What a month it has been with back to back three day events and the final selection at last. The run began with Houghton in Norfolk. I had not planned to go there but with so many cancellations the event put extra spaces available in the CIC 3* so I felt it would be a good opportunity for Lionheart, Neuf Des Coeurs and Avoca Alibi. I was thrilled with all their dressage tests, particularly Avoca Alibi as he led the Nations Cup section on a 35. I had decided to run Chilli Morning in the CCI2* too as I had wanted an intermediate run before Bramham CCI3* to get to know him better but that wasn’t going to be possible so this was the next best thing. He did a very good dressage to sit in 2nd.
On Saturday he felt very solid across country. Nick Gauntlett has done a great job with him so it is just a question of building our partnership. I didn’t go fast as I could have done as I wanted him to finish feeling confident and relaxed and it was definitely job done. The others all jumped clear rounds in the show jumping but that was when the weekend started to go wrong. I decided not to run Lionheart across country as the ground was quick enough for him but had decided to have a real go on Avoca Alibi, owned by my good friend Nicky Ryan, as he was still leading the very competitive section. He flew round the cross country and as he came through the finish I looked at my watch and was pleased to see we were inside the time. Before I had time to celebrate the biggest win of his career, over the loud speaker was announced ‘William Fox-Pitt eliminated on Avoca Alibi’. I was stunned as I had no idea what I had done. Then it transpired I had jumped the wrong last fence. I think I was focusing so hard on getting the time that I just jumped the 2* fence that I had jumped on Saturday on Chilli. I was gutted, for the horse and for Nicky. It just felt such a waste to run him fast, all the wear and tear to make such a pony club mistake. Nicky was understandably upset but was amazing about it.
Next to go was Neuf Des Coeurs whose form this year had catapulted him into contention for the big event later this summer. I wanted him to have a quiet run round but we ended up being too quiet at the quarry step he chipped in a stride and turned over the fence at the top landing on my left leg. My first thought was not good. My knee felt terrible and the whole leg and shin crushed. Luckily he appeared fine and we limped back to the lorry. I had very little time before Chilli’s show jumping. I managed to get on him but had no grip and could only sit in the saddle. The horse was a star and in spite of me jumped round with one down to finish 6th. We packed up and left with my tail between my legs.
Monday morning my leg looked terrible and I was struggling to walk. We were due to leave that evening with three horses for Tattersalls but I was seriously worried that I was going to have to let all my owners down. Andy Thomas and Dr Whitehead the Team GBR Physio and doctor were fantastic, as was AP McCoy who put me in touch with the jockeys doctor, Dr Pritchard, who managed to get me an appointment at 1pm with the Bath Rugby Club. They gave me an MRI and a once over to confirm that nothing was broken and there was no soft tissue damage to the knee, a huge relief. I decided to leave for Tatts on the Tuesday to give myself a chance to have some physio with Jenny Hummel my regular miracle worker. She worked her magic, I slept with the Game Ready machine on (a machine we usually use on the horses legs) and felt totally different by the time we had to leave. It was a huge team effort to get me there.
The bad luck continued though and Tattersall’s didn’t start well. Before Time didn’t travel well and couldn’t run in the 2* after a minor setback. Freddie Mac performed really well in the 1* to finish 8th but the star of the show was Bay My Hero (Moonie). Catherine Witt’s little horse has made Tatts his own winning the 1* in 2010 and the 2* in 2011 so it was a dream to give the 3* a go this time. Tatts is a wonderful event with a great organizing team who sorely missed their long time member George Murnagh who died earlier this year of cancer. Moonie was in a great frame of mind from the start. He was second after a lovely dressage, flew round the cross country with just two time faults to take the overnight lead. He trotted up brilliantly and despite using up the fence he had in hand, jumped fantastically to claim an historic third win. He is Irish bred and it was really special that his breeder was there to watch him. I thoroughly enjoy riding him and hopefully he will make the step up to 4* this autumn at Pau.
Jackie drove back and I flew home as I needed to get back to get the chance to have a sit on my Bramham team as we were due to leave again on Tuesday. I decided to take Neuf Des Coeurs to Bramham to ride in the CIC3* as I couldn’t take him to Luhmuhlen 4* off the back of his fall at Houghton. Chilli was due to his first CCI3* with me alongside Avoca Alibi, and Lionheart was in the CIC3*, so it was another busy week. The team did a wonderful job turning the lorry around again and we were headed north up the M1 within 36 hours of getting home.
The pressure really was on at Bramham as there was a true sense of it being a final trial for the selection. The weather nearly messed the whole thing up again, it poured. By Friday the organizers were a heavy shower off cancelling, thank god they held their nerve, everyone was incredibly grateful.
Neuf did a wonderful test to lie in second behind Rayef and Laura Collett. Lion went well but struggled a bit with the mud. Chilli was fantastic and led the dressage with Avoca Alibi close on his tail in second. The show jumping caused a lot of trouble but Lion and Neuf jumped superb clear rounds, they really are brilliant in this phase, it is just great to go into the ring on two such good jumpers. Chilli flew round the cross country to finish bang on the optimum time, I really felt he was starting to trust me. Avoca Alibi got tired but jumped a super clear with a few time faults.
Sunday started with poor Avoca Alibi not being able to trot up as he was very sore. Neuf cheered us up getting back to his old self and winging round inside the time to win the CIC3*. It was a brilliant result for his owners Judy and Jeremy Skinner and Margie and David Hall who have owned him since he was 5 and have been so patient. Judy and Jeremy also own Lionheart who was fantastic, clear with a few time faults as he hadn’t run for over 7 weeks so I didn’t want to go mad. With both horses it felt very much like job done in terms of their selection for the Games.
The focus then changed to Chilli. By the time he went into the ring he had three fences in hand but I had no idea how he would cope in the situation. He got keen at times but jumped superbly and with one down won me my sixth Bramham title. It was a fantastic result and I am really looking forward to the rest of the season with him and his owner Chris Stone.
Yogi Breisner mentioned as I left that he would call me the next day re selection and that call came at 11am. It was a huge relief to hear the confirmation that I had been selected to be part of Team GB. The build up has been so long and so to hear the selectors had chosen Lionheart with Neuf Des Coeurs and Parklane Hawk as his reserves and Bay My Hero as their reserve was wonderful. I would have been thrilled to ride any one of those horses but Lion is the one that suits Greenwich the best, I hope. He is solid on the flat, is fast and a phenomenal jumper. The team is great, we all feel for Nicola Wilson who has been a good friend and team member for the last three years. But Piggy, Zara, Tina and Mary are tough, competitive and consummate professionals. We have got a lot on our plate but no stone will be left unturned in our preparation for London, I am just so pleased that it is nearly upon us, let’s hope that I can keep my horses and my team in one piece over the next few weeks so that we can do our very best.
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