27 juni 2016
Sandringham: Win for Barry Capstick
Ireland’s Barry Capstick’s nightmare of five weeks ago turned into a dream at Sandringham when he took the FEI ** horse pairs class by almost 30 penalties, leading every phase. Being there was, he says, entirely thanks to the vets at Bourton Vale Equine Clinic, and Hank Van Der Wiel, who generously lent him the grey Zandman when Barry’s horses became suddenly and seriously ill.Despite taking the scenic route round the cones, Wilf Bowman-Ripley confirmed his lead in dressage and the marathon phases to take the four-in-hand class. After a storming marathon, Daniel Naprous gave up second place to Dick Lane in the cones.
Yorkshire’s Tara Wilkinson, 18, has plenty of experience at international level already and kept her cool to come third by just 0.41 penalties behind top class pony pairs drivers Alan Clarke, the winner being 2015 world gold medallist Anna Grayston. Sara Howe took the FEI pony fours title while daughter Phillipa boxed and coxed between the top three places with Robert Buck and Rosanna Walters-Symons to take the single pony class. A similarly competitive time was had by Ellen Littlechild, John Ripley and Ulrike Firk (GER), single horse, finishing in that order.
British Carriagedriving’s national event with 47 starters was run in parallel to the FEI competition as was the local East Anglia club’s two-day event, which is an important source of new competitors.
Barry Hunter, Course Designer, offered plenty of choices and challenges throughout the obstacles and cones courses in the picturesque parkland setting, drivers enjoying going past Sandringham House and gardens on the way to the marathon start. The going and weather proved reasonably favourable despite threatened showers and storms.
Fiona Powell
