Scottish riders proved their dedication to the sport in spite of harsh winter weather interrupting training and preparation for many in the lead up to these Regionals.
However, several combinations found themselves hitting top form just in time and picking up two or more tickets to the NAF Five Star Winter Dressage Championships.
Rider/trainer and former Team Hester head girl, Jo Barry, 38, who runs a successful livery and training yard near Edinburgh with her mum, Flora, is a regular winner at these regionals and once again collected a hat-trick of titles on plus 70% scores – the Charles Owen Advanced Medium Open, Nupafeed Advanced Medium Music Freestyle and Magic Prix St Georges Music Freestyle – with her own and Lady Mary Hope’s consistently successful nine-year-old British-bred gelding Corchapin (pictured), by Negro, who is also on the World Class Equine Pathway Programme.
Jo has made a fantastic recovery throughout the past year after sustaining a serious head injury in a riding accident in December 2014, which saw her in hospital for nine weeks and also sidelined her for last year’s Winter Regionals and Winter Championships. As a result of Jo’s accident, her horses were qualified and subsequently competed at last year’s winters by her friend and fellow pupil of Carl’s, Kate Cowell.
Fast forward 12 months and this looks like the beginning of what promises to be a promising season for Jo, who will be one of the demo riders at PSG/ Inter I level at a presentation by international and Olympic judge Stephen Clarke at Rockrose Equestrian, East Lothian, on 23 – 24 April. And, just a few days after the Regionals, Jo also collected an award for the “Performer of the Year” at the prestigious Horsescotland annual awards.
“Last year I had to settle for watching the Winter Championships on live stream,” Jo posted on her Facebook page. “This year Colin and I will be taking part! Huge thanks to Katy Mickle at TopSpec, Andrew Sankey, Laura Cutter at Equilibium, Uvex, HorseScotland, World Class Pathway and to Morris EC for a job well done.”
The Grant sisters from Aberdeen also enjoyed a successful family day out with Eilidh booking her place in the Shadow Horse Elementary Open and PDS Saddles Elementary Open Music Freestyle, and Emma winning the Baileys Horse Feeds Novice Restricted Music Freestyle, while Laura came second in the Charles Owen Advanced Medium Restricted.
Twenty two-year-old Eilidh, a UKCC level 3 coach, who runs a livery/training yard at the Grant family home, was a member of the Young Rider team with Commanche Crumble where they gained the highest score of the GBR riders in the team test at the Europeans in 2012.
Riding her own and mother Lorraine’s seven-year-old KWPN mare Erando Retto (by Tuschinski), Eilidh was delighted with her little mare who gained a “clear round with no mistakes and scored nines for her medium trot. “I couldn’t have been more pleased with her at this stage in her training,” said Eilidh, who found “Etta” in Holland through agent Rebecca Dudley.
“I went over to Holland to try her and bought her straightaway as there were three other people lined up to see her that day,” said Eilidh, who trains with Hannah Moody, Carl Hester and Pammy Hutton. “She was quite weak and lacked confidence when she first came to us so we spent some time going out and about to help her adjust to different places. At the first few competitions she went up the centre line and then went into meltdown when she spotted the judge’s car, but within a couple of outings she soon got over it. She’s just my kind of horse – a chunky, powerpack with punchy paces. She can either be lazy or a fire eating dragon to ride, but I’m totally in love with her and we plan to train on as far as we can together.”
Twenty-seven-year-old Emma Grant, a local primary school teacher, was also delighted with her win in the Novice Restricted Freestyle with Mini Echo, an eight-year-old Irish-bred gelding, which mum Lorraine spotted at the Cavan Sales in Ireland two years ago.
“Mum’s always had a great eye for a horse and we originally bought “Dexter” as a project showjumper, but he’s a lovely horse, a real cheeky chappie with super paces and a great jump and we’re really enjoying him, so he’s here to stay,” said Emma, who rode to music she compiled herself from her favourite TV show The Great British Bake Off.
