Bubby Upton becomes fourth British rider to fall on extraordinary Blenheim Europeans cross-country day

Bubby Upton has fallen on the Agria Blenheim European Championships cross-country course, as Britain’s nightmare day continues to unfold.

Senior championship debutante Bubby and Its Cooley Time were going well, with the young horse’s grey ears pricked, until the Agria Water Crossing, the angled brush shoulder out of the first long run through the lake.

As most combinations have, the pair brushed through the higher brush on their left, but “Finn” tripped on to his knees on landing, tipping Bubby off. She was quickly back up on her feet.

Bubby Upton is the fourth British rider to be eliminated for a fall on Blenheim European Championships cross-country day. Team pathfinder Yasmin Ingham came off Rehy DJ at the FEI Mounds (fence 22abc), Piggy March was catapuled from Halo in the GFS Saddles Water (fence 20abc) and individual Caroline Harris was also ejected from D. Day at the FEI Mounds.

Seven pairs have been eliminated on the cross-country course, four of them British. The others are Irish team member Aoife Clark, who had a horse fall with young Full Monty De Lacense, Italian individual Dan Bizarro, who fell off Stormhill Riot, and Belgian team rider Wouter de Cleene, who fell from Quintera.

In the tranche of individuals around Bubby, Germany’s Calvin Böckmann, 24, put in the fastest round so far, riding The Phantom Of The Opera. Calvin, the youngest rider here, incurred 5.6 time-faults.

Tom McEwen, who finished with 6.8 time-penalties, is the second fastest rider of the day so far and the one bright point for Britain so far. He has the best score of those who have finished, with another 10 pairs or so to go. Calvin holds second of the “in the clubhouse” scores, with Switzerland’s Mélody Johner in third after she clocked eight time-faults with Erin.

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Pippa Roome

H&H magazine editor and eventing editor

Pippa is a true eventing geek and has been H&H’s eventing editor since 2005. She has first-hand experience of competing up to British Eventing intermediate and international CCI2*-L level, and has worked in the industry on a top event yard. Pippa enjoys nothing more than immersing herself in the sport at the highest level, reporting from the five-stars and international championships, including the Olympics.