Joanne Monkman and G Damascus are our overnight leaders after Day One of the BE90 Voltaire Design Grassroots Championships. Joanne and her 13 year old mare have gone into the lead on a score of 25.0. This pairing have two completions here and will be looking to improve on their 11th place finish in 2023.
The Denny, Edinburgh based rider was almost the class lunchtime leader on a score of 26.3 with the 12 year old gelding Upper Limit before being pipped by Joanne Monkman on G Damascus just before the lunchbreak. Originally from a Showjumping background, Ben made the jump to go Eventing in 2019 and finished 3rd in the Scottish Grassroots Championships last summer where the pair picked up their 2024 Badminton Qualification.
Fairbrother credited the help of Yvonne Mcfarlane with assistance of his mother, Joanne for their sub 30 score.
‘He’s been great and was going really well this morning, we got him out with plenty of time this morning to get him warmed up and he was really well behaved throughout it all, so I’m really pleased with him’ said Ben. When asked about the jumping phases Ben said ‘Hopefully he will keep his legs picked up and onto the fun for the cross country, its lovely. We were on one of the guided course walks yesterday and the ground looks lovely and I’m really looking forward to it!’