Day one at the LeMieux Nationals saw the first of our fantastic winners, including the Equissage Pulse Para Gold Championships where new and returning champions were crowned.
Equissage Pulse Para Gold Championship
Following on from the inspiring performances at the FEI World Championships in Aachen, our Para riders made their mark in the Equissage Pulse Para Dressage Gold Championships.
Grade I Mari Durward-Akhurst & Watermill Cruise, 71.667%
Mari Duward-Akhurst made her championship debut aboard her own Watermill Cruise (Watermill Swatch x Cruise On), known as Dan at home. Following her silver medal at the World Championships and the subsequent retirement of her Paralympic ride, Mari has secured her first National Championships title aboard the ten-year-old gelding in front of judges Mary-Anne Horn (E), Sarah Leitch (C) and Lotte Olsen (M).
Mari and Dan met in April 2025, but Mari explained that it takes a while to form a new partnership. “It’s taken us a year really to turn him from an Eventer to a proper Para dressage horse. He’s got the right muscles now, and he’s much stronger. He’s a really, really nice horse to ride, he’s just foot-perfect with me”. Mari went on to explain that Dan has previously evented up to three-star level but didn’t enjoy the jumping: “He was always best at the dressage. It just so happened that I saw his walk and though ‘oh he looks nice!’, so we went to see him. He had never even met a para rider, never seen a wheelchair, and the first thing he did was put his head on my lap... I feel incredibly lucky to have found him because he has got the walk and the temperament.”
Reflecting on her first championship experience with Dan, Mari explained that “it went really, really well. He didn’t look at anything, just went in and did his job. His halts came off really well, which can be really costly if they’re not because we’ve got three of them! His walk in general felt really good, and the connection was better into the contact. There are a few bits we need to iron out, but that will come in time.”
Looking forward to the future, Mari is hoping that Dan will be her ride for next year’s European Championships, and then LA in 2028: “there is a lot of hard work to do between now and then, but hopefully we will be ready!”
Elan Williams finishes in second place with Ceris Williams’ Nalique with 71.181% and 2025 winner Suanna Wade finished in third with her own Premier Royal Mind on 69.722%.
Grade II Georgia Wilson & Koningin Rava LH, 72.556%
In the Grade II class it was Georgia Wilson and Koningin Rava LH, (Lord Leatherdale x Negro) won with a great score of 72.556%. Georgia produced a brilliant test in front of judges Mary-Anne Horn (E), Sarah Leitch (C) and Lotte Olsen (M), earning a score sheet of marks that consistently ranged between 7.0 and 8.0, including a clean set of 8.0s from the judges for her serpentine.
Vicki Earnshaw riding Midline Rioja finished in second place with 65.722% and Julie Payne and Divinity were third with 65.389%.
Grade IV Laura Scott and CEI Summer Days, 69.910%
Laura Scott and CEI Summer Days make it back-to-back wins in the Grade IV Para Gold Final, following their win last year the duo took to the LeMieux arena again and won the class with a score of 69.910%. Performing in front of judges Mary-Anne Horn (E), Sarah Leitch (C) and Lotte Olsen (M), Laura rounded off an incredibly strong season with her dancing partner of the last two and a half years, winning in both para and able-bodied competition. “He was really good, he rose to the occasion… he always loves going into a big arena and was really consistent through the whole test”, Laura commented, “I came here last year and managed to win, which was really cool, I’ve also done a few 3*[CPEDI’s] on him, I am just trying to improve our scores all the time and he is really coming along and getting stronger.”
Laura was previously an event and point-to-point rider, but a fall in 2017 broke her back and left Laura having to learn to walk again. When talking about her road back to riding, Laura explained that “I got back on a horse probably about six weeks after I got out of hospital, as soon as I did that, I knew I was going to be able to do it, so I was quite happy then. I have sat on a horse from when I was two years old, it is just something I have always done, so I got into dressage and para dressage and gone from there really, I have been really lucky with the horses I have.”
When speaking about her experience at the Championships, Laura spoke about how “he enjoys the atmosphere, he prefers coming to the big shows rather than the smaller ones, it adds a fire into his belly. He doesn’t spook or anything, which makes it a lot easier to ride the test.
“I am going to Wellington in October for the 3*, I would love to go aboard next year for the Paras. I just want to keep getting better and improving my scores, working at a high level in the able bodied to then also help improve my para tests.”
Sara Bates and Tango VII were in second place with a very close score of 69.099% and Katie Radzik riding Korsgards Tempt-Hit finished third with a score of 68.153%.
