double clear inside the time, to take first place with her 11-year-old gelding Final Encore – their first international win. Janine and Velocity II had to settle for eventual third, with Oliver Smith moving up into second on a double clear with Noon Hill.

 

Nunney was a busy weekend for KBIS as it was also host to the KBIS sponsored ONu18 class, which saw Pumbaa Goess- Saurau have her first win at this level. In addition four of the KBIS horses also competed at the Somerset based event.

 

KBIS Bits and Pieces, ridden for the first time by young rider Alex Grinstead, set the standard when he finished 7th in one of Friday’s BE100 sections. Bits added nothing to his very good dressage score of 29 and took to the cross country especially well, having taken a little while to get into a rhythm at his previous events.

 

KBIS Rough Diamond (Wallace), ridden by Claire Matheson, also had a good day in the BE100. He produced a dressage score of 30 which put him in the top ten but unfortunately just rolled a couple of poles in the show jumping, which was put down to him being a little sleepy! A good round across country meant that he finished in 14th place; which everyone was pleased with, being only his fourth outing.

 

For KBIS Starlet (Doris) it was her first outing of the year having just resumed full fitness after sustaining an injury out hacking back in March. To watch her though you wouldn’t have known. In true Doris style she just got on with the job to produce a double clear in her usual relaxed way and finished in third place in what was a competitive OI section.

 

KBIS Starchaser competed in the KBIS CIC** section and was one of many horses who got a little tense in his dressage test due to the flapping tents, cross winds and the occasional low flying bird! He produced a wonderful cross country round the following day and just four faults in the show jumping due to being over exuberant meant he finished in 13th. Both Doris and Star will head to Barbury Castle next for the CIC*** in two weeks times.

 

For the event much praise was given to the organisers for what they had managed to achieve at a completely new venue in just under a year. Nunney looks set to be a fit replacement for Longleat, which was a highlight in the southwest’s eventing calendar.

 

To view the full results form Nunney International click here