Sweet success for Candy Crush

A junior rider lands top dressage spoils with a reformed character, while a young showjumper is discharged from hospital to help her team on their way to victory

- EMILY BEVAN

THERE was an emotional victory in the junior intermediate dressage for Worlington RC’s Alice Osborne and Candy Crush Soda. They won the overall individual title on a score of 72.93%.

“We bought Candy Crush Soda three years ago,” said Alice’s mother Claire. “She’s been out of work half the time we’ve had her and we have had all sorts of problems with her so to win this is amazing.”

A new saddle caused ligament damage in the 11-year-old’s spine, resulting in behavioural changes, and then the mare developed ulcers.

“She went from being a polite, placid horse to a firebreathing dragon. We have a great team in place now and seem to have turned a corner with her. Over the past few months they have both come on in leaps and bounds. Hopefully they are back on the right path and this will be their year.”

Team spoils in this class went the way of Swindon RC whose four team members – Perdie Lawrence (Dukeshill Pebbledash), Izzy Allen (Brock Lodge Ben), Emilie Rogers (Hallo Trickstar) and Holly Sykes (Cambourne Lady May) – were all placed in the top six in their arenas.

Individual honours in the senior 90cm showjumping were awarded to Lauran Dunning and Wright Place Right Time (Cleo) after their blistering jump-off round left them almost four seconds clear of their nearest rivals Louise Lennon with Willow (Equest Training).

The Silsden RC member bought the 12-year-old Irish Draught/Hanoverian/ thoroughbred mare as an unbroken three-year-old.