Stars shine at Keysoe Premier League

Crowds of Britain’s top riders assembled in Bedfordshire for Keysoe’s annual Premier League show (24 – 26 April 2015), competing across levels ranging from young horse classes to grand prix.

Star combinations from the recent NAF Five Star Winter Dressage Championships were out in force, many of whom topped the tables over the weekend. Albion Medium Open reserve champions, Paul Hayler and Lonswelt clocked up the highest mark of the competition to take the Nupafeed advanced medium freestyle. Making their debut as a combination at advanced medium, Paul and his seven-year-old Londonderry-sired stallion – co-owned with Peter Spence – scored a whopping 77.58% to take the class and also claim an all-time personal best since becoming a partnership in 2012. The duo also scored 71.71% in the Equine Construction advanced medium open, claiming second place behind Judy Harvey and her own nine-year-old KWPN gelding, Blitz (74.34%).

Fresh from their win in the Petplan Equine Area Festival Novice Open championship, Kate Rowland and her own six-year-old Dutch-bred gelding, Erasmus I stormed the Hickstead six-year-old national British young dressage horse to take the top spot with an impressive score of 8.2. Her trainer, Roland Tong also bagged a win at Keysoe in the LeMieux grand prix with his and Sandra Kirkpatrick’s ten-year-old British-bred gelding, Ambience IV on 68.40%.

24-year-old, Emily Harris achieved a personal best in the U25 grand prix with Andrew Harris and Judith Sharrock’s 14-year-old German stallion, Don Diabolo. Scoring a solid 68.02%, the pair topped the tables for the first time at U25 GP level:

“I couldn't be more proud of Max this evening! He only went and won the Under 25s Grand Prix at Keysoe on a very nice 68%!!” exclaimed Emily from her Facebook.“He was lovely and soft to ride in the arena and I'm in the luxurious position of knowing that there's still more to come from him.”

The Fairfax Saddles PSG and Saracen Horse Feeds inter I experienced record entrant numbers, with 46 and 41 entries respectively, causing the classes to be split into two sections. Charlie Hutton reigned supreme in the inter I, with Judy Peploe’s 11-year-old Westphalian gelding, Super Blue taking section A with 71.23% whilst his second ride, Charlotte Dunkerton’s 13-year-old Diamond Hit-sired gelding, Douglas IV (pictured) claimed section B with a strong 74.21 – almost five per cent above second placed Spencer Wilton and Zamboucca (69.52%).

The Hughes family had a very successful competition at the Bedfordshire-based venue as husband and wife team, Rebecca and Gareth, both topped the leader board. With her own five-year-old Dutch-bred mare, Classic Flamboyant, Rebecca won the Hickstead five year old national British young dressage horse on a mark of 7.92. The duo also placed second in Friday’s five year old Hickstead international British young dressage horse on 8.10; Willow Kemp and her own German-bred mare, Lone Star II claimed first place with their score of 8.31. WEG team silver medallist, Gareth Hughes impressed in the Monarch Equestrian inter II with his wife’s nine-year-old Trento B-sired mare, Classic Briolinca, scoring 69.65% for first place.

Finally, making their debut as a combination, Ottilie Bardsley and Kingsley Ciske started their career together with a bang. 15-year-old Ottilie and her mum’s recently imported 11-year-old Dutch-bred gelding fought off competition in both the pony individual and team tests to take first place with scores of 71.82% and 70.32% respectively, showing great scope for the future.

For full results, click here.

Class 1: Equine Construction advanced medium 98

Open:

1^st– Judy Harvey with Blitz, 74.34%

Restricted

1^st– Hannah Bates with Essentially M&S, 68.68%

Class 2: Fairfax Saddles PSG

Section A:

1^st– Lisa Hopkins with Coole Contender, 71.23%

Section B:

1^st– Claire Moir with Davonport Bewes, 69.17%

Class 3: Intermediate A

1^st– Kate Smith with Keystone Darling, 65.97%

Class 4: LeMieux grand prix

1^st– Roland Tong with Ambience IV, 68.40%

Class 5: U25 grand prix

1^st– Emily Harris with Don Diabolo, 68.02%

Class 6: Hickstead international British young dressage horse – five year old

1^st– Willow Kemp with Lone Star II, 8.31

Class 7: Hickstead international British young dressage horse – six year old

1^st– Vicky Thompson-Winfield with Botero, 7.66%

Class 8: Saracen Horse Feeds inter I

Section A

1^st– Charlie Hutton with Super Blue, 71.23%

Section B

1^st– Charlie Hutton with Douglas IV, 74.21%

Class 9: Monarch Equestrian inter II

1^st– Gareth Hughes with Classic Briolinca, 69.65%

Class 10: Pony individual

1^st– Ottilie Bardsley with Kingsley Ciske, 71.82%

Class 11: Junior individual

1^st– Joanna Thurman-Baker with Dea II, 67.36%

Class 12: Young rider individual

1^st– Jessica Blackmore with Ventoux-W, 65.72%

Class 13: Hickstead 5YO National British young dressage horse

1^st– Rebecca Hughes with Classic Flamboyant, 7.92

Class 14: Hickstead 6YO National British young dressage horse

1^st– Kate Rowland with Erasmus I, 8.2

Class 15: Nupafeed advanced medium music freestyle

1^st– Paul Hayler with Lonswelt, 77.58%

Class 16: Magic PSG music freestyle

1^st– Georgia Davis with Richmans Manta, 73.19%

Class 17: Inter I freestyle

1^st– Jackie Siu with Ferrera, 73.12%

Class 18: Grand prix freestyle

1^st– Jackie Stolper with Der Schufro, 70.87%

Class 19: Equine Construction advanced medium 92

Open:

1^st– Samantha Morrison with Ushi, 70.41%

Restricted:

1^st– Chris Hammond with Ruban D’Or

Class 20: Fairfax Saddles PSG

Section A:

1^st– Maria Griffin with DJ, 72.24%

Section B:

1^st– Judy Harvey with Don Rubinland, 68.07%

Class 21: Inter B

1^st– Toni Terry with Diamond Fritz, 61.60%

Class 22: Pony team

1^st– Ottilie Bardsley with Kingsley Ciske, 70.32%

Class 23: Junior team

1^st– Joanna Thurman-Baker with Dea II, 70.20%

Class 24: Young rider team

1^st– Amy Nash with Half Moon Revelation

Class 25: Shearwater potential international dressage horse 4YO

1^st– Jenny Martell with Woodcroft Royal Charter, 8.1

Class 26: Shearwater potential international dressage horse 5YO

1^st– Carsten Sandrock with Fransja, 7.84