Petplan Summer Championships 25: Day One

Day one at the Petplan Summer Area Festival Championships saw eight new championships enjoy their moment in the spotlight, with a packed day of high-quality competition on day one at Arena UK in Lincolnshire. From outstanding amateurs balancing competing with careers, to new mothers and veteran horses, the first day of action had it all. 

Petplan Advanced Medium Freestyle Bronze  

Winner: Verena Howson and Figaro V, 71.944%  

London-based Verena Howson secured her first major career title with her own lovely 12-year-old Figaro V, claiming the Advanced Medium Freestyle Bronze with 71.944%.  

After her prize giving, Verena said “ I am absolutely speechless, you can hear in my voice that I am still emotional about it because of all the training and effort we have put it, it is just amazing that at the end we have achieved such a huge win today. I am really happy.” 

Enjoying their moment in the spotlight Verena shared, “It was his first prize giving, so I was waiting to see what he does, but not brave enough for the canter!” Having owned ‘Banana’ as he is known at home for five years, Verene told us more about their partnership together, “he was six and a half and freshly backed, he had done no competing and we have now gone from Prelim to Advanced Medium in those five years together which is amazing.” 

Verena was one of the first riders on our first day of the Summer Championships, reflecting on their test she told us, “he was already super nice in the warm-up, and I wanted to bring that into the test today and as soon as we went into the menage he was already growing and really presenting himself. I would say it was the ride of my life , he was so good and so with me all of the time.”  

In everyday life Verena works full time for an online marketing company, which can be difficult to balance she shared, “it is challenging with forty hours at the office desk, but then I always love to go to Banana, which is my zen after a long stressful week, just spending time with him.”  

The combination started their Area Festival journey three years ago, qualifying each year at Elementary to Advanced Medium, Verena spoke to us about what she loves about the series, “it is a brilliant set up because you can really develop and I have made lots of friends over the years, so it is nice to see familiar faces.”  

Second place belonged to BD Youth rider Keira Jasinski and Altogether Endeavour, who scored 71.834%, followed by Sophie Isaacs in third who earned 71.222% with Donaigo Ace (Don Index x De Niro).  

Petplan Intermediate I Bronze  

Winner: Amy Foster-Smith and Kimberley SHR, 67.892%  

New mother Amy Foster-Smith made it a maternity leave trip to the top step of the podium in the Petplan Intermediate I Bronze with her own Kimberley SHR. The duo scored 67.892% in front of Alison Duck, Andrea Smith and Pam Bushell.  

The pair are familiar faces in the Petplan prize giving spotlight, having won at this show two years ago, at Advanced Medium level. “We started at Prelim, she went to her first ever competition with me, and we’ve gone all the way to this level - it’s pretty cool.”  

Amy gave an emotional reflection on her wonderful mare, saying, “She’s been amazing to train and she loves working. She comes to the shows and lights up, she loves it. Going from Prelim through the levels really makes a difference, it really shows our partnership. We just have a really good understanding of each other, she always wants to please and do her best.” 

Amy, who trains with Serena Pincus, has previously produced her last horse to Prix St Georges; having gone one level higher with her winning mare, she hopes Grand Prix will be the ultimate dream. “It’s a lot of effort and hard work, but when she’s as lovely as she is you enjoy every day, I just enjoy the training, the mucking out and just being with her,” she commented, reflecting on balancing her career as a business analyst in financial services with riding and now motherhood too. “Especially when you have days like today, it makes it all worth it.” 

Ella-Louise Mayhead’s exquisite Welsh Section D Tirclyn Sportsman placed as runner-up on 66.029%, whilst Alison Timmins and the KWPN gelding Johnny Fletch earned the third spot.  

Petplan Advanced Medium Bronze  

Winner: Elina Pedersen and Lucky Bria, 70.658% 

Elina Pedersen saw her efforts in training pay off to win the Petplan Advanced Medium Bronze Area Festival title with Lucky Bria, on a score of 70.658%. 

“She tried her heart out, I am really pleased with her,” Elina reflected on her winning test” “for the first time in my life when I did the first halt, immobility and salute, it felt like it was flowing and it felt great.”  

