News
LeMieux Nationals 25: Day two
- Written By: British Dressage
- Published: Sat, 13 Sep 2025 11:32
Day two at the LeMieux National Championships was a spectacular showdown of Small Tour talent, future stars and silver sensations. 
KBIS Four-Year-Old Championship
Winner: Becky Moody and Raver TC, 84.6
An array of promising four-year-olds put on a show in the KBIS Four-Year-Old Championship this morning. Becky Moody and Raver TC owned by Andree Buxton were crowned champions by judges Sascha Schulz and Spencer Wilton. The four-year-old gelding is certainly a promising star of the future.
“He is a four-year-old by First Date out of a Spinoza mare. We’ve had him since earlier this year, he came from Holland. He belongs to a lady called Andree Buxton who his a new owner to me but she is a brilliant part of the team already, he’s (Raver TC) also proved himself today to also be a brilliant part of the team. He is a really exciting horse for the future, super talented but also super lovely, a really nice person.”
“You would rarely see me on a four-year-old but he is such a good boy. Anna [Burns] is doing the prelim with him, but I thought I would do this with him so it would be nice for Andree as well. It is a great atmosphere to come to; he was a little bit shell shocked this morning, a little bit of what is going on here when we did the area walk but when I got back on him for our test, he was super cool.”
We asked Becky what she looks for in a young horse; “For me personally, I am looking first of all for temperament, because for me temperament is really, really important. Temperament and trainability. Obviously, movement, conformation but for me it is the dynamic of conformation, not what a horse looks like standing still but what the conformation looks like on the move. He looks so naturally up-hill, he finds that really easy. So yeah, temperament, movement and up hill conformation”
Tom Goode and Ravenna II came second on a score of 82.4 and following closely behind in third place was Jezz Palmer and Viktorious Anmore, scoring 80. 
TopSpec Medium Silver Championship
Winner: Ella-Grace Dovey and Sheepcote Jackson, 70.444%
2024 Children on Horses European Champion sparkled on the national stage in the Vector Arena, adding another title to her collection in the TopSpec Medium Silver Championship. Riding Hannah Dovey’s British-bred gelding Sheepcote Jackson, Ella-Grace earned 70.444% in front of Sue Carson, Gwyneth Lewis, Tim Downes, Steph Cooper and Fiona Lace.
Speaking about her test, Ella said, “He went really well, I’d say our highlights are our medium canter and our simple changes.”
Last year Ella won the National title for Children on Horses, she also told us how she felt to be back competing this year, “I was really excited, I’m so happy I could come back this year”. Reflecting on whether she felt pressure returning to the arena she added, “When I first started competing, I did feel the pressure, but you get used to it over time.”
Ella and Sheepcote Jackson have been a partnership for one and a half years now, “I feel like I know every little hack with him. I feel like I know where I can sneak the ‘common let’s go’ and know where I can half halt and he won’t change constantly. I feel like I’m really getting to grips with him now.”
“We’ve been doing a lot of changes, practicing for the Juniors next year. But the changes have had to stop for preparing for the Medium. He is on the lazier side so anything he can get away with, like working less hard, that will be his favourite thing to do. Our aim is to go out around Christmas time and do Juniors.”
“I’ve got my amazing groom Katherine and I’ve also got my incredible trainer Katie Bailey and I also have my mum and dad on the side and my little sister as well, Amelia.” We asked Ella if there is any competitiveness in the family, she replied “We do get competitive against each other. I remember we were competing against each other and we got exactly the same points.”
Team Moody’s Anna Burns placed second with Jo Cooper’s mare San Isidro, their runner-up performance earned a super 69.222%; whilst Aimee Aspinall and her own Everdale-sired Lavanya MC took the third spot with 69.083%. 
BETTALIFE Novice Gold
Winner: Sadie Smith and River Rise Pizzazz, 74.677%
Sadie Smith and Sarah Tyler-Evans' River Rise Pizzazz topped a hugely competitive BETTALIFE Novice Gold class, where no fewer than 18 combinations scored over 70%. Their winning score was 74.677%, with the five-year-old gelding earning his second major title of the year, following on from success in the HorseHage Prelim Gold Winter Championship.
Sadie was delighted with the progress of her lovely gelding, commenting: “I was so pleased, he was such a good a boy. He went really well in my test – we had one spook at A but other than that, compared to last year where he did the four-year-olds...we could barely get around! This year he’s a lot more confident, he’s a lot stronger in his body now and I was really smiling when we came out. He gave me a lovely ride.
