LOWER Stanton St Quintin’s Kitty King took home one of two international CIC (one day event) titles on offer at the Network-sponsored Gatcombe Park International event, held over HRH The Princess Royals farmland near Stroud, writes KATE HEALEY.

The event has long been a popular date in the early autumn calendar and several Olympians were among the entries, including Pippa Funnell, Matt Ryan and Andrew Hoy.

King, who previously evented under her maiden name of Boggis, topped the CIC* one star section on the highly consistent six year old Zidante, now owned by North Bradley’s Ben Walden.

“I bought Zidante as a four year and sold a part share to Ben, who has now bought the mare outright,” she explained.

“She has only been doing novice events but has been really consistent all season, with three wins on the trot.”

The partnership lay second after dressage, just over three marks behind British star Funnell.

When Funnell clocked up 8.8 time penalties on the cross country, King scorched home just three seconds over the optimum time to add just 1.2 penalties to her score, they moved up to win.

“At Gatcombe Zidante did a really nice dressage test, lying second in a huge field of 104,” she added.

“The cross country course was lovely and the ground really good considering we haven’t had that much rain.”

The mare, also second in the CIOC* at Somerford Park in Cheshire last month, is now entered for both the British Young Horse Championships at Osberton and the Six Year Old World Championships, due to be held at Le Lion d’Angers in France next month.

Kingalso filled fourth and eighth spots in a strong Open Intermediate section.

Her best result came on the chestnut Kings Cross, who she rides for Pewsey’s Alexandra Fox, and she finished eighth on Jo Jones’ Boondoggle.

Little Cheverell 23 year old Coral Keen was 10th in the CIC* on the six year old mare Zoe, who she bought from Tim Warren in 2008, in what was a promising international debut for the youngster.

Keen was also seventh in the Open Intermediate on Serious Opposition, the nine year old she has produced over the past four years and who was fifth at the Brightling Park CIC** this season, and sixth on Intermediate ride Aphrodisiac, another Warren purchase who has rarely finished out of the top 10 this season.

Malmesbury’s Polly Williamson was 11th in the CIC** on another consistent six year old, Smart Time, whose single show jump down cost a possible second spot.

Membury Un21 European gold medallist Laura Collett was fifth in the top CIC** on Mere Oak, who pulled up eight places after dressage thanks to a faultless double jumping clear.

Bishopstone’s Rodney Powell led an Intermediate section by close on five marks riding Suzie Belsham’s seven year old Conair and Lacock teenager David Doel continued his recent good form with a Novice win on new ride Serve Chilled, who scampered home 10 seconds under the optimum time cross country.

Little Cheverell’s Clayton Fredericks, winner of team silver at the 2008 Olympics for his native Australia, won two Novice sections.

He too came home well under the optimum time on the first of these, Brookton, whom he was riding in competition for just the third time this season.

His second winner was Mr Sydney Rocks, who finished on an excellent dressage score of 27.

FREDERICKS' wife and fellow Olympic team silver medallist Lucinda Fredericks has just returned from competing in Holland.

She made the trip the Varsseveld Intermational with stable mate Nicole Pearson, riding Flying Finish and Nysa De Petra in the CIC**.

Pearson partnered The Navigator and All Done II in the step lower CIC*, the first rung on the international ladder.

Fredericks' duo lay fourth and seventh after dressage and both jumped ‘super double clears with a handful of time faults’.

That left her "very happy'' with the final result, which saw Peter Reid’s eight-year-old Flying Finish in ninth and Nysa De Petra 13th.

Both horses will go to the CCI** three-day event at Lignieres in France at the end of the month.

Pearson just missed the placings on her duo, who will have gained valuable experience in the process.

“Conditions were quite tough due to heavy rain on the run up, but fortunately it dried up considerably just before which meant that we were happy to run,” said Pearson.

“The Navigator and All Done II both struggled a bit with the sticky going in the dressage but both jumped well, with All Done jumping a double clear with some time faults and The Navigator having unlucky rails in the showjumping and then going boldly and confidently across country.

"I was very pleased with both horses.”

TINA Fletcher had the best possible warm up before her trip to the USA for the World Equestrian Games, with her top ride Hello Sailor.

The 43 year old, based at Woolstone, just outside Swindon, has been chosen for the Great Britain show jumping team at the Kentucky staged Games, where both individual and team World Championship titles will be up for grabs.

Their warm-up came at the Royal County of Berkshire Show, which staged the last in the series of British Showjumping Business Partnership International Stairway competitions, which have run at major British outdoor shows all season.

The ‘Royal Berks’ attracted a big crowd and the Stairway class took place infront of a packed grandstand, with spectators keen to watch many of Britain’s top riders tackle the challenging 1.60m course built by International Course Designer Steve Williams.

Fletcher proved just what a class act she and Hello Sailor are when they jumped the only double clear of the whole competition to score an emphatic win. The 11 year old chestnut gelding, owned by long time show jumping supporter Lady Harris, saw off former pony champion Lance Whitehouse, currently based with Nick Skelton, who picked up five time faults riding Transmission.

Fletcher and Hello Sailor will now join their other British team mates in Kentucky, where the showjumping competition gets underway on October 4 and runs to October 9, when the top four finally battle it out for individual honours.

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