EVENTING News


Third British Open Crown for Nicholson
Sunday, 3 August 2014


Andrew Nicholson has claimed his third British Eventing Open crown this morning in resounding form at Gatcombe Park in the UK.

Nicholson and Avebury (owned by Mark and Rosemary Barlow) added just 0.4 penalty points to their dressage score to finish on 38.5. He was also seventh on Nereo (owned by Libby Sellar) on 49..9.

“I am very pleased,” said Nicholson. “Avebury is a good horse and has been second here in the open before . . . he deserves the win. He's a very economical jumper who doesn't waste any time over the fences, and felt very comfortable round here."

Avebury, who just last month won the CIC3* at Barbury, is Nicholson’s reserve horse for the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games later this month, and is sitting on a hat trick for the Land Rover Burghley Horse Trials in September.

“This is a very important event for preparing (horses like these) for the worlds and Burghley.”

It’s been another busy weekend for Nicholson, with eight horses entered across the grades, but he does it for very good reason.

“This is a top place to come, even if you don’t win. I have had a fall today and stops yesterday, but I bring very young horses here.”

The atmosphere and crowds at both the showjumping and cross country was unlike anywhere else for the youngsters.

“It is a great training place for the future for horses for the big events. I would love to win with them all but I don’t expect to. Avebury has fallen here before and Nereo has stopped. It is all part of the training ground and a buzz to ride it.”

He found the Captain Mark Phillips designed cross country course “twistier” than past years but says it was probably done to slow combinations up and make the riders work harder.

“I prefer them how they used to be but I am just getting old!”

Nicholson has previously won the open in 2011 aboard Nereo (owned by Libby Sellar) and in 2002 on Mallards Treat.

Criag Nicolai and his own Just Ironic were 30th on 74, while Sir Mark Todd and Oloa (owned by Di Brunsden, Peter Cattrell, Pip McCarroll and Todd) placed 35th on 85.9.

Both picked up faults in both the showjumping and cross country phases.

Tim Price and his own Bango were third in the intermediate championship.

For full results, head to http://www.bdwp.co.uk/gat/14/ .