New faces shine on a showery Mitsubishi Motors Cup

New faces shine on a showery Mitsubishi Motors Cup

An exciting competition unfolded on the final day of the Mitsubishi Motors Cup (1st – 2nd May) as the jumping phases proved highly influential and a big shake up to the eventual placings in both the BE90 and BE100.

Taking place on the days leading up to the World famous Mitsubishi Motors Badminton Horse Trials (2nd – 6th May), the Mitsubishi Motors Cup gives eligible riders competing at BE90 and BE100 level the exciting opportunity to ride on the same estate as eventing’s most well-known athletes and compete for an impressive prize package thanks to generous sponsors, Mitsubishi Motors.

BE100

After two years with the same winner, the 2018 BE100 witnessed a new champion in the form of 21 year old Lois Teal as she convincingly took the title with her own Z7 Catastrophe. For a long time it looked like 2016 and 2017 Mitsubishi Motors Cup holder Katie Hancock was going to make it three years in a row but the five penalties she collected from the show jumping turned out to be expensive as she finished the day in the runner up spot. For the winner, North Yorkshire’s Lois, there was nothing to add to her dressage score of 27.3 following two penalty free jumping phases on her eight year old German-bred gelding which left them with a 2.5 penalty advantage over her closest rivals.

Lois said; “I really enjoyed it! I’ve got a really good team behind me and I’m quite laid back person, when we arrived I’d be happy to finish in the top half on a score less than 35! We thought if he [Z7 Catastrophe] didn’t suit me he’d suit my brother as a hunter – my brother didn’t get him!”

No stranger to the pressure of performing in the electric atmosphere of the Mitsubishi Motors Cup, Katie was not the only competitor to collect faults from the show jumping after the BE100 competitors’ early morning jumping times meant they faced the worst of the torrential downpour that Badminton delivered; but with an impressive dressage score of 24.8 penalties and no problems in the final cross country phase, Katie and her eight year old British-bred mare Chytodden Crystal Rose ended the day in second position.

When asked if it was just as special to be back again this year, Katie said: “It’s fantastic to be back, we all aspire to be here; without the Mitsubishi Motors Cup we wouldn’t be able to gallop on this course in front of the house and we are all lucky to be here. You need to keep a level head because Badminton will eat you up and spit you out if you don’t – I’ve done a lot at home to prepare to get here.”

Charlotte Agar and her seven year old gelding Gambler VD Beekzijde complete the top three thanks to a valuable clear round in both the show jumping and cross country which saw them finish on their dressage score of 31.6 penalties to move them up over 30 places after the dressage. Commenting on her day; “It was absolutely amazing! I wanted to complete, he’s never done anything like this before and dressage isn’t his strongest phase, it was much, much better than I was expecting.”

BE90 results

It was an agonising wait for BE90 winner Lauren Burton who was second out on the BE90 cross country course this afternoon; after adding nothing to her dressage score of 30.1 penalties she had to wait until the end of the day to find out that the title was hers. The Mitsubishi Motors Cup debutant piloted Susan Allerton’s D Akieda to a fantastic double clear to secure the win by the narrowest of margins over second placed Robert Gilsenan who finished on a score of 30.3.

An overwhelmed Lauren said; “I came just hoping to get around. I was pleased with her test, she went well. It’s been a good experience!”

Frustratingly two seconds too fast on the cross country cost Robert the win on the 10 year old gelding Landis Rocket Man, as the additional 0.8 penalties on his dressage score of 28.5 saw them finish with a score of 30.3 for second place. Robert praised his consistent horse who has only once returned without a rosette from a BE event, claiming that “he always goes really well and never has a bad day,” and that Robert was “annoyed with himself, but top three is a really good achievement; [Landis Rocket Man] didn’t put a foot wrong.”

Another Mitsubishi Motors Cup first timer made up the top three with 14 year old Freya Kendrew and Romeo III completing on a score of 32.1. The 18 year old gelding has been a part of the Kendrew family since a four year old and showed all of his experience to bring the combination in third place against a highly competitive field, just picking up four penalties from the show jumping to add to their dressage score of 28.1. Freya, who had to take time off school to be here, said “I was quite nervous, I get really bad nerves,” but that her “teachers were alright with [her being here]!”

Ambassador of the Mitsubishi Motors Cup Emily King was on hand to assist in the presentation of the trophies with Lance Bradley, Vice Chairman of Mitsubishi Motors in the UK who commented; “The Mitsubishi Motors Cup has produced some excellent competition here at the Badminton Estate and to see so many amateur competitors enjoying the experience is very rewarding. All of us at Mitsubishi Motors in the UK enjoy being a part of this event – well done to all who have taken part.”

The winners also receive the use of a vehicle from the Mitsubishi Motors range for one year, a rosette, plus prize money and a winner’s rug from Horseware Ireland.

Along with this the top three riders from each section collected a cross country helmet from PROtector Patey, rosettes were awarded to 20th place and anyone who completes the 2018 competition also receives a special rosette.

Other prizes

Picking up her seventh Mitsubishi Motors Cup completion, Alyson Parker’s fifth place (32.4 penalties) finish in the BE100 sees her taking both the Keep Kicking On trophy – for the highest placed rider over 40 years old – and the silver salver, £200, rosette and a jacket from the Event Horse Owners Association as the highest placed EHOA member on her experienced campaigner J J Malone.

In the BE90 fourth placed Deborah Rusden and Lemon Twist took the Keep Kicking On trophy whilst EHOA member Stuart Nie and Ponte Vecchio the EHOA award.

Second and third positions in each section also took home a Shearwater Jacket and each EHOA member that has completed the Mitsubishi Motors Cup also received a rosette.

Retraining of Racehorses kindly awarded a numnah and tickets to the RoR Showcase Live to any horse raced in Great Britain and registered with RoR that started in the BE100 and BE90 this year.

Suzanne Ashton

Suzanne Ashton, Founder of Everything Horse (Est, 2012), has a BA Hons in Marketing Management and a Diploma in Equine Science. Suzanne has ridden and owned horses all her life and has twelve years of experience in marketing, writing, design, SEO, and website creation.