What a month! No sooner than we were congratulating Cooley Nutcracker on his superb run in his first five-star in Kentucky, then it was off to Badminton where no less than three Go For Gold graduates lined up for the British showcase. At the close of play on Sunday evening, it was the Irish pair of Lucy Latta and RCA Patron Saint who made the headlines, filling second spot on their first attempts at the level. This was an incredible achievement for both horse and rider and huge congratulations are due to Lucy, owner Lesley Crampton who bought him from the sale in 2016, breeder Richard Ames and other connections.
The celebrations didn’t end there, as fellow graduate Grantstown Jackson (Sarah Ennis IRE) delivered another brilliant cross-country round to finish in the top twenty, while also jumping clear, the veteran campaigner Copper Beach carried his young rider Cosby Green (USA) to her second five-star completion.
In addition to the Badminton successes, the Goresbridge team are also delighted to note that in latest publication of the Hippomundo and WBFSH world eventing rankings, three Go For Gold graduates are listed in the top ten individual ratings. On the back of his Badminton achievement RCA Patron Saint fills third place in the Hippomundo lists, while 2019 entrant Cooley Nutcracker (formerly Ballyshan Contender) is also ranked third with the WBFSH.
