Flora's finest

Sunday's Express Eventing saw Flora Harris and Law Choice crowned the 2010 champions in the competition's first year of its new format. Flora scooped the £5,000 first prize and will have the use of a Jeep for a year as part of the prize. The compeition was held on the third and final day of the Royal Festival of the Horse, in Stoneleigh.

Flora, 22, jumped a superb round in the show jumping to clinch the title, including clearing the 1.35m eraser fence on 'Bob the Cob'. "I came here thinking I had a chance of doing well, but I'm lost for words. I can't believe I've actually won," she said.

Flora was in second place after the dressage phase thanks to some last minute help from Richard Davison.

The new format, changed from last year's controvertial event, was a success. The first phase, a freestyle dressage to music, was judged by Liz Day and Jeanette Watson, with Clare Balding awarding marks for artistic impression. The second phase was a simulated cross-country course, followed by a final showjumping round. Riders did not have to jump the two rounds back to back, as they did last year.

After the dressage phase, Portuguese rider Duarte Seabra led, with Flora in second and Alex Hua Tian with Magenta in third.

The cross country, designed by David Evans, consisted of sixteen fences and required accurate and positive riding. There was an optimum time of 100 seconds, with a penalty free five second window either side. Five combinations added nothing to their scoresheets over the track, including Flora, Alex, Gemma Tattersall and Phoebe Buckley.

In the final showjumping phase, a super clear from Flora ensured that that the Portuguese combination had to go clear to stay in front. But Duarte had the third fence of the course down, handing the victory to Flora.

Showjumping on Saturday

Saturday's show jumping showcased showjumping at its very best with many of Europe’s leading International riders attending to contest the £45,000 prize money on offer.

In the Accumulator class, last to go John Whitaker with the amazingly talented eight year old stallion Argento secured first prize. Having watched Ben Maher with Quainton Stud’s ten year old stallion Quainton Quirifino Z obtain maximum points in a time of 54.11, John knew exactly what he had to achieve and where the corners could be cut. In his inimitable and magical style, John gave Argento the perfect guidance letting him just jump fluidly round in a way that belied the time he was saving in each approach he managed to shave just over two seconds from Ben’s time to jump cleanly over the bonus fence in a time of 51.78.

The main class of the day saw a field of twenty two starts. Course designer Bob Ellis, who will be responsible for the course in London 2012, built a full-up 1.60m track with a number of questions in it to encourage both big and clean jumping in-line with the £30,000 prize fund at stake.

With all eyes on John Whitaker who was back out on the superb stallion Peppermill. Jumping so big over the fences it was a wonder how John managed to sit on him he was back at his best producing a superb clear in a time of 48.15seconds. Knowing he had to beat John’s time, Billy Twomey and Tinka Serenade cut infront of a fence in what almost looked an impossibly tight turn to jump clear and come home almost four seconds faster securing him the £10,000 prize fund.

Parelli tactics called into question

Despite cracking competition the show was not without controversy. A demonstration by Pat Parelli caused upset when Robert Whitaker's showjumping stallion Catwalk was worked on for two hours in front of a confused and upset audience. The stallion, who is renowned for being very difficult to bridle appeared to become upset during the demonstration. Some onlookers left the arena in difiance to Pat Parelli's methods as the horse tried to run back to the collecting ring.

A blog on the Parelli website shareparelli.com stated that the "challenging horse lived up to its billing". The blog went on to say: "We ran 45 minutes over and a couple of folks were upset at what they think they saw, saying they may post on YouTube. We all have nothing to worry about except misunderstanding. Pat stopped at an appropriate time in the training process when he saw a breakthrough and preserved Catwalk's dignity, which is more important than getting the bridle on tonight."

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