Equestrianism: Tait paired with Ironic at Windsor
Blyth Tait will ride Ronnie Bartlett's former hunter, Ironic, when he competes in the Arena Leisure Windsor Horse Trials, which begin this morning in the Great Park. The eight-year-old used to be based in Scotland, where Alan Gilbert won both the novice two-day section of the Burgie Horse Trials and the Novice Championship at Thirlestane Castle on him as a five-year-old.
"He's not my usual type," said the New Zealand world and Olympic champion of the horse, who is a big 16.3 hands and "quite solid with it". Because of the disruption caused by foot-and-mouth, Ironic did not contest a three-day event last year. But he has proved himself "pretty reliable in the dressage and very honest across country" at one-day events, most recently winning at Aston le Walls on the same weekend that Tait rode Ready Teddy to victory at Chatsworth.
Jeanette Brakewell will be among the early starters in the dressage arena this morning with Sarah Bulwer-Long's 10-year-old dark brown gelding Burley Wood.
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