Distance proved no object to Claire Simpson when she made the three-and-a-half hour journey south to the Fife Foxhounds’ Spring Hunter Trials at Foresterseat but she floated home again after securing a top prize rosette.
Fittingly, Claire’s open win at the Easter Monday competition came with the 12-year-old Foxhound-sired Thoroughbred mare Margaret’s Choice.
The Elgin-based rider, who has family connections to the area surrounding the Glenfarg venue, works full time as a farrier and she purchased the ex-racehorse around 18 months ago in order to get back into eventing.
“I bought Meg from Eric Bell a Suffolk breeder that my parents know through breeding sheep,” Claire said.
“I didn’t have much time to ride whilst I was carrying out my apprenticeship. Once I qualified, although I had a few young horses that I had backed, I wanted something that was fit and ready to get me back out to competitions.”
Last year, Meg gave Claire the opportunity to make her British Eventing debut, first at BE90 level and latterly BE100 finishing second at Burgie and eighth at Wee Burgie in the BE100 Regional Final.
Using the Fife event as a pipe-opener before heading to Central Scotland Horse Trials at Dalkeith, Claire said: “I was very impressed by the course, so I hope to put it onto my calendar each year for some younger horses.”
The respective junior open win went home to Perthshire with Strathearn Pony Club member Jessica Zajda and her eight-year-old Welsh section D gelding Nanteglwys Taliesin, also known as Tally.
“We’ve had him since he was an unbroken three-year-old, having bought him from Wales,” explained Jessica, who is now in her final year of school at Auchterarder.
Building on previous outings to Foresterseat this was their first win at the venue, but it follows a second placing which the partnership had already picked up this season during an early British Eventing run at Askham Bryan, in Yorkshire.
“He also show jumped really well through the winter,” added Jessica.
This year, with more BE outings on the cards including Dalkeith this weekend Jessica hopes to combine eventing with some show outings to take part in working hunters.
“I think the Glenfarg course is excellent they have great ground, the fences are up to height and challenging, but all maintained really well, and the events there always seem very well run,” she reflected.
Across the intermediate track, Edinburgh’s Vanessa Hamilton benefitted from a last minute entry when her plans to event her horse Bea at Eden Valley, in Cumbria, were dashed by adverse weather.
She took the adult section win with the seven-year-old mare, which was bred at the Preci-Spark stud in Leicester, by Catherston Liberator.
“We completed two BE90 events last year going double clear at both and finishing 8th at Hutton in the Forrest. Unfortunately, our season was cut short last year due to Bea becoming lame as a result of the hard ground and carrying too much condition. She is now on a strict diet!”
Vanessa added: “Bea gave me a fantastic ride around the course at Glenfarg and I was on cloud nine when we finished.”
Having notched up a seventh placing in the Arean Event at SNEC and with a Courier/BHS Scotland Working Hunter Qualifier for Blair Castle already in the bag, Vanessa said the good start the hunter trials has given her to the season has buoyed her plans to progress to BE100 level shortly.
Leigh Taylor and The Ferryman snatched the junior intermediate win.
“I have had Ferry for a year and a half he is an 18-year-old bay Thoroughbred cross Welsh cob,” explained Leigh.
A Jack of all trades, Leigh said Ferry will have a busy 2015 split between eventing, dressage and showjumping, on an unaffiliated basis.
Praising the track at Foresterseat, she said: “It is testing but well built, flowing course.
“It was lots of fun.”
They came to the competition having previously qualified for the Pony Club Championships, last year.
In the novice sections, relative cross country newcomers Erica Double and Shean’s Paddy hit the nail on the head of the optimum time to take the adult win.
Erica, who works full time as a radiographer for NHS Tayside, at Ninewells, has owned the seven-year-old Irish Sports Horse for the last two and a half years, but this was only their second competitve cross country outing.
“I couldn’t believe it,” explained Erica, who recently moved to the Kinpurnie Estate to be able to keep Paddy ‘at home’.
Building on a confident round at the Foresterseat pick-a-fence competition the previous month which saw them finish in sixth position Erica said that after a previous 10-year absence from hunter trials, she couldn’t keep a smile off her face as each fence went by.
“I really enjoyed the course. It was fair, but it still provided us with a few challenges. All credit to the organisers.”
Erica also paid credit to friends and co-competitors Gilly Fotheringham and Ruth Mclean for helping her get to Glenfarg.
Paddy, which was imported to Scotland as a four-year-old, having been bred at the Sheans Stud in Ireland, had previously hunted before Erica purchased.
“He was quite shy when I first got him,” said Erica, who has been getting lessons from Rebecca Chalmers and who is also a member of Strathmore and District Riding Club.
“I invested alot of time and effort to get him going. We pretty much had to start from scratch as he knew how to start and stop but nothing inbetween!”
Erica now plans to fill a busy callendar with competitions this year, but will also have a wedding to plan.
“We did do our first showing shows last year and Paddy was well placed in them, so I’m looking forward to seeing what this year will bring.”
Fresh from a pairs win at the Gleneagles Spring Hunter Trials, Beaconhurst pupil Jenny Holdsworth took the respective junior novice section win.
Her leader was the 14.2hh, 17-year-old mare Millie, which is owned by her grandmother, but which she has been riding for the last four years. Again, they were returning to the Glenfarg course after a successful earlier outing finishing second at the pick-a-fence.
“I always enjoy the cross countries at Foresterseat as they are always run well and the course is so well maintained,” said Jenny.
Reflecting on a great beginning to their 2015 season, Jenny added: “When I first started riding Millie, she didn’t really jump. Now she absolutely loves it.”
Results
Adult open: 1 Claire Simpson, Margaret’s Choice; 2 (equal) Holly Robertson and Mac, Louisa Milne Home and Oliver, Blyth Brewster and Carasso; 5 Joanna Wilkie, Piper; 6 Debra Rutherford, Sunny Times.
Junior open: 1 Jessica Zajda, Tally; 2 Rachel Hamilton, Shannondale Somax; 3 Hannah Aitken, Maydown Star.
Senior intermediate: 1 Vanessa Hamilton, Bea; 2 Lisa McCulloch, Zill; 3 Gillian Nelson, Blaze; 4 Gillian Fotheringham, Dunleer Dixie; 5 (equal) Becky McFarlane and Nutmeg, Emma Defew and Hope.
Junior intermediate: 1 Leigh Taylor, The Ferryman; 2 (equal) Brook Walker and Amontillado, Jennifer Adam and Hero; 4 Evie Gallagher, Wyebank Oor Willie; 5 Ellis Watson, Louis; 6 Daisy Galbraith, Carra.
Adult novice: 1 Erica Double, Sheans Paddy; 2 (equal) Carolyn Warran and Peggy Sioux, Emma Wake and Tropix; 4 Christina Thomson, Tilly; 5 Pauleen Sherriffs, Ria; 6 Sammy Smith, Mr Clancy.
Junior novice: 1 Jenny Holdsworth, Millie; 2 Kate Dalglish, Mr McGregor; 3 (equal) Anna Dalglish and Dunny the Dun, Charley Clark and Skye is the Limit; 5 Brodie Buchan, Cinders; 6 Amber McRoberts, Oakville Victor.
Nursery novice: 1 Kiera Gowans, Mossblown Miss Pippin; 2 (equal) Wendy Clark and Boss, Tracy Miller and Louie; 4 Emily Oakden, Freddie; 5 (equal) Cynthia Moyes and Ryan’s Return, Mary Gair and Dobbie.