Mary King (GBR), one of the world’s most experienced event riders, has won her first ever FEI World Cup™ Eventing qualifier, while 24-year-old Oliver Townend (GBR) has taken a massive 50-point lead in the FEI World Cup Rankings.

King, who made a last-minute switch from Badminton to the GBP 4,000 Chatsworth Nissan International Horse Trials (GBR) last weekend, was also scoring her first international victory on Call Again Cavalier, a ride she took on after the tragic death of Caroline Pratt (GBR) in a fall at Burghley in 2004.

King and the 15-year-old Irish-bred gelding, owned by Bolton Wanderers football team proprietor Eddy Davies, have since been fourth at Burghley in 2005 and members of Great Britain’s silver medal team at the FEI World Equestrian Games at Aachen last year.

“I was so disappointed not to run at Badminton, but this has really made it all worthwhile,” said King. “Call Again Cavalier is generally a brilliant jumper, and he lived up to that today in really difficult conditions. This is the first major win of his career, and he’s really deserved it.”

King, 45, a three-time Olympian, has won numerous international competitions in an illustrious 20-year career, including team gold medals at World (1994) and European Championships (1991, 1995, 1997), Olympic team silver in 2004, plus two Badmintons (1992 and 2000) and Burghley (1996).

She was second after Dressage at Chatsworth (42.8 penalties), dropped to third with a magnificent round which clocked just 8pen across country in the pouring rain, and then jumped one of only two clear show jumping rounds as weather conditions deteriorated drastically in the Duke of Devonshire’s beautiful park, one of Britain’s leading stately homes.

British riders, many of whom had not run their top horses at Badminton on the previous weekend, took all top 12 places. Last year’s winner, Clayton Fredericks (AUS), was best overseas rider, 13th on The Frog (77.0pen).

Oliver Townend (GBR) now leads the FEI World Cup™ Eventing Rankings on 178 points, having added to his win at Burnham Market (GBR) in April with the runner-up spot at Chatsworth on the same horse, Flint Curtis (54.7pen), and seventh place on ODT Iron Brew (68.2pen).

Townend, 24, took home several prizes, including that for finishing nearest the optimum cross-country time – he was fastest with 3.2pen on Flint Curtis – and that of best under-25 rider. “The cross-country rode really well, despite the rain,” he said.

John-Paul Sheffield (GBR) scored his best ever international result with third place on Crown Farm Consort (62.8pen).

Sharon Hunt (GBR), 9th individually at the FEI World Equestrian Games last year, led the Dressage on Tankers Town (41.6pen) but finished eventual fifth with 11.2 cross-country time penalties and three show jumping rails down.

Ruth Edge (GBR), left in the lead after cross-country with the 10-year-old mare Marsh Mayfly, who had fallen at the eighth fence at Badminton, finished eventual fourth (63.7pen), having hit four show jumps.

Her other ride, Two Thyme, also withdrawn from Badminton, ran out across country, but finished eventual 18th with the only other clear show jumping round.

Chatsworth’s clerk of the course and chief course-builder, David Evans, who will produce the Olympic course in Hong Kong next year, had left no stone unturned with the going at Chatsworth, maintaining a constant programme of rolling, harrowing and watering in recent weeks. In the end, though, the rain fell and the going was perfect.

Mike Etherington-Smith’s course jumped well, with 22 clear rounds from the 31 cross-country starters, and 27 completions.

Full results on: www.bdwp.co.uk/cha (section G).

Jonathan Holling (USA) is currently second in the FEI World Cup™ Eventing Rankings, on 138 points, ahead of Nicolas Touzaint (FRA) on 132 and Peter Thomsen (GER) on 105. Mary King (GBR) joins five other riders on 100 points.

The FEI World Cup™ Eventing action next moves to Russia – Moscow (June 7-10) and Australia – Melbourne (June 8-11).

Full details: www.feiworldcup.org.