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Dressage Bury Farm high profile, Port Royal and Sparsholt College area festivals and more
“He’s got about 10 engines”: Lara Edwards and Jazz son Jazzed Up top their first-ever grand prix special, taking the win with 68.29%
Special win for Jazzed Up
A “dream” horse wins his first grand prix special, while a decision to train at home rather than compete abroad pays off for another grand prix victor
Bury Farm High Profile, Buckinghamshire
LARA EDWARDS and Jazzed Up, owned by Lara, and Laura and Tracey Milner, shone in their first-ever grand prix special, winning with 68.29%.
Lara has been riding the Jazz x Ferro son since he was a six-yearold, when he came to her because he was tricky to ride.
“It took me six weeks to get him to trust me and now he’s a dream,” said Lara, who has brought him on from novice to grand prix.
“I didn’t want to bring him out [at grand prix] last year as I wanted to know he was really ready. He’s got about 10 engines! He made some mistakes in the one-time changes and the pirouettes, because he wanted to give me too much. But he got 7.5s and eights for his piaffe and passage.”
Unfortunately, a lapse of memory in the next day’s grand prix when Lara started her canter pirouettes in place of the required zig-zag, proved expensive, the error of course knocking 2% off their total score.
But Darren Hicks had no such
By HELEN TRIGGS
problems and he and Standsfield (Satisfaction FRH x Graf Grannus) were clear winners.
It was a rather disappointing grand prix class overall, with only two combinations achieving over 65%. There was generally a lack of good piaffe, and therefore the transitions in and out, and the tempi changes caught out quite a few combinations.
Darren was given the ride on the 16-year-old by Kathleen Kröncke at the beginning of the year and the partnership has been building with improving scores at a series of Premier League shows.
“This was probably the easiest he’s been in the ring,” said Darren. “I was pleased with the piaffe and passage, which felt pretty easy, and I felt everything flowed well. I’m enjoying riding him and the experience at grand prix helps with producing the younger ones.”
Daniel Watson was the top scorer across all the grand prix classes, with Breitling W mare Aster Butterfly winning the second grand prix on 69.71%. The 14-year-old mare competed internationally earlier this year before Daniel decided to stay at home for a while working on issues that had
arisen during competition.
“I was pleased with her progress at home, so two weeks ago decided to enter Bury Farm,” he explained. “I was chuffed with her piaffe and passage on the first two lines and her half-passes were very solid. I rode her up a gear compared to normal and it worked. She has natural swing in her body, but I have to put in the power to get the lift.”
INSPIRED BY ANKY
NATHALIE KAYAL, who won the inter I freestyle on Woodcroft St Emilion, was inspired to do dressage after watching Anky van Grunsven and Bonfire at the 2000 Sydney Olympics.
“I was in awe of what we saw. Today, I used Anky’s canter music for my walk in a kind of homage to my younger self,” sad Nathalie.
The judges obviously liked what they saw, awarding the pair 72.12%.
Gracie Catling and Qwinton won Friday’s medium 61 with over 71%. The gelding’s recently come back into work after a serious bout of suspected laminitis.
His owner, Anke Hoeffler, brought the 14-year-old Quaterback son back from Germany last year when he was not doing well there.
“He was out on loan and had got very obese. When he came off the lorry, he was almost paddling in front,” Anke said.
“It’s been a team effort. Emma Teasdale, who looks after him, has slimmed him down and overseen the vets and farriers, while Gracie has done the fittening work. She is doing a wonderful job – she’s such a talented young rider.”
Anke explained that farrier Andrew Poynton fitted Qwinton with Imprint shoes, which “were like a miracle”. The gelding is now maintained by farrier Jason Evans.
Jezz Palmer has a string of super horses and they were on top form at Bury Farm. Between them, Ketcher B, King IV and
Romanno Weltino took home six red rosettes from a combination of straight and freestyle medium and advanced medium tests. Emily Iven’s Ketcher B also did his first prix st georges (PSG) and scored a creditable 67%.
