To France and back for '˜Alfie' the survivor

Warde-Aldam, 18, was one of the many Yorkshire riding aces on show at last weekend’s Epworth Horse Trials, which along with events at Isleham and Moreton launched the 2017 British Eventing season.

At Epworth, Northallerton’s World no 10 Nicola Wilson was among those to enjoy an opening weekend victory, with Wilson and JL Dublin winning their BE100 Open class.

Bedale rider Sara Bowe also enjoyed a dream start to her 2017 season as Kingsleypark Panther was also victorious at BE100 level – a class in which Wilson’s All We Need was third – while Malton’s Vicki Fahey scooped a win at BE90 level on I Blame Bertie. Bowe’s Quinara was also third in a BE100 class.

While Warde-Aldam had to settle for finishing seventh in her BE100 Open section on Tacco De Kezeg – nicknamed Alfie – merely competing on the horse was an emotional triumph for the rider who faced the prospect of losing her equine partner in the summer of 2015.

Warde-Aldam explained: “In the summer of 2015, he had a life changing accident on a water treadmill, severing 75 per cent of his tendon in his near fore. We were advised to euthanise him but being a family pony we opted for surgery at the amazing Rainbow Equine Hospital. When making it through surgery he then went down to Kent to a tendonologist called David Chapman Jones.

“With no threatening infections, he came home and we started to walk him in hand. We worked out we have walked him the equivalent of France and back!

“Slowly over the last year we have increased his work and ridden him and the weekend just gone was a very emotional one as he went double clear in his first event back at Epworth. It just shows how perseverance can have positive outcomes.”

Warde-Aldam now has big plans for the forthcoming season, with Tacco De Kezeg as well as Erco Polo B and Chilli Chap who began their seasons last weekend at Isleham. Warde-Aldam added: “My main aims for this year on my other horses, Chilli Chap and Erco Polo B, is the Junior Europeans. However on Alfie it will be the U18 Championships at the end of July.”

Huddersfield’s world no 8 Oliver Townend began his year down in Isleham where the Yorkshireman competed ten horses and enjoyed two victories and two seconds.

Both Arctic Mouse and Lanfranco won Open Novice and Open Intermediate heats respectively while Menlo Park was second in a Novice with Sweeps Crystal Cruise also runner up in a BE100 Open.

The British Eventing season takes in its second weekend this coming weekend with events at Oasby, Tweseldown and Poplar Park.

Annabel Shields made her journey from Durham worthwhile when she delivered an unbeatable performance to claim top spot in Saturday’s SEIB Winter Novice Qualifier at Bishop Burton College.

Against 47 other competitive combinations, every rider was vying for one of the two qualification places on offer for the Championship Final which will be held at the Royal International Horse Show at Hickstead this summer.

The first round saw 14 clears produced which left spectators with a nail biting jump-off in which five double clears were posted before the all-important clock decided the winner.

Shields used her late draw to full effect and delivered a foot-perfect round on board Amy Ryan’s six-year-old grey mare, Lobke VD Noordheuvel.

The partnership shaved 0.47 seconds off their nearest rival’s time to secure a double clear and first place in 32.48 seconds.

Rotherham’s Angela Tate was second on Radley, an eight-year-old chestnut gelding owned by Patricia Tate.