{"id":131775,"date":"2025-03-30T00:23:55","date_gmt":"2025-03-30T00:23:55","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/quixnet.net\/wpinstance\/thoresby-update-world-no-1-claims-grantham-cup-british-eventing-news\/"},"modified":"2025-03-30T00:23:55","modified_gmt":"2025-03-30T00:23:55","slug":"thoresby-update-world-no-1-claims-grantham-cup-british-eventing-news","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/quixnet.net\/wpinstance\/thoresby-update-world-no-1-claims-grantham-cup-british-eventing-news\/","title":{"rendered":"Thoresby update: World No. 1 Claims Grantham Cup – British Eventing – News"},"content":{"rendered":"

The world\u2019s best took to the lawns of Nottinghamshire\u2019s Thoresby Hall in a bid for Lycetts Grantham Cup glory. With a plethora of GB Olympians dominating the leaderboard, an exhilarating competition unfurled with all title contenders jumping immaculate showjumping clears. With all four members of the 2024 Paris Olympics gold medal-winning team, along with Gemma Stevens, sitting within a second of each other, a nail-biting conclusion awaited the on-looking crowds.
Setting the early standard and taking the eventual win, with a cross-country round worthy of their world number one status, Tom McEwen and JL Dublin completed within the time, to finish on their 24.5 dressage score, to pile the pressure on their compatriots.  
\u201cHe\u2019s [JL Dublin| feeling very good. He\u2019s been very fresh all day which has been lovely, showjumping today he was like a man possessed and the same cross-country. I didn\u2019t really know if I was going to have a quick one but I knew I wanted to use this for prep. There was only one way Dubs was going and that was quick so I thought I would let him rock and roll and he really utilised his huge long stride everywhere and everything is so free flowing and the course really played into that.\u00a0
“Hopefully Dubs will go to Badminton, so it\u2019s been great to come to a big show like this. For the last couple of seasons I\u2019ve done everything on a surface, be it dressage or jumping, going to Kentucky or Championships and obviously Badminton is not on a surface, it\u2019s very much grass, so it\u2019s great to come and jump on the grass and the same with the dressage.\u201d
McEwen\u2019s win also saw him crowned the Lycetts Leading Rider, along with the \u00a31,000 bonus prize.
Gemma Stevens, seemingly on a hot streak at the Eventing Spring Carnival, produced another flawless performance with the Chilli Morning sired Jalapeno III, to secure second place.\u00a0The duo completed on their 24.6 dressage to edge ahead of Laura Collett and Ros Canter.
\u201cI\u2019m absolutely chuffed to bits – I\u2019ve ridden three horses so far, Jala second in this class, Jalapeno owned by Chris and Lisa Stone, she\u2019s 17 years old and she\u2019s hopefully going to Badminton and I thought what have I got to lose, come on girl, let\u2019s make the time, and she really answered me, galloped round gamely inside the time. Not too shabby to be 0.1 behind old Tommy!
“[The ground] It couldn\u2019t be more perfect; it\u2019s given us all fantastic runs this weekend ready for Badminton or whatever the horses are going on to do. There are a few good questions out there. It\u2019s made us all think a bit!\u201d
Coming home just two second over the optimum time, Laura Collett and her three time five-star winning partner, London 52, moved from second overnight to eventual third.
\u201cI just wanted to give him a nice run, the ground is literally perfect.\u00a0He\u2019s not one that you can run slowly, he needs to be on it. He\u2019s just amazing.\u00a0
“I think they\u2019ve done an amazing job of the course, completely different to the last couple of years, running it in a different direction was quite good.\u00a0The water coming early was a bit of a challenge for them.\u201d
Overnight leader, Ros Canter and Lordships Graffalo, took a more sedate approach to the cross-country, adding 5.2-time penalties to their 24.3 dressage to end up just outside the podium placings in fourth.
A Jolly 4* Win<\/strong>
With two CCI4*-S sections full of the stars of eventing it was the return of some familiar faces for the second of the two prize giving\u2019s at The Eventing Spring Carnival.
Moving from second place after dressage, Laura Collett claimed the top step of the podium with Dacapo completing on a score of 34.1.
\u201cHe was lovely, couldn\u2019t fault him to be honest and we all know he does what he feels like and he was very happy and had a jolly time so I had a jolly time and the good thing with him is you know as soon as you get out the start box, I jumped fence one and I was like I\u2019m going to have a nice ride today so yeah he\u2019s quite the character but can\u2019t fault him when he\u2019s like that.\u201d
With the Eventing Spring Carnival building its following year-on-year and sunshine bringing out the weekend crowds, the event provides the first big atmosphere of the season, further supporting many in their preparations for the Spring five stars.
\u201cThere\u2019s a great crowd here which creates a really good atmosphere for the first big one, it\u2019s quite a buzzy arena for the showjumping and the crowd is out on the cross-country which really gives that international feel to get them back in the swing of things to prepare for the bigger competitions later on in the year.\u201d
In a frustrating leaderboard shuffle Gemma Stevens once again took second place, after holding a commanding two-phase lead with Flash Cooley.