“His trot is starting to get a lot of swing to it and I’m really pleased with his confidence more than anything. He’s gone from being quite a spooky horse to really trusting me.”
For Sadie, ‘Bolly’ is particularly special as she successfully produced his dam, River Rise Escarla, during the early years of her career. “For him to have won the Prelim at the Winters and Novice now, at only five-years-old is great. It’s really nice because I own him with his breeder Sarah Tyler-Evans, and I did really well with his mum so sentimentally, I love him because of all of that.”
Second place belonged to Sophie Wells, who earned 72.871% with Charlotte Hogg’s Ontario LC (Vitalis x Jazz); whilst Dannie Morgan gave Rose McMillan’s Furst Lady III a super ride to take third spot on 72.742%. 
Saracen Horse Feeds Intermediate I Gold
Winner: Sarah Higgins and Geniaal, 74.265%
Sarah Higgins and Sarah Rao's Geniaal were once again standout winners at Somerford, achieving an impressive 74.265,% in the Saracen Horse Feeds Intermediate I Gold.
Michael Eilberg and MSJ Encore produced a superb test for second place with 71.206%, whilst Jessica Mcconkey and Wilson Stensvang completed a strong top three with 69.971%. 
Fairfax Saddles Prix St Georges Silver
Winner: Gijs van Vooren and Hawtins Quattro, 70.617%
Gijs van Vooren delivered a standout performance in the Fairfax Saddles Prix St Georges Silver contest, riding Judith Davis’ British-bred gelding Hawtins Quattro to a fantastic 70.617%.
Speaking after his prize giving Gijs said, “It went much better than I expected, we made a couple of mistakes at the Regionals, so I just wanted to avoid doing those mistakes again. He’s such an amazing horse so I’m glad he got to show himself today.”
“I was a last-minute wildcard,” the Belgian-born rider explained about his exciting path to the podium, “they rang me to ask if I wanted to go and I said yes! I made a couple of mistakes at the Regionals so I let him down a little bit so it was disappointing at the time.”
Together, Gijs and Hawtins Quatttro are finding their way at this level: “I did a bit at PSG and Inter I last year, it didn’t go great. I did my first Advanced Medium a year and a half ago, so it’s been a real jump for me, it’s a lot of pressure doing these horses justice. I’m learning lots everyday which I’m so grateful for.”
“Serena Pincus has trained me for a long time, we get on really well, she knows me, she knows the horses, my weaknesses, she’s absolutely brilliant.”
“I’m originally from Belgium,” the talented rider explained, “I came here to work for Hawtins Stud seven years ago. I started backing young horses, then just build my way up to where I am now doing PSG an and Inter I. It’s been an exciting journey, all thanks to Judith Davis, without her there wouldn’t be me!” To get an opportunity like this, they don’t come a lot. It’s a lot of pressure because I want to do her and the horses justice.”
Gijs was followed in second by Claire Abel and her Sezuan-sired mare Claire GF Sezuki (68.588%), with former winter winner Evelina Shrieve and Insist TC claiming the third spot with 68.177%. 
Fairfax Saddles Prix St Georges Freestyle Gold
Winner: Sarah Higgins and Geniaal, 76.750%
Somerford’s leading rider so far, Sarah Higgins, returned to the top step of the podium in the afternoon’s Prix St Georges Freestyle competition with an impressive 76.750%. In front of Jane Critchley, Jane Peberdy, Sascha Schulz, Andrea Smith and Clare Deithrick, Sarah rode to a technical score of 74.500% and an awesome artistic mark of 79%.
"He was just amazing,” the Cheshire-based rider commented, “freestyles aren’t my favourite thing and I probably need to practice them some more, but he’s a total privilege to ride. I’m incredibly lucky and very very grateful to his owner Sarah Rao for allowing me to compete him.”
Sarah’s dual win at this level also saw her claim the Fairfax Saddles Prix St Georges Supreme Champion title.
Reflecting on her outstanding consistency in achieving the Supreme title, Sarah said: "I just think this year the standard of the Small Tour classes all season has been so high. There are so many talented horses and riders. I know he’s an exceptional horse but still everything has to go right on the day; to do that over three tests over the last couple of days has been magical. It’s nice there’s so many good combinations because you know that if you make a mistake you don’t win a sash... and I like winning sashes!”
Magic Prix St Georges Winter Champions Matt Frost and Kerouac earned the runner up spot in today’s Freestyle, with a super 72.875%. Whilst Davy Harvey andhis own Hercules (Foundation x Royal Diamond) earned 72.450% to take third.