“She is by Ferguson x Ferro, I bought her as a six-year-old and she’s now doing Prix St Georges, working towards Intermediate I. This is her first proper season, she didn’t compete before.”  

Elina, who trains with Gareth Hughes, has worked with her trainer to bring on her lovely mare’s confidence: “For the past week I’ve visited him twice and we’ve been focusing on the test, we’ve taken it back a step from our work at the higher levels to be sure she wasn’t surprised at the lines.” 

“It’s been a great experience,” Elina reflected on the Area Festivals, “it’s great to build horses confidence here and give them experience of a big competition.” 

Elina is the co-founder and owner of a financial technology company, “I have two children, one of whom also does dressage and is getting ready for her first Quest Semi-Finals, she’s eight! I’m so fortunate with the people around me,” she concluded on how she fits in family, work and dressage, crediting Zoe Brooks for her role in helping manage her lovely horses.  

Petplan Intermediate I Silver  

Winner: Jacqueline Frost and Ironi, 67.403% 

Jacqueline Frost and Ironi were the dancing duo to dominate the Petplan Intermediate I Silver Championship, winning the title on 67.403% 

The pair repeated their form from the Area Festival at Sparsholt Equestrian earlier in the summer where they won their qualification test in emphatic fashion.  

Chloe Dawes and her own Danone-sired mare Danibelle Delicious earned second place with 66.324%, whilst Victoria Johnson and Sarah Johnson’s 19-year-old Temujin placed third with 63.922%. 

Petplan Advanced Medium Silver  

Winner: Ann Staines and Kartouche V, 69.956% 

In the 33-strong Advanced Medium Silver class it was Ann Staines and her own KWPN gelding Kartouche V to take the top spot with a winning score of 69.956%, rewarded by Linda Pearce, Claire Ballantyne and Jane Peberdy.  

“He’s been so cheeky in the ring and we had such an awful regionals... but he was an absolute star today! We didn’t do an arena walk, I just thought we’d come and give it a go but he was a really good boy. He seems to really like it here.” 

“You just have to keep on plugging away, taking them out and telling them it’s okay,” Ann said about her preparation and turn-around in form between the two shows.  

“He’s massive, he’s grown into himself now and it’s taken a long time to develop and learn that everything’s okay. I’m just thrilled. He seems to be better outdoors, so this was perfect for him.”  

Ann, who bought her winning ride as a two-year-old, has produced him through the levels from Prelim to Prix St Georges. The pair return to have a shot at the Prix St Georges titles on Friday.  

“There has been plenty of times where I can’t work him and we’ve hardly done any competing this year,” said Ann who works full time as an NHS A&E nurse, and lectures on the subject too, who spoke about her career before quietly admitting... “I should have been working today!”  

Rebecca McNair and her own Boreas took the reserve champion spot on 69.386%, whilst Ellie Tomkinson and Madeleine Gardner’s mare Whatapallaver scored 68.070% for third. 

Petplan Advanced Medium Freestyle Silver  

Winner: Lindsey McDonald and Just Black, 70.334% 

Linsey McDonald’s patience paid off as her talented Everdale-sired gelding Just Black came of age in the Petplan Advanced Medium Freestyle Silver, winning the title with a superb 70.334%.  

“This is such a big achievement for him. He is eleven this year but has done very little shows,” she explained about her journey to the podium, “he has probably not even done fifteen classes in his whole competitive life. He is extremely talented but not the easiest, he is quite opinionated.” 

“We did a couple of Advanced Mediums to qualify for the championships and then he has come here and won.”  

Reflecting on her test in the Arena UK Indoor arena, she said,: “He felt really good, when I came out I didn’t know my score, but I said I don’t mind where he finishes because he was so good and he felt like he was with me the whole way.”  

“His music is the Beetles, it suits him because it is upbeat and matches his personality. He has learnt loads and come on a lot. We practise our floorplan at home and he is still really green at this level, but the more he learns the better he is!” 

Lindsey started her journey in eventing, competing in two U21 European Championships and competing up to four star level, before making the switch to dressage. Speaking about the switch, Lindsey said “I have been really enjoying it”, whilst balancing competing alongside running her own yard and producing competition horses.  

