Edwards and Murray take Small Tour titles

A successful fourth running 0f the British Dressage Small Tour Championships took place last weekend alongside the Keysoe High Profile Show at The College Equestrian Centre in Bedfordshire (6 – 9 December 2018).

Following 12 qualifying rounds held through late summer and autumn, more than 15 combinations came forward to compete for each of the two Small Tour titles on offer, with the combined score of the PSG or Inter I with its respective freestyle determining the overall winner in each.

At Prix St Georges it was tight at the top, with the first three competitors all on a combined score of plus-69%. It was Lizzie Murray and Ulyssa (pictured) however who had the edge with a final total of 69.16% ahead of Katie Johnson and After Midnight in the runners-up position on 69.12% and Sara-Jane Lanning with Mi Amigo in third (69.03%).

Lizzie, daughter of dressage doyenne Jennie Loriston-Clarke, was second in Saturday’s Prix St Georges, moving up to the top of the leader board with a score of 70.21% in Sunday’s Freestyle. Her ride, Ulyssa, is a seven-year-old mare owned by Ian McRobbie. By Uthopia (Metall x Inspekteur) and out of the mare Sabatini (Stedinger x Sherlock Holmes) - ridden to much success by Lizzie’s niece Charlotte Dicker - Ulyssa is certainly living up to the promise that her parentage would suggest.

Last year’s PSG tile holders Lara Edwards and Jazzed Up returned, this time for the Inter I contest. The talented Jazz-sired gelding, now nine, who is owned and bred by Tracey and Laura Milner, was piloted to a fabulous Inter I score of 72.63% by his rider. Winning the first round by a margin of more than two percent, they subsequently claimed the Freestyle with a score of 71.96%, comfortably giving them the title with an overall 72.30%.

“Small Tour Inter I Champions 2018, Small Tour PSG Champions 2017 – that’s some horse!” said Lara on Facebook following the four-day show where she was also joined by baby daughter Emily. 

Lara, who was also contesting the High Profile classes continued, “Well, what an amazing four days we have just had at Keysoe High Profile show competing Jazzed Up (Felix) and Cadans M. Emily, seven months, was there supporting me too which made it even more special.

“Felix started well but just got better and better with four plus-70% scores at PSG and only his second ever Inter I getting 73% plus coming 3rd, 2nd, 1st, 1st and 1st! I love this horse to bits having trained him all the way through. He always gives me everything he's got and although feeling tired on the last day, he still dug deep and gave me more.”

Congratulations to all the winners and to everyone who took part in this championship series. Thanks go to Simon Bates and his team at Keysoe Equestrian for all their work in making it such a successful event.

Top Ten results

Prix St Georges
1st Lizzie Murray with Ulyssa (PSG 68.11%, PSG FS 70.21%) - 69.16% combined
2nd Katie Johnston with After Midnight (67.85%, 70.38%) – 69.12%
3rd Sara-Jane Lanning with Mi Amigo (66.97%, 71.08%) – 69.03%
4th Devan Woodgate with Distaulgold (68.38%, 67.38%) – 67.88%
5th Emily Harris with Freya FST (66.54%, 68.29%) – 67.41%
6th Mark Forrest with Bonita VI (67.37%, 65.88%) – 66.62%
7th Jessica Thompson with San Diego V (64.78%, 67.13%) – 65.96%
8th Beverley White with Floran (63.51%, 68.38%) – 65.94%
9th Danielle Rhodes with Calva la Cornilliere (62.98%, 68.00%) – 65.49%
10th Laura Woodcock with Whispers (63.64%, 67.29%) – 65.47%

Intermediate I
1st Lara Edwards with Jazzed Up (Inter I 72.63%, Inter I FS 71.96%) – 72.30% combined
2nd Daisy Coakley with Aramis T (68.25%, 71.50%) – 69.87%
3rd Kimberley-Alice Seaby with Wiona G (70.26%, 68.96%) – 69.61%
4th Anne Marie Bork Eppers with Zeilinger Firfod (67.59%, 71.58%) – 69.58%
5th Deborah Childs with Berrifield Stuntman (68.51%, 69.83%) – 69.17%
6th Chantal Peddar with Bentley IV (67.76%, 70.21%) – 68.99%
7th Amy Pugh with Vignoles Gambit (67.15%, 69.17%) – 68.16%
8th Clare Poole with Zero (68.42%, 65.92%) – 67.17% 
9th Emma Bond with Limewalk (66.71%, 66.83%) – 66.77%
10th Amy Blount with Gkar (65.26%, 68.21%) – 66.74%