Wills Oakden lands ancient fairytale end

Wills Oakden delivered a becoming fairytale end to the overall Defender Blair Fortress Horse Trials when he claimed the CCI4*-L identify to finish a ancient hat-trick of back-to-back wins with Stay It Cooley.

The pair gained the CCI2*-L identify in 2022 and the CCI3*-L in 2023, and so they held their nerve to ship their greatest victory to this point.

“He’s king of the citadel now, king of Blair Fortress,” an emotional Wills informed H&H.

“This was once my overdue stepfather’s favorite match, and this horse, Michael, is called after him. To return and do that, 3 in a row, may be very particular.”

Wills and the nine-year-old Ramiro B gelding, who had been runners-up within the Burgham CCI4*-S remaining month, had been mendacity in 5th after posting a 34.8 dressage, a mark Wills described as “lovely ouch”.

However it was once a heart-filled efficiency throughout nation through which they produced the quickest leaping transparent so as to add simply 10.8 time-penalties and best the leaderboard going into the overall section. Seven of the 13 starters jumped transparent throughout nation, and even if Alec Lochore’s monitor didn’t purpose any specific issues, the lower than superb flooring stipulations due to persisted rain added their very own demanding situations.

“He was once a warrior. I used to be simply so happy with him to dig that deep,” mentioned Wills, who took remaining yr’s Blair Fortress Horse Trials CCI4*-L identify with A Elegance Cooley.

Dressage leaders Tom McEwen and MHS Brown Jack added 17.2 time-penalties to their 28.7 rating to sit down in provisional 2d forward of the showjumping, with simply 0.3 of a penalty keeping apart Tom and Wills. With much more rain including to the combo, Tom’s spherical started to get to the bottom of, and he had 4 poles and zero.8 of a time-penalty with Fred and Penny Barker’s 10-year-old gelding. This created a wholesome margin for Wills and Stay It Cooley, however they simply wanted a kind of lifelines, knocking the center a part of the triple mixture, to complete with 4 faults and zero.4 of a time-penalty.

“We’ve been announcing all week that fairytales don’t occur… we’ve been looking to stay level-headed. To move out because the remaining particular person to leap at Blair, to be an area winner, that is large, now not only for me however my entire workforce. I don’t assume we’ll ever listen a cheer like that once more, it chokes me up,” mentioned Wills.

“Geoff and Elspeth Adam purchased this horse originally of this yr with this dream. He’s delivered for them, and I’ve delivered, and I’m simply exceptionally thankful, and vastly proud to have carried out it for them. They’ve been improbable make stronger and good to have on aspect, they’ve been affected person, they’ve depended on me, they’ve labored with me, it’s been an out of this world courting and I’m simply thrilled to offer them this luck.”

Wills additionally landed the Blair Fortress Horse Trials CCI2*-L identify with the spectacular Mile Seashore, owned through Wills’ spouse Stephanie and Daniel Ockenden. Wills profitable the overall Blair CCI2*-L supplies a poignant conclusion, as Wills’ aunt Frances Hay-Smith gained the primary two-star long-format at Blair in 1989 with Jabba The Hutt.

Wills and Mile Seashore finished the 97-strong elegance on their 27.6 dressage rating.

“He’s a horse that we predict has an enormous long run, and we are hoping that he’s a horse that’s going to growth up thru ranges,” mentioned Wills of the spectacular seven-year-old.

LOOKING AHEAD

Because the Blair Fortress tale concludes, Wills mentioned it was once time to sit up for the long run at Scone Palace.

“It’s the remaining Blair, and what a technique to move out, however now I believe it’s about taking a look ahead. Blair was once created through those reminiscences and particular issues going down, and now it’s concerning the club frame getting in the back of Scone,” he mentioned.

“It’s extremely thrilling, however what makes it’s the environment and the quantity of people who display up and love where and opt for it. That’s the greatest a part of our game and I’m hoping everybody will get in the back of it. I met the workforce this week and so they’re tremendous willing, they wish to do it, and it’s as much as us now as contributors.”

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H&H senior information creator

Since becoming a member of H&H in 2018, Becky has lined a vast vary of equestrian information together with welfare issues, veterinary research, FEI Tribunal hearings and highway protection campaigns. She has additionally interviewed best riders together with Scott Brash, John Whitaker and Ian Stark, to call only some. Becky’s reporting has taken her to Canada for Spruce Meadows and France for Pau five-star, in addition to the Royal Highland and Blair Fortress Global Horse Trials nearer to house. She was once additionally a key a part of the far flung reporting workforce for the Tokyo Olympics and the Europeans.