Reybridge based event rider David Doel finished in the top five in the CIC** competition at the St James’s Barbury International Horse Trials in Wiltshire at the weekend (28 June – 1 July).
David (19) clinched fifth place in a section which saw more than 100 horse and rider combinations take part - including Olympic-bound British team member William Fox-Pitt. A member of the British Equestrian Federation’s UK Sport funded World Class Development Programme - David was also the second highest placed rider under 21 years of age.
Riding Kings Cross, a horse owned by Mrs Maggie Doel, Mary Fox and the rider himself, David completed the event on a score of 48.2 – adding just one pole showjumping and two cross country time faults to his dressage score.
“I had a cracking time,” said David. “The horse went really well and it was great to compete at such a wonderful event in such a beautiful venue. Fingers crossed we maintain this record at our next event at Aston-Le-Walls in Northamptonshire (20 - 23 July) which is a final selection trial for the Young Rider Eventing Europeans in Malmö.”
Funded by UK Sport, the Development Programme works with talented riders to maximise their potential and deliver success. The Programme underpins World Class Performance and, together with the Equine Pathway, they comprise the Equestrian World Class Programme. It incorporates the three Olympic sports of dressage, eventing, showjumping and the Paralympic sport of para-equestrian dressage.
The Programme has been funded by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport, through Exchequer and National Lottery funds, via UK Sport since 1998.