News
Petplan Summer Championships 25: Day Two
- Written By: British Dressage
- Published: Fri, 03 Oct 2025 10:48
The Petplan Summer Area Festival Championships continued on day two at Arena UK with a flurry of chestnut champions and some emotional winners who've overcome set backs and showed admirable patience, perseverance and partnership; read up on the day's inspiring class winners. 
Petplan Medium Freestyle Bronze
Winner: Yvonne Mason and G F Demellia, 69.611%
Yvonne Mason became Petplan Medium Freestyle Bronze Champion at the start of day two at the Summer Championships, topping a competitive class on board her own G F Demellia with 69.611%.
“I was very pleased,” Yvonne reviewed proudly, “I had my trainer Ali Berman’s words ringing in my ear all the way round and we were third in, so we were very early to go but I was very pleased with the score! Millie did everything I asked her to; I managed to remember where I was going, which I’m not very good at, even in music I can go wrong! She was an absolute superstar, she’s wonderful, the best horse you could ever wish for.”
Speaking about her wonderful winning freestyle programme, Yvonne explained: “I particularly wanted ‘Isn’t she lovely’ by Stevie Wonder, because she is lovely. I spoke to Equidance and we tried out a few different tracks for the different gaits and they put a wonderful test together for me. I really enjoy riding it and Millie seems to really enjoy doing it as well. Her highlights are her extensions, she loves doing those, she loves to show those off to the music.”
“I’ve had her about 15 months,” she said about the British-bred mare who was recommended to her by Anna Ross, “so we’re a comparatively new partnership. I’d only ridden up to Elementary before and I was looking for a school mistress which she is, and I was very lucky to find her. It’s taken me a long time to learn how to ride her because she’s a chestnut mare, she’s not chestnut mare-ish but she is quite bossy. Unless you do it right, she goes ‘you don’t know what you’re doing!’, so it’s all come together in the last four or five months.”
“She’s lovely, she’s adorable, so easy to deal with. You can leave her on her own, she’ll go out with another horse, she’s my dream horse.”
“I’m just retired,” Yvonne told us, I’m 64, for the last 40 years I’ve ran a business with my husband making printing equipment. So now in my retirement I’m looking forward to playing lots of ponies with Millie! We’ve got the Associated Championships at the end of October, we’re doing the Veteran Rider and Veteran Horse, and then I’d like to go up to Advanced Medium. My ambition is to get a tailcoat, I’d love to ride her in a Prix St George test, I promised myself I’d try and do that in my 65th year, so I’m hoping that’s what I’ll manage to do next year.”
Jane Collins placed second with her own Glocks Voice-sired mare Isabelle, whilst Rozanne Ibbett and Liberty NS made it an all-mare podium in third. 
Petplan Prix St Georges Bronze
Winner: Tess Wilson and Hyatt, 65.637%
Tess Wilson earned an emotional victory with Hyatt in the Petplan Prix St Georges Bronze, scoring 65.637% to top the podium and see patience pay off.
“It’s been quite difficult to keep mentally calm at shows,” Tess spoke about her talented but sensitive gelding, “I know he can do the work quite comfortably at this level but it’s hard to manage him to stop him going into one of his what I call ‘mental health days’. If I get the warmup wrong, he will just meltdown, he gets overwhelmed. I was a bit worried about the prize giving as he gets overwhelmed by noise, movement, it’s not necessarily the other horses but people and things going on.”
The winning formula seems to have been in the preparation for the Cornwall-based rider “I got here on Tuesday so he had a day to acclimatize and go in the two different arenas, so we just had to plan really carefully. Yesterday I did the indoor arena walk and the outdoor one today. I tend to ride him early morning at shows then put him away and come out 10 minutes before my test, that’s what I’ve found is the thing that works.”
“I’ve had him since he was six, he’s now 13,” she continued, talking about her long road to success with her lovely horse, “he came to me having done one Prelim and we’ve gone up the levels slowly. We’ve had a bit of time out due to various injuries; I thought we’d got going again but we went to Chard in 2022 for the Winter Regionals and I couldn’t get into the arena for either of my tests, he just had a meltdown! So I’m just really pleased that I’ve worked out what works for him.”
The achievement clearly meant so much to this dedicated rider, as she reflected: “He’s talented and for me, it’s the furthest I’ve ever managed to get a horse. I only have one that I compete with, so it means a massive amount. We’ve been working for years, as everyone is.”
