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The two best female event riders in the world – Ros Canter and Laura Collett, who are third and fourth in the FEI’s global rankings – are separated by just 0.4 of a penalty after dressage in the Houghton Country CCI4*-S at Belsay International Horse Trials (15-17 May), sponsored by Barbour.

Ros, who scored a historic third win at Badminton Horse Trials last weekend, just weeks after giving birth to her second daughter, is in pole position riding her own and Alex Moody’s CCI5*-winning Izilot DHI on a mark of 23.7. Just behind her in the 95-strong class is Laura with 24.1 aboard Karen Bartlett and Keith Scott’s London 52, Laura’s reigning European champion and double Olympic team gold medallist for Britain.

Lincolnshire-based Ros said: “I was really pleased with him. I think I’ve got his self-carriage better than ever this year; I really trust the process I’ve got with him and I’m really able to show him off and show off his movement. There are a few things to work on before Luhmühlen, but I’m very happy with where he’s at and how he’s going.”

Reflecting on her outstanding third Badminton victory on Lordships Graffalo, Ros said: “The reaction to our Badminton win has been amazing – I can’t quite believe how pleased everyone is for us. I’m just so grateful to everyone, and to Walter [Lordships Graffalo – it’s all down to Walter, really. He’s been amazing.”

Laura said: “‘Dan’ [London 52] was a bit cheeky today – he was very pleased to be back at a party – and he made a couple of mistakes, but there were some lovely parts and it’s great that he’s feeling so well aged 17. It’s very exciting to have made our first trip to Belsay; it looks beautiful, the ground looks amazing and I’m looking forward to going across country tomorrow.”

Laura is also in third place on Alex van Tuyll’s homebred Count Onyx with a score of 27.8.

Ros and Laura were joined at Belsay today by the third members of their gold medal-winning team from the Paris Olympics, Tom McEwen and JL Dublin, owned by Deirdre Johnston, James and Jo Lambert. Tom and JL Dublin were comfortable winners of the Brookfield Equestrian Open Intermediate class, adding only 2.8 cross-country time-faults to their dressage mark of 28.6.

Northumbrian rider Jack Mantel, whose yard is just a mile away from the Belsay event site, took Lycetts Intermediate section E on James Luckin’s Piltown Dilema. Two Novice sections were also claimed by local competitors: North Yorkshire’s Holly Richardson won the Galbraith-sponsored section A with Gill Barclay’s Ballymolloy Roscoe, and Co Durham-based Katie Magee triumphed in Matfen Hall section B on her own Newton IB.

Caitlin Padfield’s six-hour drive from Aberdeen was more than worthwhile as she topped the HorseQuest Novice Masters’ class on Diamondgraaf Reign Dance, owned by France Johnstone. The pair completed on their dressage score of 35.1.

“She absolutely jumped her socks off today,” said Caitlin. “She jumped the only clear showjumping round in the section and then was just epic across country.

“I love coming to Belsay – it’s one of my favourite events, and I always know it is going to be a big, bold course over great terrain with loads of different questions. The ground was fantastic; it’s always so well managed and well maintained here.”

Bubby Upton holds the top two places in the Forsters CCI3*-S with her own and Caroline Owen’s Sancerre De Tiji (24.5) and her own, Joanna Ritblat, Millie Brenninkmeyer and Nick Wentworth-Stanley’s Guinduno (25.6). Tom McEwen is in the lead in NIS Ltd CCI2*-S with a dressage mark of 27 on Brookfield In The Spotlight, owned by Alison Swinburne and John and Chloe Perry.

The CCI4*-S, CCI3*-S and CCI2*-S classes are the first leg in the big-money Northumberland Challenge, supported by Belsay’s official hotel partner Matfen Hall, An Eventful Life and N.I.S Ltd, which unites the three Northumbrian international events (Belsay, Alnwick Ford and Burgham). The jumping phases of the CCI4*-S and CCI3*-S take place tomorrow (Saturday), and all the cross-country from Belsay can be watched live on Horse & Country TV’s streaming platform, H&C+.

Belsay Horse Trials also features more national eventing classes, a multitude of competition opportunities for local grassroots riders, including showjumping and arena eventing classes, BSPS showing and the ever-popular inter-hunt relay. There are outstanding shopping opportunities, delicious food and drink – including the new Northumbrian Larder – and lots of family-friendly activities on offer.

A new, very special demonstration, The Healing Power of the Horse, featuring Riding for the Disabled Morpeth, Stepney Bank Stables and KL Pony Therapy, hosted by Saffron Cresswell and also featuring Nicola Wilson and William Fox-Pitt, will take place in the Womble Bond Dickinson Main Arena on Friday, Saturday and Sunday at approximately 12.45pm each day.

Tickets can be bought online or on the gate. For more information and to purchase tickets, visit www.belsayhorsetrials.co.uk.

ENDS

The attached pictures of Ros Canter and Izilot DHI and Tom McEwen and JL Dublin are free to use editorially, but please credit Athalens for the photo of Ros, and Maxime David Photography for the photo of Tom.

For PR enquiries, please contact Catherine Austen: cfausten123@gmail.com or 07711362832. For all other enquiries related to Belsay Horse Trials, please contact Laura de Wesselow: laura@belsayestate.com or 07889 437237.