Grade V Sophie Wells & MSJ Gold Standard, 71.535%
Sophie Wells and MSJ Gold Standard (Governor x Furstenball) returning from their success in Aachen, once again showed their amazing partnership in the arena, to take the top spot in the Grade V Para Gold Final, winning with a fab score of 71,353%. Sophie completed a clean test with excellent praise from each of the judges, including 8.0’s for her extended canter, collected walk and volte.
Sophie also finished in second place with her own Ontario LC, receiving 67.983% from the judges, and finally Liz McBurney with her own Bangalor C completed in third place scoring 64.474%.
HorseQuest Elementary Silver
Amber Flynn and Fortuna BG, 70.667%
Amber Flynn and Fortuna BG (Fahrenheit (Hann) x Dante Weltino (Old)) win their first national title on debut! It was a fantastic first trip down the centre line for Amber and Cookie (as she is known at home) as they walked away with the win in the HorseQuest Elementary Silver with a great score of 70.667%.
The 29-year-old commented on her win: “I still don’t think I am quite believing it [winning] to be honest, I really didn’t expect to come here and win, and it is our first national title, my first ever and my first one with Cookie so I am still in disbelief, but I am absolutely thrilled with the horse, she’s just the best.”
“She always gets a little bit more lit up in a bigger show environment, but not to the point where she gets silly, she has more energy than anything and wants to please you. The prize giving was a totally different thing to that, she doesn’t like standing still at the best of times, but in the test once she knows it is work time and this is what she has to do, she knuckles down and gets on with the job,”
Amber is based at Whitehall Stud, with Fortuna BG’s owner Jennifer Whittaker and Jessica Dunn, who trains her and both of whom were on the sidelines today in support.
Talking about her test, Amber spoke of her highlights “when I came out Jess [Dunn] told me all of my halts were really good, so that is a good start. I think my simple changes were a highlight, they were pretty good and I have been working on them and getting them nice and correct, so I am pleased about that.”
Talking of her time at Whitehall Stud and with working with the 8-year-old chestnut mare, she said “Jennifer Whittaker who owns Whitehill Stud owns her, she brought Cookie when she was a foal, and she is eight now, so she has had her all of her life, I work for Whitehill and have been there for the past seven years now. I have ridden her from the very beginning as I backed her as a four-year-old, and I competed her early on but then Jess pinched her off me for a bit until I stole her back. I hope she is going to stay with me competing her now.”
She describes ‘Cookie’ as “a bit of a diva I would say but she is defiantly one of the yard favourites, she is just a pleasure to ride, whether it is one of the girls hacking her out at home or for me to school and train her or taking her for a canter around the gallops. She just loves her work and never runs out of battery life, she just really enjoys what she is doing and if she is doing something good for you she is so happy.”
Amber has previously competed in the Petplan Area Festival series, and won an Area Festival title at last year’s Petplan Summer Area Festival Championships, speaking of taking the step up to the LeMieux Nationals, she said “Comparing the Area Festival Championships to the Nationals there seems a little bit more pressure and more atmosphere which makes it a bit more intense. Whereas I think the Area Festivals are a nice stepping stone, and for progressing up the levels it gives you the option to ride at bronze as you step up, so for the Winters I went down the Petplan route for the Elementary to step up.”
In second place was Isabel White with Claire White's Quatango on 70.212%, with Kathy Staples and her own Odaylia VD Watermolen finishing in third scoring 69.758%.
Mary Pearson and Beth Grimwood’s Bella Vista (Belconi x Fiflon) were our Absolute Equestrian Collective Preliminary Silver Champions. The fabulous duo received a score of 71.067% from judges Linda Hoad (E), Fiona Lace (C) and Andrew Fletcher (M) in the Vector arena. “She was just really good, she takes it all in her stride”, Mary beamed after her test, “just going down the centre line she felt really forward and really onside, and felt like she was saying ‘I’ve got you’ and it all flowed from there.
“We were on at about twenty past one, and I think the class finished at half past three, so it wasn’t too long of a wait, but it was a massive class, and it feels like it goes on forever. It hasn’t quite sunk in yet, I didn’t expect that, I was hoping to get 69% and then to win is just amazing.”
This formidable duo has only been a partnership since February and made their BD debut back in March. Mary and Bella won at the Bogenraith Regionals and brought their good luck down with them from Aberdeen: “I find her very sweet and easy. She has made riding happen for me again – I had a young horse and I lost him, and I couldn’t replace him so I have just not been competing. She has given me another shot at it which is nice.”
Looking forward to the Winter Championships, Mary is aiming to qualify at Novice and Elementary level and explained that “everybody's dream one day is to ride in tails, so hopefully she is the horse I can do that on.”
