King claims Gatcombe crown (From Gazette Series)

King claims Gatcombe crown

MORE than 550 horses and riders competed at the Gatcombe Novice and Intermediate Horse Trials at the Princess Royal's Gloucestershire home at the weekend.

The event was sponsored by Land Rover, as it has been for the last 12 years, and the cross-country phase took place over the course designed by Princess Anne and Pattie Biden-Foden, who are the joint organisers.

In spite of being at Prince Charles's wedding, the princess got back in time to present rosettes as usual on Saturday evening and again on Sunday. But Zara Phillips withdrew her six horses from the weekend competition.

Olympic gold medallist Mary King enjoyed an excellent double success with her young home bred horse Kings Gem in Novice Section E and with Kings Fancy in Intermediate K at the event.

It was a good weekend for South West riders with Swindon-based Rodney Powell also pulling off a double with Zinzan II in Intermediate I and with Master Jack in Novice H. Zinzan now goes on to compete at the Windsor three-day event.

Tetbury-based Angela Tucker had an excellent win on the highly promising Irish Jester who has already won the Jaz final this year and the four and five year-old Young Event Horse Championships in 2003 and 2004.

The major Open Intermediate L was won by New Zealand Olympic rider Andrew Nicholson while Matt Ryan, four times Olympic gold medallist for Australia, won Novice F on Chance It Harry.

Intermediate Section M was won by Becky Smith on Mr Copperfield and local rider Charlotte Prentice, from Syde, near Cirencester, came sixth on her spectacular grey horse, Father Jerry, well ahead of many of the big names in eventing. Charlotte also came fifth in Novice C on Classic Decision.

The next 'Little' Gatcombe Horse Trials takes place on September 16, 17 and 18.