Rebecca back with win after unlucky break

Aswanley Estate, near Huntly, ran its popular annual BritishEventing horse trials at the weekend.

Local riders shared a number of vic tories throughout the sections with freelance equestrian business owner Rebecca Stephen heading BE90 section F. Rebecca, 24, secured the best dressage score of the day on Eleanor Mennie’s 10-year-old 14.2hh HaddoRiffRaff withanunbeatable 18.5. The homebred Welsh cob added 4.4 time penalties to lead the 30-strong section.

Oldmeldrum-based Rebecca teaches, trains and competeshorsesonbehalf of owners. Having only started competing again recently after breaking her collarbone at the start of the season, the partnership now heads to BurgieHorse Trials. Rebecca also competes at 2* with her own horse.

Rebecca’s younger sister, Jessica, 17, competed in novice section B. She finished sixth and won the trophy for the best local rider. Jessica secured her first points at this level and is now aiming for Blair 1* next year.

Securing her second qualification for the Badminton Grassroots Finals next year, Caitlin Padfield picked up the hotly contested qualifying ticket in the BE90 regional final section. The 17-year-old rode Ridinghill Reward to victory to finish on their dressage of 30. The 16-year-old gelding is owned by Rothienormanbased Alice Gartly. Caitlin picked up the ride on the former pure dressage horse in 2011 and has had a successful season together this year.

Caitlin also rode her own Mr RM to second in the same section. The partnership competed at the Badminton finals this year.

Fife-based Wills Oakden headed the novice section with Beek Fee and was runner-up to Daniel Scott in the intermediate novice on the talented six-year-old coloured mare Chiara D. He also rode Annabel Sall’s Nordic Diamond Dan to their fourth win this season in the BE100 open section.

Results

UP AND OVER: Rebecca