The Ideal Saddles Combined Training qualifiers have been taking place since October and a strong list of combinations have already bagged a place at the exciting Final at Field House, Staffordshire in March next year.
Tests have been taking place up and down the country at Prelim and Novice level with show jumping from 70cm to 1metre running alongside.
One success story to emerge is that of 12-year-old Sophia Maston who will be heading to the Final with her mother’s horse Solitaire. Sophia and the five-year-old mare had only jumped a few single fences together before the competition but felt inspired to give it a go after a chance encounter with title sponsors Ideal Saddles who helped out in providing a saddle for her other ride, a pony called Micklekims Secret who was being ridden bareback due to his tricky shape. After finding out about the Series, Sophia entered and decided to give it a go! Despite their inexperience over fences, Sophia and Solitaire had a very successful outing to the qualifier at Allens Hill resulting in a brilliant win. The young rider’s grandmother Catherine got in touch to share their story with British Dressage, she said “Combined Training was always one of her mother’s favourite competitions so we’re really pleased it’s back!”
Sophia and Solitaire demonstrate the ethos behind the series – you don’t need to have loads of experience in either discipline to take part! It’s the perfect opportunity to have some fun, get out and about over the winter months and train your horse in two disciplines with the added bonus of a fabulous Championship final at the end.
Inspired by Sophia? There’ still a chance to take part and try to qualify:
Vale View, Leicestershire – 06/01/18
Port Royal, East Yorkshire – 13/01/18
West Wilts, Wiltshire – 14/01/18
Mount Ballan, Monmouthshire – 20/01/18
Alnwick Ford, Northumberland – 20/01/18
Onley, Warwickshire – 25/01/18
Ian Stark, Borders – 03/02/18
Field House, Staffordshire – 04/02/18
Keysoe, Bedfordshire – 06/02/18
Wellington, Hampshire – 11/02/18
Reaseheath, Cheshire – 18/02/18
Moreton, Dorset – 24/02/18
Start your 2018 season with a bang and get entered for our most diverse Championship series kindly supported by Ideal Saddles. Qualifiers are open to combinations of any level/grade in any discipline and there’s no requirement for the horse to be registered.
Read more about the series by clicking here.