NAF Five Star Winter Championships 26: day four

Super Saturday at the NAF Five Star Winter Championships saw Sadie Smith and Gracie Catling take their third titles of the week, whilst three eventers shone in the dressage arena, and several riders took multiple podium placings.  

Mollichaff Preliminary Silver 

Winner:  Emily Baldwin and Intello, 73.600% 

A competitive Mollichaff Preliminary Silver class saw Maria Eilberg (H), Sarah Leitch (C) and Tim Pearson (B) elect Emily Baldwin and Intello as champions after producing a 73.600% test.  

The eventer turned dressage rider told us she wasn’t expecting to win today, “I’m really shocked! I can’t actually believe it. He’s a really nice horse, a lovely horse, and has had some very good scores, but he’s never been to a stay away…so I didn’t really know what to expect. But when I started warming up he listened and relaxed, he literally didn’t put a foot wrong.” 

“I said to my girl back home I would have loved to come in the top 5, I thought he had that potential. I went to the Regional at Wellington and he went really green on me, I couldn’t get round the edge of the arena and the judges were really kind and gave me some time. He came fourth so he got a wildcard to come here, but he got a good score, it was quite a high scoring class. So I knew if things went well then he could do a smart test, but that’s a lot to ask for a five-year-old to go in there and do a test like that.” 

Emily, who has been working with Andrew Gould and Mary Ann Horn as she has made the transition to dressage, described the five-year-old gelding’s test highlights as “He was really consistent, looking at the sheet he didn’t get lower than a 7. He got a few 8s, and he literally didn’t make a mistake. He was nice in his way of going, I probably could have ridden for more but I think it was the fact he was so with me the whole time, he didn’t lose any moment of concentration. So really pleased.” 

“I wanted to find a nice horse that you’re excited to get up in the morning and go and ride and he’s one of those. I think that’s a little bit luck when you’re buying young horses so I’m just really grateful, I feel so lucky that I found him.” 

This was Emily’s first qualification for the NAF Five Star Winter Championships, having been at the Petplan Winter Area Festival Championships last year, she told us about her experience of being at Addington; “I love it. It’s a great show. It’s so well run, everything is very calm and organized, the stewards are really friendly – I’m a bit clueless about what I’m meant to be doing where, but you just go and ask someone and they’re really friendly.” 

2025’s Petplan Prelim Freestyle Bronze champion Martha Eldred rode her lovely grey Pompidou into second place with 71.667; whilst Isabel White and Sir Quattrohall (Sir Donnerhall x Quatro B) were hot on their heels for third with 71.067%.  

Petpln Elementary Bronze Under 21 Area Festival 

Winner: Lilly-Ella Newcombe and Lagos, 70.261% 

Lilly-Ella Newcombe won the first Under 21 title of the 2026 Petplan Winter Area Festival Championships; topping the Elementary Bronze class with her own Lagos on a fantastic mark of 70.261%. The pair are former winners here, having taken the Prelim U21 Silver title in 2024. 

“it feels really good,” the young rider commented after her moment in the spotlight, “it’s so nice to be back here at Addington. We came two years ago and did really well... but we couldn’t warm up and I had no control! We’ve come back now and he’s amazing. He’s just been so good, I’ve been able to get on alone and warm up alone. Today he’s just been so chilled, and that’s exactly what you want when you take them competing. He just went in and was like ‘I know what I’m doing now and I love this’, it was really nice.” 

Having been a partnership for just over two years, it’s clear the pair have a beautiful bond. “There’s not many horses like him. He is very spoilt and he’s a proper mummy’s boy, but I’m okay with that! He’s just so easy and trainable and he loves his job. One day he’s out hacking, the next he’s training, and he just loves everything he does.” 

Lilly-Ella works for Melissa Chapman and hails from North Yorkshire, “Melissa’s had a great week, it’s been a long drive but we made it!” 

