International rider Alice Oppenheimer flew the flag for her family’s renowned Headmore Stud in Hampshire at the Sparsholt College regionals, winning the Charles Owen Advanced Medium Open, as well as coming close runner up in the Albion Medium open with Joanne Graham’s Headmore Wimoweh (by Woiwode) (pictured).
Nicknamed ‘Tank’ from his early days as a chunky yearling, this talented eight-year-old Hanoverian gelding, who is home-bred by Alice’s mum Sarah and was backed by Alice as a three-year-old before being turned away to mature, impressed with his powerful paces and aptitude.
“He’s an absolute poppet and a real yard favourite,” said Alice, a member of the 2009 Young Rider European team, who trains with Erik Theilgaard and Charlotte Dujardin. “ I love riding him because he’s hot and sensitive and feels like he wants to go, go, go – he has all the attributes of a future grand prix horse.
“Tank’s got a fantastic engine and is so genuine and honest – he’s a bit like the Duracell bunny and has the most amazing work ethic. Up until recently, he’s played play second fiddle a bit as it’s taken a while for him to develop, but now he feels very game and willing – the test felt great and it was the first time I felt I could really put my leg on and go for it!”
Twenty-six-year-old Alice and her grand prix partner Headmore Delegate are now heading for Doha’s CHI Al Shaqab International Horse Show in Qatar (2 – 5 March), where they have been invited to compete alongside fellow World Class Development squad rider Hayley Watson Greaves and WG Rubins Nite.
“I’m feeling a mixture of nervous and excited,” said Alice. “Del’s never flown before, but I’m travelling with him and can’t wait to arrive and get settled ready for the competition.”
In the Albion Medium Open championship 21-year-old Chloe Hunter, who works as a rider/groom for Calum Whitworth, snatched a narrow lead from Alice scoring 70.676% with her own eight-year-old KWPN gelding Day Light (by Don Jovi)
Bought as a just imported five-year-old from Andrew Gould, Chloe, who trains with Charlotte Dujardin, describes “Don” as “a cheeky, strong character, but also the loveliest horse to ride”.
“Don’s not flashy, but he’s got three good paces, is very trainable and has a nice attitude – it took a few months for us to form a partnership as he’s the first young horse I’ve brought on, but we’ve given him time and I think we’ve got a good relationship now.
“I had a lesson with Charlotte the day before my test and she helped me with advice on maintaining his balance and making sure he was in front of my leg. I had her voice in my head throughout our test, but Don felt super and he really wanted to work with me.
“It was a very strong class and I didn’t think we’d win, so it was great to be able to text Charlotte with the good news!”
The highest score at this championships went to Sara-Jane Lanning and her own and Andrew Griffin’s 12-year-old 16hh British-bred chestnut gelding Furstano (by Fürst Piccolo), who won the PDS Saddles Elementary Open Music Freestyle with a fantastic score of 77.372%
Rebecca Morris and Ian McRobbie’s smart British-bred five-year-old bay mare Ulyssa (by Uthopia), won the Blue Chip Novice Open title with 72.356%.
Thirty-year-old Rebecca, who won the Talent Spotting competition in 2009, works as a senior rider at Catherston Stud, where she first went to train as a working pupil at the age of 19.
“Sasha is a very loving, affectionate mare, who tries her hardest,” said Becky, who is trained by Jennie Loriston Clarke. “Sasha felt quite fresh in the warm up so we gave her 40 minutes instead of our usual 20, as she can be quite spooky if she’s on her toes. As it was, we had a bit of a blip in our trot serpentine as she stopped dead coming towards a banner, but I just gave her a little pat, felt her take a breath, and we carried on – luckily the good bits made up for it!”
Becky now hopes to go on to do elementary as well as some novice freestyle tests and looking forward to competing at Hartpury.
“I’m so lucky to have been given this fantastic opportunity to ride Sasha – Jennie is an incredible person who has been so encouraging and supportive to me – coming back to Catherston to work felt like coming home!”
Thirteen-year-old Olivia Wrennall and her mother Sue’s home-bred eight-year-old 14.3hh mare Donna Schuflo (by Don Schufro) were the clear winners of the KBIS Preliminary championship with 73.269%.
Olivia, who has been riding from an early age, has a successful background in showing, qualifying a succession of working hunter ponies for the BSPS and PUK Championships.
“Olivia is a very kind, empathetic rider who has a good feel for riding, a lovely seat and natural balance,” said mum Sue, who runs a livery/training yard near Burnham, Bucks. “I bred ‘Flo’ from a Dutch mare that I bought at the Brightwell Sales in 2001 and I was hoping she’d produce something bigger, but as it turns out Flo has proved the ideal partner for Olivia. She’s a good pupil and easy to teach – Olivia had never ridden a test indoors before, but that didn’t faze her at all. They produced a lovely consistent, accurate, flowing test in a good balance with a nice uphill way of going – I couldn’t be more proud of them both!”
Sparsholt College winter regionals winners
KBIS PRELIMINARY
Olivia Wrennall and her own Donna Schuflo 73.269%
BLUE CHIP NOVICE RESTRICTED
Karen Frankham and her own Wizard VI 73.908%
BLUE CHIP NOVICE OPEN
Rebecca Morris and Ian McRobbie’s Ulyssa 72.356%
BAILEYS HORSE FEEDS NOVICE RESTRICTED MUSIC FREESTYLE
Caroline Goode and Jennifer Goode’ Minstral II 75.648%
BAILEYS HORSE FEEDS NOVICE OPEN MUSIC FREESTYLE
Ben St. John James and his own Pro Johnson 75.093%
SHADOW HORSE ELEMENTARY RESTRICTED
Nathan Aston and his own Ratinio 72.344%
SHADOW HORSE ELEMENTARY OPEN
Claire Randall and her own Undaunted 72.656%
PDS SADDLES ELEMENTARY RESTRICTED MUSIC FREESTYLE
Lindsey Leggett and her own Fascinato 76.603%
PDS SADDLES ELEMENTARY OPEN MUSIC FREESTYLE
Sara-Jane Lanning with her own and Andrew Griffin’s Furstano 77.372%
ALBION MEDIUM RESTRICTED
Felicity Parker and her own Maximillian Miss Wizz 67.523%
ALBION MEDIUM OPEN
Chloe Hunter and her own Day Light 70.676%
SPILLERS MEDIUM RESTRICTED MUSIC FREESTYLE
Alison Jenden and Heather Ashley’s Under Discussion 68.444%
SPILLERS MEDIUM OPEN MUSIC FREESTYLE
Jodie Phillips and her own Enjoy II 75.222%
CHARLES OWEN ADVANCED MEDIUM RESTRICTED
Rebecca Bell and Robert and Susan Fearis’ Waranos 70.746%
CHARLES OWEN ADVANCED MEDIUM OPEN
Alice Oppenheimer and Joanne Graham’s Headmore Wimoweh 72.149%
NUPAFEED ADVANCED MEDIUM MUSIC FREESTYLE
Matt Hicks and Tamsin Vaughan‘s El Zorro 73.611%
MAGIC PRIX ST. GEORGES MUSIC FREESTYLE
Jacky Stolper with her own and Caroline Wheatley-Hubbard’s Luciano Pavarotti 73.333%
For full results, click here
Photo from www.kevinsparrow.co.uk