Avebury heads into history at Barbury

Andrew Nicholson’s grey gelding Avebury has become the first horse in the history of eventing to win a top-level competition for four consecutive years.

Home turf

Avebury set the record at Barbury International Horse Trials CIC3*, where the 15-year-old led from the off.

A clear in the showjumping, followed by an effortless cross-country performance – coming home 12 seconds inside the time ­– saw him finish on his dressage score of 33.9pen.

“Avebury definitely knew where he was – he felt as if he really knew his way round and could have gone even faster,” said Andrew.

The leaderboard was dominated by Kiwi eventers, with Andrew also taking second place on Nereo (38.3pen), Mark Todd third on Leonidas ll (38.4pen) and Tim Price fifth riding Ringwood Sky Boy (45pen).

‘Thrilled’

“I was thrilled with Nereo as well, who felt great,” said Andrew. “It’s a privilege to ride two horses like that.”

Barbury is Andrew’s local event and Avebury, who is owned by Mark and Rosemary Barlow, is something of a local celebrity. At this year’s event he had a fence named after him, as well as a hospitality marquee.

Nicola Wilson, who won the event in 2010, was the best British rider in fourth place on the Beltane Queen, while Laura Collett was sixth on Grand Manouevre.

Laura, who is based locally, won the Horse Trials Support Group’s prize for the best British rider aged 25 and under.

Kiwi whitewash

It wasn’t just the three-star competition that saw New Zealand sweep the board. Andrew won section B in the CIC2* riding Loughnatousa Joey – a horse he had never competed before. He was the only rider in his section to achieve the optimum time.

Tim Price won section C on The Court Jester and Jesse Campbell, who is based locally in Ogbourne St Andrew, won section D riding Cleveland.

‘Brilliant minds’

Mark Todd also won the Retraining of Racehorses Championship riding Front Street.

“I love thoroughbreds they have brilliant minds to work with,” said Mark. “I used to train racehorses in New Zealand and now we’ve just won a big Retraining of Racehorses class here at Barbury proving their versatility.

“Front Street is such a genuine fellow and tries his heart out, which is typical of his breed.”