Frost, Smith and Dujardin impress at Hartpury CDI

Over three days of standout competition, Matt Frost and Charlotte Dujardin dominated the 1* and 3* competition at the Hartpury International Festival of Dressage (30 June – 5 July) with Frost taking a triple-victory in the Small Tour as Dujardin wins the Grand Prix and Special competition.

It was an outstanding few days of competition for Matt Frost, who dominated the 1* competition with Keeva Dedicoat’s 10-year-old mare Lenika (Foreign Affair x Lord Sinclair). In three sparkling tests, with scoresheets filled with 7.0, 7.5 and 8.0s, Mark piloted Lenika to three wins with 73.186%, 72.206% and 77.742% in the Prix St Georges, Intermediate I and Freestyle competition. These victories marked the start of a very exciting international debut for Lenika, and in the mare’s first season at small tour level.

“I had a great show with Lenika”, Matt commented, “we are still a relatively new combination, having only been together since March, and we have had a strong Premier League season so far. She is relatively new at Inter I and only did her first one at the Hickstead Premier League, so we decided to give her a crack at Hartpury and she did really brilliantly. She just takes everything in her stride; she is super trainable and doesn’t seem to spook, but still maintains that power and presence in the arena. There were a few green mistakes, especially in the pirouettes where they can get a bit quick, but they got much better in the Freestyle. The freestyle is one I have used previously with my other ride Kerouac last year, but it seems to suit her really well. She seemed to get more energetic as the show went on; I was a bit worried about the heat, but she just seemed to take the atmosphere in as the show went on and gave it her all. She’s going to have a bit of a break over the next week and then we will pick her up again in the run up to Nationals where she has qualified at Small Tour and have a look at aiming for another international later on in the year”.

In the 3* competition, Charlotte Dujardin won the Grand Prix and Special competition aboard Ellie McCarthy’s Brave Heart (Bordeaux 28 x Blue Hors Zack). The duo is currently a nominated combination in contention for the FEI World Championships, which is due to be held at Aachen from 11 – 23 August. In the Grand Prix, Charlotte took the lead by just over two percent, finishing on a final score of 74.804% in front of judges Michael Osinki (USA), Nick Burton (GBR), Susanne Baarup (C), Eduard De Wolff Van Westerrode (NED) and Susan Hoevenaars (AUS). Following behind Charlotte, fellow nominee Sadie Smith finished in second place with 72.652% with her own Swanmore Dantina (Dante Weltino OLD x Charatan W) and American rider Ashley Holzer finished in third. Ashley piloted her British-bred mare Hawtins San Floriana (San Amour I x Florestan I) to finish on a final score of 71.967%.

In Saturday’s Freestyle competition, Sadie Smith took the win with Swanmore Dantina with just over a three percent clearance ahead of Ireland’s Sorrell Klatzko, who scored 73.685% aboard Turbo (Totilas x Florestan I). For Sadie and Dia, this victory marked the mare’s first CDI win alongside an international personal best Freestyle score. Lewis Carrier finished in third place with his own, Andrew Carrier and Helen Carrier’s Diego V (Spielberg x Welt Hit II) with 71.925%.

In the Grand Prix Special, Charlotte and Brave Heart once again cleared the two percent margin ahead of second place to finish on 74.702%. Their scoresheet, which included several 8.5s and 9s for the passage and extended canter, placed above Ashley Holzer who finished in second place with 72.574%. Third place was occupied by yet another of the Nominated Entries for the World Championships with Gareth Hughes and his own, Rebecca Hughes and Georgina Wilkinson’s Mowgli-Olympia MC with 70.787%.

