Nupafeed Advanced Medium Freestyle
Junior rider Erin Williams from Baslow in Derbyshire may not be a name every dressage fan knows well. However, you may be surprised to learn she’s represented Britain at the Pony European Championships over the last four years, culminating in being a pivotal part of securing the team bronze last year with her stunning palomino Dynasty. This is because the rigours of being selected often require trips to Europe for CDIP competitions rather than shows on British soil. However, today at Hartpury she put up a performance with her Junior team prospect Fleurie, owned by mum Clare, which made everyone sit up and notice to win the Nupafeed Advanced Medium Freestyle.
The 16 year old has had a quick turnaround to make it to Hartpury as she and the Florestan sired Fleurie had been to the international show Nieuw en St. Joosland in Holland where they were in good form, winning the team test and finishing in the top eight in the individual and freestyle tests. If the duo were weary from their travels, there was no sign today as their floorplan was full of energy. “We’ve increased the technical side of the test so it was quite new. I got a bit stuck in my walk pirouettes and fluffed a change but she was a good girl. It’s the first time we’ve ever been to Hartpury and there’s lots going on,” said a clearly delighted Erin.
The Williams’ sourced Fleurie from the same breeder they bought Erin’s two British team ponies from in Holland. They tragically lost her first pony Danny Boy B and her parents felt a new project would help Erin focus. Such was the trust in their source, they bought her from a video after a phone call to say they had an ideal junior team horse.
The pairing is off to Saumur in France in a few weeks to try and cement a place on the British Junior team and also on the horizon is the small matter of her GCSEs! Erin started riding in teams when she was about 12 so she’s quite the professional at fitting in riding and school work. “I have a great team in mum (Clare), who organises everything, dad (Paul) who’s our driver and top groom Michelle plus the horses are at home which really helps. I get up early and ride before school which means I arrive ready and awake…unlike some others,” joked Erin.
Equitop Myoplast Elementary Restricted Championship
Lizzie Webb from Upper Tysoe in Warwickshire partnered WS Montpellier (Monte Carlo x Vernal Beacon Light), her six-year-old home-bred gelding, to secure the title of Equitop Myoplast Elementary Restricted Champion 2014.
“I’m so pleased with him!” smiled Lizzie wryly as she came out of her hair-raising prize giving. The attractive bay, known as Monty to his friends, had taken fright at the smart Equitop Myoplast presentation rug he was wearing, and he and Lizzie parted company at speed. Horse and rider though were soon happily reunited and ready to celebrate their success!
“No seriously, I’m so happy,” said Lizzie. “We won at the regionals so I thought we had a chance. Our test highlights were simple changes over the centre line, the medium trot and the medium canter. There were mistakes - seven steps instead of five in the rein back, and the free walk was a bit tense but the work felt good and the test flowed.
“Monty is a really well behaved horse and is dead easy at home,” said Lizzie, who trains with Tony Cockshutt, “he just doesn’t like rugs! We can never put an exercise rug on him.”
“We bred him ourselves to sell but chose to keep him after discovering his talent for dressage. He seems to really enjoy it too,” said Lizzie who plans to compete Monty as far as he’ll go.
Petplan Equine Preliminary Area Festival Championship
It’s often the competitive drama that can turn a championship from good to great – and in the Petplan Equine Preliminary Area Festival Championship, there was definitely plenty of that. The morning saw 57 riders battle it out for one of the 30 places up for grabs in the afternoon’s final, however it was 15-year-old Danielle Balsdon who eventually took home the title with her own nine year old gelding, Reset Sir Lancelot.
Petplan Equine Prix St Georges Area Festival Championship
Bucks-based dressage rider Rachel Clark and Urionetta (Welt Hit II x Balzflug), a sporty 13-year-old Dutch bay mare, scored 71.38% - a personal best and more than 3% ahead of their nearest rival - to head the Petplan Equine Prix St Georges Area Festival Championship, out of 25 national finalists.
“I can’t believe it. I rode to win but to actually do it was a dream,” said Rachel, clearly delighted with her horse. ”She’s been at prix st georges for one year. Her trot work is so secure now and in canter, all the flying changes came off. In the past, the fourth four-time has been a three but today it went to plan and the fourth was a four.”
As enthusiastic as she is in her work, the mare can be quite hot to handle: “She’s a nightmare in the stable,” said Rachel, “so much so that when I went into the overnight stables this morning, the lights hadn’t been turned on. The switch is outside her stable and nobody was brave enough to go near her! For all her nonsense in the stable though, she genuinely loves to work.”
Albion Medium Open Championship
We had to wait until the final class of this year’s Championship to see crowd pleaser Matt Hicks finish top of the podium but the performance he gave with Anne and Steve Keen’s Don Carissimo (s. Don Crusador) was well worth the wait and it deserved every mark of the 811.5 that the judges awarded him and possibly more. Their final score of 73.11% would secure most classes but an early draw and a quality field to follow made it an uncomfortable afternoon’s wait.
Even two combinations with a title to their name from earlier in the week couldn’t topple Matt and ‘Darcy’ and the deserved win was theirs. “He has grown in confidence through the week and was simply a pleasure to ride in there today. He’s such a sparky horse and loves his work. I work him closely with owner Anne (who is a list 2 judge) when we can which is a massive help; it’s team work that’s made this win. He’s confident now at this level and we can keep the tension out of the test arena. If any tension creeps in it’s usually down to him trying so hard.”
Anne purchased Darcy as a foal from a German auction for herself originally; “He had that same ‘look at me’ character that he did in the arena today,” said Steve. The Keens have been friends with Matt for years and as Darcy grew in size (he’s 17+hh), confidence and cheekiness, Anne offered Matt the ride. He still returns home to Anne for holidays and fitness work as they live near Salisbury Plain – he’s even been rumoured to do a bit of cross country schooling with Steve! “He always comes back to me raring to go so he must have a great time there,” said Matt.
The combination has already competed in a PSG and scored 74% so Winchester-based Matt is hoping that some further good results will earn Darcy and him an invitation to compete in the new Advanced Medium class at the Windsor CDI in May.