Moonshine on best behaviour

The county of Cornwall fields a clutch of champions, while a veteran horse earns his 11th title

- EMILY BEVAN

BRC SEIB Combined Championships Aston-le-Walls, Northants

MARGARET BEST and Moonshine put a challenging few years behind them to win the mixed 90 challenge individual title and were also members of the victorious Area 19 team at the British Riding Clubs (BRC) SEIB Combined Championships.

“It’s taken nearly four years to get to this point,” said the East Cornwall Riding Club (RC) member who runs a livery yard. “He’s a very complicated animal and is a sensitive soul – he’s frightened of his own shadow – but this weekend he came good.”

Jill Burrows’ KWPN gelding started bolting in the warm-up at dressage and showjumping competitions. It was discovered that he had kissing spines and ulcers and it’s been a long road to recovery.

“I never thought it’d take so long to get him back on track, but he was calm and really with me this weekend, which is a major breakthrough. Hopefully, it’s onwards and upwards from here,” Margaret added.

Joining Margaret and Moonshine in the winning Area 19 team were Michelle Northmore on Trevenna Larry, Amy Blake riding Rahale Robin and Isobel Newton Webster aboard Corrib Miss Molly.

Another Cornwall team to make the long journey from the West Country worthwhile were Cornwall Trec who took the spoils in the junior 80 challenge.

Amber Golley with Ruby, fifth individually, Lola Griffin aboard Velvet Prince, seventh, Scarlett Frampton on Culmore Warrior, fourth, and Isabella Bonney riding Mr Spud were the winning team. They finished on an impressive score of 3.2, 15.6 penalties clear of runners-up Rother Valley RC.

Rother Valley RC went one better in the junior combined training after Carys Smith with Laerswill Bobby, her sister Imogen Smith riding Way Up In The Sky, Daisy Bettles aboard Barrybeg Bugsy and Izzy Anderson on Holnest Macalla won on a score of 10.