| The Dressage at Hickstead Unaffiliated
Championships 13th September 2008
A high quality select field took their
positions on the starting blocks on a lovely sunny Saturday
ready to fight for the title of Hickstead's Unaffiliated
Champion 2008. As always a fantastic relaxed but competitive
atmosphere set the day on its legs as the Prelim Champs
kicked off.
Emerging as the as the Preliminary
Champion after a hard fought class was Caroline Brockhurst
and Runner with 67.92% from judges Yvonne Huber and
Thelma Russell-Hayes, just 1% in front of equal Reserve
Champions Georgina Messenger on Allegretto and Jenny
Owen and Balim Ben Cid. Runner is a ‘gentle giant’
17hh 10 year old Dutch warmblood by Lennard has been
owned by Caroline since he was a just broken 3 1/2 year
old and brought on slowly. He was bought to show-jump
and event, which they hope to affiliate in next year
but Caroline said she is so enjoying the dressage on
him because of his laid back character and, having had
event horses who have always hated dressage, it makes
such a difference to have one who excels in it! Interestingly
he is a ‘barefoot’ horse (unshod) which
Caroline says really suits him and also helps keep the
bills down! They really had a fantastic time at the
championships, also being placed 7th in the Novice Championships.
The Novice class saw Sally Rees and The Dauphin as the
new Champions with Tracey Simon and Wandra becoming
Reserve Champion. Sally has owned 7 year old ‘Louis’,
who is a grandson of Donnerhall and Calypso II, for
2 years having bought the gelding in Germany and has
started competing at affiliated competitions as well.
She was over the moon with her win and unfortunately
then far too distracted to remember the test in the
Elementary Championships which she had also qualified
for! Louis is described as a ‘sensitive but steady
soul’ and together they are aiming for ‘as
high as the capabilities of the rider will let them!’
but is thoroughly looking forward to competing at Hickstead
again next year as she enjoys the shows here so much.
Sally has done most of the training herself with this
talented chap but now says she really must look for
a permanent set of ‘eyes on the ground’
to help her take him further up the levels.
The accolade of the highest score of the day went to
Kate Butling and her own 8 year old Dutch gelding Tango
in the Elementary Championships. The 17hh grandson of
Cocktail, who has been proudly owned by Kate since he
was a yearling, scored a massive 73.62% with judge at
B Sally Andrews only comment about the test was "WOW".
Kate understandably adores her 'pony', as she calls
him, saying "he just always takes everything in
his stride and is heaven to own" and is now hoping
to move on and start at medium level in affiliated shows
in the winter. Reserve Elementary Champions were Claire
Randall and Vinquino who are becoming regulars in the
championship placings being the 2007 Prelim Champion
and Novice Reserve Champion.
Maggie Whatford and her own gelding
Minita Harlequin scored 66% from the 2 judges to become
the Medium Champions just pushing the very local Sarah
Davidson & Spud in to the Reserve Champion position
with 65.57% in the biggest class of the championships.
Minita Harlequin who is 10 years old and was bred by
Maggie to jump, is a pure Irish Draught by Hillview
Farm Milligan. They have trained with Sally Andrews
right from the beginning and say that it is down to
her that the aptitude for dressage was first seen and
nurtured. ‘Harry’ is “always up for
learning new things” and is described as so laid
back and that he an absolute pleasure to compete and
deal with. The pair also compete in affiliated competitions
and qualified for the Hickstead Dressage Masters semi
finals this year. Harry too has a very proud ‘grandmother’
in the owner of his dams mother, who keeps a track of
all his and his brother’s (Minita Greenstone)
successes.
The title of Advanced Medium Champions went to Badr
Al Omran, a very regular face at Hickstead on the incredibly
consistent Cornish Promise. Scoring 61.52% in a class
which unfortunately shrank in size drastically partly
due to the date change we were forced into by the lovely
British summer which we had. Liz Eaton and European
Baccara took the reserve Champion place rising two places
from the 4th place which she achieved in the Medium
Championships.
Dressage at Hickstead would
like to take this opportunity give a massive thank you
its kind sponsors for the season – Baileys Horse
Feeds and Apogee photocopiers – and to also thank
all our competitors for supporting us and being so flexible
with changing weekends. We wish all our competitors
a successful winter and look forward to seeing all next
year. Thank you for coming!!
DRESSAGE AT HICKSTEAD UNAFFILIATED CHAMPIONSHIPS RESULTS
13TH SEPTEMBER 2008
PRELIMINARY
Champion - Caroline Brockhurst & Runner 67.92%
Equal Reserve Champions - Georgina Messenger & Allegretto
- Jenny Owen & Balim Ben Cid 66.67%
NOVICE
Champion - Sally Rees & The Dauphin 67.26%
Reserve Champion - Tracey Simon & Wandra 66.94%
ELEMENTARY
Champion - Kate Butling & Tango 73.62%
Reserve Champion - Claire Randall & Vinquino 65.86%
MEDIUM
Champion – Maggie Whatford & Minita Harlequin
66%
Reserve Champion –Sarah Davidson & Spud 65.57%
ADVANCED MEDIUM
Champion - Badr Al Omran & Cornish Promise 61.52%
Reserve Champion - Liz Eaton & European Baccara
56.06%
UNAFFILIATED CHAMPIONSHIPS RESULTS
2007
PRELIMINARY
Champion - Claire Randall & Vinquino 71.46%
Reserve Champion - Amanda Fenton & Alex 69.79%
NOVICE
Champion - Sarah-Jane Cox & I Should CoCo II 67.26%
Reserve Champion - Claire Randall & Vinquino 66.13%
ELEMENTARY
Champion - Jenny Watson & Spirella 70.52%
Reserve Champion - Ricado Prado Novaes & Tia 70.17%
MEDIUM
Champion - Amanda Francis & Pheonix USA 66.38%
Reserve Champion - Samantha Buckley & Mr Flashman
64.29%
ADVANCED MEDIUM
Champion - Lissy Baldwin & Foxham Bella 66.06%
Reserve Champion - Janice Green & Easter Mistral
62.58%
|
The
15th of April brought Prelim wins
