HARD GROUND which had taken a hammering from heavy rain the day before competition made for some very slippy conditions at Hopetoun House horse trials last weekend, with organisers only able to advise competitors, during the first prize giving of the day, that in future years they should each take a long hard look at the ground and how its riding, and “stud accordingly”.

All sections of BE100, novice and BE90 suffered from numerous horse falls on the flat in both the show jumping ring and on the cross country course, although in all sections, winners were full of praise for the cross country, which had been decidedly beefed up’ from previous years.

The first class of the day, the pre-novice, had given cause for concern to competitors in relation to a double of offset brushes early in the course at number four - but reaching the cross-country collecting ring, many were pleased to hear that technical advisers were permitting an un-penalised circle between the A and B elements of the jump to reduce the complexity of the curving three-stride turn.

First winner of the day, Robert Wilson, who rode the six-year-old gelding Diamond Swap, which he has had for two years, to win BE100 section A on his dressage score of 26, said: “It was a very educational course, and because the distance between the elements at fence four did not walk well, I was pleased to hear that a circle was being permitted. I did ride the straight route though, and have to say it rode a lot better than it walked.”

Diamond Swap just started BE100 this year, winning at Floors, taking a second at Scone and a third at Kirriemuir. He progresses to novice at Auchinleck.

Alnwick’s Jill Blackshaw topped section C with her six-year-old Irish gelding, Hugo Light, which she bought as a four-year-old, adding only one pole in the show jumping to their dressage of 27.5 to win on 31.5.

“The course was a lot tougher than the last time I competed here two seasons ago, which gave me a little shock, but it was far more fulfilling to complete the course and know you’ve got round a tougher challenge,” she said.

Hugo competed at intro level until Bishop Burton this year, he had his first Scottish pre-novice run at Oatridge, where he finished fourth.

Beginning what was to prove to be a fantastic day out with a win in the BE100 section B was Michelle Chalmers. Her first win of the day was provided by Donnerhall Princess, a seven-year-old Dolany-sired mare, which gave Michelle a fantastic ride around the cross country course, which she described as tough, but which she said the mare jumped very well.

Donnerhall Princess added just 4.4 time penalties across country to her 30 dressage to win the section, and, having been placed fourth at both her previous outings to Burgie and Floors, is another which will progress to novice at Auchinleck.

Michelle collected her second win of the day in novice section D, on her 10-year-old bay mare, Bandoshea, which had come to Hopetoun with 17 points, bolstered by a recent second placing at Floors, and a fifth at Kirriemuir. Last season, she was also second at Aswanley. She added just one show jumping pole, and went only three seconds over the cross country optimum time to win the section on a score of 39.

“The novice cross country was great,” said Michelle, who has now qualified the mare for Blair, and who also plans to run next at Auchinleck.

Open-novice section E winner was Forfar’s Suzanne Lumgair, with her 10-year-old gelding Castlekelly River, which had reached 21 points at Kirriemuir on their first outing of this season. This was their first run since May, and it did not provide any problems, adding only 5.6 time penalties to a 34.8 dressage to win the section on 40.4.

The combination had gained points last year at Scotsburn, Floors, Scone, Brechin and Kirriemuir, and won at Hopetoun ahead of second placed Jacaranda Prince, piloted by Suzannah Brownlie, which finished only one penalty behind on 41.4. This combination have 23 BE points and have finished in the top 10 on each of their junior regional outings this year at Hexham, Floors and Scone.

Third place was won by Tessa Harrison and her 16-year-old gelding, Colemans Original, who finished the day on a penalty score of 42.9.

The three intro sections were won by Natalie Innes and Lenamore Playgirl, Fiona Hunter on Tomintoul, and Jennifer Christie on Trendy Roc.

LEADINGawards:

BE100A - 1, Diamond Swap, R Wilson 26.0, 0, 0, 0 = 26.0; 2, Hawthorn Miracle, M Chalmers 32.0, 0, 0, 5.2 = 37.2; 3, Twizzle, W Oakden 37.5, 0, 0, 0 = 37.5. BE100B - 1, Donnerhall Princess, M Chalmers 30.0, 0, 0, 4.4 = 34.4; 2, Be With Me, S Lumgair 31.0, 4, 0, 0 = 35.0; 3, Liano S, D Scott 33.5, 0, 0, 5.2 = 38.7. BE100C - 1, Hugo Light, J Blackshaw 27.5, 4, 0, 0 = 31.5; 2, Keltic Hy Flyer, L Arnott 34.5, 0, 0, 0 = 34.5; 3, Smalldown Letterbox, D Wrangham 35.5, 0, 0, 0 = 35.5. Novice D - 1, Bandoshea, M Chalmers 33.8, 4, 0, 1.2 = 39.0; 2, Kirkton Hugo, W Cochran 39.1, 0, 0, 1.6 = 40.7; 3, Marlton Sasha, E Hammersley 34.8, 8, 0, 0.8 = 43.6. Open Novice E - 1, Castlekelly River, S Lumgair 34.8, 0, 0, 5.6 = 40.4; 2, Jacaranda Prince, S Brownlie 41.4, 0, 0, 0 = 41.4; 3, Colemans Original, T Harrison 35.7, 4, 0, 3.2 = 42.9. Intro F - 1, Lenamore Playgirl, N Innes 33.5, 4, 0, 0 = 37.5; 2, Felton Stormchaser, A Reilly 37.0, 4, 0, 0 = 41.0; 3, Ard Ri, A Johnston 38.0, 4, 0, 0 = 42.0. BE90 G - 1, Tomintoul, F Hunter 25.0, 0, 0, 0 = 25.0; 2, Binks, E Knox 31.0, 0, 0, 0 = 31.0; 3, Allanwater Lady Boss, S Urquhart 32.0, 0, 0, 0 = 32.0. BE90 H - 1, Trendy Roc, J Christie 22.5, 0, 0, 0 = 22.5; 2, Bally Grey Boy, G Dagg 30.5, 0, 0, 0 = 30.5; 3, Puddledub Ragamuffin, E Daisley 33.5, 0, 0, 0 = 33.5.