Horse trials: Watson holds world's best at bay

Horse trials

Watson holds world's best at bay

Erica Watson, long since listed for the Open European Championships at Burghley with Last Of The Incas, moved up from equal fifth position after dressage to take the Advanced Class (Section 1) at the Doubleprint British Championships at Gatcombe Park, writes Mary Gordon Watson. Their achievement in fending off several of the world's top-rated riders, with just 15 time faults added to a good dressage, has all the more merit since this mare suffered a spider fracture to her fetlock two years ago. The dressage leader, William Fox-Pitt, withdrew Cosmopolitan II, and it was left to ex-British team rider Tony Clapham to chase with a dashing round on Sydney James. Andrew Nicholson was third on the best of his three rides, Highly Rated.