27/06/2024
Udo A Z and Cameron Swales Triumph at Alnwick Ford International Horse Trials
The Alnwick Ford International Horse Trials is a super event that brings together some of the finest horse riders from around the world. This year, the spotlight was on Scottish rider Cameron Swales and his remarkable horse, Apollo.
Their win in the new Houghton Country CCI1*-S class was not just a victory but a testament to their hard work and the strong bond between rider and horse.
Riding his own six-year-old Udo A Z, known at home as Apollo, Cameron was second after dressage on a mark of 26.9. He added 3.2 showjumping time-faults to that, but was flawless cross-country to beat the dressage leaders, Germany’s Josephine Schnaufer-Volkel and Bush Pepper AS, into the runner-up spot.
Cameron said: “I was quite shocked to win – Apollo has only done two events this year, both at BE100 level, but we love Alnwick Ford and thought, ‘Why not?’.
“I got him when he was a just-backed three-and-a-half-year-old – a blank canvas, and he’s a big horse and still growing, but he can really shift across country. He loves the dressage and cross-country but the showjumping has taken a while to come.
He’s matured so much over the past few months, though, and I was delighted that he jumped a double clear round here. He’s the most lovely character and very easy to handle – he’s like a big dog.”
Cameron, 19, rides full-time and runs a yard with his mother in West Lothian.
He added: “It’s been a really good weekend – I rode my top horse, Millies Law, in the CCI3*-S on Friday and we are now qualified for the CCI3*-L at Blair Castle, and then Apollo won.
It’s been lovely and sunny, the cross-country and showjumping tracks have been great – so much effort has gone into them and into making the going very good. It’s such a well-run event – it’s been like having a wee holiday!”