Speaking about what’s on the horizon, she concluded: “I think we’re ready for some Mediums, and we’re hoping to start some Young Rider stuff too. We did the Home Nations last summer and loved that, so hopefully we’ll go back there as well.” 

Lacey Owen-Morgan and Lily Cawley’s Sulaatik’s Vingino (Sulaatik's Versace x Mescalero) also joined Lilly-Ella in surpassing the 70% mark, finishing in second with 70.156%. 2025 Team Quest champion Megan Harrison brought her lovely family horse Garthfach Whisky Rocks to the championships, earning third place with 68.177%.  

Black Country Saddles Advanced Medium Gold 

Winner:  Sadie Smith and Times Oddjob, 71.434% 

Sadie Smith was back for more success, this time in the Black Country Saddles Advanced Medium Gold Championship with Peter Belshaw’s top seven-year-old gelding Times Oddjob. Claire Ballantyne (H), Jenny Ward (C) and Debbie Wardle (B) had the job of delivering the marks, rewarding Sadie with a winning score of 71.434%.  

“This horse, he’s just really cute and reliable,” Sadie said about her win today before talking through the highlights, “he’s a very correct mover and he’s developing more cadennce in the trot not. I was pleased to get a bit more of that in my test today. I’m getting it much better at home he’s still to find the strength and balance to do it in the test, so I was proud of that.” 

“I was really pleased with my canter work. He can also still be a bit green in the changes – he is only a seven-year-old – but today they were all on the aid, really nicely and in the right place.” 

Speaking about the gelding, who’s by Vitalis and out of a Damon Hill mare, Sadie said: “He really is just so lovely. He’s consistent and always gets on with his job. He’s learning to be more flamboyant within the paces, he’s just such a cool horse to take out.” 

“He’s like a grandad at home! But he comes to this show and gets quite wild! I think he’s excited with everything going on.” 

Sadie has also been riding Oddjob – known as OJ – since a just backed three-year-old, another horse in her string owned by Peter Belshaw of Times Dressage. “I love it when I’ve had them from the very start.” 

Not content for just the top spot, Sadie also rode Laetitia van der Wyck’s Furstin Vera into third place with 70.694%.  

“They’re very different types of horses, OJ needs a little revving up, but Vera is very inexperienced. We haven't had her very long, her owner Laetitia van der Wyck bought her last year. She's tiny but she’s a total powerhouse with a lot of expression in the trot. They’re opposites, OJ is stronger in canter and she’s stronger in trot. She was a little more nervous with less competition experience, but she got on with it and finished the test nicely. I was pleased with her two.” 

“They’ll go at their own rate but it’ll be lovely to see which horses can develop on to Grand Prix. I’ve trained two to the level now and it’s nice to know a little bit more with these young horses coming through. It’s very exciting.” 

Jessica Wade and her own Nicario L (Ferdinand x Catchet L) earned the runner up position, taking second on 71.296%.  

Prestige Novice Silver 

Winner: Isabel White and Quatango, 71.936% 

It was stablemate success for Isabel White as she rode her own Quatango to success in the Prestige Novice Silver Championship. The Lincolnshire rider earned her first BD title on 71.936%, whilst also placing third with Deoso I just a percent behind on 70.591%.  

“I’m really chuffed with him,” explained a delighted Isabel, “he’s a home-bred horse and this is his first big show so I wasn’t sure how he’d cope with the atmosphere, but he took it all in his stride and I think he enjoyed showing off!” 

Reflecting on her winning performance, she continued: “I was thrilled with him – we had a bit of a wobble going up the first centre line, I think we managed to get a 5! But then it got better and better and he finished really strong. He gained confidence the whole way round and I couldn’t be more pleased with him.” 

“He’s quite a character,” Isabel said of her seven-year-old known at home as ‘Tango’, “he’s always been a brave horse, and he loves learning new things – he’s a lovely horse.” 

