It’s U25 title number two for Bubby
When Bramham was forced to cancel in 2021 due to the Covid pandemic, all the classes moved to substitute venue Bicton and it was there Newmarket-based rider Bubby Upton took the U25 title – her first four-star win. However, she always had a yearning to compete at Bramham, so set her sights on contesting the U25s once again in her last year at the level.
Her chosen partner for her Bramham debut was The Zebedee Syndicate and Rachel Upton’s Magic Roundabout IV. They put in a supreme dressage performance to score a career-best 26.5, which gave them a 3.2 margin going into the cross-country over France’s Morgane Euriat riding Baccarat D Argonne. Saturday’s cross-country proved an influential affair, with just one rider going clear and inside the time – and that was Bubby with ‘Magic’.
Sunday dawned sunny and bright, with seven combinations remaining in the U25 section. Sadly, Max Warburton and Monbeg Exclusive were spun at the final horse inspection, but this is a combination who are certainly ones to watch in the future. This left just six pairs to come forward and jump around Jason Abbs’ showjumping course.
Clear rounds were at premium but, overall, the top three remained the same as the overnight roster. Sasha Hargreaves and Woodlands Be Daring had two down, but retained their place on the podium, while Tom Bird – impressive yesterday with the grey Rebel Rhyme – conjured the only clear to stay on their two-day total of 39.8, keeping them in the runner-up spot. Bubby and Magic had the luxury of a 13.3 penalty cushion, but Tom’s clear round certainly put some added pressure on.
Bubby is a great rider over the coloured poles and Magic looked full of running after yesterday’s rigors, and they didn’t look like touching a fence until they breathed on the second fence of the double at 11 and the pole fell for four faults. They were clear the rest of the way to take the title and add a second U25 title to Bubby’s growing list of accolades – plus, it has confirmed her growing suspicions that Magic was a Burghley contender.
After the prize-giving and lap of honour, Bubby said: “He jumped fantastically. Obviously, being the competitive person, I was annoyed to have a rail, but I didn’t particularly feel like we could have done anything differently – it’s just one of those things. He tried so hard, so 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 important is the feeling he gave me in preparation for Burghley, which is really exciting for us all.
“Bicton was a huge win for me because it was my first at that level and on a horse that I never thought would compete at that level, so that victory was probably the most special of my career. The chat was that Magic should win here, so I felt a bit of pressure, and maybe then people expect it as opposed to the shock that it was in 2021, but of course it’s still unbelievably sweet to win any class and the horse deserved it so much the way he’s performed all week. The best test of his life, yesterday was such a buzz and the feeling round this track was pretty special, to be honest. I’m just pleased to have been able to get the job done,” she summed up.
Runners up Tom Bird and Rebel Rhyme have an amazing partnership – the sizeable Irish gelding was bought as Tom’s first horse off ponies, with the plan to do novice eventing. Four years later, they’ve just finished second in a four-star!
“He was just super,” said Tom. “He’s a big horse and struggles a bit in the showjumping sometimes, particularly on the third day. Today, he came in and was just so calm, it really felt like it might just be the day it all came together. I think he was the only clear in the class – I was just over the moon with him.
“Yesterday he just ate it up. Bramham is massive – it never feels easy – but he just cruised round. He was on it, on his lines. We walked the course, had a plan, stuck to it and it just worked. We used the hills at home to get fit because we came here last year and, in hindsight, he wasn’t really fit enough, so this year we got him fitter and he felt like a different horse. He finished really well, pulled up well and jumped the round of his life today. What a week, I’m so proud of him!” added a clearly delighted Tom.
Tom was quick to thank his team, who have made the week possible, those with him here and those who’ve stayed behind, and plus his trainers, Chris Bartle – “He’s been with me through thick and thin, it’s not always gone our way but he’s stood by me” – and Pammy Hutton, who has recently come on board to help with dressage.
Full-time equestrian Sasha was pleased with her time at Bramham. “It’s been an amazing week,” she said. “His dressage was really, really good, but our changes are definitely a work-in-progress, so we didn’t get them, but the rest of the work was great. Cross-country was slightly terrifying! Along with everyone, I didn’t have the best preparation, so I was very nervous, but he was unbelievable out there. It’s only our second four-star long – we did Blenheim, which didn’t quite go to plan. So it’s been nice to come here and put a few demons to bed – he was just unbelievable the whole way and made if feel like a walk in the park. I think it really took it out of him a bit today, he was a bit flatter than I’d normally expect him to be, but he really tried his hardest.”
For full results, visit EventingScores