PRESTEIGNE based international event rider Franky Reid-Warrilow entered into the Saracen Horse Feeds Houghton International Horse Trials, to give her mare the prep run she needed, but came out with a podium finish.
Franky and her mount Dolley Whisper have racked up some phenomenal top-level results over their years competing together and 2018 has started with all guns blazing.
The pair have recently recorded a win at Aston Le Walls horse trials and followed this up with a podium finish in their first international class of the season the CICO3* Saracen Horse Feed International Horse Trials in Norfolk. With June seeing the combination head to their second 4* competition in Germany, Houghton was seen as a vital prep run for this major event.
The new international dressage scoring system saw the pair post a competitive 28.9 to sit in 14th position after this phase. Franky was delighted with the mare commenting: “She felt so relaxed and rideable. In her two previous runs of the season she had been a little bit sharp and fresh in the arena, so the game plan was to produce a calm flowing test, which can now be built on even further for Luhmuhlen.”
Dolley Whisper is well known as one of the best show jumpers on the circuit, so it was disappointing for Franky that this phase wasn’t as influential as it could have been. Nevertheless, the pair produced a faultless clear round, with Whisper showing a flair in her jumping that let everyone know she wasn’t going to touch a pole. This foot perfect round, clear inside the time, moved the pair up six places to lie ein 8th by end of play Saturday with cross country still to come the following day. Prior to Franky entering the start box for a cross country round, a few difficulties on course for riders before her meant that, if Franky could come home clear and inside the time (or even two seconds over), a podium 3rd place finish would be in her grasp, so the pressure was on. It was evident in the sheer determination with which the two attacked the course that Franky was aware of what was at stake, with all minute markers being reached within 2 second of the optimum time. On reflection of her thoughts on how she was going to ride the course Franky told us: “I really had my plan in my mind and knew what I needed to do but equally I had to keep in mind that it was vital to give Dolley Whisper a confident clear round ahead of their major Luhmuhlen goal next month.”
The organisers of Houghton had done a fantastic job with the ground preparation, so this enabled Franky to go at a good pace without worrying about the effect on her horse.
The pair were a few seconds down on their first two-minute markers and the first major question came at fence 7AB and fence 8. Having successfully negotiated this tricky combination, Franky was able to pick up the pace and keep Whisper on a beautiful forward rhythm.
One of the biggest questions on this CICO3* track was fence 13AB and 14; two brush shoulders, which for the mare has historically been their nemesis. But the pair tackled it with no problem and left the fence for dust as she accelerated onto the last section of the course. The combination finished clear inside the time, making the track look easy. Reid-Warrilow reported that it was not only great to have such a fantastic result, but also a real boost ahead of their next competition and exactly the prep run they needed.
A podium third place finish for Franky and Dolley Whisper out of a field of over 100. It could not have been a better preparation and now all roads are heading to Luhmuhlen CCI4*.