Double Delight at Chard as Oppenheimer and Edwards Shine

Last week, riders made the trip down to Chard Equestrian in Somerset for the Premier League (18 - 21 June), where Alice Oppenheimer and Rebecca Jane Edwards posted double wins across the Intermediate and Grand Prix classes.

Alice Oppenheimer and Headmore Bella Ruby | ESP Photographic

Alice Oppenheimer rode her homebred mare, Heamore Bella Ruby (Belissimo M x Rubinstein) to victory in both the LeMieux Grand Prix and Freestyle competition in front of judges Fiona Wilson (C), Alison Duck (M) and Clare Deithrick (E). The duo has had a fairly quiet season so far; they competed at the Hickstead Premier League in May, where they finished third with 69.57% before going on to compete at the June Wellington Premier League where they finished seventh on 67.75%. At Chard, the pair have built on their previous successes to score 71.92% in the Grand Prix and 73.71% in the Freestyle, taking the wins by commanding leads in both classes and securing two golden tickets to the National Championships in September.

“I was thrilled with Bella at Chard”, commented Alice, “I’ve always believed she had a test of that quality in her; she’s felt amazing in training, and Chard was the first time we’ve managed to take that feeling into the arena. It takes time to build the confidence and strength, and Bella really showed she’s been worth waiting for. The highlights for me were the half passes in both trot and canter as she’s so supple and can really show that off now, and the piaffe and transitions to and from it as we’ve been working on developing her strength in that.

“Chard is a fantastic venue with great surfaces and stabling so fab for the horses. The team are so helpful and you really feel the show is for the competitors; the competitor experience is key, no request is too much trouble for them”.

In the LeMieux Grand Prix, Spencer Wilton finished second behind Alice, finishing on 69.710% with Samantha and Jarrod Britton’s Woodcroft Django Mon Ami (Dante Weltino x Royal Diamond). Kimberley Siddorn then completed the podium, finishing third aboard her own and Sam Dyer’s Dutch Class (Timolin x Breitling W) with 69.022%. In the Freestyle, judged by Alex Harrison-West (C), Leanne Wall (M) and Fiona Wilson (E), Elder Klatzko finished second aboard her own Dior VII with 69.375% and Sarah Heath finished third with her own Feuertanz (Fidertanz x Donnerhall) with 60.959%.

Elsewhere in the competition, Rebecca Jane Edwards had an extremely successful couple of days competing with her own Laerke Stensvang (Blue Hors Zack x Don Schufro), taking the win in both the D&H Intermediate I and Stubben Intermediate II with 71.343% and 71.520% respectively, earning the pair two direct qualifications for the Nationals in September. Reflecting on their performance, Rebecca commented “Chard was a great show for Laerke Stensveng and I. We have been working hard at home so the feeling she gave me was really rewarding.  She’s a very powerful mare and we’ve spent a lot of time trying to develop more relaxation and confidence in the work. This week I felt her really starting to believe in herself, particularly in the piaffe and passage, and that’s so exciting. It’s always a balancing act with a horse like her, allowing the expression and power to shine through while keeping the harmony and ease in the work. Thank you Chard for putting on a great show, we’re looking forward to coming back again!”

In the Intermediate I, Alexander Harrison finished second in front of judges Islay Auty (C), Alison Duck (M) and Fiona Wilson (E) with 71.421% aboard Ksenia Zainchkovskaya’s Ventura (Veneziano x Now Or Never M). Fiona Brennan finished in third place with her own De Angelis II with 70.833%. In the Intermediate II, Lucy Amy took second place aboard her own and Richard Amy’s Rudy with 69.863% and Mark Forrest finished third aboard his own Flavio B (Furst Romancier x Matcho AA) with 69.706%.

Additionally, Sara-Jane Lanning had a busy week riding Nicola Seale’s Hawtins Lirica (Lemony’s Nicket x Dimaggio), securing four top five placings across four tests. On Thursday’s Fairfax Saddles Prix St Georges, the pair finished third with 67.696% as well as finishing fourth in the D&H Intermediate I with 70.245%. The pair then represented on Friday to do the same tests, this time growing in confidence to finish second and first with 70.245% and 72.010% respectively.

The KBIS Young Horse classes showcased fierce competition, with Amy Schiessl and Penny Smith taking strong victories in the four- and five-year-old commanded routes. Amy took the win in the 5yo class by nearly five percent aboard Gina Schiessl’s Luxe Utopia MFS (Las Vegas x Krack C), finishing on 83.000% with scores of 8.8 for both the Way of Going and General Impression. Furthermore, Penny Smith prevailed in the six-year-old class with her own Leonid 2 (Fabritus x Lord Leopold) with 87.000%, an eight percent lead over second place and boasting 9.0’s for both the trot work and the General Impression. The pair also competed in the TopSpec Medium 6 where they finished third on 68.704%.

Thanks go to the organisers and team at Chard Equestrian for delivering a superbly run event, and congratulations to all riders and connections for their hard work and excellent performances throughout.

