March on the Brink of Double Victory

Piggy March enjoyed a brace of fantastic cross-country rounds to lead two international classes at Scone Palace International Horse Trials (27-30 August)

The British rider leapfrogged up the CCI4*-L leaderboard from fourth thanks to a speedy round aboard Gaie Scouller and James Midgley’s Cooley Anything You Like. The pair clocked one of three clears inside the time to overhaul dressage leaders Willa Newton and Hartacker, who added 8.4 time-faults to drop to second, less than a rail behind. 

“Cooley Anything You Like is an out-and-out Badminton and Burghley horse – so powerful, brave and with such gallop,” said Piggy. “I was grateful for the long uphill gallops because he’s a machine – it’s just difficult getting him back for the downhill ones!”

Piggy also coasted round on her home-bred Diamond March to maintain her overnight lead on 24.4 in the Brooks Macdonald CCI2*-L. 

“I was a bit twitchy before because he’s a big baby,” said Piggy. “But he pricked his ears and was smiling all the way round. Whatever happens tomorrow, this is a positive notch in his education.”

Piggy has a fence in hand over Tom McEwen – who stays in second on Brookfield In The Spotlight. Scottish-based riders fill the next four places, with Wills Oakden (Cooley Cormint) third, Sean Henderson fourth (Master Of Ballantrae) and fifth (Dignified Augusta Rose), and Cameron Swales (Olievei-Alve D.V) sixth.

Izzy Taylor was another dressage leader to post a clean sheet in the final cross-country section to run on Saturday, the CCI3*-L, aboard Barrington Boy. Scone Palace is Izzy’s first long-format of the season after breaking her leg in March.

“Barrington Boy did a super round – I had a lovely time, he had a lovely time,” said Izzy. Second and third flip-flopped from the dressage phase, with Emily King’s fault-free clear on Angell’s Choice raising her above Ros Canter on Broadstone Lion Man, who added 1.6 time-faults. 

The stage is set for the CCI4*-S cross-country, in which Gemma Stevens (Cooley Park Muze) heads Emily King (Valmy Biats) by just 0.2pen.

“I was nervous beforehand, because I so want to do well. He is such a good jumper – a very special horse,” said Gemma, who is also fourth (Chili Morning IV) and seventh (Chilli’s Jester).

Local rider Wills Oakden sits in third on Keep It Cooley. 

The leaderboard is tightly packed, with just 1.9 penalties – or five seconds of cross-country time-faults – covering the top six. 

Gemma’s worlds gold medal-winning team-mate Tom McEwen landed the Malcolm Group Scone Palace 1.40m grand prix by more than 3sec, riding former intermediate eventer Kilcannon Mischeif. 

“She’s great fun and jumped fantastic,” said Tom. “Showjumping in a big grass arena with an atmosphere like Scone puts you under pressure that you don’t always get in eventing – I’m loving every second.”

In the Malcolm Group CCI1*-intro, Harry Horton climbed to the top of the 94-competitor leaderboard from his dressage fourth with a showjumping clear on JTH Rover. 

Change was also afoot in the CCI-S P2* showjumping, with dressage leader Jonty Purcell (FHS Felicity) slipping to second with a rail down. His compatriot from Ireland, Lucy Hope Ryan (Pretty Patterns) jumped from third to first with the only clear inside the time. 

As well as top-class international eventing featuring many of the world’s best riders and a wide range of showing, showjumping, arena eventing and other supporting classes, Scone Palace International Horse Trials features superb shopping with a carefully curated selection of local and national retailers, excellent food and drink options and hospitality packages.