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

Results – top 10

Friday 3 July

1* Prix St Georges

1. Matt Frost and Lenika, 73.186% (GBR)

2. Michelle Sabga-Aboud and Ruxton Uphoria, 70.098% (TTO)

3. Bryony Goodwin and Sheepcote Just Daisy, 69.265% (GBR)

4. Claire Abel and Sezuki, 69.167% (GBR)

5. Sarah Wilkinson and Horacia, 68.431% (NZL)

6. Anne-Marie Cowan and Kracka, 68.186% (GBR)

7. Yue Wu and Jacky Kennedy Dvb, 68.039% (CHN)

8. Nicolle Begovic and Jeroen Leatherdale, G 67.843% (BIH)

9. Abbie Newbury and Seagry Viceroy, 67.647% (GBR)

10. Jade Clark and Jemimah HH, 67.598% (GBR)

3* Grand Prix

1. Charlotte Dujardin and Brave Heart, 74.804% (GBR)

2. Sadie Smith and Swanmore Dantina, 72.652% (GBR)

3. Ashley Holzer and Hawtins San Floriana, 71.957% (USA)

4. Gareth Hughes and Mowgli-Olympia MC, 70.978% (GBR)

5. Lewis Carrier and Diego V, 70.674% (GBR)

6. Alexander Harrison and Kickback, 70.283% (GBR)

7. Henriette Andersen and Zackery, 68.739% (GBR)

8. Sorrell Klatzko and Turbo, 68.196% (IRL)

9. Caroline Chew and Blue Hors Zatchmo, 68.130% (SGP)

10. Gregory Sims and Waverley Fellini, 67.826% (GBR)

Saturday 4 July

1* Intermediate I

1. Matt Frost and Lenika, 72.206% (GBR)

2. Michelle Sabga-Aboud and Ruxton Uphoria, 70.294% (TTO)

3. Sara Jane Lanning and Hawtins Lirica, 68.921% (GBR)

4. Claire Abel and Sezuki, 68.774% (GBR)

5. Sarah Wilkinson and Horacia, 68.676% (NZL)

6. Abbie Newbury and Seagry Viceroy, 68.431% (GBR)

7. Anne-Marie Cowan and Kracka, 67.990% (GBR)

8. Nicolle Begovic and Jeroen Leatherdale G, 67.157% (BIH)

9. Leah Beckett and Atterupgaards Capirossi, 66.274% (GBR)

10. Zoe Sleigh and De Novo, 66.128% (GBR)

3* Grand Prix Freestyle

1. Sadie Smith and Swanmore Dantina, 76.940% (GBR)

2. Sorrell Klatzko and Turbo, 73.685% (IRL)

3. Lewis Carrier and Diego V, 71.925% (GBR)

4. Abigail Lyle and Giraldo, 71.570% (IRL)

5. Gregory Sims and Waverley Fellini, 70.955% (GBR)

6. Caroline Chew and Blue Hors Zatchmo, 70.350% (SGP)

7. Anne-Marie Cowan and Woodcroft Royal Charter, 69.825% (GBR)

8. Anu Sironen and Ypajan Fioretto, 68.955% (FIN)

9. Thomas Bobis and Moliere de Massa, 68.250% (FRA)

10. Danielle Hardwick and Edendawn William Wombat, 67.800% (GBR)

Sunday 5 July

1* Intermediate I Freestyle

1. Matt Frost and Lenika, 77.642% (GBR)

2. Bryony Goodwin and Sheepcote Just Daisy, 74.350% (GBR)

3. Jade Clark and Jemimah HH, 72.967% (GBR)

4. Sara Jane Lanning and Hawtins Lirica, 71.925% (GBR)

5. Claire Abel and Sezuki, 71.734% (GBR)

6. Sarah Wilkinson and Horacia, 71.392% (NZL)

7. Claudia Davis and Fergus RT, 70.459% (GBR)

8. Louise Anne Bell and Peaky Blinder, 70.167% (GBR)

9. Abbie Newbury and Seagry Viceroy, 69.667% (GBR)

10. Leah Beckett and Atterupgaards Capirossi, 69.375% (GBR)

3* Grand Prix Special

1. Charlotte Dujardin and Brave Heart, 74.702% (GBR)

2. Ashley Holzer and Hawtins San Floriana, 72.574% (USA)

3. Gareth Hughes and Mowgli-Olympia MC, 70.787% (GBR)

4. Alexander Harrison and Kickback, 69.276% (GBR)

5. Kevin Acres and Ganesh, 68.128% (IRL)

6. Jessica Dunn and Dan Its Carston, 67.617% (IRL)

7. Alex Baker and Top Gear, 67.340% (IRL)

8. Yue Wu and Iggy Pop Bek, 66.085% (CHN)

9. Anu Sironen and San Quelle, 63.936% (FIN)

10. Elizabeth Diegutis and Keep The Faith, 59.809% (GBR)

FULL RESULTS 

Photo- Kevin Sparrow