Results- Top three

Thursday 18 June

TopSpec Medium 6

1. Bryony Goodwin and SJL Niko, 69.908%

2. Hannah Biggs and St Giles Fortune Cookie, 68.796%

3. Penny Smith and Leonid 2, 68.704%

Advanced Medium Freestyle to Music

1. Jessica Davies and Nemo II, 72.223%

2. Beth Bainbridge and Top Secret, 71.056%

3. Georgia Stokes and SOS San So Amorous, 69.945%

Advanced Medium 6

1. Rob Barker and Kilans Bartholomew, 70.833%

2. Beth Bainbridge and Top Secret, 70.741%

3. Georgia Stokes and SOS San So Amorous, 69.491%

Fairfax Saddles Prix St Georges

1. Jessica Davies and Nemo II, 69.363%

2. Lucy Amy and Ladine, 68.334%

3. Sara-Jane Lanning and Hawtins Lirica, 67.696%

D&H Intermediate I

1. Rebecca Jane Edwards and Laerke Stensvang, 71.520%

2. Alexander Harrison and Ventura, 71.421%

3. Fiona Brennan and De Angelis II, 70.833%

Friday 19 June

Fairfax Saddles Prix St Georges

1. Hannah Biggs and Dutch Habour H, 70.294%

2. Sara-Jane Lanning and Hawtins Lirica, 70.245%

3. Lucy Amy and Ladine, 70.147%

D&H Intermediate I

1. Sara-Jane Lanning and Hawtins Lirica, 72.010%

2. Jody Haswell and Valentinio, 70.490%

3. Emily Ormerod and FLS Samphire, 69.216%

LeMieux Grand Prix

1. Alice Oppenheimer and Headmore Bella Ruby, 71.920%

2. Spencer Wilton and Woodcroft Django Mon Ami, 69.710%

3. Kimberley Siddorn and Dutch class, 69.022%

LeMieux U25 Grand Prix

1. Isabel Platts and Pin Rocks Foxfire Blitz, 66.880%

2. Beau Williams and Ipurus, 63.547%

KBIS Young Horse 4yo Commanded Route

1. Jody Haswell and Staccato I, 80.600%

1. Luis Principe and World Performance Dante, 80.600%

3. Jezz Palmer and Selena S Anmore, 78.400%

KBIS Young Horse 5yo Commanded Route

1. Amy Schiessl and Luxe Utopia MFS, 83.000%

2. Joe Roome and Rituals Lightfeet, 78.200%

3. Fiona Brennan and Rory Gallagher, 75.600%

KBIS Young Horse 6yo Commanded Route

1. Penny Smith and Leonid 2, 87.000%

2. Beth Bainbridge and Quinta DeMassa, 75.000%

3. Jackie Siu and D’ORO, 74.200%

KBIS Young Horse National 7yo Test

1. Charlotte Dicker and Top Diva PS, 77.117%

2. Beth Bainbridge and Top Secret, 75.200%

3. Rowan Collins and Donatus HC, 66.567%

Saturday 20 June

Medium Freestyle to Music

1. Sam Whyley and O’Franklin, 64.389%

Stubben Intermediate II

1. Rebecca Jane Edwards and Laerke Stensvang, 70.343%

2. Lucy Amy and Rudy, 69.863%

3. Mark Forrest and Flavio B, 69.706%

LeMieux Grand Prix Freestyle to Music

1. Alice Oppenheimer and Headmore Bella Ruby, 73.709%

2. Elder Klatzko and Dior VIII, 69.375%

3. Sarah Heath and Feuertanz, 60.959%

FEI Children on Horses Team Test

1. Sophie Mansell and Diah Eleen, 66.600%

2. Daisy Bellamy and Doruto, 66.050%

FEI Pony Team Test

1. Mimi Kempster and Che Bello, 71.191%

2. Avah Heath and WFD Just Dillon, 69.619%

3. Sophia Sutton and Junkbrennan’s Taj Mahal, 68.571%

FEI Junior Team Test

1. Ellie Harrington and Ice LH, 69.242%

2. Crystal Robinson Long and Nabucco, 65.707%

3. Sophia Longworth and Harald, 63.889%

FEI Young Rider Test

1. Isla Sully and Odessa de Massa, 68.039%

2. Penny Smith and Rembrandt GSH, 66.618%

3. Mia Smith and Dutch Discovery, 66.569%

KBIS Young Pony 5yo Commanded Route

1. Looby Chubb and Peasedown Mable, 78.800%

2. Jess Mayoh and Langaller Master Token, 64.600%

KBIS Young Pony 6yo Commanded Route

1. Natalie Passmore and Tardebigge Daniel, 69.800%

Sunday 21 June

TopSpec Medium 6

1. Sam Whyley and O’Franklin, 68.472%

Fairfax Saddles Prix St Georges

1. Lucy Amy and Ladine, 69.951%

2. Lucy Palmer and La Vida Loca, 68.088%

3. Isobel Goodwin and Gameboys Welcome, 67.402%

FEI Pony Freestyle to Music

1. Lacey Owen-Morgan and Sulaatik’s Vingino, 69.917%

FEI Young Rider Freestyle to Music

1. Marie-Ayesha Barilits-Gupta and Rob Roy, 63.500%

2. Marie-Ayesha Barilits-Gupta and Active Scarlatti, 59.417%

FEI Children on Horses Individual Test

1. Sophie Mansell and Diah Eleen, 64.935%

2. Daisy Bellamy and Doruto, 62.523%

FEI Pony Individual Test

1. Mimi Kempster and Che Bello, 68.604%

2. Lacey Owen-Morgan and Sulaatik’s Vingino, 67.027%

3. Amelia Dovey and Pencwarre Butty Bach, 66.577%

FEI Junior Individual Test

1. Sophia Longworth and Harald, 67.892%

2. Crystal Robinson Long and Nabucco, 67.157%

3. Niamh Lenane and Promesse De Massa, 66.078%

FEI Young Rider Individual Test

1.  Penny Smith and Rembrandt GSH, 66.422%

2. Olivia Long and Loverboy, 63.186%

FULL RESULTS