In a competitive class, Laura Crew and the Dutch-bred gelding E-Mail earned second on 69.611%, whilst Fiona Wallbank and Woodlander Booker T, a British-bred gelding by Bordeaux, took the third step on the podium with 69.445%. 

Petplan Intermediate I Freestyle Bronze  

Winner: Annabel Abell and Sheepcote Let’s Go, 72.042% 

In the Intermediate I Freestyle Bronze, it was Annabel Abell and her own 15-year-old Sheepcote Let’s Go to produce the best test of the class; judges Lotte Olsen, John Robinson and Cherry Elvin rewarded a winning score of 72.042%.  

“We’ve done Petplan since Elementary level and we’ve had top three placings at Elementary, Medium, we’ve now had a win at Advanced Medium Bronze, PSG Bronze and now Inter I. I’ve had him for seven years now and he’s just a horse of a lifetime.”  

To claim their title today, the pair delivered a charming performance riding to a borrowed Disney programme: “Freestyle was what brought me to dressage many years ago, when I first rode an Elementary Freestyle on my old horse.” 

‘Sam’ was bred by David and Serena Pincus, who supported Annabel through the levels too. The Shropshire-based rider now trains with Isobel Lickley and keeps her horses at her lovely Kingswood Equestrian base. Talking about the journey as a rider, she commented: “That’s what’s so special about Petplan. As an amateur – I do this around work – it's a really great structure in which to build and learn and develop. It’s a nice confidence giver and supports your development. We bought Sam as an Elementary horse, to get here is beyond my wildest dreams.” 

“He’s been so forgiving when I was learning and he’s a great partner, I credit him,” she continued speaking about her wonderful horse, “he’s very relaxed!” 

Operations Director Annabel, who’s worked in the financial sector for 25 years, is another rider who balances riding and competing with a busy life in the office: “It is challenging and there’s pressure but I really enjoy that it gives a different dynamic around work, and it always keeps you motivated.” 

Petplan Intermediate I Freestyle Silver  

Winner: Chantelle Oliver-Symonds and Stadmorslow Coffee n Cream, 62.542%  

The final class of the day saw an emotional win for Gloucestershire’s Chantelle Oliver-Symonds, whose wonderful 20-year-old golden boy Stadmorslow Coffee n Cream earned his Petplan rug and sash in the Petplan Intermediate I Freestyle Silver. The pair have been on an inspiring journey, and prove that anyone can make it to the top levels of the sport with hard work and true partnership.  

“We got him when he was three, and this is our thirteenth year at the Petplan Championships,” Chantelle explained, “this is the perfect way to end out journey doing this, I am really happy.” 

The rider presented a programme of her own creation, as she makes freestyles alongside a career in accounting. There were plenty of comments from those watching who thoroughly enjoyed her combination of Steps ‘Tragedy’, Gerri Halliwell’s ‘It’s Raining Men’ and Venga Boys ‘Ibiza’... as Chantelle laughed, “I had it before Lottie!” 

“Watching our test back I am actually really happy with it, we know we aren’t going to win the changes but we did the bits we can do really well. We had to freestyle a little bit because we had a mistake on the pirouette but we came back and did it on the joker line. Other than our changes which are never our strongest point, I was really happy with him.” 

Speaking about what’s next for Harvey, she commented: “He’s going to carry on being in work but he has now done his first Grand Prix and is now in the Gold section for the rest of time, so we can’t do this anymore! We are going to play around at Grand Prix until Christmas and then do some Premier Leagues. After that we will start to bring him down the levels, he’s a brain that likes to be busy so retirement isn’t going to be for him. But we would like to retire him sound and happy, which hopefully won’t be for a few years yet.” 

Chantelle and rescue pony Harvey are a joy to watch in action, and she spoke about their inspiring journey: “He is 20 and have been from Prelim to Inter I at the Area Festivals. The biggest thing for me, although it helps to have the breeding and the money behind you, we don’t come from a horsey family and don’t have any finacial backing, and I brought him for £200. To be able to show people you can do this and you can live you dreams although it is hard work, in reality your dreams can come true and he is that horse for me, there is never going to be another one.”  

“He is such a lovely person, and is everyone’s best friend,” she concluded about her golden superstar. 

FULL RESULTS