‘There’s no better set-up for Burghley’: Bramham under-25 winner eyes up autumn five-star

Bubby Upton took top spot in the Bramham Horse Trials results for the under-25 CCI4*-L section.

Bubby had three fences in hand when she started her showjumping round on her mother Rachel and the Zebedee Syndicate’s Magic Roundabout IV. She won with a comfortable 9.3-penalty margin when she had just one fence down, the second part of the double at fence 11.

“Obviously being the competitive person I am, I was annoyed to have had a rail. But I didn’t particularly feel like we could have done much different – it’s just one of those things and he jumped fantastically around the rest of the course and tried so hard,” said Bubby.

“I’m absolutely thrilled with him, to be honest. I can’t fault him. He’s given me his all this whole week. To win is obviously fantastic, but more importantly, the feeling he gave me in preparation for hopefully Burghley at the end of the year is really exciting for us all. Fingers crossed we can put in a good performance there because there’s no better set-up than here.”

This is Bubby’s second time winning the under-25 national championships, but this weekend was her Bramham debut as her previous victory was when the class moved to Bicton in 2021.

“I think back then it was probably a bigger win for me because it was my first at that level and it was on Cannavaro, a horse that I never thought would even get to that level. So that victory was probably the most special of my career,” said Bubby, adding that there was the expectation of being the favourite this time.

“I felt a little bit of pressure and maybe people kind of expected it, as opposed to it being a shock, which it was back in 2021. But of course, it’s still unbelievably sweet to win any class and the horse deserved it so much, the way he performed all week.”

Tom Bird jumped the only clear today in this section to finish second with his own and David Kerry’s grey Rebel Rhyme.

“He is a big horse and he struggles a bit showjumping sometimes, particularly on the third day, but I just came in and felt calm and like it might be the day that it all came together. I was over to moon with him, absolutely delighted,” said Tom, who paid tribute to trainer Chris Bartle “who’s supported me through thick and thin”, as well as dressage trainer Pammy Hutton and his home team.

Sasha Hargreaves maintained third despite having fence three – an upright off a five-stride related distance – and the black Defender oxer down with her own and her parents’ Bill and Alison’s Woodlands Be Daring.

She said: “I think the hills yesterday took it out of him a bit and he was a bit flatter than he normally would be. But he tried his absolute hardest me and I couldn’t have asked for anything more from him.

“I think he really deserves this result. I’ve had him for six years so we know each other well and he’s always just one that’s been ticking along in the background. So I’m really, really pleased with him.”

Felicity Collins slipped one place to fifth in the Bramham Horse Trials results with 12 faults on Shadow Minnie Moon, while Richard Coney gained a spot to finish fourth with four faults at fence 11b on Poetry In Motion II.

Emma Thomas rounded out the six finishers in this section with fence 11a down on Icarus X.

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