Keysoe CPEDI: Britain’s Paras shine at first post-lockdown international

After an enforced pause in international competition due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Great Britain’s para riders were out en masse at Keysoe CPEDI3*/2*/1* last week (5 – 8 October 2020) alongside riders representing Hong Kong, Canada, Ireland and the US Virgin Islands. British riders dominated with Sophie Christiansen, Natasha Baker and Sophie Wells each scoring an emphatic hat-trick of wins.

New kid on the block, Rowland Kinch’s Don Cara M (pictured above) was expertly piloted by Sophie Wells to dominate the CPEDI3* Grade V classes at his first international. In their short time together they’ve been consistently high-scoring, with top placings at able-bodied regional and national para championships, but this was the horse’s debut sporting the Union Jack.

A score of 73.88% won them the Team Test honours, followed up by a super 74.90% Individual Test and a 75.87% Freestyle. The responsive Dutch-bred son of Don Jovi has so much potential and so many gears. He is a very interesting addition to the Wells stable and there’s yet more to come as he gets further experience under his belt.

Second place in all three belonged to Charlotte Cundall who has new horsepower in the form of the Veyron Partnership’s FJ Veyron, a Vivaldi-sired chestnut gelding who notably achieved success in young horse classes with his former rider, Paul Hayler. Charlotte also completed the podium in the Team and Individual with Henrietta Cheetham’s LJT Simply Red.

Natasha Baker and Keystone Dawn Chorus (pictured above) took the 3* Grade III Team, Individual and Freestyle on top scores of 71.11%, 75.11% and 77.75% to repeat the combination’s triple victory at the same event 12 months earlier. Purchased in March 2019 as a prospective FEI championship ride, Keystone Dawn Chorus continues to develop under Natasha with the support of trainer Lisa Hopkins. Known as Lottie, the nine-year-old Dimaggio daughter radiates quality and alongside Natasha is a force to be reckoned with in the Grade III division.

“What a week!” exclaimed Natasha on Facebook “[I] couldn't be more proud of Lottie! A hat-trick of wins with 77.7% today and highest score of the day, what a superstar she is. We didn't have a 'clean' test on any of the days with scores from 3 to 9 and to still get the results we did is awesome.”

Runner-up to Natasha in all three tests was Erin Orford and her new ride, LJT Diamond Crusador – a striking seven-year-old son of Diamond Hit.

In the CPEDI3*, sporting legend Sir Lee Pearson claimed the Grade II Team and Individual tests with his talented homebred gelding, Breezer (by Bacardi) - pictured above, on scores of 73.78% and 72.70%. This on-form combination recently placed second in the Prestige Italia Novice Silver at the rescheduled NAF Five Star Winter Championships.

Following Lee was Somerset rider Jemima Green and her KWPN mare, Elrite (by San Remo) - pictured below, who later went one better to take the top spot in the Freestyle with a super 74.36%.

“Echo has outdone herself this week at Keysoe international 3*,” said Jemima. “We couldn’t have imagined it could have gone as well at it did as it was Echos’s first ever international and first 3*. She didn’t put a foot out of place all week and managed to have all over +70% scores improving every time and finished the freestyle with a win on +74%. And to receive at 10 on the first day was just mind blowing! We are all just so immensely proud of the girl!”

The Grade IV Team and Individual were won by Katie Radzik and her partner of one year, the Showmaker-sired British bred 11-year-old Showkia - aka Teddy (pictured above), on scores of 70.27% and 69.41% to raise the flag for Great Britain. Marcelle Ward and her beautiful Oldenburg mare, Dornroeschen (by De Niro) topped the Freestyle leaderboard on day three with a mark of 71.92%.

Britain’s Sophie Christiansen, who combines the sport with working as a software developer in London, swept the board in the Grade I. She won the Team Test with Innuendo III, her British-bred bay 13-year-old who is affectionately known as Louie, on a score of 71.10% before taking both the Individual and Freestyle with chestnut mare Die Fürstin (Danleschon x Fürst Piccolo) aka Stella - pictured above, on 73.53% and 75.46% respectively.

“Our one and only 2020 international completed!” said Sophie. “It was great to get out and be able to now put a plan in place to squeeze out even more marks next year. Even though we won all three classes, with Stella winning the freestyle by 5%, we need perfection to be able to retain my title next year!”

The CPEDI2* Grade IV was competitive with six riders coming forward to contest the honours. One rider who will remember the week for a very long time was international debutant Laura Scott who won both the Grade IV Novice test on a promising 69.79% and the Grade IV Freestyle with 68.69% aboard her Australian-bred gelding, Koko Pop.

