King takes last-minute crown

KITTY KING and Vendredi Biats won the advanced intermediate (AI) at this lastminute fixture by more than nine marks, leading the dressage on 18.8 and adding 3.6 time-penalties across country.

- PIPPA ROOME and ELLIE HUGHES

“He led the dressage in the AI at Tweseldown a couple of weeks ago, but had a steady run across country as he always comes out a bit unruly,” said Kitty of last year’s European team gold and individual silver medallist. “This week he was super in the dressage again – a touch less fresh having had a run – and I let the handbrake off a bit more across country.”

The rider will head for CCI4*-Ss this spring with Diana Bown, John Eyre, Sally Lloyd Baker and Samantha Wilson’s 15-year-old in their quest to be selected for Paris 2024 – “Rather than being first reserve, which seems to be our favourite position,” as Kitty said.

Kitty expressed the riders’ gratitude to the team at Tweseldown and their volunteers for putting on this event in just a few days after the cancellation of Cirencester. 

“We’re very fortunate to have places like Tweseldown that can do that and have the ground to cope with it – it was a good course and changed from a fortnight before,” she said.

Tom Jackson took two open intermediates (OI) wins, on Capels Hollow Drift and Midnight Endeavour.