Exciting competition, great entertainment and a stunning backdrop guaranteed another top-class event for 2019
Sunshine, showers and a thrilling weekend of competition greeted the crowds who descended on the magnificent parkland at Chatworth for the Dodson & Horrell Chatsworth International Horse Trials in May. The event's credentials as international were certainly justified by the winning line-up. Kazuma Tomoto from Japan and Julia Krajewski from Germany won the two sections of the prestigious Dodson & Horrell Challenge, while Laura Collett triumphed for the home side in the first leg of the 2019 Event Rider Masters (ERM) - a six event series battled out by the world's best event riders.
For good measure, Krajewski's boyfriend Christoph Wahler finished second to her and also won the CW Sellors Trophy as the rider closest to the optimum cross country time in the Dodson & Horrell Challenge.
'I am working my way around these lovely British events,' said Krajewski. 'You can only hope that a weekend goes well after such a big trip but I wanted to bring my mare, "Amande de B'neville" ("Mandy") to tackle something bigger. This is a cool course here - as long as you have a brave horse.'
Tomoto, 36, is training in Dorset for next summer's Olympic Games in Tokyo with former world number one William Fox-Pitt after switching from pure show jumping to eventing. Riding 'Brookpark Vikenti', he took the lead with the Friday dressage phase.
Sam Ecroyd from Clwyd, who finished second on 'Wodan III', won the Lismore Lord Charles salver for the best under-25 rider.
There were thrills and spills in the ERM class as riders flew around Ian Stark's spectacular cross-country course but Laura Collett, 29, from Salperton, Gloucestershire, made no mistakes on her handsome bay gelding, 'London 52'. 'He is a very special horse and gave me some feeling,' she said.
Collett, and second-placed Briton Tom McEwen, who rode the Duchess's horse 'Chatsworth Diamond' in the two-star competition, are both Dodson & Horrell ambassadors.
There was a Derbyshire win in the five-year-old section of the Dubarry Burghley Young Event Horse qualifier for Carole Kirkham of Ockbrook with her horse 'Shannondale Aero'. Mrs Kirkham's daughter Annie Bellamy was in the saddle. Another local victory came in the four-year-old section for Sheffield-based Jordan Cavanagh, riding 'GSH Kafene' for Sarah Cockerham.
The Derbyshire Life Trophy, which is awarded to the highest placed Derbyshire rider, was won by Lucy Robinson of Hatton.
In addition to the dressage, show jumping and cross country, the crowds of spectators were entertained with high-speed scurry-driving, dog agility, a gundog display, the innovative Sheep Show and over 100 stands selling local foods, crafts and elegant clothes.
Next year's Dodson & Horrell Chatsworth International Horse Trials will take place on 15th to 17th May