\u201cHe was super, but for some reason, misread the first corner coming out of the water and had the pin. He stormed round the rest of the course; he was still which is great and I\u2019m really pleased with them.\u201d
Competing four Chilli Morning offspring here this weekend, it was Chilli King that rose to second place, adding just 4.4-time penalties across the country to his 33.4 dressage.
\u201cI\u2019m absolutely thrilled with him because he is a really green horse at this level.\u00a0He jumped a superb double clear and did one of his nicest, most relaxed dressage to date.\u00a0
“He stepped up very gently last year and now feels ready to crack on – I\u2019m hoping to take him to Bramham this summer. He is a really sensitive person, he\u2019s the most amazing jumper, incredibly careful, and scopey so just because of his sensitivity and his scope and carefulness we have taken it really slowly with him. I think this year he is just coming into himself and is ready to show the world that he is going to be awesome.\u201d
Gemma now splits her time between eventing and showjumping, and recently competed at the new Hong Kong International Horse Show.
Speaking of how jumping in the world ranking classes supports her eventing, Stevens added, \u201cthe showjumps look so small and you have to get up into such a cog to ride round these world ranking classes I\u2019ve been doing the last two weeks and then I came in and Dickie (Waygood) said to me as I went in \u201cwatch the time\u201d on the first horse. Obviously Tim was first on Vitali and got a couple of seconds over and then I think I was eight seconds inside the time, but it\u2019s nice because then it just feels easy and I think with the jumping you have to be so so quick in your reactions at that level, I think it also helps with the cross country.\u201d
Chabert Lifts Polly Phillips Memorial Trophy<\/strong>
Each season the Polly Phillips Memorial Trophy is awarded to the highest placed rider in the Lycetts Grantham Cup who has yet to represent Team GB on a senior championship team.\u00a0Presented by Vere Phillips in memory of his late wife Polly Phillips who was lost because of a fall at Thirlestane Castle in 1999.\u00a0\u00a0
With back-to-back wins in 2023 and 2024 Emily King has been the worthy recipient for the past two years, winning with Valmy Biats.
This year\u2019s trophy was awarded to Kirsty Chabert, following her fifth-place finish with Classic VI, completing on a score of 34.4.
Of the award Kirsty commented: \u201cIt\u2019s an honour and it\u2019s something we\u2019ve all worked towards and it’s really lovely that we can keep it going and what an honour to win it.\u00a0
“I had a fab run; it was really good. I do like it [the direction of the course], I think the water came up quite quickly and running away from the collecting ring. The feel of the course was really good. I think the frangible idea, there is a place for it in the sport now and I thought he [Stuart Buntine] designed a really nice track for us.”\u00a0
Kirsty and Classic are now headed for the Mars Badminton Horse Trials CCI5* in May.
Mothering Sunday will see the culmination of the event and the Rathabones CCI3*-S champion will be crowned.\u00a0\u00a0
The Eventing Spring Carnival is packed with excitement for the whole family! Alongside world-class eventing, enjoy international hobby horsing, an exciting Mother\u2019s Day Treasure Hunt with a prize worth over \u00a31,600, and the fantastic Kids in the Courtyard experience. Meet the Sherwood Outlaws, watch thrilling gun dog displays, and discover so much more!\u00a0
Advanced tickets are still available via www.bede-events.co.uk\/tickets<\/a>
Release supplied by event.
Arena Saddles CCI2*-S  With less than one second separating the leaders it was Ireland\u2019s Susie Berry with Amanda Varley\u2019s Wild Atlantic Way, that took top…\t\t\t\t\t\t
British Eventing is delighted to announce that Project Pony are continuing their generous support of the series of Pony Observation Trials throughout the 2025 season….\t\t\t\t\t\t
\u00a9\u00a02022 British Eventing<\/strong>
British Eventing Limited, Abbey Park, Stareton, Kenilworth, Warwickshire, CV8 2RN
(For SatNav please use CV8 2XZ)<\/p>\n

source<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The world\u2019s best took to the lawns of Nottinghamshire\u2019s Thoresby Hall in a bid for Lycetts Grantham Cup glory. With a plethora of GB Olympians dominating the leaderboard, an exhilarating competition unfurled with all title contenders jumping immaculate showjumping clears. With all four members of the 2024 Paris Olympics gold medal-winning team, along with Gemma […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":131776,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_genesis_hide_title":false,"_genesis_hide_breadcrumbs":false,"_genesis_hide_singular_image":false,"_genesis_hide_footer_widgets":false,"_genesis_custom_body_class":"","_genesis_custom_post_class":"","_genesis_layout":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[10],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-131775","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-world","entry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/quixnet.net\/wpinstance\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/131775","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/quixnet.net\/wpinstance\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/quixnet.net\/wpinstance\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/quixnet.net\/wpinstance\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/quixnet.net\/wpinstance\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=131775"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/quixnet.net\/wpinstance\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/131775\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/quixnet.net\/wpinstance\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/131776"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/quixnet.net\/wpinstance\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=131775"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/quixnet.net\/wpinstance\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=131775"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/quixnet.net\/wpinstance\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=131775"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}