Equestrianism: Stark's horse lame: Scot's withdrawal

IAN STARK will not defend his individual title at next month's European Three-Day Event Championships, writes Genevieve Murphy from Lauder. The Scot, riding less than a month after breaking his right leg, had a wonderful ride in yesterday's Scottish Open Championships at the Kimberly-Clark Horse Trials only to find that his partner, Clan Royal, was lame an hour or so later.

'I was on a big high after the cross-country, Clan Royal gave me such a confident ride, I felt he was ready for the Europeans,' Stark said. 'But the horse has damaged a near-fore tendon and could be out of action for a year.'

Sally Corscadden, an English- born rider competing for Ireland, won the Scottish Open on Cageadore. She finished on 39 penalties, the same score as Britain's Nick Burton on Bertie Blunt and Virginia Leng on Welton Houdini, but gained victory by having the fastest cross- country time. Mary Thomson, holding a one-point lead after the cross-country on King William, could have beaten all three but had two show jumps down.

Leng, who had a splendid ride on Houdini, is now bound to be named for the British team for the European Championships at Achselschwang in Germany.

New Zealand's world champion, Blyth Tait, had a fraught ride on Ricochet. 'A bee flew down my throat on the cross- country,' Tait said. 'I managed to cough it out but it had already stung me.' The tough Kiwi had medical attention before riding the horse to a clear show jumping round for fifth place.

The British selectors will name the team for the European Championships today. Burton, 25, must have improved his chances as must William Fox- Pitt, 24, who finished seventh on Chaka in this final trial.

Corscaddon is sure to be named for the Irish team. She and Cageadore finished fourth in the cross-country phase of the last European Championships but the horse was withdrawn lame before the show jumping.

KIMBERLY-CLARK SCOTTISH CHAMPIONSHIP HORSE TRIALS (Thirlestane Castle, Lauder): 1 Cageadore (S Corscadden, Irl) 39 penalties; 2 Bertie Blunt (N Burton, GB) 39; 3 Welton Houdini (V Leng, GB) 39; 4 Just an Ace (M Todd, NZ) 40; 5 Ricochet (B Tait, NZ) 44; 6 King Boris (M Thomson, GB) 46.