World number one rider, Charlotte Dujardin, showed her supremacy with four resounding wins at the Mount Ballan Summer Regional Championships in Monmouthshire last weekend (22-24 July 2016).
Charlotte, a competition rider for the renowned Mount St John Stud, sealed tickets to the LeMieux National Championships in September riding two of the stud’s super-classy competition mares. Aboard Mount St John VIP, an attractive five-year-old by Vivaldi out of a Donnerhall mare, Charlotte won the Dodson & Horrell Novice Gold with 74.62%. And with Mount St John Freestyle (pictured), a seven-year-old Fidermark x Donnerhall mare, she took the Equine Construction Advanced Medium Gold with a stonking 75.39%. Always the crowd-pleaser, Charlotte playfully negotiated a bank on Mount Ballan’s cross country course during the prize-giving!
These two young horses, piloted by their world class rider, exhibit all the attributes of the model dressage horse and will certainly be ones to watch at Stoneleigh in September!
Charlotte, who’s in her final preparation for the Olympic Games in Rio, achieved two further victories here at Mount Ballan. Riding Carl Hester’s Hawtins Delicato, an eight-year-old son of Diamond Hit, she stormed the Fairfax Saddles Prix St Georges Gold with 73.38% - 6% ahead of her nearest rival. And with Florentina VI (Vivaldi x Rubel), her own beautiful six-year-old, she won the TopSpec Medium Gold.
All three judges – Sandra Bartholomew, Claire Ballantyne and Jane Peberdy – had the exciting pair at the top of the leader board, their performance earning a super score of 75.61%. ‘Flora’, as the grey mare is affectionately known, is developing into a striking dressage horse. With the 2015 Shearwater five-year-old title under her belt and a place to contend the six-year-olds this year, the mare is already achieving mega scores at Medium and has a very bright future ahead of her.
Former stable rider for Carl Hester, Katie Bailey, enjoyed a highly successful show too, by securing two places at the Nationals. Setting the standard with her own Hillgrounds Wolkenhall, affectionately known as Harry, she captured the Dodson & Horrell Novice Silver with 75.38% - a thrilling result for this exciting five-year-old gelding by Wolkenderry. Maintaining her 100% strike rate, this time with Leslie Forlee’s Bocelli IV, a nine-year-old son of Belissimo M, she headed the Equine Construction Advanced Medium Silver with 73.29%.
Clearly delighted with her equine students, Katie said via Facebook: “Wow I can't believe I picked up two regional titles at Mount Ballan today! Harry tried his heart out to win the novice on 75.38% and Bocelli won the advanced medium on 73.29%. I'm so grateful to have such a lovely advanced horse to compete.”
The winners
BackinAction Preliminary Silver
Nesta Thomas with Mickey Bricks, 73.39%
Dodson & Horrell Novice Silver
Katie Bailey with Hillgrounds Wolkenhall, 75.38%
Dodson & Horrell Novice Gold
Charlotte Dujardin with Mount St John VIP, 74.62%
Childéric Saddles Elementary Silver – section A
Jane Morris with Quinet du Buisson Z, 70.16%
Childéric Saddles Elementary Silver – section B
Kirsty Imm with Don-Davidoff CL, 74.01%
Childéric Saddles Elementary Gold
Lotte Seal with Safira, 73.59%
TopSpec Medium Silver
Jade Guyton with Fiderstan, 70.71%
TopSpec Medium Gold
Charlotte Dujardin with Florentina, 75.61%
Equine Construction Advanced Medium Silver
Katie Bailey with Bocelli IV, 73.29%
Equine Construction Advanced Medium Gold
Charlotte Dujardin with Mount St John Freestyle, 75.39%
Fairfax Saddles Prix St Georges Gold
Charlotte Dujardin with Hawtins Delicato, 73.38%
Saracen Horse Feeds Intermediate I Gold
Lucy Pincus with Sheepcote Doncalisto, 69.65%
For full results click here