Fife rider Wills Oakden kicked off his competitive season by almost entirely dominating the top class at the first of Les Smith’s Arena Event series.
Denied the opportunity to compete as initially planned at the British Showjumping competition scheduled for The Cabin, Inverurie, as a result of arctic conditions,Wills made the most of an opportunity to reroute to the popular arena-based cross country competition by taking three of the top five open intermediate places.
“He loves that kind of thing, it’s right up his street,” Wills said of his ultimate winner Merikano’s performance in the SNEC arena.
“The competition provides great variety and gives horses that little something different to think about and when Merikano is kept fresh, he is really happy.”
Wills said the 11-year-old advanced and three-star international gelding, owned by the Debbie Whalley, is jumping better than ever.
“I don’t need to chase any qualifiers with Merikano, or any of my other rides this season, which is a really nice position to be in,” he said.
As a result, he said he plans to focus his early season on getting his horses into peak condition, while taking full advantage of being invited to become a member of the British Equestrian Federation’s UK Sport National Lottery funded World Class Development Programme that will provide him with some valuable top level training.
His further rides at SNEC included Chiara D; Greystone Midnight Melody; Alfi Brown; and CCI**** partner McFly, owned by Nicola Malcolm, which is making a welcome return following injury.
“It’s amazing to have Mickey back,” added Wills.
“The Malcolm family went through so much with his recovery and he certainly doesn’t owe anybody anything, so we will take each and every day as it comes with him.”
Prevailing in the novice entry was Auchterarder-based young rider Stephanie O’Neil and her advanced and international three-star partner Millridge Auroras Diamond.
Affectionately known as Mrs Frost, this pint-sized 16-year-old grey mare, by Furistos Diamond, has been longlisted for the CIC** European team in partnership with Stephanie and another of her rides, Beek Fee.
“I’m hoping to continue competing her at three-star level this year,” said Stephanie.
The arena event was their first outing of the 2015 season.
“She was very happy to be out competing,” she said.
Reflecting on their round, Stephanie added: “She’s a very speedy little mare, so time is never an issue for her.
“The course had a lot of questions angles, skinnys and a bounce to a corner to name a few so it really kept Frosty thinking.
“It really is great practice for the riders as well as the horses, though, as it really helps you to get your eye in, whilst providing the opportunity to practice cross country-type questions before the start of the eventing season.”
The partnership ended last year with a double-clear advanced run at Allerton Park, having jumped clear across country in the CIC*** contest at Blair Castle and double clear within the CIC*** at Burgham International.
The 2014 season was also highlighted by a third placing in the CCI** at Hopetoun International and intermediate wins at both Belsay and Burgie.
Across the 90cm and 1m classes, competitors are, for the first time, being given the opportunity to qualify for a championship final at the Blair Castle FEI Horse Trials in September.
However, British Eventing altered the rules on qualification after the schedules for some of the Scottish contests SNEC included were released. Nonetheless, notching up top points for the 1m leaderboard so far was West Perthshire Pony Club member Jane Brisbane and her Connemara pony Barney.
Jane, 17, has owned Barney, a 12-year-old gelding by Moy Hazy Cove, for the last five years and they have a great track record across Pony Club and working hunter competitions.
“We’ve been to the Pony Club Championships three times, finishing third individually in both the novice and intermediate eventing sections there,” said Jane, who studies at McLaren High, in Callendar, and hopes to pursue a career with horses full time.
With a passion for competing in the show ring, Jane said she would love to qualify for the Horse of theYear Show in pony workers, having previously stood champion at Doune and Dunblane and second at the Scottish Horse Show.
“I’d also love to take him to the arena eventing finals at Blair Castle if we can win enough points to qualify,” she added.
She plans to head to the next round of the series at Highfield at Howe, and also contest the arena event at Ian Stark’s Equestian Centre in the Borders.
Reflecting on their round at SNEC, Jane said: “I thought the course was up to height and quite technical, but it rode well and was good fun.”
Although a double combination sited adjacent to the Oatridge coffee area caught out some riders, as did the corner fence, Jane and Barney achieved their win by stopping the clock 0.1 of a second closer to the optimum time than second-placed Stephanie and one of her novice rides Crystal.
Young Kelso-based event rider Henny Cooper topped the line-up in the initial 90cm class with Mr P, a nine-year-old gelding which has evented to novice level under the name Soprano D L Herbage.
Henny came into the arena late in the running order to deny Caroline Mosley the win, despite having led for the duration from the outset.
Caroline, who was involved in a serious car crash on her way home from the Royal Highland Show last year, was determined to ride as soon as she could after she was allowed to leave hospital.
Keen to return to full fitness and make up for lost time, she said: “It took me 10 weeks to sit on a horse and I was cantering by 12 weeks.
“I still have rubbish fitness and core strength, but I will work hard to get that back by the spring.”
She took second place with 19-year-old ‘Classy’, owned by Olivia Wilmot.
“He’s an old pro, but such a dude,” she said. “He’s definitely the one that got me back riding again.”
equestrian@thecourier.co.uk Results 90cm: 1 Henny Cooper, Mr P (48.93/0 and 56.2/0); 2 Caroline Mosley, Classy (51.41/0 and 55/68/0); 3 Sally Duncan, Henfryn Gwawk (51.34/0 and 55.61/0); 4 Julie Scott, Kuwait Cruising (46.61/0 and 55.43/0); 5 Douglas Edward, Timpany Emperor (50.42/0 and 55.41/0); 6 Rhianna Mongomery, Stanley VI (50.61/0 and 54.29/0). 1m: 1 Jane Brisbane, Barney (46.71/0 and 51.76); 2 Stephanie O’Neil, Crystal (48.36/0 and 51.66/0); 3 Melanie Gilchrist, Time for Tea (46.85/0 and 51.3/0); 4 Katie Smith, True Blue Marco (45.65/0 and 48.69/0); 5 Stephanie O’Neil, Sox 46.03/0 and 48.91/0); 6 Emily Ryder, Dublin (43.4/0 and 45.75/0). Novice: 1 Stephanie O’Neil, Mrs Frost (42.66/0 and 47.88/0); 2 Rosa Onslow, Limbo Dan (46.74/0 and 50.21/4); 3 Dawn Edward, Valco II (49.82/0 and 57.03/0); 4 Jane Brisbane, Barney (46.72/4 and 51.88/4); 5 Emma Pilkington, Born To Fly (50.09/0 and 55.74/4); 6 Emily Ryder, Dublin (43.84/8 and 49.84/4). Open Intermediate: 1 Wills Oakden, Merikano (46/0 and 48/0); 2 Rosa Onslow, Limbo Dan (45/0 and 50/0); 3 Emily Parker, Diamond Sundance (47/0 and 52/0); 4 Wills Oakden, Chiarra D (48/4 and 50/0); 5 Wills Oakden, Greystone Midnight Melody (47/4 and 50/4); 6 Emily Pilkington, Born To Fly (51/0 and 54/4).