One of the highlights of the packed programme at Hartpury’s dressage extravaganza was the inaugural Shearwater Young Horse Semi-Final, the first of two, with the next Semi-Final taking place at Port Royal in Yorkshire on the 21 July. From these second rounds, the top five in each age category, four, five and six year-olds, who score above 7.0 will go forward to be showcased and placed at the National Championships at Stoneleigh.
Across the three age categories, the real winner of these seasoned start lists was super-stallion Vivaldi, who is impressively the KWPN sire of seven horses from the field, including two winners and a runner-up. On top form before her flight to Rio, Charlotte Dujardin proved she has some very promising youngsters for the future, enjoying five top four finishes including a win in the five year-old section on Mount St John VIP (pictured).
In the four year-old class, top international judge, Peter Holler from Germany and trainer Isobel Wessels had 26 exceptional starters to choose from, they awarded the Lickley’s bay Vivaldi-gelding Hennessy T the win with a score of 8.14. Ridden by Darren Hicks, a seasoned young horse rider who came third in the five year-old championship with partner Spencer Wilton’s horse Brandon last year, they pipped Charlotte Dujardin with Mount St John Forever into second place. This mare, from Emma Blundell’s infamous young horse stud in Yorkshire, though bred in Germany, qualified for the Semi-Final at Myerscough by up-and-coming young rider Ryan Todd, who often rides for the stud. In third place of this hotly-contested class, and only 0.14 behind the winner, was talented 28-year-old Sonnar Murray-Brown on his own Tomoko (aptly meaning ‘friendly or knowing child’ in Japanese) who is by the legendary Totilas. Also qualifying for the championships was Sadie Smith on River Rise Magic Mike in fourth place and Littletree J’Adore, ridden by Emma Woolley into fifth.
Judging the Shearwater five year-old section was international four star judge Eduard De Wolff Van Westerode from the Netherlands and dressage stalwart Richard Davison. Posting the highest young horse score of the day, 8.64, Mount St John VIP took the honours, skilfully piloted by Charlotte Dujardin. The Vivaldi mare has been lightly competed by Charlotte this season, impressively qualifying for the Novice Gold Regionals in one outing with two 80%+ scores in April. Very close behind on a score of 8.58 was the Lord Leatherdale sired-mare, Giloma, owned by the rider Natalie Banks, Caroline Leonard and Kay Graves. Natalie rode this Dutch-bred horse to third place at last year’s four year-old championship so they’re definitely one to watch in the next round. Another combination to have been placed in the four year-old championships in 2015, was Rebecca Hughes on Classic Goldstrike, owned by Rebecca and Gareth Hughes and Julia Hornig of Classic Dressage. They scored 8.14 to take joint third place, equalling the score of half-sister of Valegro, River Rise Nisa, sired by Negro and ridden by Charlotte Dujardin. They both secured qualification to to the Shearwater Young Horse Championships beating last year’s champion four year-old, Hawtins Duchessa, in the process. Duchessa took fifth place with Hawtins Stud rider Bryony Goodwin on a very strong score of 7.96.
Completing the trio of exceptional young dressage horse semi-finals, the Shearwater six year-old class was judged by a distinguished line-up of Peter Storr and Ferdi Eilberg. Charlotte Dujardin looked to be the favourite on her own and Paul Dockley’s stunning grey Vivaldi-mare Florentina, last year’s five year-old champion. However, scoring 8.30, they were knocked to second by Gareth Hughes on Sintano Van Hof Olympia, who won with a score of 8.48. The gelding by Sandro Hit, who was bred in Germany, has been unbeaten this season at Medium level under Gareth and is definitely one to watch for the future. In third place was Caroline Church on her own San Marco, who was previously piloted by Lucy Cartwright and came fourth at the five year-old championship last year. The Oldenburg gelding scored 8.12 to go ahead of Charlotte Dujardin on Carl Hester’s Brioso II, who finished fourth, and Shirley Rixon’s current Blue Chip Novice Open Winter Champion, Penhaligon’s Jupiter who was ridden by Jayne Turney into fifth on a score of 7.58.
For full results, click here.