Dressage Deluxe National Dressage Championships 2010: Day three
last updated on September 13, 2010 12:03
Gloucestershire athlete and World Equestrian Games (WEG) contender Laura Bechtolsheimer showed excellent form as she comfortably secured the Dressage Deluxe Grand Prix Championship.
Aboard Dr and Mrs Bechtolsheimer’s WEG reserve Andretti H, Laura’s performance attracted a huge crowd and the pair received rapturous applause. With a score of 73.66% they were the only grand prix contenders to break the 70% barrier in the 2010 championship.
Laura, who is currently third in the FEI World Dressage Rankings with her WEG ride Mistral Hojris, also holds 20th place with 15 year old Andretti, putting her in the privileged position of owning the top two ranked horses in GB, "I feel lucky to have these two fantastic horses," she said. When asked how her two grand prix rides differ she explained, "I couldn’t compare them as they are both so different!"
In what has been an excellent 2010 season, the German-bred gelding by Aarking xx adds the national title to recent grand prix and grand prix freestyle victories at Lingen CDI and Aachen CDIO respectively. "Andy (Andretti H) doesn’t like to think of himself as playing second string to Alf (Mistral Hojris), but he’s such a fun horse, very consistent and makes everything look pretty easy," Laura said.
Trained by her father the esteemed Dr Bechtolsheimer and Olympic gold medallist Klaus Balkenhol, the talented 25 year old told British Dressage, "it’s great to be back at the nationals, it’s nice to give something back to dressage fans here in the UK as we’re away competing in Europe so often."
Saturday’s championship win qualifies Laura to challenge seven other riders in the Dressage Deluxe Grand Prix Freestyle this Sunday in a championship finale at Stoneleigh. WEG bound Laura, who travels to Kentucky USA next week to represent Great Britain, told the audience at the nationals, "Alf is feeling great, we all hope he steps off the plane in Kentucky feeling just as good."
Keep up with Laura and her team mates’ WEG results on: britishdressage.co.uk
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Haygain Medium Open Championship |
| Surrey based dressage trainer Vicky Thompson-Winfield is crowned Haygain Medium Open Champion.
Riding Beltoni, footballer John Terry and his wife Toni’s British-bred Hanoverian, Vicky clinched the top spot with 70.70% in a close contest which saw five of the top riders scoring 70% and above. The 1996 Atlanta Olympian, who trained with the late Franz Rochowansky, Chief Rider of the Spanish Riding School, said of the stallion, "he can really score high marks. He’s stunning and has a wonderful focused temperament when he’s in the arena, he’s such a good boy, we couldn’t ask for more!" The 17.1hh 6 year old, based at Oldencraig Equestrian Centre with Vicky and her husband Ian, is no stranger to success at Stoneleigh taking the Shearwater Potential International Dressage Horse Championship title in 2009. The celebrated chestnut, bred from Bellisimo and Rubinstein bloodlines demonstrates his competitive prowess by consistently winning at medium and advanced medium level with scores in excess of 70%, and a highlight of 79.14%. Following their national win, Vicky and Beltoni will compete against a strong line up in the Martin Collins Advanced Medium Open Championship at Stoneleigh this Sunday. |
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Bates Saddles Intermediate I Freestyle Championship |
| Banbury resident Gareth Hughes took poll position in the Bates Saddles Intermediate I Freestyle Championship this weekend. Riding Duvie, the horse he co-owns with Ann Newton, Hughes scored an exceptional 75% which not only secured this championship but also the Supreme Bates Saddles Intermediate I Championship title. The Oldenburg gelding by Ducello was bought by Gareth and Ann from Germany as a three year old and has been produced by the Oxfordshire rider ever since. Gareth said of the nine year old, "he’s lovely to train; a straightforward and laidback sort which suits me. Horses like this don’t come along that often." Gareth told British Dressage of his plans for the Gelding, "it’s his first year at this level and we will be heading to Saumur CDI in France to compete in our first international abroad later this month. We will train over winter and take it from there." Hughes has had a busy nationals weekend, also competing Ann Newton’s geldings Timleij and Cruise in the Haygain Medium Open Championship and the Stretch & Flex Elementary Open Championship respectively. |
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Full results for the Dressage Deluxe National Championships can be viewed here. |
