Eliza Stoddart Defends Five-Year-Old Championship at Oasby

Eliza Stoddart was in superlative form at this autumn’s Oasby (2) Horse Trials when securing the British Eventing Tigga’s Saddlery Five-Year-Old Championship for a second year running.

Riding the stunning grey, De Pleasure, owned by Eliza, Georgina Stoddart, Heather Sandell and Sue Brankin Frisby, the talented pair finished on their dressage score of 28.0 after jumping a double clear inside the time with the ground covering gelding finishing the cross-country with ease.

Eliza with her owners and Sally Platt of Tigga's_Saddlery — Eliza with her owners and Sally Platt of Tigga’s_Saddlery

Eliza won the 2019 championship with Codebreaker and was delighted to take the honours on De Pleasure, a Hannoverian gelding (Diacontinus x For You) who she thinks a great deal about.

Said Eliza:

I am so thrilled to win again and for the same team of owners it makes the occasion extra-special. We bought Rocco, as he is known at home as an unbroken three-year-old from the Brightwells auction and have taken him slowly.

He was third in the Burghley Young Event Horse final last year and has been really consistent since eventing started again this season.

I really think he is one for the long term and really rate him. Rocco has huge scope in all three phases and is a pleasure to ride and train. He has just matured at the right time and I would like to think he will go all the way to the top.”

Eliza Stoddar and De Pleasure on the cross country

Taking runner-up spot in the Tigga’s Saddlery sponsored championship was Caroline Harris on the British-bred Woodlands Be Individual (Billy Be Cool x Nenagh).

The striking chesnut with the flaxen mane and tail is owned by Dinah Posford, Teresa Dufosee, Jules Carter and Gail Sinclair and they were another combination to complete on their dressage score of 28.5.

The result made the five-hour drive from Dorset well worthwhile with Caroline praising the mare who she bought out of a field as a three-year-old.

Said Caroline:

She is super consistent, a real delight and just such a trier. I was very pleased with her today, she was straight and super easy on the cross-country.”

In third place on the podium was John-Paul Sheffield on Willa Newton’s, bay gelding Quality Time on a final score of 28.5.

Said Willa:

I am very grateful to JP for taking over the ride since my injury just before the season got underway again.

I had kept the horses fit throughout lockdown so wanted them to have a run and keep gaining experience. He shows a lot of promise and made it look easy today.”

Oasby (2) proved a busy event for the team at BEDE with 24 sections running over the three days from Open Intermediate to BE90 level.

Chester-based Sam Ecroyd was busy throughout the weekend with a win and two seconds across the novice sections while Angus Smales secured a BE100 and an Intermediate section thanks to the form of his various rides.

Young rider, Jess Corser galloped to success in the Open Intermediate Under 21 section while Robert Scalisi pulled out all the stops to take Intermediate Section B.