The last regional championship of 2015, Addington Manor (10 – 11 August 2015) is notorious for attracting high standards and fierce competition – and this year, the championship definitely did not disappoint.
The big winner of the Buckinghamshire-based competition was 25-year-old Sadie Smith. Having already qualified one of her rides, Edward Clapcott’s Serano II, for the LeMieux National Dressage Championships in September, Sadie brought another two rides to Addington, hoping to make it a clean sweep – and she did just that.
Riding Sarah Tyler-Evans’ athletic six year old daughter of Lord Leatherdale, River Rise Escarla, Sadie dominated section b of the Nettex elementary open with 75.16%, which was not only the highest score of the competition but also a personal best.
Although a fantastic achievement, especially when considering this is the mare’s fourth ever elementary, it is no surprise that the pair is experiencing great success at this level as they dominated novice claiming the Blue Chip Novice Open Championship title at this year’s NAF Five Star Winter Championships.
Moving up the levels and boarding second ride, her own eight-year-old Dimaggio-sired gelding, Keystone Dynamite, Sadie topped the tables once more in the Equine Construction advanced medium with 71.97%.
“Yesterday we went to the last regional championships at Addington” announced Sadie via her Facebook earlier this week. “River Rise Escarla (Maisy) was elementary open champion with 75.16% and my own Keystone Dynamite (Mambo) was advanced medium restricted champion with 71.92%. So happy that all three of my horses have won their regional final and are off to the national championships in September!”
In the Dodson & Horrell novice restricted, it was Warwickshire-based Cara Sweeney who reigned supreme. Riding her own seven-year-old Hanovarian mare, Beautiful Life in section b of the novice class, Cara scored an impressive 72.76% to claim first place and the highest score of all four Dodson & Horrell novice classes.
Currently training with Erik Theilgaard, Cara had already qualified one of her horses, Belissima, for the novice championship at the nationals after a successful bid at Somerford Park’s regional championship with a similar score of 72.07%, so it will be interesting to see who comes out on top at the Stoneleigh-based finals – she is definitely one to watch.
Another rider to secure their ticket to the nationals was West Sussex-based, Suzanne Lavandera. Riding Janet Gee’s seven-year-old Dimaggio stallion, Keystone Daganay, she scored an impressive 72.07% to claim first place in an extremely competitive class.
The FEI classes went to Luis Principe and Claire Abel. Claire finished fourth with her own Rowan Magic (pictured from earlier this year) in the Fairfax Saddles PSG with 67.68% whilst Luis and his own nine-year-old Portuguese stallion, Bueno topped the class in just their third PSG together with a personal best of 68.77%. However, Claire and her Dutch-bred gelding upped their game in the Saracen Horse Feeds inter I to produce a solid 69.34 to win and book their place at the nationals.
For full results, click here.
Results
BackinAction Preliminary
Section a: Emma Jamieson with Donnerossi, 71.99%
Section b: Debbie Sneddon with Zenith IX, 71.86%
Dodson & Horrell Novice Restricted
Section a: Jade Porter Harris with Fivestar MKM, 69.71%
Section b: Cara Sweeney with Beautiful Life, 72.76%
Dodson & Horrell Novice Open
Section a: Daniel Bremner with Newton Domino, 71.26%
Section b: Calum Whitworth with Fast Track G, 70.75%
Nettex Elementary Restricted
Hayley Jane Bates with First Kirche, 71.30%
Nettex Elementary Open
Section a: Casey Stickland with Chadwick, 72.03%
Section b: Sadie Smith with River Rise Escarla, 75.16%
TopSpec Medium Restricted
Caroline Princz with Praestegardens Dan, 69.23%
TopSpec Medium Open
Suzanne Lavandera with Keystone Daganay, 72.07%
Equine Construction Advanced Medium Restricted
Sadie Smith with Keystone Dynamite, 71.97%
Equine Construction Advanced Medium Open
Laura Tomlinson with Dolcevendy O, 71.58%
Fairfax Saddles Prix St Georges
Luis Principe with Bueno, 68.77%
Saracen Horse Feeds Inter I
Claire Abel with Rowan Magic, 69.34%