Morris-Baumber planning to make step up after Bishop Burton delight

Morris-Baumber landed Saturday’s Open Novice section riding Olympic Belle as the partnership continued their fine end to 2013.

Their Bishop Burton win followed September’s success in a Novice class at Hutton In The Forest with Morris-Baumber and Olympic Belle now targeting success at the CCI one-star at the Aldon International Horse Trials in Somerset at the end of this month.

The York rider then hopes to step her equine ace known as ‘Nel’ up to Intermediate level next year. Reflecting on her weekend’s Bishop Burton win, Morris-Baumber told the Yorkshire Post: “Nel did a super dressage test and jumped a superb clear round in the showjumping giving me a great feeling.

“She whizzed around the cross country course and there were plenty of questions on the course which were catching people out, but Nel was fabulous and zoomed up the hills and made it all feel easy.”

Yorkshire success was plentiful at the event with four riders from the White Rose county successful at BE100 level.

Three of those were York’s Sophie Blades on Friday’s Rebel, Goole’s Alice Walker on Duvel and Harrogate’s Lucy Thompson on Midnight Scallywag.

And there was also plenty for the county to smile about in Sunday’s sections when Bishop Burton College pupil Charlotte Whittle was first. Whittle, 26, was riding her 12-year-old TH mare Pertemps Style.

The York ace was also 13th on her other horse, Lowmoor Superstar. Yorkshire winners at BE90 level were Wetherby’s Josie Proctor riding Caprona, and Dore’s Michelle Pritchard, riding Moortown Alchemist. At Under-18 level, Northallerton’s Phoebe Powell savoured victory on Kelly’s Lad.

Course designer Mark Watler had made a few tweaks on some of the courses, ahead of making a lot more changes next year when the FEI European Eventing Championship for Juniors comes to the East Yorkshire-based college, from August 15 until August 17. The weekend’s event provided something of a trial run with Kim Knightley, Bishop Burton’s equine director, thrilled with the event as a whole.

“We’ve had some excellent feedback from competitors,” said Knightley.

“It’s always a joy to see our own students doing well and others that have come through the college.

“Running the event is a great training opportunity for our students, who are really involved in the organisation and get that first-hand experience of being part of an event.”

Another Yorkshire rider enjoying success of late is Grace Lumley, at just 13 years of age.

Lumley, from Bedale, finished a fine fifth in a Novice class at Aske International on board Blue Brook. Askham Bryan College stage BE90 and BE100 events this coming Sunday while the big guns such as Northallerton’s Nicola Wilson will be aiming to conquer at Beokelo in Holland.

The Annual Meeting of North West Yorkshire committee of the British Horse Society will take place on Tuesday, October 15 at 7.30pm at Ripley Town Hall.

It will be followed by two talks, on Saddle Making and Fitting and the Alexander Technique as applied to riding. Home made refreshments will be provided and non members are welcome.

Tickets are priced £3 on the door. Reserve your place by emailing [email protected].

There are only 10 days to go until this year’s Countryside Live – the ‘little sister’ of the Great Yorkshire Show. Held at The Great Yorkshire Showground, the event takes place on Saturday, October 19 and Sunday, October 20,

A new feature this year is the North East Driving Trials which take place in the Main Ring on Saturday afternoon. Show director Bill Cowling enthused: “The driving trials which will be great to watch, with competitors manoeuvring their horse-drawn vehicles around various obstacles. It’s all against the clock so lots of thrills and spills are expected.”

For tickets and info visit www.countrysidelive.co.uk