It’s been something of a week for home-breds at this championship, with multiple winners breeding, raising and producing their champions. Speaking about what it means, the Prestige winner said: “I’m really proud of him. Seeing them from foals and getting them to this point it takes a long time, it’s very rewarding.” 

“I did a little bit of BD when I was younger but last winter I’d finished eventing for the year so we decided to join again,” Isabel spoke about her journey so far with British Dressage, having focused more on eventing previously, “I did the trial membership and took my horses to some local shows, we really enjoyed it and realised I’d nearly qualified for the Regionals. So I did a few more shows and got my qualifications in just in time and then did my first Regionals in February, and now here we are! The three horses I’ve ridden here today have really enjoyed themselves and I have too so I definitely think we’ll be doing a bit more.” 

Whilst Tango stole the top spot, Deoso I wasn’t to be left out, earning his own place on the podium. “He’s a big character, he’s Mr Confident, he loves an atmosphere as well. We bought Deoso to be Tango’s companion as a foal so they’ve grown up together, so for them to be here together is really special.” 

Samantha Brown presented a lovely test with Carl Hester and Jane de la Mare’s San Francisco WD earning 70.860% to join Isabel in the prize giving.  

Petplan Elementary Silver Under 21 

Winner: Amelia Dovey and Pencwarre Butty Bach, 70% 

Worcestershire teen Amelia Dovey presented Meg Morgan with experience beyond her years in the Petplan Elementary Silver Under 21 Area Festival Championship, winning the title with 70%.  

It was close at the top, as Daisy Hedges and Felicia V placed as worthy runners up on 69.479%, whilst Evie Hall and Carter PSH completed a terrific top three with 67.917%. 

Superflex Intermediate I Freestyle Gold 

Winner: Gracie Catling and Qwinton, 75.125% 

Winning titles was easy as one, two, three for Gracie Catling, who collected her third NAF Five Star Winter Championship title in the Superflex Intermediate I Freestyle Gold, riding to 75.125% with her own Qwinton.  

“It’s so special,” “I felt a bit more pressure today. I was relaxed yesterday because I just wanted to get through to the Freestyle. I just wanted him to go in and do his best and he did.” 

For a test full of enthusiasm, energy and artistry, amongst the highlights on the score sheet were a nine for extended trot as well as for the music and interpretation mark. “I always say his party piece extended trots are the highlight,” Gracie said about her time in the NAF arena, “but today I was really pleased with the canter pirouettes. Sometimes in a freestyle he can throw in a little change behind or a mistake, once they were out of the way I could relax!” 

Gracie kept her winning formula the same for her third title attempt: “He likes a short ride before his warm ups. So I do two really relaced 20-minute rides before his test, one before and one to warm-up. It works for him, it took a long time to work it out but that was the magic thing. It keeps him super calm and it’s worked this week.” 

With the Gold Small Tour classes now complete, Gracie reflected on her expectations and what it means to earn career-highlight results: “I didn’t expect it at all, especially at the highest level. It’s what you dream of. I first competed here when I was twelve, I used to watch those classes in awe and now to be winning it is hard to get my head around really.” 

Claire Abel completed a successful week with her own GF Sezuki (Sezuan x Sherlock Holmes), earning a third runner-up placing of the week with 74.375%; Sara-Jane Lanning and her elegant dancer Hawtins Lirica (Lemony’s Nicket x Dimaggio) were close behind in third with 74%.  

Petplan Preliminary Bronze Under 21 

Winner: Freddie Spicer and Cityview Moving On, 70% 

Warwickshire’s Freddie Spicer jumped across the disciplines to win the Petplan Preliminary Bronze Under 21, acing his test with Ali Butler’s lovely pony Cityview Moving On. The pair have been superstars in eventing, and carried that great form over to the dressage arena. 

The pair scored 70% in front of Gillian Peters, Lotte Olsen and Cherry Elvin; Freddie also rode Karena Spicer’s Carrigoir Spidal to 68.651%, earning his second podium position in third. Both ponies are full-bred Connemara ponies, able to turn their hooves to plenty of different tasks with much success – a classic trait of the breed.  