Angus Corrie-Deane is a young rider also making his mark out in the professional world. He finished his degree in social policy earlier this year and has started a business training and selling young horses. He had two great examples at Bury Farm, Jack Johnson (Jacob) and Don Darius II. Jacob is a nineyear-old by Johnson x Scandic and is, said Angus, “king of the yard”. The pair won an inter I class and were a close second in the inter I freestyle.
“He’s become better and better as he’s grown up. We’ve done it all together – we bought him as an unbacked four-year-old and we hope to do an under-25 grand prix next year,” said Angus.
Saturday’s inter I winner Jane Critchley is campaigning Tantoni Dallaglio for owner Ally Croft.
“He’s green at this level but tries hard – sometimes too hard!” said Jane, who trains with Richard Davison. “I’m working on his confidence and self-belief.” H&H
Daniel Watson banks the highest grand prix score of the show, posting 69.71% with Aster Butterfly
DARREN HICKS ON STANDSFIELD
STEPH EARDLEY’S Ruxton Pina Colada is something of a comeback queen, returning to competition this year after almost two years out. She won a PSG and an inter I with international qualifying scores. For two years, “Pepsi” was plagued with hoof problems. “She had splits from the coronet band down,”
I OWE IT TO… explained Steph. “At one point the hoof wall exploded. My farrier, Matt Price, and his brother Haydn have worked miracles. It’s been a long road back to the arena, but she was on top form this weekend.”
Double for Dynamo
A hard-working rider reaps rewards after helping her nervous horse gain confidence, while para riders and under-25s are in the spotlight
Hard work pays off for Leanne Dudhill as she clinches elementary silver wins with her Ampere gelding, AM Dynamo
Port Royal Area Festival, Essex
CONFIDENT performances from her eight-year-old Ampere gelding, AM Dynamo, clinched elementary straight and freestyle silver wins for Leanne Dudhill.
“I wasn’t expecting it, as I saw this as a transition period to take ‘Joe’ out and about,” said Leanne, who is accustomed to 5am starts to combine dressage with a full-time job at Rotherham Council. “He’s a nervous horse and easily distracted – once at
Bishop Burton, he heard the photographer’s camera clicking and froze solid. But we’ve done a lot of work on the ground to encourage him to focus on me.”
As a five-year-old, Joe suffered a severe bout of colic and a rectal prolapse.
“The vets were worried that it might affect his movement, but he seems to be over it,” said Leanne, who trains with Gill Liggins and Darryl Thickitt.
By ANDREA OAKES
“Things are coming together.”
Inola Smith, a prelim bronze winner with Upsall’s Lorna, said: “Dressage has always been my ‘panic phase’ in eventing, but we’re learning more with every outing. We had our first dabble at the start of the year. Lorna can be quirky, but she has taken to it surprisingly well.”
Inola, who teamed up with her Sunny Boy mare a decade ago,
added: “We made the decision to buy a three-year-old for me as a 15-year-old. The dream was eventing, and we’ve had a lot of fun at grassroots level, but Lorna was bred for dressage and I wanted a new challenge.
“We still have our blasts on the beach and enjoy a play,” added Inola, who trains with Natalie Widdowson. “We’ll continue the learning process – the harder tests should keep her brain busy.”
LEANNE DUDHILL ON AM DYNAMO
‘We’ll be fighting over him’ Sheepgate Equestrian Under-25 Championships, Lincolnshire
CHARLOTTE CALVERT triumphed at elementary with her mother Alison’s British-bred gelding, Woodlander Frampton.
“Mum let me borrow him a bit this year,” said Charlotte, who scored a championship win and was also on the victorious northwest Everdale team with Olivia Rimmer and Fleur Pocock. “He’s an energetic horse and knows his job, but we’re new to each other.”
Alison added: “They improved with every test. He is trainable, but you’ve got to get it right. Hopefully I’ll get my horse back – I think we’ll be fighting over him!”
Hannah Macmillan and Brookeborough Lad topped the novice championship, with 70.9%, while Freya Percival posted an impressive 74.79% to win the prelim title aboard Houwdoe.
Meanwhile, Georgie Nicholls dominated the medium final, taking the win on Briarwood Notorious, and finishing second on Woodcroft Kika Quina. Megan Field was the advanced medium winner, riding Bright Time FST.