“He’s like a labrador, he’s really sweet in the stable, he’s timid and nervous and I think that’s why things overwhelm him in competition environments. He’s like a labrador until he gets overwhelmed!”
Tess, who’s a BD Coach and runs a livery yard in her home county of Cornwall, concluded by reflecting on her winning test itself, saying: “I thought he had done a good test today, it felt calm, neat and tidy. I was slightly disappointed with my 65% but I think that’s Championships for you! He went to Addington in April for the Prix St Georges Bronze and came third with 66% too, but this one was definitely better.”
Tess was flanked on the podium by two former Petplan Champions, who each put in a great performance today. Florence Human and Fulgencio earned second place, whilst Jade Whitelaw and her own Late Night (Gunner KS x Rousseau) placed third. 
Petplan Medium Bronze
Winner: Katie Hale and Nonstop Desperado A.S., 70.278%
Kate Hale’s charming mare Nonstop Desperado A.S (Desperado x Damon Hill) impressed the judges in the Petplan Medium Bronze to claim the title by two percent. Kate rode to a fantastic score of 70.278% in front of Joyce Wood, Jane Peberdy and John Robinson to top the 40-strong class.
“I was really pleased with her,” Kate spoke about her test after her lap of honour in the Petplan outdoor arenas, “she was really nice and forward and active. Especially in the canter work she gave me a really nice feeling.”
Kate’s success marks another win for home-produced talent, as she explained how special it is to have a long-term partnership: “It’s amazing to have produced her myself up through the grades, to have made it to this point. She just feels so confident now in the arena, to be able to do tests like today.”
Speaking about her chestnut mare, she continued, “I bought her as a green rising five-year-old, I’ve produced her myself whilst I’ve been at university. At first she was a very chilled horse, so it’s taken a bit of time to get the sparkle in the arena! I finally feel like we’re getting that now.”
“She’s just the most chilled, easy horse. Anyone can ride her, she’s so laid back – she's like a big dog really!”
The 23-year-old rider, who hails from Somerset, has just finished a Masters degree in sustainability and spoke about her future, “I’ll probably have to start a big boy job soon I think, but hopefully I can keep on riding alongside. I’d love to try and take her through the levels, she’s only seven so I think there’s a lot more to come.”
Second place belonged to Charlotte Fogel and her own Royal William (Royal Classic x Don Ricoss) on a super score of 68.111%, whilst Lilly Godfrey notched up 66.834% for third with her own 10-year-old Knoxville. 
Petplan Medium Silver
Winner: Tasha Wakeley and Altivo LXXV, 71.445%
Altivo LXXV made it a win for Spain in the Petplan Medium Silver, as Tasha Wakeley produced Andrew Aston’s outstanding PRE gelding to 71.445%. The duo were eunanimous winners amongst the judges panel of Steph Cooper, Sue McMahon and Carole Thornton, who each placed them first out of a super quality class of 38.
“We were really pleased with the test! He was a little nervous of the sandbags... so his attention was a little on those! But this is his first big championship show so I was pleased just to get through the test in an orderly fashion with some really lovely bits.”
“We’ve had him just over a year, he came to us from Spain and we’ve taken him right back to basics. We unravelled him to build him back up, to get him strong in all the right ways, find his confidence and get the ring craft. We wanted to do it correctly, giving him experience at the local shows and then building him up to regionals and nationals.”
Tasha has a talent with Iberian horses and has an impressive track record at the Associated Championships, she spoke enthusiastically about what the breed means to her: “I have an affinity with this breed of horse! I’ve had them since I was 15, I’ve ridden warmbloods but my passion is Iberian horses. I adore how they want to please and they want to learn, their work ethic is fantastic. With this one, he relies a lot on the rider but today he trusted me and it’s just so rewarding.”
At home, life’s busy for Tasha who runs a yard alongside running her family of two daughters and two step-daughters, “life for me and Adam at home is really really busy! I run a private training yard so between that and keeping everyone fed, and alive, and happy and healthy, that’s it!”
The future looks bright for this eye-catching chestnut and his dedicated rider, who hopes that Grand Prix will be the ultimate dream goal to achieve. “We’re in no rush, we want to do everything properly but hope he’s got all the ability and the talent in there.”
