Albion Medium Restricted Champion
Melissa Chapman with DHI Work of Art, 67.93%

Richmond based dressage rider Melissa Chapman won her class in style at the NAF Five Star Winter Dressage Championships. Riding Marie Brown and Michael Chapman’s DHI Work of Art, a seven-year-old Dutch-bred gelding by Sir Sinclair, she beat 22 other national finalists to secure the Albion Medium Restricted Championship with a score of 67.93%.

“I’m so happy with him, it’s such a thrill to win today!” said a delighted Chapman.

The impressive DHI Work of Art was bought as a five-year-old for Chapman, who is trained by Ian Woodhead, to ride: “I’m very lucky as he’s such a talented horse. He’s a very level-headed horse to train and has gone from doing nothing to what he’s doing now in just a year-and-a-half,” explained Chapman. “Although he’s a big strong horse at 18 hands, this hasn’t posed any difficulties with his training.”
 

Baileys Horse Feeds Novice Restricted Music Freestyle Champion
Sadie Smith with Ambience IV, 77.31%

Riding Sandra Kirkpatrick and Roland Tong’s five-year-old Dutch-bred gelding Ambience IV, Fareham based dressage rider Sadie Smith scored a whopping 77.31% to win the Baileys Horse Feeds Novice Restricted Music Freestyle Championship. Riding to a compilation of Queen hits they impressed the judges to head the class by a large margin of more than three percent.

“I was really pleased to win the class on a great score,” said a delighted Smith. “He’s quite sharp, and switched on and intelligent – you just have to think what you want and he gives you 10 times more. He’s the best horse I’ve ever ridden and I’m so privileged to be able to ride him”

Smith, who works for Ben St John-James and Roland Tong, mainly riding the young horses added “Roland will compete Ambience in young horse classes this year and I’ll be aiming to qualify him for the nationals at novice.”
 

Equissage Elementary Open Music Freestyle Champion
Jo Barry with Vivaldi V, 77.57%

Jo Barry topped the leader board of the Equissage Elementary Open Music Freestyle 2010 in impressive style, achieving 77.57%, the highest score of the day to win with her own and lady Hope’s eight year old Dutch bred gelding Vivaldi V. The 28 year old from West Lothian in Scotland beat a field of 25, coming in 5% over nearest rivals James Burtwell and Smash Hit.

“He felt great today” said a delighted Barry “He’s hot but nicely hot, the more people who watch the happier he is. He returned to competition only last May following 18 months off due to injury and he’s come back even more full of life and loving the job more. I train with both Carl Hester and Stephen Clarke who have been working on us creating more energy in Vivaldi’s work – working him with grand prix in mind.”
 

 Petplan Equine Elementary Open Area Festival Champion
Janine Jensen with Velocity V, 70.74%

Devon rider and BBC South West presenter, Janine Jansen, today scooped a national title at the Petplan Equine Area Festival Championships. Held alongside the NAF Five Star Winter Dressage Championships at Hartpury Arena, Gloucestershire.

Riding her own eight-year-old Dutch-bred mare Velocity IV, she scored 70.74% to win the Petplan Equine Elementary Open Area Festival Championship by a three percent margin.

“I’m thrilled with how she’s gone today!” said a delighted Jansen “She’s an intermediate event horse. We fit in dressage when we can and although we’ve qualified for dressage championships in the past, this is the first time we’ve won one.”

Jansen, who is sponsored by leading recycled animal bedding manufacturer Shreddybed, bought Velocity at the Addington show jumping sales as a four-year-old.

“Shortly we’re going to produce a foal from her by embryo transfer. We’re using the event sire Wish Upon A Star, by Gribaldi, so we’re hoping for something special,” said Jansen. “She’ll have a short spell off then I’ll pick her up again for the event season.”
 

Petplan Equine Advanced Medium Restricted Area Festival Champion
Charlotte Holes with Rockspring, 67.06%

Riding her own Rockspring, a ten year old Westphalian gelding by Rockwell, Charlotte Holes from Hertfordshire headed the field of 23 finalists in the Petplan Equine Advanced Medium Restricted Championship with a score of 67.06%.

“I’m thrilled with him!” said Holes “I’ve had him since a just-backed four-year-old and it’s wonderful to have achieved this.”

Holes fits her riding around her profession; she works as an Equine Facilitator for a company called The Seeds of Change, coaching life skills to 12 -16 year old children who have been excluded from mainstream school.

“Rockspring is a wonderful horse, a horse of a lifetime. I also owe so much to my trainer Ann Nicell. If it wasn’t for Ann, I wouldn’t be here.”
 

Petplan Equine Medium Open Area Festival Champion
Emily Stanford with Korenbloem Vincit Omnia, 69.55%

Riding her own seven-year-old Dutch-bred mare Korenbloem Vincit Omnia, Emily Stanford scored 69.55% to win the Petplan Equine Medium Open Championship in convincing style.

“I’m so happy with her and this is my first championship win so it’s very special,” said Stanford.

“I bought her from my trainer Andrew Gould three years ago. She’s a really straightforward horse to train - she can take a while to pick things up but once she’s got it, she’s easy,” explained Stanford.

“She has no weaknesses and her greatest strength is her canter work. At home she’s started flying changes and she’ll hopefully be ready to move up to prix st georges later this year.”
 

Petplan Equine Advanced Medium Open Area Festival Champion
Carrie Strange with Jefferson, 67.06%

Totnes based amateur dressage rider Carrie Strange scooped a national title at the Petplan Equine Area Festival Championships. Held alongside the NAF Five Star Winter Dressage Championships at Hartpury Arena, Gloucestershire, these championships showcase some of the best competitive dressage in the UK.

Riding Jefferson, her own nine-year-old Dutch-bred gelding by Jazz, Totnes based amateur dressage rider Carrie Strange scored 67.06% to head a field of 18 finalists in the Petplan Equine Advanced Medium Open Championship.

“I’m so happy, he was fantastic today,” said Strange. “He can be extremely sharp but when he’s right, he’s magic.”

Financial Advisor, Strange, who trains with Adam Kemp, bought Jefferson as a five-year-old from Matt Frost. “He was not easy to start with and bolted everywhere with me for the first 18 months,” said Strange “but now we have a real bond.”
 

Petplan Equine Prix St Georges Area Festival Champion
Samantha Thurman-Baker with Spring Pascal, 66.84%

17 year old Samantha Thurman Baker from Henley on Thames shone through on her charismatic Cleveland Bay x Hanoverian gelding Spring Pascal to take the Petplan Equine Prix St Georges Area Festival Championship 2010.

“It was really good to win today” she commented “ we were third to go and I was really glad we held the lead until the end. Rolland Tong helped me work in, the first time he’s done this at a competition and I felt it helped a lot. Spring Pascal was a lot calmer in the test, there e were a few mistakes but I was happy with his way of going.”

Samantha is on the Junior Prime squad and is aiming for selection for the Junior European Championships later this year.