Speaking about what it feels like to win, young Freddie said: “It’s great. He’s not a dressage pony, we do a lot of eventing with him – so to come here and do this is great.” 

“Me and Basil went to Bishop Burton Youth Championships last year, and I went to the Grassroots Championships last year too. With Pony trials you need to have a good drssage score to be in it, and I do a lot of training, so we did a few BD events – we qualified and did well at the Area Festivals. So we thought we’d come here, and he just pulled it out the bag.” 

“It’s been a great experience,” young Freddie commented about his time at the Area Festivals. “We didn’t expect much, we just thought go and give it our best shot and Basil managed to lead it from the off,” he said, referencing his early draw as the first to ride down the centre line. 

Speaking about what’s next with his two superstars, Freddie explained that his third placed pony ‘Spike’ has a big fixture ahead before another task in the family. “My other pony I came third on he’s going to go to Badminton grassroots and then I’ll give him to my sister. I’ve got another pony we’ve only just got so hopefully we can go pony trial on him and hopefully we can go to the British Eventing Youth Championships.”  

Turning attention to his winning ride, known at home to his friends as ‘Basil, Freddie concluded: “he’s quirky, one day he’ll be golden, the next day he’ll be wired to the moon but he is very nice in the stable, he’s very good.” 

Joining Freddie in the top three was Rose Cassapi, who rode Tracey Paskins adorable Nanttforchog Blue Moonstar into second with 69.286%.  

Petplan Preliminary Bronze 

Winner: Hannah Comery and Ballylahive Prince, 72.063% 

It was an impressive win for British Dressage (BD) newcomer Hannah Comery today, as she overcame 44 other competitors to be crowned the Petplan Preliminary Bronze class champion, with her own 19-year-old Ballylahive Prince, scoring 72.063%. 

This is only the eleventh BD competition that the duo have competed in, having made the transition from eventing to dressage; yet despite their relative newness to the sport, they’ve placed first in all eleven competitions so far.  

Hannah, who is new to British Dressage, described her win today as “Amazing, we only joined BD in December so to have achieved this it’s amazing.” 

“We used to event, he had an injury on his tendon so with him being 19 we stepped back a bit but he loves the dressage part of eventing so we thought he would excel at this. He loves to show off!” 

Talking of the test highlights, Hannah said “We went in and he concentrated straight away and just gave it all. But it’s been nerve-racking sitting in first with going in ninth in.” 

The duo have already got their scores for the Summer Area Festivals so will now be aiming for those, with Hannah looking to move him up to Novice. 

“It’s been great, the atmosphere’s lovely, the people are lovely, it’s been a nice new experience.” 

The Petplan Novice Bronze Area Festival Champion Ella Green earned another top placing, finishing second with Majestic Artist on 71.746%. Zoe Delmer-Best and her Dutch-bred mare Omi JDV earned 71.111% to place third.  

Petplan Preliminary Silver Under 21 

Winner: Lola Rega and Llynhelyg Gambler, 69.683% 

Lola Rega and Llynhelyg Gambler were the top team in the Petplan Preliminary Silver Under 21 class, scoring 69.683% to win their first title as a combination.  

“I’m just shocked,” Lola said, reflecting on her hopes for the day, “he’s only five so to come out and do this – he was with me all the time, that’s all I could ask for, the hope was a clean test, so to do this, every expectation is out the window.” 

It’s early days for the duo, having been working together for just 10 months. “I brought him off one of my really close friends who had him as a project pony, so he’s only really done proper dressage work for just over a year, he’s really intelligent. I’m a bit gobsmacked!” 

Lola was clearly proud of her young star’s efforts, adding: “He was very calm, this atmosphere is huge and he’s never been to something this big, with so many amazing horses. But he was so calm in the warm up, so with me. We had a clean test and I was just so happy with that, I didn’t expect to win!” 

