Alexander Bragg Victorious in the KBIS Stately Homes Challenge

Alex Bragg from Bridgwater in Somerset was one rider who had something to smile about on the way home from the KBIS Highclere Horse Trials after he won the KBIS Stately Homes Challenge and the £2000 first prize, one of the largest prize funds available at this level.

The challenge, which is designed to directly benefit competitors at Intermediate level, incorporates four British Eventing Horse Trials, which are held in the grounds of Stately Homes at Sommerley Park, Longleat and Wilton with the final then being held at Highclere Castle over the August bank Holiday weekend.

With a number of riders in joint first place going into the final, Alex, riding Nick True’s ten year old gelding Arlington Way, kept his cool to jump one of only seven clear rounds in his section in the show jumping. However they picked up an unfortunate twelve penalties cross country, which he thought had pushed him out of the running. ‘ I didn’t even realise we were still in with a chance so I went off to school one of my other rides (Down into the Light) who was due to run the next day. It wasn’t until I wondered up to the secretary’s that I realised. I had to quickly run back to the lorry to get changed for the prize giving!’ said Alex.

Alex, who combines eventing with his job as a farrier, is one young rider who is certainly establishing his name at the top of the sport, having had a very successful season so far, including an OI win at Aston Le Walls and a top ten placing in the recent CCI** at Hartpury with his top horse Down Into the Light. His increasingly expanding yard now includes an exciting string of seven horses from Novice to Advanced level. With his wife Simmone heading up the yard at home it is very much a family affair and one, from recent results, which seems to be working very well. Said Alex of his win ‘ I promised my family that if I won we would go on holiday. Over the last couple of years we have put everything into building up the yard which has meant that holidays have had to go on hold’ and when asked where he was planning on taking them ‘ Somewhere hot that doesn’t cost more than £2,000!’

West Sussex based Nana Dalton came in a close second with Patricia Price’s Unwald, while third place went to Michael Jackson who took home a champagne and canapés reception for twelve people in the State room at Highclere, kindly donated by Lord and Lady Carnarvon of Highclere Castle.

Sadly after two very successful days of eventing the final day of the trials had to abandoned due to heavy downpours, which had left the lorry park in an unusable state and raised concerns with regard to the movement of emergency vehicles on the cross country course and therefore the safety of riders. ‘Everyone pulled together and did everything that they could, having to abandon was a hard decision but unfortunately at the end of the day it was the only option left.’ Said a member of the Hghclere team.

This was the first year that the Stately Homes has been supported by KBIS British Equestrian Insurance who are also the title sponsors at Highclere Horse Trials and long standing sponsors of British Eventing.

The KBIS Stately Homes Challenge Final Results

1^st         Alexander Bragg

2^nd        Nana Dalton

3^rd        Michael Jackson

4^th        Lucy Wiegersma

5^th        Abi Lucas

6^th        Andrew Nicholson

Photo courtesy of James Pyne Photography