Taylor errs to ensure Clark is all smiles at Bramham

Under unexpected Sunday 
afternoon sunshine, Aoife Clark and Fenyas Elegance became Ireland’s first winners of the main event at the Equi-Trek Bramham International Horse Trials with Northallerton ace Wilson’s mount close behind in fourth.

But there was heartache for Banbury’s Izzy Taylor, who again saw her Bramham hopes dashed on the final day of competition.

Still boosted by Friday’s supreme dressage score of 28.1, Taylor and Orlando needed a clear round for victory as the last combination tackling yesterday’s showjumping.

Sitting second after cross-country, Clark and Fenyas Elegance had piled on the pressure by going clear, with Taylor admitting she was desperate to avoid a repeat of 2005 when she squandered the lead on the final day of the Bramham CCI three-star Under-25s competition on Flint Curtis.

History was to repeat itself nine years on as Taylor put one pole down to hand the title to Clark, one of just four of the last 10 combinations to go clear.

Another of those, William Fox-Pitt and the Yorkshire-owned Freddie Mac, were back in third, narrowly ahead of Northallerton’s Wilson and Annie Clover, who went clear over both Bramham’s cross-country and show jumping tests.

Huddersfield-born Oliver Townend was also clear on ODT Ghareeb over Saturday’s cross-country test, which he tackled four hours before dashing off to be best man at friend Peter Clough’s wedding at Ripley Castle.

Townend returned to Bramham yesterday but having two down in the showjumping demoted the former world No 1 to 15th.

The show belonged to Clark who had nothing, but warm words to say about Bramham 2014.

“I’m absolutely over the moon,” said 32-year-old Clark, whose Vaguely North finished 12th. “But I’m still in a bit of a shock to have won because I know Izzy and Orlando very rarely have a rail down. I certainly didn’t think that, even with our clear, we would end up in this spot. I’m thrilled with the mare.