A LARGE bank holiday crowd flocked to Springhill, near Broadway, to watch the action at the annual horse trials on Monday.

Renowned riders such as Snowshill's Erica Watson, international eventer Blyth Tait, based at Northleach and Moreton's Anne-Marie Evans were joined by nearly 300 other competitors vying for a place in the novice and intermediate sections.

Erica, who had several rides, began the day on top form with the big seven-year-old liver chestnut gelding Thornville who was given a place at the last moment after being placed on the waiting list.

The horse had no eventing points on his card, but put up a good performance with only seven time penalties on the cross country to add to his dressage score of 20. He finished in 9th place.

Broadway-based Tristram Owers also kicked off quite well with his rides. Carrickdale Clover owned by Mr and Mrs Childs went well in the show jumping for him although his dressage score of 34 put him behind many of the other riders.

Both the novice and intermediate cross country courses, designed by Nigel Tabor of Broadway, rode well and caused little problems for those horses and riders on form.

To make the day even better, spectators only had to run for cover from the rain once during the entire day despite an impressive array of rain clouds which skirted the Cotswold estate.

Results

Novice section 1: 1 Uther Pendragon (Daniel Bennett), 2 Mogstocking Chiraz (Robin Bunn), 3 Super Fly (Verigina Loisel), 4 Top Hat (Kate Scott), 5 Huntercombe Hillbilly (Giles Carradine).

Novice section 2: 1 Master Exchange (Angela Tucker), 2 Biff (Rebecca Beaumont), 3 Four Weddings (Julie Wheeler ), 4 Thrift Harbour (Christine Hardinge), 5 Come Here (Sarah Charles).

Novice section 3: 1 Canny Lass (Laura Durkan), 2 Breeze II (Leonard Goerens), 3 Houghton (Stefanie Thompson), 4 Moneybox (Hayley Moore), 5 Makatak (Dan Jocelyn).

Section 4 1 Taxman (owner Frankie Tueson, rider Graham Law), 2 Flo's Beau (owner Patricia Watson, rider Erica Watson), 3 Current Diplomat (owner Wyndham St.John, rider Dan Jocelyn), 4 Haka (owners Ali Mead, Suzanne Van Heynigen and OnLine Finance Ltd, rider Blyth Tait), 5 L'Aban (owner and rider Anne Marie Beverley Jones). Section 5 1 Caris Lady Challah (owner Nigel Jones, rider Jon Evans), 2 Carrickdale Clover (owner Mr and Mrs Les Childs, rider Tristram Owers), 3 Toytown (owner and rider Zara Phillips) 4 Welton Free Spirit (owner and rider Nicola Jones), 5 Itself (owner Gery Mills, rider Claire Austin).

Section 6 1 Norwegian Connection NJ (owner Andrew Knight and Peter Smedvic, rider William Levett), 2 Brief Touch (owner Nigel Jones, rider Jon Evans), 3 Parkmore (owner Andrew Malim, rider Tristram Owers), 4 Fortitude (owner and rider Duncan Hill), 5 Simply a Star (owner Joan Bennett, rider Leonard Goerens.

Cotswold Journal Trophy for Local Intermediate Rider nearest the optimum time with a double clear: Carrickdale Clover. Springhill Perpetual Cup for highest place local rider (15 miles radius Spring Hill): Joint winners Tristram Owers and Erica Watson.