Wild weather and postponements may have affected the Wellington Riding Winter Regionals but the adverse conditions didn’t deter from a highly exciting competition (25 – 1 March 2018).
Taking the top honours in the Superflex Intermediate I Gold was Buckinghamshire-based rider Nathalie Kayal. Nathalie (pictured) was awarded 73.33% by judges Linda Whetstone, Mary-Ann Horn and Clare Ballantyne for her test with DHI Homerun, an eye catching bay by Hochadel. The German gelding was sourced by DHI horses as an eight year old in 2013 before Nathalie took over the reins a year later. The successful duo have enjoyed a great number of strong results at small tour including a trip to the Saumur CDI3* in 2017 where they consistently placed inside the top six. Nathalie’s result with ‘Joseph’ means that she will have two shots at the Superflex Intermediate I title as he joins her other superstar, DHI Bravo, following a win at the Addington Manor Winter Regionals last week.
The final day of competition, moved to Wednesday 7 March due to the snow, saw another win for Nathalie as Woodcroft St Emilion excelled in the Spillers Medium Freestyle Gold. The 10-year-old gelding by St Moritz is no stranger to the Winter Championships having contested classes at Novice and Elementary levels in 2014 and 2015.
Standing out in the Freestyle classes was the stunning roan, The Silver Brumby. A veteran of 12 years’ worth of BD competition, the evergreen gelding owned by Steph Kelly won the PDS Saddles Elementary Freestyle Silver with Maddie O’Carroll in the saddle. The duo scored a brilliant 73.26% to earn the highest score across any of the Silver classes at the Wellington Winter Regionals. Owner Steph took to Facebook to say, ‘Proud owner moment! I managed to go and watch Maddie and Rooney (The Silver Brumby) at Wellington Winter Regionals. They WON the Elementary Silver Freestyle to music with 73% so happy! Can’t wait for Winter Championships now!’
Also enjoying a freestyle victory was Kate Oppenheimer, sister of Grand Prix rider Alice. Kate triumphed in the Baileys Horse Feeds Novice Freestyle Silver earning 72.87% with her dun partner SOS Sealpoint. Alice matched Kate’s win adding a further three titles to her Winter Regional haul with the duo of home-breds, Headmore Bella Ruby and Headmore Davina. Speaking on her Facebook page about her sister’s win Alice said, ‘All I’ll say is I’m pleased nobody videoed it when I was crying with Kate after we initially found out she won!’
Another competitive KBIS Preliminary Silver class saw first and second place split by only half a mark. The victorious rider was 14-year-old Emily Collings from Brimpton in Berkshire. With her elegant pony Chiddock Hour Glass, Emily scored 72.18% to finish in front of Ashlene Bagshaw with Danseuse. Emily and the petite bay mare by Chiddock Time Limit will be newcomers to the NAF Five Star Winter Championships having only made their British Dressage debut in July 2017.
British Dressage thanks all the team at Wellington Riding and the class sponsors for a great competition. Congratulations go to all riders who braved the ‘beast from the east’, we look forward to welcoming all the qualified combinations to the NAF Five Star Winter Dressage Championships.
Regional Champions
KBIS Prelim Silver
Emily Collings with Chiddock House Glass, 72.18%
Blue Chip Novice Silver
Ali Dane with Supporter Z, 70.55%
Blue Chip Novice Gold
Bryony Goodwin with Hawtins Salerno, 72.90%
Baileys Horse Feeds Novice Freestyle Silver
Kate Oppenheimer with SOS Sealpoint, 72.87%
Baileys Horse Feeds Novice Freestyle Gold
Alice Oppenheimer with Headmore Bella Ruby, 77.87%
Equi-Trek Elementary Silver
Laura Tinkler with San Diego II, 71.45%
Equi-Trek Elementary Gold
Katherine Louise Bailey with Hillgrounds Wolkenhall, 72.29%
PDS Saddles Elementary Freestyle Silver
Maddie O’Carroll with The Silver Brumby, 73.26%
PDS Saddles Elementary Freestyle Gold
Sarah Williams with San Remo Hitt, 71.92%
Albion Medium Silver A
Denise Fryer with Keystone Starstruck, 68.55%
Albion Medium Silver B
Jessica McConkey with Lady Gaga II, 71.21%
Albion Medium Gold
Nicola Buchanan with St Giles Fairytale, 73.15%
Spillers Medium Freestyle Silver
Sarah Ansty with Woodhams Dorissimo, 71.88%
Spillers Medium Freestyle Gold
Nathalie Kayal with Woodcroft St Emillion, 74.33%
Charles Owen Advanced Medium Silver
Lucy Amy with Extra Time, 70%
Charles Owen Advanced Medium Gold
Alice Oppenheimer with Headmore Davina, 72.19%
Nupafeed Advanced Medium Freestyle Silver
Anne Marie Bork Eppers with Zeilinger Firfod, 71.38%
Nupafeed Advanced Medium Freestyle Gold
Alice Oppenheimer with Headmore Davina, 74.94%
Magic Prix St Georges Gold
Paul Friday with Romanno Rafiel, 70.74%
Superflex Intermediate I Gold
Nathalie Kayal with DHI Homerun, 73.33%
For full results click here
Photo from Wellington Riding School on Facebook.