Dubbed the supermodel of the dressage world, Woodlander Farouche did not disappoint at the most competitive of the seven area finals, the Central Regional Championships at Addington Manor EC, scoring the highest percentage across the board with more than 77% in the Suregrow Fertiliser Advanced Medium Open.
Having won the FEI World Breeding Championships for Young Dressage Horses as a five- and six-year-old, the latter with a record score, the seven-year-old Furst Heinrich mare, piloted by Michael Eilberg, made her main circuit debut in May and this was only her fourth advanced medium test.
Expectations for this horse are always ridiculously high, but even more so since she scored more than 83% in the advanced medium at the Hartpury Premier League in July.
Michael said: “Her test at Hartpury was flawless. You don’t produce a test like that every day, so this was always going to be a let down in a way. She was a little nervous: she spooked on a circle and struck off on the wrong leg in the walk-canter transition, but her walk, extensions and flying changes were superb.”
Michael enjoyed further success, this time in the Saracen Horse Feeds Intermediate I with the nine-year-old Dimaggio mare, Half Moon Dynasty.
He said: “I was chuffed with her as she’s not done much at this level - it was her fourth Intermediate I – and is not fully established, but she has so much quality and we pulled off a great test.”
Rob Waine topped what he described as a “fantastic” week. He’s moved to his new training and livery yard in Beaconsfield and won the Dodson & Horrell Novice Open Section B and the Stretch & Flex Elementary Open with Rhodesia (pictured), thereby securing his first trip to the summer nationals.
Rob, who is trained by Louise Spate, has had the ride on the six-year-old 17.3hh British-bred gelding by Keystone Rhondeo since last November: “Linda Bennett bought him as a three-day-old foal because of his amazing walk. I started teaching them in February last year and then Lynne offered me the ride after a few months; she didn’t have to ask me twice and we haven’t looked back since.
“Having qualified at novice level, we thought we’d try him in a couple of elementary classes, which he won with more than 70%, so then we decided we might as well try and qualify him at that level and won at Patchetts with more than 73%.
“He keeps on getting stronger and is so sweet natured,” says Rob, who reckons the key to their success is Granny Smith apples. “He is obsessed by them and has to have one before I ride him, otherwise he’s not happy. They may be more expensive than Polos, but we will be stocking up on them before Stoneleigh!”
The third double winner was Gareth Hughes. He won the Fairfax Saddles Prix St Georges with the 10-year-old Sandro Hit stallion, Samba Hit III, whom he has competed since last May, as well as the highly competitive Dressage Deluxe Medium Open with Classic Briolinca, in which seven combinations went through to the nationals.
Gareth’s wife Rebecca talent spotted the latter, a seven-year-old mare by Trento B as a three-year-old and Gareth has ridden her for the past two years.
After already securing two places at the nationals by winning the novice open and elementary restricted at the Eastern Regionals with Judy Firmston-Williams’ Cleopatra II, Daisy Coakley earned another place at the nationals with Bing, also by Trento B, after winning the Stretch & Flex Elementary Restricted Section A with more than 75%.
Daisy has been unbeaten in all seven tests she has entered with Bing, a seven-year-old gelding owned by Melise Witkin and Judy.
She said: “It’s going to be interesting as Daya and Bing will be up against each other for the first time in the elementary. It will be a showdown and I really don’t know who will come out on top.”
Picture © www.kevinsparrow.co.uk
RESULTS
Visualise Sportswear Preliminary – Section A
Ashley Jenkins and Lukien Von Tespe (owner: Dan Greenwood & Jamie Reynolds) 72.27%
Emilia Wogan and Radway Harlequin (owner: Alicia Patrick) 71.36%
Visualise Sportswear Preliminary – Section B
Caroline Bunce and Moonlight Serenade (owner: Rider) 72.27%
Katie Davies and Tinkers Tomahawk (owner: Rider) 68.79%
Dodson & Horrell Novice Restricted
Kirsty Borton and Longacre Clorde (owner: Paula Cook) 68.74%
Liz Mackenze and Hotlinels (owner: Rider) 68.51%
Dodson & Horrell Novice Open – Section A
Rebecca Cowderoy and Celicia (owner: Tony Cockshutt) 74.60%
Garry Williams and Furst Edition II (owner: Rider) 74.02%
Nathalie Kayal and DHI Clever Boy (owner: Rider) 72.99%
Dodson & Horrell Novice Open – Section B
Robert Waine and Rhodesia (owner: Linda Bennett) 70.92%
Sarah King Wells and The Contact People Destiny D (owner: Rider) 70.34%
Nathalie Kayal and DHI Bravo (owner: Rider) 69.77%
Stretch & Flex Elementary Restricted – Section A
Daisy Coakley and Bing (owner: Aimee Witkin and Judy Firmston-Williams) 75.10%
Jade Clark and Uno Diamond (owner: Sue Brennan) 72.19%
Stretch & Flex Elementary Restricted – Section B
Tracey Lawson and Alfero (owner: Rider) 71.56%
Marsha Webb and Rosario Royale (owner: Lorraine Sattin) 69.38%
Rebecca Haryett and Bjornsun (owner: Rider) 69.38%
Stretch & Flex Elementary Open
Robert Waine and Rhodesia (owner: Lynne Bennett) 73.13%
Nathalie Kayal and DHI Bravo (owner: Rider) 73.02%
Caroline Princz and Praestegardens Dan (owner: Rider) 71.15%
Mat Burnett and Nibeley Union Hit (owner: Rider) 70.83%
Stephanie Toogood and Florian Himself (owner: Christine Trendell) 69.58%
Dressage Deluxe Medium Restricted
Helen Philip and Rubens (owner: Rider) 70.36%
Lisa Price and Angelo VI (owner: Rider) 68.47%
Dressage Deluxe Medium Open
Gareth Hughes and Classic Briolinca (owner: Rebecca Hughes) 72.70%
Lisa Hopkins and Coole Contender (owner: Margaret Phizacklea) 72.43%
Sam Dewar and Parsons Resume (owner: Alexandra Boyce & Rider) 71.62%
Daniel Odell and Amour G (owner: Pippa Childerhouse) 70.45%
Paul Friday and Christoph Himself (owner: Rider ) 70.36%
Judy Harvey and Blitz (owner: Rider) 70.18%
Nikki Crisp and Ardie (owner: Anne King) 69.55%
Suregrow Fertiliser Advanced Medium Restricted
Fiona Bull and Pipers Ustnar (owner: Rider) 68.16%
Casey Mckenna and DHI Zanzibar (owner: Mary Gerrie) 67.72%
Suregrow Fertiliser Advanced Medium Open
Michael Eilberg and Woodlander Farouche (owner: Ferdi Eilberg & Lynne Crowden) 77.11%
Maria Eilberg and Royal Concert (owner: Penny Pollard & Hermione Black) 70.79%
Jacky Stolper and Luciano Pavarotti (owner: Caroline Wheatley-Hubbard & Rider) 70.35%
Lucy Cartwright and Fergana (owner: Carole Felton) 69.12
Fairfax Saddles Prix St Georges
Gareth Hughes and Samba Hit III (owner: Kate Byron) 71.10%
Saracen Horse Feeds Intermediate I
Michael Eilberg and Half Moon Dynasty (owner: Julie Deverill) 71.80%