The young rider is no stranger to winning titles, having won at the Area Festivals and Quest with her former ride Amy 13, now retired. “I started out in the Quest series and it was literally the best thing to do if you’re starting out, it’s perfect, especially if you can get a team that encourage you as well. And then I came to the Area Festivals and it feels professional. You get that feeling when you do the prize givings, it’s really great.” 

Lola hopes to progress through the levels with ‘Ace’, “as long as he’s comfortable, to go up as high in the levels as we can.” But first, the Royal Holloway Law student has a return to the books on the horizon: “I’ve got to go home now and revise for my exams!” 

Amelia Dovey earned another top placing after her win earlier in the day, this time riding Artists Ambassador to 68.016% for second, whilst Gracie Stanbrook and Fabriarna (Flashpoint x Mon-Amie) placed third with 67.936%.  

Nupafeed Advanced Medium Freestyle Silver 

Winner: Carmen Gammie and Lets Make an Opera M, 71.334% 

Carmen Gammie made it title number two with her charming bay Lets Make an Opera M, winning the Nupafeed Advanced Medium Freestyle Silver with 71.334% at the end of the fourth day at the Championships. 

“It feels very surreal,” Carmen said after her Nupafeed prize giving, “he was a bit nervous in that arena again today but I was really pleased with him. I had and early draw so was watching all the scores come up and my heart was beating so fast – my watch was concerned about me because my heart rate was faster than it is when I do exercise, so it’s been a long wait and been very tense! But I’m absolutely delighted.” 

Reflecting on the positives today, as well as her lovely winning music, she continued: “The trot work was lovely today and the changes were lovely, they’re the two bits we can always bank on, so I was really pleased with those. We ride to Mary Poppins medley that Equidance pulled together for me. I rode the same freestyle for Elementary and Medium as well as I just love the music and it really suits him so we really enjoy riding to it. And we got really good marks for it today.” 

“I can’t even put it into words,” she added about ‘Opera’ on just how special he is to her, “he’s the best thing ever, I always say he’s half a tonne of perfection. He’s the perfect horse, even when he’s a bit naughty in the prize giving I still think he’s the best thing ever. He’s very, very special to me.” 

The chartered accountant works hard to balance riding and competing with a busy corporate life. “I work in a corporate finance team for an energy investment bank, so I work very long hours so the riding fits in when it does, I sued to kick myself if I didn’t think I’d ridden him enough, but no I make the most of the training I can squeeze in. I train online with Hannah Moody so we try and squeeze a few of those lessons in from time to time but there are a lot of late nights and very early starts. Opera’s got no routine! He either sees me at 7 o’clock in the morning or he sees me at 8 o’clock at night, it’s just squeezing it in when you can and making the most of it. I’ve only got time for one horse but I’m lucky that my one horse is who he is. I always call it the sandpit of trust so when I go to ride and I’m in the sandpit of trust we’re not allowed to discuss certain topics that might make me stressed because riding’s my stress release, but he’s very good at that – if you’ve had a bad day at work he always cheers you up.” 

Finally, the Aberdeenshire lady reflected on her experience of the Winter Championships, over many years: “I did my first Winters when I was 12  and now I’m 29, I won my first national title with Opera last year, I won a Petplan Championship with Bubbles when I was 15, and I’d never won anything again, and I never thought that was never something that would ever happen to me, so when we won the Medium last year and coming back this year you come back with some expectation, but their horses and you never know what’s going to happen so I hoped that if we had a good test on the day we would do well but it’s surreal that I’m in the prize giving rather than siting on the sidelines clapping for other people.” 

In a high-quality contest, British youth rider Sofia Games earned 70.945% and second with her seven-year-old mare Bovary M, followed by Katie Owens in third with Sarah Edmonson’s Quarterhall-sired Quattro II 70.945%.