Originally an event rider before a serious fall from a young horse, Laura took over the ride on ‘Koko’ from William Fox-Pitt when it was discovered that the gelding preferred life inside the white boards rather than eventing.

British Dressage would like to thank Simon Bates, the team at Keysoe and everyone involved for making the CPEDI a success. We’d also like to thank competitors and their connections for their positivity in adhering to the Government guidelines.

CPEDI3*
Grade I Team Test
1. Sophie Christiansen and Innuendo III, 71.107% (GBR)
2. Gabriella Blake and Strong Beau, 69.429% (GBR)
3. Mari Durward-Akhurst and Lebensfreude, 69.107% (GBR)
4. Sophie Christiansen and Die Furstin, 68.607% (GBR)

Grade I Individual Test
1. Sophie Christiansen and Die Furstin, 73.536% (GBR)
2. Sophie Christiansen and Innuendo III, 71.786% (GBR)
3. Gabriella Blake and Strong Beau, 68.536% (GBR)
4. Mari Durward-Akhurst and Lebensfreude, 67.607% (GBR)

Grade I Freestyle
1. Sophie Christiansen and Die Furstin, 75.467% (GBR)
2. Gabriella Blake and Strong Beau, 70.067% (GBR)
3. Mari Durward-Akhurst and Lebensfreude, 69.507% (GBR)

Grade II Team Test
1. Lee Pearson and Breezer, 73.788% (GBR)
2. Jemima Green and Elrite, 71.970% (GBR)
3. Julie Payne and Divinity, 64.061% (GBR)

Grade II Individual Test
1. Lee Pearson and Breezer, 72.706% (GBR)
2. Jemima Green and Elrite, 72.529% (GBR)
3. Julie Payne and Divinity, 65.147% (GBR)

Grade II Freestyle
1. Jemima Green and Elrite, 74.367% (GBR)
2. Lee Pearson and Breezer, 67.560% (GBR)
3. Julie Payne and Divinity, 67.560% (GBR)

Grade III Team Test
1. Natasha Baker and Keystone Dawn Chorus, 71.118% (GBR)
2. Erin Orford and LJT Diamond Crusador, 69.235% (GBR)
3. Erin Orford and Dior, 69.029% (GBR)
4. Amanda Shirtcliffe and Remi, 67.971% (GBR)
5. Amanda Shirtcliffe and New Princess, 67.471% (GBR)
6. Fleur Schrader and Jockey Club Caraat, 65.971% (HKG)
7. Roberta Sheffield and Fairuza, 62.294% (CAN)
8. Fleur Schrader and Jockey Club Sarago Raphael, 62.059% (HKG)

Grade III Individual Test
1. Natasha Baker and Keystone Dawn Chorus, 75.118% (GBR)
2. Erin Orford and LJT Diamond Crusador, 70.118% (GBR)
3. Roberta Sheffield and Fairuza, 69.147% (CAN)
4. Amanda Shirtcliffe and Remi, 68.441% (GBR)
5. Amanda Shirtcliffe and New Princess, 66.882% (GBR)
6. Fleur Schrader and Jockey Club Caraat, 66.794% (HKG)
7. Erin Orford and Dior, 65.588% (GBR)
8. Fleur Schrader and Jockey Club Sarago Raphael, 63.029% (HKG)

Grade III Freestyle
1. Natasha Baker and Keystone Dawn Chorus, 77.754% (GBR)
2. Erin Orford and LJT Diamond Crusador, 71.847% (GBR)
3. Roberta Sheffield and Fairuza, 71.154% (CAN)
4. Amanda Shirtcliffe and Remi, 70.934% (GBR)
5. Fleur Schrader and Jockey Club Caraat, 68.447% (HKG)

Grade IV Team Test
1. Katie Radzik and Showkia, 70.275% (GBR)
2. Laura Gulliver and Garuda K, 68.800% (GBR)
3. Marcelle Ward and Dornroeschen, 68.350% (GBR)
4. Isobelle Palmer and Showfox, 66.600% (GBR)
5. Rachel Collins and Fine-Time, 66.450% (GBR)
6. Nicola Naylor and Del Piero, 65.375% (GBR)

Grade IV Individual Test
1. Katie Radzik and Showkia, 69.415% (GBR)
2. Laura Gulliver and Garuda K, 68.024% (GBR)
3. Isobelle Palmer and Showfox, 67.732% (GBR)
4. Marcelle Ward and Dornroeschen, 66.976% (GBR)
5. Nicola Naylor and Del Piero, 66.951% (GBR)
6. Rachel Collins and Fine-Time, 64.610% (GBR)

