WILTSHIRE riders claimed individual and team glory as New Zealand won the CCIO3* Military Boekelo-Enschede in The Netherlands to win the final of the FEI Nations Cup.

Marlborough-based Tim Price and Cekatinka finished on 43.7 penalty points, spearheading the team result that saw them finish comfortably ahead of runners-up Germany.

Meanwhile Sir Mark Todd, based at Badgerstown near Swindon, finished seventh aboard McClaren.

Todd said: “I was particularly thrilled with his performance.

“At the beginning of this year, he was only doing novice, so to finish seventh in his first CCI3* competition is truly phenomenal. I think he is a brilliant horse for the future.

“It was a fantastic effort by the team to win the final round of the Nations Cup by a convincing margin.

“All the horses went really well, and it was very exciting for Tim with Cekatinka to win the overall competition.”

Price had taken a long option on the cross country and had hoped it wouldn’t come back to haunt him.

“Where I took the option was riding worse and worse as the day progressed and I was right at the end, so I figured if I could get up on the clock enough I would go long,” he said. “I did and just managed to stay in front.”

Referring to Cekatinka, who is usually ridden by his wife Jonelle, he added: “She is a lovely mare – very nuggety, athletic and simple in the way she jumps and goes.

“We (the team) always thought we had a good chance so just got on with it and put a good team performance down.”

Price was sitting in fifth place at the end of the dressage phase, and took the lead after the cross country where he added just four time faults to his 43.7 penalty point tally.

He was clean and clear in the showjumping to finish 1.8 penalty points ahead of second-placed Tim Lips (NED) aboard Bayro, with Alexis Goury (FRA) and Trompe l’Oeil d’Emery third on 46.1.

Todd and McClaren added four in both the cross country and showjumping to finish on 50.7 in seventh. Daniel Jocelyn and Grovine de Reve were 26th with Blyth Tait and Havanna van’t Castaneahof on 69.1 in 28th.

The team finished on 160.9, with Germany second on 174.3 and Australia third on 203.7.

Great Britain, including Blunsdon-based Holly Woodhead and Parkfield Quintessential and Lambourn’s Laura Collett, on Cooley Again, finished 10th.

Britain finished second overall in the Nations Cup series behind winners Germany.

  • HULLVINGTON rider Alicia Hawker has been named as the winner of the 2017-18 Mark Todd Bridging the Gap Scholarship.

The 23-year-old eventer - who took the runner-up spot for the scholarship last year - came through a training programme to secure the prestigious scholarship this year.

Hawker also claimed a top three placing at the Equi-Trek Bramham International CCI3* U25 and third place in the CCI2* at Hartpury International Horse Trials.

Her prize package includes three individual training sessions plus mentoring from Todd.

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For category details and a nomination form log on to http://www.swindonadvertiser.co.uk/wiltshire_sports_awards/