EVENTING
Kitty King proves herself in front of Britain’s Olympic selectors after a forced change of cross-country bit, as Bramham celebrates its 50th anniversary
Defender Bramham, W Yorks
KITTY KING laid down her challenge for the British Olympic selectors with a win in the 82-starter Defender CCI4*-S.
The pressure on all those in the front rank for the British squad for Paris is immense, but Kitty has had a particularly difficult time recently showing what the European individual silver medallist Vendredi Biats can offer.
“Froggy” has previously worn a Myler combination bit across country, but riders started to run up against problems when using that bit this spring, with confusion over whether it is allowed under FEI rules (news, p4), so Kitty had to seek a novel solution.
“I can’t thank the two ladies on the Neue Schule stand at Badminton enough. I went to them and said, ‘I need a new cross-country bit – he’s gone in the same thing for seven years, gags and anything with a joint split his mouth and I don’t know what to do,’” said Kitty.
“They were really helpful – they got bits sent down while they were at Badminton, I played about and they popped into my yard on their way home to look at his mouth conformation.”
Riders can only really get a feel for a new cross-country bit in competition and as Diana Bown, Samantha Wilson, Sally Lloyd-Baker and John Eyre’s grey is now 15, Kitty does not run him often. After an open intermediate at Aston-le- Walls in the new bit, a Swales pelham, Kitty planned to try Vendredi Biats in it at Bicton, but pus in the foot put paid to that, so it all rode on Bramham.
The pair were fifth after dressage on 25.2, their test marred only by a blip in their first flying change – “that’s where it comes out when he’s fresh” – and then showjumped clear. Some Paris contenders ran quietly across country, but Kitty had to prove she could ride competitively in this bit and came home as one of only three inside the time to win.
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