THE final domestic horse trials were held over three days at the Ely Eventing Centre, Little Downham with different classes competing each day in the one-day format. This means each competitor competes in all three disciplines, dressage, showjumping and

THE final domestic horse trials were held over three days at the Ely Eventing Centre, Little Downham with different classes competing each day in the one-day format.

This means each competitor competes in all three disciplines, dressage, showjumping and cross-country.

Due to a high entry the event was extended to include Monday.

Topping the entries was Team GB rider Pippa Funnell, the only rider to win the Rolex Grand Slam of Badminton, Burghley and Kentucky in one season. She is also a double individual European Champion as multiple team gold medallist. Also competing alongside local competitors was Team GB rider Matthew Wright, Irish international Pip Peters and New Zealand international Joe Meyer. The first day's competition was for the Witcham House Stud Novice sections, Junior Novice and Pre-novice classes.

In the Novice section A Pippa Funnell won riding her young horse Sporting Hero by just 0.2 of a point from Nicky Chandler on Sterre H. Novice section B saw a second win for Pippa Funnell with another young horse Billy Black Jack the pair having achieved an excellent dressage score of just 19.1.

Section C saw Joe Meyer take second with hi own and Deborah Meyer's Greenstone.

He was five points behind winner Marcus Reid riding Primitive Purple Streak. Finishing fifth was Royston rider Owen Moore riding Salvation, a horse owned by Ely Event Centre owners Bob and Tina Ure. In his second ride of the day Meyer finished third in section D with Clifton Chatter just 1.3 points behind winner Georgie Davies on Natalie Hubble's Little Boss.

A highly-competitive Junior Novice section was won by Tottie Jones riding her own Louellas Bay Vanesse. Upholding local honour in this class was Littleport rider Petoria Lee who was ninth, just five points behind, riding Multimedia.

The final class of the day was the Clem Tompsett Inter-Novice and saw Georgie Davies take a second win of the day on Really Rich, the pair winning by almost ten points. The young Cambridge riders Isabelle Edmundson and Kate McGahey were sixth and 13th respectively on their own horses Dun Deliberately and In A Spin II.

Day two saw the competition move onto the Equicentric Pre-Novice sections, Open Pre-Novice and Ames Nissan Intermediate sections. With thirty-eight starters in section G young Ely rider Becky Mulley finished twenty-first on her own Harley's Venture. The section was won by Simon Grieve riding Sue Smith's Deep Blue Rising. Section H saw the first local win with Little Downham rider Dr Polly Taylor riding Shirley Taylor's Charlie VIII. The pair put in a good performance in the dressage and followed this up with a clear showjump and double clear cross-country to give them their first class win. Another good local performance came in section I where Ely rider Sarah-Louise Corbin took fourth riding Dennison, they too went clear in both showjump and double clear in cross-country. The section was won by Caroline Smith on Impress II with Owen Moore second on Sonia Hanson's Dorian Gray. Winner in section J was Hilary Francois riding Coniac following a good dressage score of 32. The third ride of the weekend for Pippa Funnell came in Intermediate section K where she finished second riding Carol Toliver's Mirage D'Elle. They were beaten by Andrew James with Lucy William's Cudlic Earl. Also in this section and finishing fifteenth was Owen Moore on Adele and Victor Rawlinson's Danewood Clover Lad. Section L saw Pippa out on her final ride, Redesigned, finishing 20th following problems with the cross-country. Caxton rider Sarah Bullen was competing in this section hoping to repeat her win from earlier in the season on Manado. Following a good dressage and only one down in the showjump they were in contention but time penalties incurred on the cross country saw them finish second.

Winning the section was Francis Whittington riding Dance Forever, just two points ahead of Sarah.

The final section of the day saw Team GB squad rider Matthew Wright win riding Charlotte Cole's Hugginstown. Following her first visit to Little Downham Pippa Funnell had nothing but praise for the event saying it was a lovely event adding that both the cross-country courses were well built and very educational. Both the horses she won with on Saturday are young and were in only their second events. Her second placed horse, Mirage D'Elle was competing at Inter level for the first time and said there was nothing to worry about he just needed the experience.

The final day's competition was for the Tigga's Saddlery Intro sections and Ely Eventing Pre-Novice.

These would see Irish International riders Pip Peters and Ian Olding competing along with Italian team rider Francesca Rizza. Winning the opening under-21 Intro section was Tamsyn Iveson, riding her own Olympic Du Loir. Section O saw Ely rider Rebecca Thompson finish fourth on her own horse Steel Diamond. They were less than three points behind winner Alison Braithwaite on Donnie Brasco. The win in section P went to Kate Knight riding Mister Percy while Carly Woodgate and Blakeney Cowboy won section Q.

In the under-21 Pre-novice section Mary Edmundson won riding Debbie Edmundson's Harroway Catkin. Section S saw Kizzy Murphy win riding Uptown Girl II with Ian Olding third on Only Joking while Pip Peters took twelfth riding North Astor Nelson. The final section of the event was won by Jemma Coleman on Fools Errand with a score of twenty-eight with Ian Olding second on Xlnt Esmerelda just a point behind. Also in the class were Francesca Rizza in seventh and Pip Peters who finished fourteenth.

The event proved very popular with just fewer than nine hundred horses competing over the three days and provided a great end to the British Eventing season. The organisers Bob and Tina Ure would like to thank all the volunteers that helped to make the event run smoothly.

The 2008 season will begin in March at Isleham.