WILLS OAKDEN WINS FIRST LEG OF CCI 2*-S NORTHUMBERLAND CHALLENGE
Scotland’s Wills Oakden, a regular competitor at Belsay, won the first leg of the big money prize pot CCI2* Northumberland Challenge with last year’s winning jockey Oliver Townend in second place, this year Hialisca de Takan, and North Northumberland’s Emily Orpwood in third on Dinadan.
Generously sponsored by N.I.S. Group Ltd and Encon Technical Solutions Ltd, the CCI2* Northumberland Challenge runs across Belsay, Alnwick Ford and Burgham International Horse Trials offering horse and rider combinations entering the class at all three venues the opportunity to win up to £20,000*.
YASMIN INGHAM AND BANZAI DU LOIR TAKE THE WIN IN CCI3*-S
The CCI3*-S was won by Yasmin Ingham on her World Championship winning horse Banzai du Loir. Yasmin and Banzai (owned by Jeanette Chin and the Sue Davies Fund) cruised to victory on a 22.3 dressage with just 2 time faults cross country as a prep run for their next CCI5* appearance at Lumuhlen later this month. In second place was Alex Palmer and her own Global Supernova and another good performance put Wills Oakden in third on Keep it Cooley, owned by his wife Stephanie and Rachel Wood. Oliver Townend riding Sir John Peace and Charlotte Cole’s Crazy du Loir came in fourth and Yasmin Ingham took another top spot, in fifth on Rehy DJ, also owned by Jeanette Chin and the Sue Davies Fund.
The CCI3*-S, a new international fixture at Belsay this year is also part of the CCI3* Northumberland Challenge prize league sponsored by A.W. Jenkinson Forest Products, which is worth up to £25,000 across Belsay, Alnwick Ford and Burgham International Horse Trials.*
LOCAL OWNERS TAKE THE WIN IN CCI1* INTRO
Another new international class, the CCI1* Intro Class was a win for the “In it for the Gin” Syndicate, made up of local Northumberland owners Charlotte Ridley, Mary Ann Reay, Clare North-Lewis, Rebecca Wilson, Ant and Kate Best, Gavin and Lou Dunn and Sara Thomas. MHS Global Cooley was ridden to victory by North Yorkshire’s Sara Bowe. In second place was Charlotte Cooke on her own horse Jewel and Larua Patterson came in third on Edelweiss V.
WILLS OAKDEN WINS FIRST LEG OF CCI 2*-S NORTHUMBERLAND CHALLENGE
Following the success of 2022, we are delighted to announce the new extended Northumberland Challenge for 2023 which will cover the CCI2*-S and CCI3*-S classes across Belsay, Alnwick Ford and Burgham International Horse Trials with a total potential prize pot of £45,000!
Sponsored by A.W. Jenkinson Forest Products, Encon Ltd and N.I.S. Group Services Construction Ltd, the 2023 Northumberland Challenge offers horse and rider combinations entering the CCI2*-S and CCI3*-S at Belsay (31st May – 4th June 2023), Alnwick Ford (23rd -25th June 2023) and Burgham International Horse Trials (27th-31 July 2023) the opportunity to win cash bonuses of up to £20,000 (for the CCI2*-S) and £25,000 (for the CCI3*-S), as follows.
- Horse and rider combinations who achieve a top 3 placing in the CC12*-S at all three events will win a £2,000 bonus. Those that achieve a top 3 placing in the CCI3*-S at all three events will win a £3,000 bonus.
- A horse & rider combination who wins the CCI2*-S at two of the three events will win a further £6,000 bonus, so a total of £8,000. A horse & rider combination who wins the CCI3*-S at two of the three events will win a further £7,000 bonus, so a total of £10,000.
- A horse & rider combination who wins the CCI2*-S at all three events will win a further bonus of £12,000, making an amazing total of £20,000. While a horse & rider combination who manages to win the CCI3*-S at all three events will win a further £15,000 bonus, making a fantastic total of £25,000.
Belsay Event Director, Laura de Wesselow said: “We are always trying to improve our offer for both professional and amateur riders and their owners and giving them and their horses tangible goals and decent prize money. We hugely grateful to our sponsors as well as McClarron Sports Ltd who helped put this together for us.”
Oliver Townend, who won the CCI2*-S at Belsay in 2022, is extremely enthusiastic about the series: “We had a brilliant time at Belsay last year, winning the CCI2*-S and the first leg of the Northumberland Challenge. It’s a special place, well worth the trip North and more people should make the effort to go there. I’ll be back this year!”
RIDER PHOTOGRAPHY NOTICE
If you do not wish to be photographed by our official photographer Athalens during the competition, please let the show secretary know in advance and notify the photographer in the arena as you enter. If you do not wish to be filmed on the XC course by Eventful Life please let the show secretary know in advance.
PUBLIC PHOTOGRAPHY NOTICE
Photography and/or filming will take place at this event.
The photographs and films will be used by Belsay Horse Trials for the purpose of promoting its activities and may be published on the website and circulated to the press and other media organisations for publication, transmission or broadcast.
If you do not wish to be filmed/photographed, please speak to the show secretary at the event or speak to the photographer concerned at the event.
Any queries can be sent to the event organiser via email at horsetrials@belsay.com in advance.
