The heavens opened and drenched competitors at a very busy Bury Farm Summer Regionals this week (7 - 10 August 2017) but despite the weather the second to last qualifying show proved close and exciting.
Robert Barker made it three from three in the Dodson & Horrell Novice Silver at Bury Farm having already taken this title a week earlier at Mount Ballan. This time is was Chloe Walton’s Fidelious and Andrew Fletcher’s five-year-old Hamlet to complete his hat-trick with both horses gaining exceptional scores of 73.89% and 73.77% in their respective sections of two huge Novice Silver classes.
Gloucestershire based Robert is an international event rider who also competes in dressage and showjumping. Having graduated from Hartpury College in 2013, Rob moved to Upleadon where he runs his own yard.
Another class to be split into two sections due to high numbers of entries was the TopSpec Medium Silver. Section A was won by the talented visually impaired para dressage rider Nicola Naylor with Ferrari on 69.14% whilst Lucy Pye with Superstar III took Section B having been awarded 69.59% from judges Carolyn Gardiner (H), Mary Robbins (C) and Maria Eilberg (B).
Taking to Facebook to talk about her win an ecstatic Lucy said, “Medium Regional Champion! Can’t believe how far lovely Rosie has come in a year I’m over the moon to have got our ticket for the Nationals, thank you everyone who’s been a part of it and helped us, despite the rain she felt fab! Couldn’t have done it without Jezz [Palmer] especially all his help right from the start with her and reminding me regularly what she’s capable of!”
With ‘Rosie’ having been started by Sadie Smith, Lucy took over the reins in 2016 and has produced the gorgeous dark bay mare through the levels from Novice to Medium.
Herefordshire based rider Calum Whitworth successfully gained another ticket to the LeMieux National Championships with the stunning chestnut Faydermie ZH who will line up with his other ride Fernando in the TopSpec Medium Gold. With Sarah Branch’s Faydermie, Calum scored 72.61% to finish just ahead of Gareth Hughes aboard Sintana Van Hof Olympia in second and Keri Bates and Ekko Christianslund Gevalia in third.
In the Advanced classes it was Leah Beckett who rode to success in the Fairfax Saddles Prix St Georges Gold whilst Alice Oppenheimer scored in the Saracen Horse Feeds Intermediate I Gold. Their star rides Nirvana Celestial and Headmore Wimoweh join two of the most hotly anticipated classes of the Nationals.
British Dressage thanks Bury Farm for an exciting Summer Regional Championships; the Champagne receptions at the prize-givings were a particular highlight to many! Congratulations to all competitors, officials and judges who braved the rain to participate.
Regional Champions:
BackinAction Preliminary Silver A
Cheryl Stacey with Mannanan Cool Customer, 71.44%
Dodson & Horrell Novice Silver A
Robert Barker with Fidelious, 73.89%
Dodson & Horrell Novice Silver B
Robert Barker with Hamlet, 73.77%
Dodson & Horrell Novice Gold A
Fiona Brennan with De Angelis II, 71.42%
Dodson & Horrell Novice Gold B
Ashley Jenkins with His Highness, 73.40%
Childéric Saddles Elementary Silver A
Cornelia O’Mahony with Gravitas II, 70.63%
Childéric Saddles Elementary Silver B
Holly Colgate Hardaway with Dalvangs Lorenzo, 69.79%
Childéric Saddles Elementary Gold
Lisa Hopkins with Good Guy, 73.13%
TopSpec Medium Silver A
Nicola Naylor with Ferrari, 69.14%
TopSpec Medium Silver B
Lucy Pye with Superstar III, 69.59%
TopSpec Medium Gold
Callum Whitworth with Faydermie ZH, 72.61%
Equine Construction Advanced Medium Silver
Jayne Turney with Penhaligons Jupiter, 72.63%
Equine Construction Advanced Medium Gold
Heidi Fellows with Royal Dancer, 71.45%
Fairfax Saddles Prix St Georges Gold
Leah Beckett with Nirvana Celestial, 69.87%
Saracen Horse Feeds Intermediate I Gold
Alice Oppenheimer with Headmore Wimoweh, 69.82%
For full results click here.
Pictured: Fairfax Saddles Prix St Georges top three - Leah Beckett, Tom Goode and Luke Baber Davies.