Team honours may have gone to the Netherlands at the recent Rotterdam CDIO (18 – 22 June) however there were some positive results from Great Britain’s fourth-placed crew of up-and-coming riders, particularly Kent-based Daniel Watson (37) on his fourth nations cup call-up.
Daniel Watson may be a new face on the world stage but he came of age in Rotterdam, scoring a personal best of 70.56% for seventh in the grand prix riding Susie Farnon’s Fideramber. The consistently improving partnership of Dan and ‘Freddie’, a 14-year-old son of Fidermark held their own amongst the red-hot competition.
Nikki Crisp also performed a good grand prix, posting 68.40% for 14th with her 17-year-old Damocles mare Pasoa. Both Dan and Nikki qualified for, and went on to compete in Saturday night’s freestyle, in a front of a knowledgeable packed house of enthusiasts but the high-octane atmosphere did affect the horses slightly, resulting in some tension issues. Dan and Fideramber scored 67.57% for 13th, and Nikki and Pasoa 67.52% for 14th.
Daniel Sherriff with Bayford Hall Dallaglio and Hannah Biggs with Weltzin scored 66.18% and 65.78% respectively in the grand prix, for 22nd and 24th. Competing in the grand prix special, Hannah and Weltzin, her 15-year-old Welt Bogen-sired stallion, secured a podium position with 66.68% for third. Daniel Sherriff and Bayford Hall Dallaglio scored an uncharacteristically low 63.88% for ninth.
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Photo credit: Paul Harding @lewishardingimages