In a class where the top three all scored over 70%, second place belonged to Jane Littlejohn and Not Just Anyone; with India Adams riding to third place on board Emma Adams’ lovely pony Reitland’s Don Totilas – who showed off some lovely toe flicking, fancy footwork in the prize giving lap of honour. 
Petplan Prix St Georges Freestyle Bronze
Winner: Florence Human and Fulgencio, 69.125%
The Prix St Georges Bronze classes saw the top two places shared between two riders; in the Freestyle Championship, Florence Human and Fulgencio stepped up to the top step of the podium, going one better than their Prix St Georges reserve spot earlier in the day. The win was special for the pair, who’ve been winners here before but have been on a long journey together, progressing through the levels and overcoming injuries.
Speaking about her test that earned a super 69.125%, Florence said: “I came out and I thought ‘I actually rode it’, I was so proud of myself. I was so pleased with him too. It feels really special! I didn’t want to look at the score and then I did, and it was the icing on the cake.”
Continuing on her Bastille freestyle programme, Florence explained, “I love riding to his canter music – it's all about dancing and not caring, and he loves it. I just wanted to do something a little bit different and fun, I went through it with Equidance. We do some silly things like half pirouettes on the centre line too. I just really enjoy dancing too it.”
Florence has taken the Furstenball-sired Fulgencio on a journey from the age of five to 14, “he’s had a couple of injuries and years out along the way, it was heart-breaking at the time. It’s lovely to have him back, honestly, I won’t ever have anything like him again. He’s really special to me.”
“At home, we’ve got him and a couple of others. My parents look after them, they do so much for the horses and me, I can’t thank them enough.”
“I take calls for the ambulance service for work, but this is way more adrenaline,” Florence laughed about the experience and adding what she does away from winning titles.
Prix St Georges Bronze Champions Tess Wilson and Hyatt placed second this time around with another strong test earning 68.083%; Sophie Browne and Lorraine Satin’s Franzisko (Frankziskus x Rockwell) produced a lovely test for third, on a score of 67.792%. 
Petplan Medium Freestyle Silver
Winner: Mandy Keen and Jackpot IV, 71.111%
Mandy Keen and her Dutch-bred chestnut Jackpot IV have earned plenty of success this year, and added a Petplan title to her collection today with victory in the Medium Freestyle Silver Championship, scoring 71.111%. The duo won at the Combined Training Championships back in April, and are no strangers to doing their best on the big day!
“He was a bit lethal yesterday,” Mandy laughed, explaining about her exuberant horse’s progress through the week, “he had to work a bit hard but I stayed on which is a big achievement! I did the Medium this morning, he was a bit of a hooligan in that! But by this afternoon, he decided he’d play the game and he enjoyed his music, so he’s redeemed himself.”
Speaking about her her winning freestyle programme, she continued: “A friend who lived in Wales did some music for my previous horse who was a little Danish Stallion and when I got him, we decided we needed his own music so she did the music for the Medium. I just love the music, it’s cheeky and I really liked the canter. I was really pleased with him.”
Speaking about her bright, bouncing chestnut, Mandy talked about his abundant character: “He’s such a character, at the Combined Training Championships he was naughty in the first test and redeemed himself in the second, so he just decided he’s a two test horse. He’s exceptional, I’ve just got to learn to ride him. He’s got a lot of talent but he can be difficult.”
“We want to sort out the flying changes now, he’s got them but it’s getting them when I want them not when he wants them. I would like to take him to Prix St Georges.”
Mandy also praised her support network and friend’s who’ve made the championships special: “Alison Jenden’s with me, she came with her dog Lucy who’s our mascot wearing her Petplan flag! Alison’s got a warmblood mare who she did the Inter I Bronze yesterday and placed seventh and third in the music, so we both like our music. We’re going to have a very happy journey home. Alice is here too who’s his physio, she’s competing and Nadine who’s a close friend who’s competing tomorrow so it’s really nice we’ve had quite a few people we know come up.”
Jane Littlejohn and Not Just Anyone were reserve champions for the second time in the space of a couple of hours; the pair put in a great second placed performance in the Indoor arena to earn 70.723%. Taking third place was Natasha Gibbons and her lovely AES mare Penhaligon Soleilette Aime, the pair successfully stepped up in level after winning the Elementary Silver winter title at Addington in April.
