Over the Bank Holiday weekend Charlotte Dujardin was on astonishing form at Somerford Park Premier League (26 – 29 May 2017) securing an incredible eight victories with her team of exciting young horses.
On Saturday she won the Saracen Horse Feeds Intermediate I with Emma Blundell’s eight-year-old mare, Mount St John Freestyle (pictured). They were awarded an impressive average of 78.77% by the panel - Nick Burton, Fiona Lace and visiting judge from Norway, Trond Asmyr, for a plus-4% lead. Still full of running, the pair went on to secure victory in the same day’s Fairfax Saddles Prix St Georges Section B with another outstanding score – this time 78.60% - from judges Helen Bradley, Felicity Scott and Andrea Smith.
Charlotte and Freestyle, who are the reigning Equine Construction Advanced Medium Champions, made their Intermediate I debut at the beginning of the month. The talented Fidermark daughter looks very at ease with the advanced work as she develops towards Grand Prix.
Charlotte also took the Monarch Equestrian Intermediate II, this time with Carl Hester’s gelding, Hawtins Delicato. Charlotte rode the nine-year-old Diamond Hit son and Inter II debutant to post a super score of 73.64%. This was their first time in the arena since making an impact at the Horse of the Year Show last October where they won the Arbonne Future Elite Inter I Freestyle.
“Super start to Somerford Premier League today despite the wet weather,” posted Charlotte on her Facebook page. “Mount St John Freestyle won the Inter I and PSG classes with over 78%. Hawtins Delicato won the Inter II with 73.64%. So so proud of the horses and looking forward to the next two days.”
Charlotte (31) went on to win Sunday’s Saracen Horse Feeds Intermediate I with Hawtins Delicato (74.87%) as well as adding to her tally with her own horses, En Vogue and Florentina VI. En Vogue who’s an eight-year-old by Jazz, and Florentina VI, a seven-year-old by Vivaldi, won a class apiece in fine style - the Fairfax Saddles Prix St Georges (74.21%) and Equine Construction Advanced Medium (75.61%) respectively.
Another young Vivaldi daughter, Mount St John VIP, was expertly piloted by Charlotte to win the Shearwater Six-Year-Old Young Horse Qualifier. The elegant mare, who was crowned Shearwater Five-Year-Old Champion in 2016, is also holder of the 2016 Dodson & Horrell Novice Gold title. Hot on their heels with a mark of 7.98 was Derbyshire’s Tim Heappey (34) with Allison Croft’s Tantoni Dallaglio, by Danone II. Tim and Dallaglio, winners of the Hickstead Five-Year-Old FEI Young Horse Championship last year, also headed Sunday’s Hickstead Six-Year-Old FEI Qualifier, with 77.4.
Section B of Saturday’s Fairfax Saddles Prix St Georges belonged to Oxfordshire’s Jonny Clarke-West (36) with his promising nine-year-old gelding Zick Zack Toftesgaard (Blue Hors Zack x Don Schufro). This partnership, which has achieved top-five National Championship placings at both Medium and Advanced Medium, looks to have a bright future.
At the top end, Becky Moody (37) and Carinsio continued their run of good form with their third Premier League Grand Prix win of the season. Becky and the 10-year-old Painted Black son ‘Jack’, who she co-owns with Julie Lockey, won the LeMieux Grand Prix with 71.08% ahead of runners-up Ulrik Molgaard and Michigan. On to Monday, Yorkshire-based Becky and Jack won the Grand Prix Special with 71.86% on their maiden attempt of this technically demanding test.
Reflecting the talent in the youth divisions, Herefordshire rider Lucy Pincus (20) rose to the challenge by achieving a one-two in Sunday’s Under-25 Grand Prix. She won with a creditable 65.91% aboard her father David’s Sheepcote Doncalisto, relegating her second ride, Sheepcote Fiesta, into second. This was a Grand Prix debut for Lucy, with both horses, and is a promising achievement as she heads towards the senior ranks.
The Winners
FRIDAY 26 MAY
Equine Construction Advanced Medium
Alex Hua Tian with Don Geniro, 71.01%
SATURDAY 27 MAY
Hickstead Young Horse National 5YO Qualifier
Jayden Brown with MSJ Fascinate, 7.86
Hickstead Young Horse 6YO Qualifier
Jayden Brown with MSJ Top Secret, 7.5
Fairfax Saddles Prix St Georges – Section A
Jonny Clarke-West with Zick Zack Toftegaard, 69.87%
Fairfax Saddles Prix St Georges – Section B
Charlotte Dujardin with Mount St John Freestyle, 78.60%
Saracen Horse Feeds Intermediate I
Charlotte Dujardin with Mount St John Freestyle, 78.77%
Monarch Equestrian Intermediate II
Charlotte Dujardin with Hawtins Delicato, 73.64%
SUNDAY 28 MAY
Hickstead 5YO FEI International Young Horse Qualifier
Ryan Todd with Di Romantica, 75.6
Hickstead 6YO FEI International Young Horse Qualifier
Tim Heappey with Tantoni Dallaglio, 77.4
Pony Team Test
Charlotte McDowall with LE Chiffre, 70.26%
Equine Construction Advanced Medium
Ottilie Bardsley with Darina O, 71.35%
Fairfax Saddles Prix St Georges
Charlotte Dujardin with En Vogue, 74.21%
Saracen Horse Feeds Intermediate I
Charlotte Dujardin with Hawtins Delicato, 74.87%
LeMieux Grand Prix
Becky Moody with Carinsio, 71.08%
Under-25 Grand Prix
Lucy Pincus with Sheepcote Doncalisto, 65.91%
MONDAY 29 MAY
Shearwater 4YO Young Horse Qualifier
Michael Eilberg with MSJ Distinction
Shearwater 5YO Young Horse Qualifier
Grace Webster with Highlight VI, 7.92
Shearwater 6YO Young Horse Qualifier
Charlotte Dujardin with Mount St John VIP, 8.64
Pony Individual Test
Annabella Pidgley with Farbenfroh, 71.04%
Equine Construction Advanced Medium
Charlotte Dujardin with Florentina, 75.61%
Fairfax Saddles Prix St Georges
Sadie Smith with Keystone Dynamite, 75.88%
Saracen Horse Feeds Intermediate I
Charlotte Dujardin with En Vogue, 74.43%
Grand Prix Special
Becky Moody with Carinsio, 71.86%
For full results click here.
Photo copyright: Lucy Hall.