Mary and David Laing
look forward to welcoming you this year on
Friday, Saturday and Sunday
16th 17th and 18th May

Last year's Trials

May 2007: Monarch's Aristocrat takes the Crown

Martha Terry's report reproduced courtesy of

Photographs by imagepoint

Oliver Smith geared up for Bramham's under-25 championships by outstripping several top senior riders to land the advanced intermediate class at Brigstock. Riding Monarch's Aristocrat, he crept up from eighth after dressage to snatch victory from Jo May (Faere Vision) by 0.1pen.

Pippa Funnell (Blue Horizon) and Jo May vied for the spoils, starting cross-country on excellent dressage scores, with Pippa's second ride, Ensign, handy in third, despite having rolled a pole. But while Blue Horizon baulked at the impressive "Stockade" steps at the end of the course, and Ensign and Faere Vision each clocked a few time-faults, Monarch's Aristocrat sped round to finish just 1sec outside the time. Oliver's other ride, The Magic Moment, enjoyed a "pressure-free" round to finish fifth in the open intermediate and both now head to Bramham.

Livery yard owner Jo May put Faere Vision spot-on for Luhmühlen with their runner-up effort. This will be the third four-star the horse has started but, since an injury in 2005, Jo runs him cautiously. "He's my horse of a lifetime, so I won't risk him," said Jo of the Ben Faerie gelding. "He's a super mover with a fantastic jump. But his mother, Virgo, was half-cob, so his round stride means we always get a few time-faults [7.6]."

Pippa Funnell's Ensign recompensed for his stable-mate's misdemeanours with the secondfastest clear (3.6 time-faults) to take third, 1pen behind Faere Vision and 8pen ahead of Romany Campfire (Justin Clubley). Fortunes Way (Guy Herbert) was fifth and former Aussie international Koyuna Sun-Glo (Lucinda Fredericks) sixth.


The crowd was thrilled by the familiar sight of William Fox-Pitt's Moon Man galloping to his third open intermediate win this season. Yet again, Moon Man belied his trekkingcentre origins to clock the fastest time all day and finish on his exceptional dressage of 26.7. Trailblazing Vicky Brake though matched William's dressage and show jumping scores to hold the lead right up until early evening with a good cross-country aboard Imperial Cavalier. However, when Moon Man strode imperiously inside the time, Vicky slipped back to second, ahead of Piggy French (Holly Blue Curtis) - the only other combination to post a clean sheet.


While there were spills and non-finishers aplenty in both the advanced and open intermediates, Philip Herbert and Andrew Hunter's immaculate new course particularly tested the intermediates. Only 56% of the cross-country starters made it to the finishing post. The "Yee Haa", a step up bouncing over a palisade with a maximum drop down to the croquet lawn, proved especially taxing - with many horses having insufficient oomph to pop over the precipitous drop. The aptly named "Catapult" - a Y-shaped tree on top of a steep mound - was exciting to watch, although many opted for the long route. One pair, Sally Chamberlain and Leroy, approached the direct route with such velocity that they flew to the bottom of the mound on the landing side, crumpled and rolled over twice - mercifully escaping without serious injury. But it was mainly the cumulative effect of colossal ditches that took its toll - and several horses called it a day by the fourth consecutive effort in the middle part of the course.


But there were no such problems for Loughnatousa Gypsy Diamond (Andrew Downes) on his first attempt at this level. The seven-year-old was fourth after dressage, but set out across country in the lead after William Fox-Pitt withdrew dressage leader Lord Buckingham, and the other two ahead of him lowered a rail apiece.

Andrew, who came here "hoping for a respectable result", claimed not to have pushed the grey across country. They took the scenic option at the "Catapult" en route to the second-fastest time of the section (10.8 faults). "I set out slower than on my novices!" said Andrew. "But I can cut corners because he's short-coupled. It's a big course, but I liked it because you can really ride the fences."


Tiny Clapham steered another talented seven-year-old, The Light Fandango, into second. Spencer Sturmey regained his dressage placing in third with Forrest Field, ahead of William Fox-Pitt with the fast and flashy stallion All That Jazz V, who is owned by the Guinnesses of Tamarillo fame.

William Fox-Pitt summed up competitors' views "It's fantastic to be back at Brigstock. They've done a great job revamping the cross-country. It produced a strong test with plenty of ditches."

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