King conquers the Castle

Emily King rules with a new ride from the French-bred Biats family that produced five-star winner Oslo, as the cream of the eventing world gather in Cheshire

- JO PRESTWICH

Cholmondeley Castle, Cheshire

EMILY KING rode the Frenchbred Valmy Biats to win one of four competitive intermediate sections at Cholmondeley. Large entries resulted in two extra days of competition to fit in as many starters as possible, within the current rules.

Valmy Biats, an Orlando half-brother to five-star winner Oslo, joined Emily after she met his breeder Philippe Brivois at Le Lion d’Angers last year.

“Lockdown has given me time to get to know him,” said Emily,who was making her first visit to the event which now would be termed her local since she moved to the north-west.

“This was our third event together and I’m very excited for the future. It was a strong showjumping track and the cross-country was a good test – it included a proper coffin, which is good practice for moving up a level.”

Monday’s second intermediate section resulted in another win for the in-form Wills Oakden, this time with Ella MacGregor’s MacGregors Cooley.

“Mine hit the ground running once eventing restarted,” said the Perth-based rider. “But they’re good horses and it proves the extra homework during lockdown has been the correct work. I’ll take each run as it comes, but hopefully he’ll be ready for an international at the end of this season or the beginning of the next.”

“I thought I’d scuppered the win, but the horse finally got the victory he deserved”

Wills was neck and neck through the section with Polly Stockton riding Kate Willis’s Chicko, Wills rolling a pole in the showjumping and Polly picking up 4.4 time-penalties cross-country.