Judy Harvey and Kay Maxted contested the Big Tour classes at Vierzon CDI3* (5 – 7 July), coming home with two top five placings for Great Britain.
Riding for the Freestyle on Richard Heley’s 15 year old Fitzcerraldo, List 1 judge Judy (pictured) led the way finishing on 69.300% for third place and bettering her own qualifying score from the Grand Prix class by just under three percent.
Just ahead of Judy were Julia Chevanne (FRA) and Elisabeth Eversfied Koch (SUI) who finished on 71.100% and 71.650% respectively.
In the Special, Kay Maxted (below) rode her own pocket sized KWPN gelding Privaldi and like Judy bettered her own qualifying score to finish fourth with 65.771%. Germany’s Stephan Koberle, winner of the qualifying Grand Prix, took the class with his De Niro gelding Darjeeling on 71.146%.
At Small Tour two riders represented GBR; List 2A judge Harry Payne with Sir Real along with 22 year old Cambridge graduate Lucy Fallen on Nurejev.
It was a case of role reversals when Harry finished two percent ahead of Lucy in the qualifying PSG, followed by a near seven percent lead for Lucy in the Inter I Freestyle.
Harry (pictured below), who co-owns Sir Real with Isobel Laurence, said “We had a lovely show. It was a wonderful venue with lovely stabling and super friendly organisers. He produced a really settled PSG which I was thrilled with but in the Inter I he got tense and some expensive mistakes crept in which cost us dearly.
“He’s already done a couple of Pick Your Own Grand Prix’s this year (in fact, Sir Real won both of those classes back in May at Vale View) so the plan is to compete in some more UK Big Tour classes and perhaps some international Small Tour later in the year.”
For Nurejev and Lucy (who has just completed a year-long law conversion course) it was the first competition in 10 months due to Lucy’s study commitments, and the 18 year old KWPN whom she describes as ‘getting naughtier every year’ was on his toes.
“He was very excited in the PSG and it wasn’t quite the test I’d imagined but my aim was to qualify for the Inter I and we did it.
“The Freestyle was just so much fun despite the 36 degree heat – I don’t think I’ve ever ridden in such hot temperatures! The venue itself was amazing, so friendly, and a really big, supportive crowd. I even signed my first autograph! It was just a great trip.”
The pair, who train with Gareth Hughes, rode to a selection of Nurejev’s ballet compositions, arranged for them by Gaynor Colbourn.
When asked how she plans to combine her riding with a budding law career (she is due to start a training contract with a City firm early next year), Lucy said “Oh no, don’t ask! I’m ignoring that one for the time being. The problem is I really want to do both things, I don’t want to give up the riding. For the time being I live just outside of London and commute into the City, and it works. I’ll find a way to make sure it keeps on working.”
Lucy and Nurejev are travelling to Deaville in six days to compete alongside four other British riders in the CDI3*.
Based in France, 17 year old Amy Bird competed at Vierzon in the six year old Young Horse class with her own gelding Cambel B, taking ninth place.