From Avebury to AP McCoy, there were a few things that dawned on us at this year's Barbury Horse Trials
1. Andrew Nicholson and Avebury have got Barbury sussed…
This weekend the pair took their fourth consecutive title in the CIC3*
2. …and he’s understandbly chuffed about it
The Kiwi celebrates with his wife Wiggy
3. Barbury is the number one horse trials for lazy spectators
Set in a natural amphitheatre in the rolling Wiltshire hills, this is the horse trials for spectators who have no interest in moving from their picnic spot — they can watch the whole cross-country course and showjumping from one place. Bliss.
Continued below…
16 riders reach the point of no return [PICS]
We’ve all been there — one minute you’re enjoying the ride of your life and the next you experience that More…
4. Ex-racehorses really are as good as we always thought
Mark Todd and Front Street take the ROR Championships title
5. AP McCoy hasn’t lost his winning touch
Just three months since the 20-time champion jockey retired, he was back in the saddle at Barbury to lead a team of jockeys (Sam Twiston-Davies, Wayne Hutchinson and Richard Johnson) to victory in the JCB Champion Challenge against the eventers (Andrew Nicholson, Mark Todd, Harry Meade and Tina Cook). But it wasn’t all plain sailing — The Bicester Hunt with Whaddon Chase team beat the jockeys to the finishing line in an earlier round (which is something they’re unlikely to forget in a hurry…)
6. Even Olympic champions can be left peering through an owl hole at a standstill
Mark Todd’s Brownsville Bertie has a refusal in the CIC2*. But it wasn’t all bad news. The 59-year-old finished third and fourth in a CIC2* section with Amacuzzi and Oloa, and third in the CIC3* with Leonidas II
7. Fence judges’ dogs have the best time
With the sun shining for (most of) this year’s event, these dogs secured themself a good gig helping out their fence-judging owner
8. Sometimes hanging logs are best used for resting your legs…
Katey Cuthbertson and Imbroglio get into some trouble in the CIC2*
9. …and this fence even proved problematic for William Fox-Pitt
The walk of shame: William parts company from Ramdam De Mons in the CIC2*
10. And finally…
All horse trials should have an authentic Italian pizza van. Move over greasy burgers… The Proper Pizza Company took ringside food up a notch.