Grade IV Freestyle
1. Marcelle Ward and Dornroeschen, 71.920% (GBR)
2. Laura Gulliver and Garuda K, 69.400% (GBR)
3. Isobelle Palmer and Showfox, 69.300% (GBR)
4. Nicola Naylor and Del Piero, 67.825% (GBR)
5. Katie Radzik and Showkia, 66.415% (GBR)
6. Rachel Collins and Fine-Time, 66.105% (GBR)

Grade V Team Test
1. Sophie Wells and Don Cara M, 73.884% (GBR)
2. Charlotte Cundall and FJ Veyron, 70.116% (GBR)
3. Charlotte Cundall and LJT Simply Red, 69.651% (GBR)
4. Lucinda Blakiston Houston and Happy Feet 3, 62.698% (IRL)
5. Lee Frawley and Waldon Wild Skye, 54.919% (USVI)

Grade V Individual Test
1. Sophie Wells and Don Cara M, 74.905% (GBR)
2. Charlotte Cundall and FJ Veyron, 72.333% (GBR
3.Charlotte Cundall and LJT Simply Red, 69.881% (GBR)
4. Lucinda Blakiston Houston and Happy Feet 3, 65.000% (IRL)
5. Lee Frawley and Waldon Wild Skye, 51.714% (USVI)

Grade V Freestyle
1. Sophie Wells and Don Cara M, 75.870% (GBR)
2. Charlotte Cundall and FJ Veyron, 72.345% (GBR)
3. Lucinda Blakiston-Houston and Happy Feet 3, 66.055% (IRL)

CPEDI2*
Grade I Novice
1. Jamie Winduss and Day and Night, 66.200% (GBR)

Grade I Team Test
1. Jamie Winduss and Day and Night, 67.750% (GBR)

Grade I Freestyle
1. Jamie Winduss and Day and Night, 70.060% (GBR)

Grade II Novice
1. Emma Stevens and Just River, 66.348% (GBR)

Grade II Team Test
1. Emma Stevens and Just River, 63.424% (GBR)

Grade II Freestyle
1. Emma Stevens and Just River, 65.687% (GBR)

Grade IV Novice
1. Laura Scott and Koko Pop, 69.793% (GBR)
2. Heather Bennett and Venus Gemini DHI, 69.034% (GBR)
3. Sara Bates and Tango, 66.966% (GBR)
4. Alicia Griffiths and Aegrus Ophelia, 65.828% (GBR)
5. Fiona Maynard and Diesel, 65.655% (GBR)
6. Keeley Squires and Standbeck By Request, 60.310% (GBR)

Grade IV Team Test
1. Sara Bates and Tango, 66.650% (GBR)
2. Fiona Maynard and Diesel, 66.575% (GBR)
3. Laura Scott and Koko Pop, 66.250% (GBR)
4. Heather Bennett and Venus Gemini DHI, 65.275% (GBR)
5. Alicia Griffiths and Aegrus Ophelia, 62.625% (GBR)
6. Keeley Squires and Standbeck By Request, 59.725% (GBR)

Grade IV Freestyle
1. Laura Scott and Koko Pop, 68.695% (GBR)
2. Sara Bates and Tango, 66.650% (GBR)
3. Fiona Maynard and Diesel, 65.900% (GBR)
4. Heather Bennett and Venus Gemini DHI, 65.875% (GBR)
5. Alicia Griffiths and Aegrus Ophelia, 63.370% (GBR)
6. Keeley Squires and Stanbeck By Request, 62.040% (GBR)

Grade V Novice
1. Hope Hayward and Et L’Amour, 64.125% (GBR)

Grade V Team Test
1. Hope Hayward and Et L’Amour, 65.791% (GBR)

Grade V Freestyle
1. Hope Hayward and Et L’Amour, 68.305% (GBR)

CPEDI1*
Grade III Novice (day 1)
1. Isabel Slack and Mallmore Ardrahan Lad, 62.960% (GBR)

Grade III Novice (day 2)
1. Isabel Slack and Mallmore Ardrahan Lad, 64.600% (GBR)

Grade III Freestyle
1. Isabel Slack and Mallmore Ardrahan Lad, 62.414% (GBR)

Grade IV Novice (day 1)
1. Sara Bates and Parsley, 64.966% (GBR)

Grade IV Novice (day 2)
1. Sara Bates and Parsley, 66.483% (GBR)

Grade IV Freestyle
1. Sara Bates and Parsley, 59.830% (GBR)

Grade V Novice (day 1)
1. Emily Skerrett and Zora Verte, 64.781% (GBR)

Grade V Novice (day 2)
1. Emily Skerrett and Zora Verte, 64.281% (GBR)

Grade V Freestyle
1. Emily Skerrett and Zora Vette, 65.030% (GBR)

Full results

Photo © Kevin Sparrow