Jennifer Johnston-Harman BHSI from Inverurie, and her own nine-year-old British-bred mare MFS Caliana was another double winner, taking home the Albion Medium Open (70.72%) and Spillers Medium Open Music Freestyle (73%) Regional titles. MFS Caliana, a 17hh chestnut mare by MFS Vision (Flemingh) bred by Moray Firth Stud in Scotland, has been with Jennifer since she arrived for schooling as a four-year-old.
Highest score of the show – 73.61% in the Baileys Horse Feeds Novice Open Music Freestyle - and another double winner was 35-year-old Kim Young from Castle Douglas and her own six-year-old Dutch-bred mare First Miss Sunrise A.S, (by Sorento) who also claimed the Blue Chip Novice Open on 71.32%.
“I bought ‘Merrie’ two years ago in Holland through agent Rebecca Dudley. I went over for 24 hours and saw 16 unbacked two- and three-year-olds at different yards and then right at the end of the day I saw Merrie and immediately liked her,” said Kim, who used to event and worked for Polly Williamson after leaving school. “She arrived a freshly backed baby in January 2014 and we took it steady for the first year but last year she came into her own.
“She did very well in several young horse classes and qualified for the novice open championships at the nationals at Stoneleigh, before going on to win the Scottish novice open championships at Morris EC.
“She’s a total star at shows, at home she can lack a bit of focus, but once she’s in an arena she just sparkles and loves showing off,” said Kim who works as a dog groomer, keeps Merrie at home with her Shetland pony companion Billy, and trains with Jill Grant and Clive Halsall. “She’s got a great personality, is a real character and knows exactly what she wants in life. I’m excited by her and I think she’s got loads of potential so I’m looking forward to go as far as we can together.”
For full results, click here.
Photo courtesy of Equiscot Photography
Morris EC regional winners
KBIS PRELIMINARY
Ferne Fairfull and her own Amoureva Z 71.35%
BLUE CHIP NOVICE RESTRICTED
Angela James with her own Ace of Spade 67.36%
BLUE CHIP NOVICE OPEN
Kim Young with her own First Miss Sunrise A.S 71.32%
BAILEYS HORSE FEEDS NOVICE RESTRICTED MUSIC FREESTYLE
Emma Grant with her own Mini Echo 69.72%
BAILEYS HORSE FEEDS NOVICE OPEN MUSIC FREESTYLE
Kim Young with her own First Miss Sunrise A.S 73.61%
SHADOW HORSE ELEMENTARY RESTRICTED
Fiona Stryjewski and her own Devon B 67.66%
SHADOW HORSE ELEMENTARY OPEN
Eilidh Grant with Lorraine Grant’s Eranda Retto 72.03%
PDS SADDLES ELEMENTARY RESTRICTED MUSIC FREESTYLE
Shona Terras with her own LIntavon Zephyr 66.62%
PDS SADDLES ELEMENTARY OPEN MUSIC FREESTYLE
Eilidh Grant with Lorraine Grant’s Eranda Retto 73.33%
ALBION MEDIUM RESTRICTED
Nicola Heale and her own Retanach Request 68.51%
ALBION MEDIUM OPEN
Jennifer Johnston and her own MFS Caliana 70.72%
SPILLERS MEDIUM RESTRICTED MUSIC FREESTYLE
Matilda Haley and her own Watch Me! 70.61%
SPILLERS MEDIUM OPEN MUSIC FREESTYLE
Jennifer Johnston and her own MFS Caliana 73.00%
CHARLES OWEN ADVANCED MEDIUM RESTRICTED
Hayley Colwell with her own and Astrid Bolton’s Zidaane 67.59%
CHARLES OWEN ADVANCED MEDIUM OPEN
Joanna Barry her own and Lady Mary Hope’s Corchapin 70.83%
NUPAFEED ADVANCED MEDIUM MUSIC FREESTYLE
Joanna Barry her own and Lady Mary Hope’s Corchapin 72.56%
MAGIC PRIX ST. GEORGES MUSIC FREESTYLE
Joanna Barry with her own and Lady Mary Hope’s Corchapin 70.71%