Harris opens her campaign in style
1:00pm Saturday 17th May 2008
FERNHILL Heath's Charlotte Harris was close to a win at the Broadway one-day event at ex-international rider Nigel Tabor's Lybrook Farm.
The 21-year-old finished second in a novice section, the highest level of competition on offer at the hilly venue, riding her 15.3hh bay horse Quick Buck.
Harris said: "I've had Quick Buck for six years now - I've always evented him and we have come up through the Croome Hunt Pony Club.
"I was very pleased with him at Broadway. It was his first competition of the year and he performed a pleasing dressage test and jumped a double clear, with just 0.4 of a cross-country time penalty. He loves his jumping and it's very much his speciality."
Harris praised the cross-country course which "asked a few questions but flowed well and was on beautiful going".
She fits her sport around studying for a physiotherapy degree at Keele University, although she is currently on a work placement at Wolverhampton Hospital.
"I'd also like to do physio with horses in the future," Harris added. "I'm aiming for the Hartpury international one-star, three-day event this summer and am lucky to have sponsorship from Greenland Medical Services, who are based at Crowle, and Equilibra 500."
Bournheath's Miles Pearson was third on his pre-novice ride Wanadoo, who completed on a dressage score of 36.5.
The five-year-old mare was competing at just her third BE event and Pearson also currently has the intermediate ride Hestia.
Wolverley's Molly Johnstone picked up a sixth at this level on Pollux Star, a new ride this year who she partnered to victory at the Bradwall one-day in Cheshire just a week earlier at the pair's second event together.
Two county riders picked up seconds at the introductory intro level.
Wichenford's Karen Richardson rode six-year-old Wiston Flashman at his first affiliated event and Hartlebury's Philippa Walker partnered Dart a Trump.
Evesham duo Amy Furness and Sophie Candy earned a fifth and sixth on seven-year-old BE newcomer Kilarney and nine-year-old Hoo's Harry respectively.