Jackson and Thomas hold the advantage in the CCI4*-L sections 

The Defender CCI4*-L got the cross-country action underway in the glorious Bramham Park, and it was Dorset-based rider Aaron Millar and Cooley Exchange who acted as pathfinders over Ian Stark’s finale as course designer at the Defender Bramham International Horse Trials.

The first of the leading pack to head out on the course was Ros Canter with Lady Milne Coates and Deirdre Johnston’s MHS Seventeen, who led the dressage on day one but were relegated to second place by Tom Jackson and Ask for Manchier on Friday. Ros is heralded as one of the best riders across the country and her round with ‘Vinnie’ certainly proved it, with Ian Stark crediting it as his round of the day. It has a great display to stop the clock at 10.24, five seconds over the time to give two time penalties for a two-phase total of 31.9, which set the target.

Soon after came last year’s CCI4*-S champions, Selina Milnes and the Rucker’s Cooley Snapchat, and it looked as though their previous trip around Bramham put them in good stead because they cruised round, stopping the clock with one second to spare – the first combination to make the time, meaning they’d finish the day in fifth place at worst.

Next of the leading contenders was Max Warburton, who impressed in the dressage with Deerpairc Revelry, who he rides for the Paske Syndicate. Max achieved a life’s ambition last month when he completed his first CCI5* at Badminton, so he arrived in Yorkshire brimming with confidence, which has been channeled into his performance here. He and the horse really travelled well and took on Ian’s course in style. They tipped the watch bang on the optimum time of 10.19, perfectly judged to finish on their dressage score of 31.5 and promoting them up the leaderboard, one place over Ros Canter.

Then, it was what the enthusiastic crowds lining the course across the green vista of Bramham Park were eagerly awaiting – our dressage leaders, Tom Jackson and Ask for Manchier, owned by S.H.E. Eventing AB. Tom and ‘Manny’ delivered the round they wanted to see, with the talented grey gelding seemingly jumping for fun despite this being his CCI4*-L debut. They were quick too, delivering the fastest time of the day to remain on their dressage of 28.8, and keeping their top of the podium place going into the final day.

Tom was clearly happy with his morning’s work; “I’m delighted with him. As I’ve previously said, we’ve had a real lack of preparation, so there were a few greener moments, but he finished strong. He’s proved what a strong cross-country horse he is – he felt like we could have gone 30 seconds quicker because he just cruised along in a really nice, easy rhythm and finished really well and confidently,” he said.

“Both horses had really good spins today, so fingers crossed for the both of them. It rides more like a five-star here – the terrain, the size of the fences – you feel you’re having to work quite hard, but it’s the reason we come here. It absolutely delivered today and hopefully Ian [Stark] will be pleased,” he concluded.

The penultimate combination, Harry Meade and Annaghmore Valoner, who he rides for Dinah Posford, Jules Carter, and Stephen Posford, had the chance to improve their placing by one with a good round. They progressed well around the course, taking everything in their stride until the Speedi-Beet Double second element, where an awkward jump was given 15 penalties for missing a flag. Unaware of that, Harry forged on and completed the course in 10.12.

Once the penalties had been relayed to Harry by his support team, he asked for a review. The Ground Jury revisited the footage and agreed that the horse had legally navigated the obstacle, so the penalties were removed to give Harry second place to end the day.

The CCI4*-L U25 is the ideal proving ground for future stars, with some of the sport’s leading names adorning the trophy in days past. Today’s cross-country proved an influential test, with the leaderboard changing considerably. The first combination to go, Britain’s Emma Thomas with Pippa Williams and Rebecca Valarde’s The Buzz Factor, threw down the gauntlet with a super jumping clear  and just 3.2 time penalties to add to a dressage of 37.2. That was the target set for the others to beat.

It was the second of Cassie Sanger’s rides, Fernhill Zoro, that proved the most successful. Cassie is over in the UK as part of the US Equestrian Team development squad to earn vital experience, and her two rides around Bramham will have certainly helped hone her cross-country skills. She and Fernhill Zoro skipped round to add 6.4 time penalties to her dressage of 37.2 – the same mark as Emma – to go second.

Isabel White completes the podium with her own Icarus and they too had an impressive trip around Ian Stark’s cross-country track, finishing some 30 seconds over the time to clock up 12.4 time penalties and end the day in third on 48.7.

Dressage leaders Molly Evans and Wellan Graffiti had a miscommunication at the second element of day’s most influential fence, the Speedi-Beet Double at fence 20, and collected 20 penalties, which relegated them down the order.

An elated Emma said; “It was amazing, I was very, very pleased with him. He felt really smooth all the way round – he hasn’t always been the best at long-format, but I really feel we’ve worked out a system now. He went all the way to the end and his time was brilliant – he made a good job of everything. He was my first horse – we bought him as a five-year-old and we’ve come through the levels together, so it was a bit of the blind leading the blind. He’s been very forgiving, it’s been half his inexperience and half mine. Having had the other horse [Icarus X], who’s very brave, I’m much more confident in the way I ride.

“I was really happy with the course. I actually hadn’t intended going straight at the Roundhouse until I saw the first few jump it brilliantly and I thought they were reading that really well. I always love it here, I love Ian’s courses – it’s the best track to prep them for the next level. The waters were really fun to ride this year – big and bold in, big out but still forgiving enough. It’s tough but fair.”

British rider Saffron Cresswell had a fall when going well with Vivendi Hero and the following statement was issued at the conclusion of the cross country:

Update: Saffron Cresswell

Rider Saffron Cresswell (GBR) had a fall on the cross-country course while competing in the CCI4*-L U25 at the Defender Bramham Horse Trials and was immediately attended to by the onsite medical team. She was transferred by road ambulance to Leeds General Infirmary for further assessment. She is comfortable and talking to her family.

Her horse Vivendi Hero was taken back to the stable area by the courtesy ambulance after being checked by the veterinary team and is uninjured.

The family request that their privacy is respected at this time.

The second horse inspection is at 09:00 for the U25 section, followed by the CCI4*-L, before the final jumping phase at 11.30 with the U25 prizes presented at 12:15. The eventing finale gets underway at 13.30 with our champion crowned at 14.30. The annual Bramham curtain-closer, the Wetherby Skips Grand Prix, starts at 16.15.

You can watch the eventing final phases live via Horse & Country TV with a subscription. Full running order and results are available on https://bit.ly/DefenderBIHT2024timesandresults.

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