Rueder jumps into the record books as Bramham’s first ever German champion

Kai Rueder, riding Saaten Unions Charly Weld, had been in the lead after the cross country and jumped faultlessly in the final showjumping yesterday to finish just a fraction ahead of Britain’s Polly Stockton, with Oliver Townend close behind them in third place.

Germany’s victory is partly due to coaching from Yorkshire’s Chris Bartle from the Yorkshire Riding Centre at Markington.

“Chris wouldn’t let us come here for the last 10 years – this is the first time he’s let us run at Bramham, we had to be good enough,” said Rueder. “It’s my first title at this level and to win here at Bramham means a lot.”

Bartle is the national coach for the German three day event squad.

Polly Stockton joked that she rather wished Bartle hadn’t decided the German riders were ready to compete at Bramham but she was still delighted nevertheless with her second place with Regulus.

Oliver Townend put in his best performance ever at Bramham, which was sponsored this year by Welcome to Yorkshire. It hasn’t been a lucky event for him but this weekend he was on top form with his French-bred horse, Neo du Breuil.

“He was fantastic all the way round. I was really pleased with the way he coped with the distance and the undulations (on the cross country course),” said Townend.

He had praise for Ian Stark’s course, saying: “His courses are what the whole eventing world has needed for a long time.”

After he coped so well with this CCI three star event, Townend is now planning to enter the horse in a four star competition.

There were celebrations too for Northallerton’s Nicola Wilson who moved up the rankings to finish in sixth place with Rosemary Search’s Bee Diplomatic after a clear showjumping round. She left the arena punching the air to cheers from the home crowd.

It turned out to be a good afternoon all round for Townend who won the Mix and Match competition when he was paired with showjumper Paul Barker from Northallerton.

He has won this competition twice and Barker has been on the winning side on six occasions.

Some of the eventing stars of the future could be seen competing in the Bishop Burton College Under 25 CCI three star event.

The final showjumping phase of the competition brought disappointment for the Irish rider, Camilla Speirs, who had been in the lead since day one.

A pole down in the showjumping yesterday cost her the title. This went to 18-year-old Helen Dunning who completed the showjumping with just two time penalties.

Only a fraction of a point had separated the two riders.

Speirs, 21, is a student at University College Dublin and is trained over here by Ian Woodhead who is based at Sheriff Hutton.

Despite the disappointment she was very pleased with the way her horse, Portersize Just a Jiff, had performed.

“He was just fabulous throughout the competition,” said Speirs.

The new Under 25 champion, Shropshire based Helen Dunning, kept calm in the showjumping to go clear and said: “I knew he could do it, I just had to ride him.”

She was placed third in the advanced section at the recent Chatsworth Horse Trials with Keep Your Options Open which boded well for Bramham.

“I did Bramham last year with my own horse but this course was bigger and more technical,” said a delighted Dunning.

Third place went to Paul Sims from Nantwich riding Power of Dreams.

Yorkshire riders Rachael Lupton from Northallerton and Jolyse Clancey from York both retired on the cross country section of the competition.

New Zealander Jonathan Paget took the CIC three star event on Clifton Lush, a horse he only started riding in February. After a clear cross country round inside the time he finished on a score of 49.4, just a point ahead of Emily Parker riding Treefers, with Bramham regular Andrew Nicholson in third place riding Armada.

“He’s a really nice horse to ride and he’s a lot of fun cross country,” said Paget who was competing at Bramham for the first time. He visited the course two years ago to watch Andrew Nicholson when Nicholson won the main event riding Nereo.

After his success at this event Paget said he will be working towards the London Olympics with this horse.

Another New Zealand rider, Neil Spratt, who had been in the lead going into the cross country section, picked up penalties at the water jump with Upleadon. But he had the consolation of finishing in sixth place with his second ride, the less experienced Elton 11.

The CCI winner Kai Rueder was also close to the top in this competition, finishing fourth riding Edino. Yorkshire rider James Sommerville from Boroughbridge finished in 15th place with Freddie Too.

For the very latest equestrian news make sure you read Jill Armstrong’s column every Wednesday and Saturday inside the Yorkshire Post.