The British Dressage Summer Regionals continued at the beautiful Somerford Park Farm last weekend. Competitors were treated to a great competition leading to outstanding results with not a single class winner dropping below 70% (15 – 17 July 2017).
Sheffield-based rider Becky Moody stole the show taking home three regional titles on three different horses. The first of these came with Heavenly Kiss in the Childéric Saddles Elementary Gold; ‘Hectorsaurus’ as he’s known performed foot perfectly to score 76.09% earning the highest score of the week.
Next up was Laura Jarvis’s Contender who won the Fairfax Saddles Prix St Georges with 71.62% despite it being his first competitive outing with Becky on board. Taking the remaining podium places in a competitive class were Maya Goldberg with Tenessee and Sophie Wells with C Fatal Attraction. Jo Cooper’s Eureko (pictured) took the Saracen Horse Feeds Intermediate I with 70.22% to mark Becky’s third title of the week.
Speaking to BD about her Regionals she said, “Somerford is just such a fantastic venue and the team that organise these Regionals do a brilliant job. I feel so lucky to have been riding the horses I had there. Like any horse they all have their little quirks, and their strengths and weaknesses, but I really felt that all of them tried so hard and that's all you can ask.”
The highest score in the Silver classes went to Mandy Denley in the Dodson & Horrell Novice Silver A aboard the eight-year-old KWPN Eyes on Me. The elegant pair scored 72.90%; their win in this class continues a run of success at the North West Regionals as the pair topped the Prelim Silver qualifier 12 months ago. Novice Silver B winner Noah Brook and Gabanna HFD also repeated a 2016 success by winning their class with 70.56% to secure another ticket to the LeMieux National Championships in September.
The day after the Wimbledon Men’s Final, the aptly named ‘Rodger’ booked his ticket to the Nationals after acing the Equine Construction Advanced Medium Gold with Michael Eilberg in the saddle. Seven-year-old Daltrey made his Advanced Medium debut in April, the eye catching bay by Desert Moon was bred by Lynne Crowden of Woodlander Stud from one of her foundation mares, St. Pr. Savannah.
An exciting Childéric Saddles Elementary Silver class went down to the wire and saw first and second place split on collectives after Lindsay Poxon and Freya Metters both scored 70.52%. Taking victory by three marks was Lindsay with her own Believe in Me; the gelding by Belissimo M, a former top lot from the Brightwell Sales, boasts an impressive record having won all but one of his tests entered in 2017.
Congratulations to all of the class winners and qualified combinations. British Dressage thanks Somerford Park Farm, all volunteers and class sponsors for another exciting Regional Championships.
Regional Champions:
BackinAction Preliminary Silver A
Hilary Janion with QEG Lux, 71.26%
BackinAction Preliminary Silver B
Lisa Green with Chiquila, 71.67%
Dodson & Horrell Novice Silver A
Mandy Denley with Eyes on Me, 72.90%
Dodson & Horrell Novice Silver B
Noah Brook with Gabanna HFD, 70.56%
Dodson & Horrell Novice Gold
Belinda Brereton with Galaxy Moone, 74.51%
Childéric Saddles Elementary Silver
Lindsay Poxon with Believe in Me, 70.52%
Childéric Saddles Elementary Gold
Becky Moody with Heavenly Kiss, 76.09%
TopSpec Medium Silver
Dawn Grundy with Rough Lee So Schufro, 71.49%
TopSpec Medium Gold
Henry Boswell with Folt, 71.71%
Equine Construction Advanced Medium Silver
Claire Dutton with Azzaro II, 70.04%
Equine Construction Advanced Medium Gold
Michael Eilberg with Daltrey, 70.31%
Fairfax Saddles Prix St Georges Gold
Becky Moody with Contender, 71.62%
Saracen Horse Feeds Intermediate I Gold
Becky Moody with Eureko, 70.22%
For full results click here.
Photo from Moody Dressage.