Somerford Park Farm started off the first of this year’s seven regional championships (19 - 20 July). Entries on the first day were huge. One hundred and three entered the BackinAction prelim, which was divided into three sections, and the Dodson and Horrell novice open ran for over six and a half hours.
Peter Storr made a winning return to the competition arena in taking both the Fairfax Saddles prix st georges and Saracen Horse Feeds inter I with Sirius Black III. The Stedinger gelding, who is still in elementary points, scored an impressive 75% to finish nearly 7% ahead of the runners-up in the PSG and then had a similar winning margin in the Inter I. “He hasn’t been to a show since the beginning of January and yet he came out and did that,” said Peter. “He has a temperament to die for - the black labrador of the horse world!”
The first of two Equilibrium Products restricted elementary went to Isle Of Man based Aggie Crapper riding Enrico (pictured). The nine-year-old Rico is 7/8ths Lusitano and was bought as a yearling to keep a foal company. “Needless to say he has ended up the better of the two,” said Aggie who trains with Zara Barton-Woods who was herself competing at the show. “I wasn’t sure whether the test was good enough but Zara gave us the thumbs-up as we left the arena.”
Claire Dutton was on hand to watch her youngster Chapeau win section C of the prelim with Helen Lowery on board. The seven-year-old Vivaldi gelding was imported by Claire as a youngster but due to lack of time as she set up a livery yard the horse has been turned out. “It has done him no harm as he is a big horse and I asked Helen if she’d like to do some competing on him this year,” said Claire. “He’s very level-headed and it showed at the weekend.”
The weather was not kind on the Saturday but the Somerford arenas were more than up to the job and the going remained perfect despite torrential rain drenching competitors. Add to that thunder and lightening and it was impressive that so many did good tests - nearly all the sections were won with +70% scores!
Results - for full results, visit the Somerford Regionals website
BackinAction Prelim
Section a – Diane Wilson with Columbus P - 72.24%
Section b – Paula Holden with Eberhard - 78.27%
Section c – Helen Lowery with Chapeau - 70.77%
Dodson & Horrell Novice Restricted
Section a – Stacey Jones with River Rico - 70.23%
Section b – Aimee Parry with Yarty Welsh Jack - 70.23%
Dodson & Horrell Novice Open
Phoebe Peters with Edison H - 74.89%
Equilibrium Products Elementary Restricted
Section a – Aggie Crapper with Enrico - 70.94%
Section b – Dawn Grundy with Rough Lee So Schufro - 68.85%
Equilibrium Products Elementary Open
Patsy Bartram with Leonidas III - 73.28%
Dressage Deluxe Medium Restricted
Holly Bates with Cambridge - 70.27%
Dressage Deluxe Medium Open
Ruth Edge with Monarchs Cavalier - 73.47%
Suregrow Fertiliser Advanced Medium Restricted
Lara Dyson with Cyden Cadans M - 70.31%
Suregrow Fertiliser Advanced Medium Open
Becky Moody with Carinsio - 75.57%
Fairfax Saddles Prix St Georges
Peter Storr with Sirius Black III - 75.22%
Saracen Horse Feeds Intermediate I
Peter Storr with Sirius Black III - 72.28%