King Nelson sails to victory

Persistence pays off for Barnie Brotherton and a former pony medallist finds herself in the ribbons, as does a police officer who lost everything in a yard fire

- JULIE HARDING

IT was a case of third time lucky for Barnie Brotherton and DHI King Nelson, who recorded the first victory of their four-year partnership, in the Symonds & Sampson CCI3*-S at this popular West Country fixture.

The Broadway-based duo have twice been the bridesmaids here at international level, in 2022 and 2023. This time, though, they galloped away with the £600 spoils when pipping Vittoria Panizzon and Borough Tuppence by 0.2 of a penalty.

With both riders notching up showjumping clears, it was cross-country time that proved the ultimate decider, the Italian slipping down the order with six faults accrued over Helen West's 3,180-metre course.

Japan’s Shoto Kusumoto and No Fear JRA headed their rivals after the dressage, but a rolled pole and 18.8 time-penalties (for missing the 5min 47sec optimum) scuppered their chances.

Meanwhile, Barnie and Nelson, cheered on by family members, including father Wayne, mother Naomi (also Nelson's owner) and grandparents Bob and Pat Austin, flew the opposite way up the leaderboard after a somewhat disastrous first phase had left them near the bottom of the 41-strong field on 35.5.

"As we went down the centre line, Nelson started to rear, and I thought, 'Here we go.' He's been to big events with big atmospheres and been really well behaved, but then we come somewhere a bit quiet and he explodes,” said Barnie, a former competition work rider to Harry Meade, who now runs his own yard.

“Nelson is usually at the level above, but we had a couple of issues at four-star long some of those bigger tracks affected his confidence and I wanted to give him a nice last run of the season at the lower level and it paid off."

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