Joining Mary on the podium was Harriet Dixon with Kasia Dixon’s Dark Storm in second with a score of 71.000%, and rounding out the podium was Anna Lawson with her own Flur D’amour on 70.400%.
Stubben Intermediate II Gold Championship
Michael Eilberg & MSJ Dante VX, 72.559%
Michael Eilberg and his won and Nicky Hallam’s MSJ Dante VX (Dante Weltino x Quattro B) performed a classy test on day one of the championships, to win the Stubben Intermediate II Gold Championship with a great score of 72.559%.
Delighted with their test, Michael spoke to us through how the 13-year-old gelding went into the arena, “I am absolutely chuffed with him really, really solid test everything came off, there was the tiniest little wobble in the one times, but other than that it was really good. He did the real nice highs and lows of the test, showing the relaxation and then the expression in the fancy stuff, so there was really nice balance in there today.”
Michael is enjoying the championships again this year, with a bit of a calmer schedule over the four days, “We had a bit of a mess up with the entries this year, where I thought some horses were going to go and then they didn’t end up going, so I actually have a bit of an easier time here this time. Today was the busiest day, kids are coming up on the weekend, so we are just going to have a nice time and enjoy it. We have lots of horses in the mix and he is really solid at this level, he is a joy to ride.”
Having co-owned Dante from a foal, the two of them have built a brilliant partnership, “We have had him from a foal, he has always been such a sensitive horse, he is enormous, but he is a wuss really, sometimes I just say to him ‘man up Dante, come on!’ I have a real bond with him and a real connection to him, he is really special to me.”
This marks another memorable moment at Nationals for Michael, “It was really nice that he could win this class for me, as this is the class that I haven’t been able to win at the Nationals yet, that eluding me and then winning it on such a special horse, so that is also amazing.”
Tom Goode and Lady Caroline Rake’s Margot were our second-place finishers, with 70.765% and were followed closely behind by Ruby Hughes and Abigail Lyle and Fenella Quinn’s Farrell with a score of 70.441%.
Fairfax Prix St Georges Gold Championship
Laura Tomlinson & Ostmarks Digal, 71.794%
Rounding out day one in style, Laura Tomlinson and her own and Ursula Bechtolsheimer’s Ostmarks Digal (Grand Galaxy Win x De Noir) enjoyed our final prize giving of the day after winning the Fairfax Prix St Georges Gold. The pair went into the lead early in the class and staying at the stop spot with a score of 71.794%.
Reflecting on their journey to this point, Laura shared, “I was really pleased with him. He hasn’t competed since Hartpury [Premier League], so it has been a little while. But I’ve had lots of time over the summer to do plenty of homework with him and consolidate things I wanted to work on, and he feels like he’s built a lot of strength. I’ve had him since last December, so you know he’s still shaping the way I want him to be shaped and how I want him to look. So, I felt like that had that you know that had come to fruition while over the last couple of months, even though I hadn't been competing.”
Speaking on their winning test, “He felt amazing in the trot work, and really good in the walk. We picked up canter and the first half pass and change felt a bit like he could start to spice up, but he then very quickly came back to me; I just collected him a little bit and went forwards a bit, and then he was with me, and really felt like he made a good decision and put really good effort in for the rest of the test. Prix St Georges isn't his goal in life, so for me it was I was feeling all the right things I want to feel for later.”
Laura is back with Ostmarks Digal today competing in the D&H Intermediate I, which they have only competed once at this level before, “I've only done one with him at Hartpury, and so that's a much more finicky, wobbly test, especially for such a big young horse. I'll really have to be ahead of the game with him and really support him on the center lines and things to try and help keep his balance in that big trot. But, it's all it's all in there, and I'm just delighted to have him, you know, to produce for the future.”
Talking about how the 17.1hh gelding trains at home, Laura commented, “It varies a lot. He feels much bigger. He's eight, but because he's so tall, he still feels quite babyish. So you'll have a week where I think ‘oh, I've really got him’ and we're making huge progress, and then I'll have a week where I'm like, I can't ride a medium on him. I feel like everything, with the acceleration, the steering, everything seems to be cross-wired, and now I'm used to that. I don't get panicked by it so much. I know what exercises to do to help him out of that. So, our dead time of training is much less now because I keep getting to know him more and more, and he starts to trust me more and more because he's definitely got a quirky side, and you know he likes to he likes to know and trust you before you can push the buttons too much.”
Joining Laura in the prize giving in second place was Matt Frost riding Keeva Dedicoat’s Lenika (Foreign Affair x Lord Sinclair), with a score of 70.529% and in third was Gareth Hughes and Flamboyant Dressage Stud’s Morricone III (Millennium x Rubin Royal OLD), scoring 70.206%.
