New Zealand Olympian Tim Price added a third win at Cornbury House Horse Trials (11-15 September) to his tally so far by taking CCI2*-S section G today on The Highlander, his prize for which was presented to him by HRH The Duchess of Edinburgh.
And Tim’s wife Jonelle – herself an Olympic bronze medallist for New Zealand – got off the mark with her first victory of Cornbury House Horse Trials 2024, in intermediate section J on Full Monty De Lacense.
“This place is incredible,” said Tim. “I’ve brought a lot of nice horses here, so I’m very lucky to have those, and it just fits in with their season plans to be able to run them a bit quicker round great courses and on perfect ground. And the prizes are fantastic!”
The Highlander is a seven-year-old gelding by Diacontinus, owned by Ginny Rusher, Glynn Norcutt and Gillian and Stephen Brooker.
“He’s a great dressage horse, a super jumper – he’s a bit of a ‘wow’ horse to watch jumping – and cross-country, he’s getting braver all the time. He’s one for the future,” said Tim.
Jonelle Price will take Full Monty De Lacense, owned by Jackie Olivier, Kate Holmes and Jo Pidduck, to Blenheim next week for the eight- and nine-year-old CCI4*-S.
“He’s quite a plain horse, but he’s a real athlete,” said Jonelle. “He’s been a bit of a slow burner, but he’s now able to show his work off a bit better. He’s always been a lovely galloper and jumper.”
She added: “We’ve had a lot of trouble with ulcers with him and it has taken a lot of figuring out – we didn’t know for such a long time, because from the outside he isn’t your typical candidate for ulcers. He’s a very good doer, very normal on the outside and very quiet to do things with. But it turned out he was riddled with them – he’s obviously a worrier internally. Now we are able to manage him better and he is starting to show his ability. I think he’s a five-star horse.”
While Paris and Tokyo Olympic gold medallist Tom McEwen struck again in intermediate section with Kilcannon Mischief, who is owned by Hilary Kennedy, Tom’s mother Ali, Jacqui Erskine-Crum and Phillippa Knight, two less familiar faces scored their first international wins in the remaining CCI2*-S classes.
Tom Sloper, who is based with Jason Hobbs near Bristol, took section F on Helen Cobb’s Jaldo, finishing on his dressage score of 28.6.
“I sold Jaldo to his owner Helen about three years ago, and since then I have been riding him on and off alongside her son Oscar Governo, but he’s off to university at the moment and I’ve bene riding him a bit more. He’s super – really lovely on the flat, a great jumper and just the best cross-country horse. He’s so straightforward. Unfortunately, he’s for sale – I’d love to keep the ride as I think he’s a superstar.”
East Sussex-based Lucy Wheeler won section H on 14-year-old King Creole VD N Ranch, who is owned by Graham Jack.
“I’ve had this horse since he was four – he’s a bit opinionated, but he’s been brilliant,” said Lucy. “We dropped down a level after pulling up across country at Hartpury in the CCI3*-L, and I couldn’t fault him here. He did a beautiful dressage test and then jumped two lovely rounds.”
Cornbury House Horse Trials continues until Sunday (11 September) with the British Eventing Young Horse Championships for five-, six- and seven-year-olds, The Howden Way and Project Pony Youth classes and a further CCI2*-S section.
As well as a feast of equestrian sport, featuring many of the world’s most famous riders, Cornbury Horse Horse Trials is an innovative and exciting blend of local, sustainable food and drink from our neighbouring farms, premium hospitality, and interactive children’s activities in the stunning setting of Cornbury Park.