KBIS Semi-Final: Hartpury graduates flaunt future talent

The NAF Five Star Festival of Dressage at Hartpury University & College played host to the first of the 2025 KBIS Semi-Finals, with horses from across the four age categories stepping forward for their shot at final qualification.  

Making it local success, Gloucestershire’s Sarah Rogers (pictured above) earned the highest qualification mark at Hartpury with Ursula Bechtolsheimer and Laura Tomlinson’s five-year-old Thomas Ticino. The tall son of Total Hope (Totilas x Don Schufro) looked a picture in the outdoor arena and proved consistency across the paces, earning no less than an 8.2 across the board. His total score of 83.400 saw highlights in the walk (8.5), way of going (8.3) and general impression (8.5), judged by FEI judges Richard Baldwin (GBR) and Hans Voser (SUI). The Bechtolsheimer’s latest home-bred star made his KBIS qualifier a winning one, earning 86.600 at Addington Premier League in the spring, and is already proving his talent in standard tests, with Novice scores up to 76%.  

"I was absolutely delighted with him, he was really focused on me within the test and I had a great feeling from him. Every competition that we do together he takes more and more confidence and I’m really happy with how he’s progressing. He’s an absolute pleasure to train, he’s got a great mindset and loves his work. I’m very excited about him and the fact that he’s a home-bred makes it even more exciting!  

He shows so much talent for collection too, even though he’s only five – we're very much taking our time with him but you can tell already that he has so much potential for the higher levels. We absolutely love him, he’s the kindest character and he’s so sweet. He’s nothing but a joy to work with every day, I look forward to riding him every day... I love him!” 

Sadie Smith earned the runner-up spot in the five-year-old division with her own gelding River rise Pizzazz (Valverde x Lord Leatherdale) earning 81.400, including a paces high mark of 8.5 for his canter; whilst Jezz Palmer presented Adrienne Ward’s Bon Courage gelding MS Broadway M for third place on 80.800.  

There was further local success in the six-year-old division, as Robert Barker rode Christine Kirk’s Kilans Bartholomew to a KBIS Semi-Final win, on a winning score of 83.000. Judges Maria Colliander (FIN) and Louise Bell (GBR) praised the gelding’s impressive canter, rewarding an 8.6, alongside marks of 8.5 for walk and 8.2 for trot. Sired by Baron and out of a Dr Jackson D mare, the Oldenburg gelding bred by Kilan Dressage Stud on the Welsh border, has developed experience in the arena with Rob including earning a Winter Regional title at Elementary level and a top ten finish at the LeMieux Nationals at Novice level.  

Tom Goode presented Noora Bint Hamad Al Khalifa’s handsome Vitalis-sired gelding Veto for second (81.000), whilst Nicola Mahoney saddled her 2024 Champion Game On I to earn 77.600 to complete the top three. 

In the four-year-old class, Jezz and Lucy Palmer kept it in the family, taking both of the top spots. It was Martin Price’s Oldenburg mare Fursten Fleur Calendonia Anmore, bred in Scotland by Reay Campbell, to claim the top spot; Jezz piloted the bright bay to 80.600, demonstrating a harmonious way of going which earned a high score of 8.5. The mare’s walk impressed Susanne Baarup (DEN) and Maria Eilberg (GBR), earning an 8, whilst they rewarded the general impression with 8.2. The winning mare boasts noble lineage, sired by the athletic stallion Furst Dior and out of the Uthopia daughter of Valegro’s full sister, Weidyfleur II. 

Jezz’s wife Lucy presented her own Roulette 111 for 79.800 and second place; the powerful black mare is by Las Vegas and out of an Ampere mare. Whilst Tom Goode achieved another top three placing, this time with the four-year-old Kaiman-sired mare Ravenna II, owned by Debbie Cunningham.  

The seven-year-old class provides a window into the up-and-coming stars at Small Tour level. Alicia Lee’s 2024 6YO Champion Della Ballerina danced to a win with 77.367%. The mare, by Destacado and out of a Weltmeyer mare, earned consistent marks across the paces, including receiving 8s for walk, canter and submission. In 2023, the chestnut was selected as reserve for the World Breeding Championships, and has gone on to progress through the levels, now competing at Advanced Medium alongside the age classes.  

Jody Haswell’s fellow World Breeding Championships graduate Valentinio (Feinrich x Vivaldi) claimed second place with 76.234, whilst Sadie Smith showed Peter Belshaw’s rising talent Times Nemesis for 73.867, taking the third podium position.  

Richard Baldwin judged both the seven and five-year-old classes at Hartpury, and reflected on the vast amount of British talent lining up at the first KBIS Semi-Final: “ 

Congratulations to all placed riders, and those who collect their tickets to the KBIS final at the LeMieux National Championships.  

Results – top five  

KBIS 4YO Semi-Final  
1. Jezz Palmer and Fursten Fleur Caledonia Anmore, 80.600 
2. Lucy Palmer and Roulette 111, 79.800 
3. Tom Goode and Ravenna II, 79.200 
4. Jezz Palmer and Viktorious Anmore, 76.800 
5. Angus Corrie-Deane and Veyron II, 76.400 

KBIS 5YO Semi-Final  
1. Sarah Rogers and Thomas Ticino, 83.400 
2. Sadie Smith and River Rise Pizzazz, 81.400  
3. Jezz Palmer and MS Broadway M, 80.800 
4. Jessica McConkey and St Giles Gatsby, 76.600 
5. Jezz Palmer and Premier Anmore, 76.400 

KBIS 6YO Semi-Final  
1. Rob Barker and Kilans Bartholomew, 83.000 
2. Tom Goode and Veto, 81.000 
3. Nicola Mahoney and Game On, I 77.600 
=4. Jezz Palmer and Bovary JBM, 76.400 
=4. Dannie Morgan and Empathic, 76.400 

KBIS 7YO Semi-Final  
1. Alicia Lee and Della Ballerina, 77.367 
2. Jody Haswell and Valentinio, 76.234  
3. Sadie Smith and Times Nemesis, 73.867 
4. Olivia Oakeley and Nulli Secundus 11, 73.667 
5. Jade Deter and Santorin, 71.900 

FULL RESULTS