Finishing touches are being done to the arenas in preparation for the start of the NAF Five Star Dressage Championships which get underway bright and early on Wednesday morning (15 April 2015) at Hartpury College in Gloucestershire. The five days of competition are full to the brim of top dressage action from prelim to Inter I, including freestyle along the levels where 29 Championship winners will be crowned.
As well as the Winter Championships, the ever-popular Petplan Equine Area Festival Championships run to find the country’s leading amateurs. Over 3500 tests were ridden over the 19 Area Festivals last summer and a lucky few earned a coveted Petplan Equine ticket to contest the Championship finals from Prelim to Inter I levels.
With so many classes, this is Britain’s largest dressage extravaganza with some 800 combinations competing. BEF Excel Talent rider Daisy Coakley earns the accolade as the busiest rider of the show; she’s qualified four horses and has eight rides over the five days. Amazingly, all four of her horses will be in the opening class on Wednesday morning, the Charles Owen Advanced Medium Restricted Championship and she’ll be the first one down the centre line on Felicity Norrie’s Affinity Bay at 07.52. The Herfordshire rider also brings her event horse, Urbanus IV, also owned by Felicty, Aimee Witkin’s Bing who was the Medium Restricted Champion last year and contests four championship classes and finally, Judy Firmston-Wlliams’ Cleopatra II, also a title winner in 2014.
Also with four horses qualified are Nathalie Kayal (six rides) and Sheepgate’s Sarah Payne (five rides). Nathalie rides four horses from the renowned DHI stable so Alligator, Bravo, Cleverboy and Homerun will all be proudly sporting the DHI prefix. Sarah brings father Bruce’s Box of Tricks, Sheepgate Bommel and Sheepgate Ushipower, joint owned by Sarah and husband Mark. To complete the Sheepgate family affair, Sarah’s daughter Lily will ride Bruce’s Andexer in the Petplan Equine prelim championship.
Three riders have three horses in the championships; Lucy Cartright, Becky Moody and Kate Cowell, who’s deputising for the injured Jo Hamilton on Corchapin, owned by Lady Hope and Jo, and Olwen Lloyd’s Dahling as well as her long time ride, Frances Meier’s Rockefeller IV.
Five talented partnerships have qualified for four Championships – an amazing feat. Daisy Coakley and Bing we’ve mentioned but also in the star category are Emma Woolley and Eldorado, Jess Bennett and JB Dukaat, Jull Grant and Dizzy Heights and Joshua Hill and Bewunder.
Friday and Saturday night is party time with a great Gala Performance. Friday features the NAF Magic PSG Freestyle where 14 of the country’s best combinations at this level go head to head. New for 2015 is extra insight from leading international rider and judge, Paul Hayler as he helps to guide the audience through the mystery of what makes a good freestyle, what the judges are looking for and rider comment.
Saturday is the turn of the NAF Superflex Inter I which again looks to be a top-notch class. Eilberg siblings Maria and Michael go head to head with Royal Concert and Fuerst Sinclair respectively, and Michael will want to defend his title he won last year on Half Moon Dynasty but Maria has been in great form following a recent trip to Barcelona with ‘Rico’. Becky Moody brings rising star Carinsio while Olivia Oakeley has her long term partner Donna Summer. Don’t discount Matt Frost and AMD Don Rosso II, Maria Griffin with DJ or Matt Hicks with Excalibur either…or any of the other 14 starters for that matter! It’s as wide open as last week’s Grand National! Both nights you’ll also enjoy a Masterclass from Olympian Laura Tomlinson plus ‘Showtime’, a display by Bobby Hayler. Both evenings get underway at 7:00pm and tickets are £16 which will be available on the door.
Entry for all day time viewing is absolutely free and with three arenas running from around 8am to 6pm, there’s plenty to enjoy. As well as the action, there are plenty of shops to tempt you – make sure you pack your flexible friend!
If you can’t make it to Hartpury, have no fear – you won’t miss any of the action from the NAF arena (indoor) as thanks to support from LeMieux, we’re able to offer live stream for the first time.
Please visit the BD Championships website for all the info on the NAF Five Star Championships – news, full timetable, results, tradestands, location and of course, that lovely live stream! Plus, you'll be able to download rider comment from Friday - Sunday using our audio service.
BD will be there with a tradestand for your competition essentials plus to answer questions you may have on the new competition structure – or anything else on dressage. The marketing team will also be out and about providing stories and quotes plus lots on facebook and twitter so make sure you follow us.
For members, there’s a Members’ Meeting in the Arena Restaurant on Thursday half an hour after the final prize giving which should be about 18.40. We’ll be presenting and discussing the new competition structure including some of your vital feedback received so far.