Lauren Geraghty enjoyed an FEI pony team test win with WS Jackson, before “Joey” goes up for sale as Lauren moves out of ponies.
“It’s heartbreaking, as Joey is divine – a mother’s dream,” said Lauren’s mum Julie of the 11-year-old Chiskin Jaguar gelding, who has competed at every championship in his three years with the family. “They’ll do the nationals and they’ve been earmarked for the Keysoe CDI, but we’ll be so sad to see him go.”
Garfield is full of gusto
Sparsholt College Area Festival, Hampshire
WITH characteristic gusto, Garfield Van HT Eelshof claimed advanced medium silver and prix st georges (PSG) bronze titles.
“He’s only 16hh on his tiptoes, but he’s very enthusiastic and opinionated,” said Martine Harbour, whose husband bought the multi-talented Belgian warmblood, now 16, as a threeyear-old to showjump. “He was full of energy in the advanced
medium and really listened, although in the PSG I was struggling slightly to keep control. He does tend to take over.
“We don’t manage to compete very often,” added Martine, who trains with Nicola Buchanan and Jezz Palmer. “It took me three years to teach him a single change, but we’ve finally nailed them. We tried our first inter I this year.” Thompson and Mark Townsend.
“It was a long day of travelling,” added Joanne, who works full-time for a medical research company. “Jack was a bit tense and it wasn’t his greatest score, but he relaxed and I was chuffed to bag the win. We can look forwards in a positive way.” H&H
MARTINE HARBOUR
Dazzling win for Maynard
Bronze and Silver Para Championships, Hartpury College, Gloucestershire
FORMER eventer Bedazzle is forging a new career with Fiona Maynard, who rode him to two qualifying grade IV scores before winning the silver championship.
“He had been under my nose for eight years and I’d never thought of doing para dressage with him,” explained Fiona, who started sharing Emma Payne’s 16-year-old Breitling gelding “Ludo” earlier this year when her own dressage horse, Diesel VII, had to be retired. “We tried it for a bit of fun and he has shocked us all.
“We train with Alex Wyatt and Stephen Moore, who are fab,” added Fiona. “Ludo has been amazing. He has really turned his hoof to something new.”
Joanne Dagley-Cleworth scored a grade V silver win with Uptimistic, the Uthopia son she has produced since buying him in 2019.
“Ridden-wise, he was a handful to start with,” she said of “Jack”. “My balance is not great and it was a bit of a struggle, but over the last 18 months our partnership has developed with help from Jess
Pictures by Jasmine Punter Photography, kevinsparrow.co.uk and Hoofprints Photography
ONE TO WATCH
“HE’S like a machine – he just goes in the arena and does it,” said Jeanette McGuinness of Gwallwy Elfed Sion, who took both mediums with her daughter Beth at Cockshot, Cheshire. “He’s obedient and just amazing. Their 71.38% score was a personal best.”
When they bought him four years ago, the 14.2hh Welsh section D gelding had been a jumping pony.
“He’s a goey type, but he couldn’t do a circle,” explained Jeanette. “Beth has brought him on from prelim to advanced medium. This year we’ve trained him at home, working out for ourselves how to get the marks up and being particularly patient with the walk and rein-back.”
Fiona Maynard and former eventer Bedazzle shine as they claim two grade IV wins, before sealing the deal with the silver championship
“IT’S been a journey,” said Liz Marlow, after a double novice win with Donna Belissima at Belmoredean, West Sussex – the mare’s first affiliated event. Soon after she bought “Bella”, as a green six-year-old, Bella suffered the eye condition uveitis following a disagreement in the field.
“Apparently, uveitis can be triggered by trauma,” explained Liz. “She also tested positive for leptospirosis, which is thought to be a cause. She had a year off and it’s been an ongoing struggle to manage the problem – she wears a high-UV mask 24/7 and when I ride her.
“She’s the loveliest mare; I adore her,” added Liz of Bella, now eight. “Her biggest issue is lack of life experience, but we have developed a relationship and a real AGAINST THE ODDS bond. In the first test, she was foot perfect.”
