For another year the highly anticipated Kent & Masters Team Quest Championships returned to Bury Farm EC and thrilled competitors with a great weekend of competition (28 – 29 October).
Once again the atmosphere, energy and team spirit was outstanding, proving exactly why this event is one of the most popular in the British Dressage calendar. Both the Open and Under 18s sections featured over 20 teams with riders completing two tests over the weekend to contribute to the total scores and Championship results. The Gala evening was also a returning popular element with Quest riders witnessing a superb performance by Leah Beckett to win the Prix St Georges Freestyle judged by Pam Bushell, Felicity Scott and Joyce Head.
Open Section
Taking home the spoils in the Open section was the South West based team It’s All About The Bling. The fabulous four are made up by Annette Guler, Annie Frampton-Hobbs, Jacqueline Warren-George and Moira Bonner as well as their equine partners Beckaford Princess Rose, Greenlanes Elidor and Llanidan Survivor. The team, synonymous with their sparkly gilets, lead from day one and finished their competition on a brilliant combined score of 416.97 leaving them almost five percent ahead of their nearest rivals the Chesire Chicks.
The team’s highest overall scorer was Jacqueline aboard the super consistent Llanidan Survivor; the combination earned 71.54% and 69.87% at Prelim level to put the team in a great position which was well backed up by the other members who also excelled themselves at their respective levels.
It’s All About The Bling showed off to its best a vital element of the Quest Championships – training and progression. In 2016 the group earned sixth place in the Open competition, this year’s results speak for themselves! The team took to Facebook to announce their win saying, ‘So excited to say that we WON the final of Team Quest 2017 at Bury Farm. What a brilliant weekend with great friends and three amazing horses!’
Under 18s Section
In the Under 18s section it was The Cookie Monsters who shone and came out on top in a close battle amongst the younger riders. Only 0.35% split the top three teams which saw the WMDG Bluebirds Team 5 and the Pocket Rockets completing the podium places.
After sitting in second place overnight the team of Hannah Ullrich, Libby Cooper, Morven Easton and Niamh Murray fought hard on day two to pull themselves into the top spot, an achievement which saw them improve by 12 places on their 2016 finish. Morven, aboard Libby’s pony Woodside Tin Tin, earned the highest individual score of the complete Under 18s competition gaining 71.81% in her day two Introductory C test. In that particular test two of The Cookie Monsters took the two top spots with Libby finishing second with her ace six-year-old who proved to be key to success for the Ayrshire based team.
On Facebook, proud mum Ann Ullrich praised the super quartet’s success, ‘The Cookie Monsters are still in shock and so are the grums (groom mums). We are so proud of our kids and their fab achievement. Thank you to Bury Farm and BD we all had a fab weekend and also we’ll done to Its All About the Bling.’
Finishing on a fun note The Cookie Monsters even came to the Championships complete with their own team nicknames; Cool Cookie Hannah, Cute Cookie Morven, Crazy Cookie Libby and Comedy Cookie Niamh. What could capture the Team Quest spirit better?
British Dressage thanks sponsors Kent & Masters for their generous support, as well as Bury Farm EC and all competitors and their connections who help to make this special event a roaring success.
Results
Open
1st It’s All About The Bling, 416.97
2nd Chesire Chicks, 412.55
3rd Could B Rounder, 412.31
4th Enter At A Team, 410.27
5th Norfolk Collection, 409.95
6th Vodka Voltes, 409.24
7th Northern Dancers, 406.49
8th The Odd Bods, 403.86
9th Lewis and the Norfolk Divas, 403.50
10th Dressage Donuts, 400.85
Under 18s
1st The Cookie Monsters, 412.17
2nd WMDG Bluebirds Team 5, 411.92
3rd Pocket Rockets, 411.82
4th Derbyshire Young Riders, 404.23
5th Girls on Top, 401.96
6th Clarke Res Rockets, 400.41
7th WMDG Bluebirds Team 3, 397.07
8th WMDG Bluebirds Team 1, 396.90
9th The Only Way Is Dressage, 395.13
10th Beaufort Belles, 392.56
Full results for the Team Quest Championships click here.
To find out more about how to get involved in Team Quest and individual series My Quest head on over to the Team Quest webpage or the Team Quest Facebook page.