Quest Championships 26: My Quest Open

Day one of the 2026 Quest Championships saw our fabulous three My Quest Open Champions win their classes on a competitive day of dressage in the November sunshine at Arena UK. 

My Quest Open Introductory Champion 

Nicola Baird and Merri Ahoy, 69.621% 

Nicola Baird riding her own lovely Merri Ahoy were crowned the 2026 My Quest Introductory Champions on the first day of competition. After going early in the class and having to wait for all the scores to come, the duo finished on the top of the scoresheet with a fabulous score of 69.621%. 

When sharing how it felt to have won the title, Nicola said, "I'm very pleased but it feels very unexpected! I was aiming for a top ten, I wanted to get a rosette, I just wasn't expecting it and I went early on so I kept thinking that other people would overtake us, so I was very surprised." 

Nicola didn't originally plan to compete in affiliated dressage with the six-year-old, she shared, "We are not meant to be doing dressage; she is meant to be doing showjumping. I was trying to work on the flatwork so I could event her next year." Nicola decided to give the Quest series a go because it is a really lovely, relaxed atmosphere, "We ended up in the top 12 to qualify for the Semi-Finals. So, I thought why not come!" 

The sweet bay mare has got nice paces, Nicola explained, "But she needs to relax a bit more and have more balance. She is quite good in the fact she doesn't get that fizzy, you can walk her round on a long rein, and she is very quick to adapt to new arenas, she has a quick look and then settles a bit." Describing her as 'very easy to work with' Merri Ahoy has a lot of Thoroughbred breeding in her and Nicola is working on strengthening her up, "Naturally she wants to dive long and onto her nose, so we have been working on that and might have to do a bit more now." 

Nicola shared that one of the biggest highlights of their test was the walk on a long rein, "I think that got the best marks, that's her best bit. As long as she is settled and walking forward you can get her really stretched out, so we usually get good marks for that." 

At home Merri Ahoy is known to be a sweet horse, but can be very pushy, Nicola explained, "She will walk over you, she has flattened me before, given the chance she will be in charge, so you have to be quite on it. She is finding this all quite exciting, she has never stayed away before, so this is her first time at anything like this, so it is just about handling her on the ground. Once you get on, normally she chills out a bit."  

Looking ahead to the future, Nicola would like the two of them to event together, "I like showjumping but with her, she has got decent flatwork and is quite fast, I think she is a natural eventer. The plan is next year to get her out at BE, she has been practising by jumping over fences at home, so I think there is a decent pop in there! We just need to work on the strengthening and the balance and hopefully the dressage and the work we have done will help with that."  

Speaking on why she decided to take part in the Quest series, Nicola told us, "I have always said I don't do affiliated dressage because it is way too scary and it is not for me, but I have found Quest a way to do the affiliated in more of a relaxed way. It is friendly, there are teams here, I have just found it at a level I am more comfortable with, to give me the confidence to go on, and I will probably do more dressage now."  

Away from the horses Nicola works for JCB and has a three-hour round-trip commute to work every day, "My sister does a lot looking after and hacking the horse, trying to make up some of the hours I can't. Normally I am juggling work, driving, dog and horse, with the horse being the most fun bit!" 

Nicola's advice for those who are unsure but thinking of giving affiliated dressage a go would be to start with the Quest series, "I have seen some great teams, really supporting one another but even if you go on your own you will have supportive people around you. If you haven't done dressage before, I would definitely start with Quest, go out and enjoy it."  

In second place we had Natasha Walker riding her own Curraghaleen Joey, who achieved a score of 69.015% and rounding out the top three in third place was Hollie Taylor with Princess Scally, closely behind on a score of 68.864%.  

My Quest Open Preliminary Champion 

Caroline Currie and Kilimanjaro HDH, 69.565%  

Our 2026 My Quest Open Preliminary champions are Caroline Currie and Kilimanjaro HDH, who won the class with a really great score of 69.565% from the judges outside in the sunshine at Arena UK today.  

Reflecting on the emotion of winning at a championships, Caroline shared, "It is just amazing, it is unbelievable, I didn't even dream about getting to this point." The lovely KWPN gelding was brought for Carolines son to showjump with, Caroline explained, "When he went to college, we were going to sell him. I thought I was going to have to learn to ride him to help us sell him and he has wrapped his little hoof around me! He is staying with me for life now." 

The 11-year-old chestnut has taken well to dressage life, "He loves jumping but he tolerates the old mom pottering around on him." Caroline commented. The duo have enjoyed their dressage journey together so far and had a great experience competing at Quest shows, Caroline explained, "It has been so friendly, the people are so supportive, everyone is so nice. It has been an amazing journey." 

Looking back on what was the best thing about their winning test today, Caroline shared, "He listened to me during our tests, that was one of the best bits! He has got it all in him, but he is ginger though and has ginger moments." Caroline shared that the 16.2hh gelding is, "Really chilled out at home and a lovely boy." 

Sharing more about her life away from the horses, Caroline told us, "I work for the council, a rather dull job, but that is my day-to-day working there, but he is my therapy horse at the end of the day." 

Already looking forward to their dressage journey continuing, Caroline shared that they are going to move up to Novice now and keep going to see where the journey takes them. As someone who only became a BD member this year, Caoline's advice to anyone thinking about giving it a go is, "Just get out there and do it, it is a load of fun, like I said there are just really nice people and it is just enjoyable. Go out and enjoy your horse and have fun."  

Lottie Chant riding Marbeth Milwr Bach were our second-place finishers in this class, with a great score of 68.478% and in third place was Kathryn Brown and Llanarth Bay Flyer with a score of 67.826%.  

My Quest Open Novice Champion  

Claire Butcher and Fastastischer Diamant, 70.193%  

Our final champions on day one where Essex-based Claire Butcher and the very striking black gelding Fastastischer Diamant, who won the My Quest Open Novice with our highest My Quest score of the day, a wonderful 70.193%.  

Explaining what it feels like to have won, Claire shared, "It feels unbelievable really, but amazing, I knew he had it in him." This year has been the first time the duo have ever competed in the Quest series, taking part in both My Quest and Team Quest. Reflecting on that journey, Claire told us, "We did score one of our best scores at one of our Quest qualifiers, we didn't have the best time at the Semi-Finals as he got a bit tense, he can get tense sometimes but he didn't today, he's coped really well." 

Now ready to move on to the Area Festivals, having now won a title at Novice level at Quest, Claire shared, "This is our last chance at Quest, so it is a great way to go out with a bang really." Looking back on what went well for them in the arena today, Claire explained, "It was how relaxed he felt for me, often I can come in and how he enters down the centre line is how the test goes. So, if he comes in soft and relaxed, he listens to me and is responsive, he was really good today. I couldn't have asked for any more from him really."  

The 14-year-old gelding is known for being cheeky at home, "He loves his treats! Sometimes going to the field, he is unsure until he sniffs a carrot, and then all he thinks is 'carrot' and is happy with that, he just really loves a treat."  

Previously before doing dressage Claire used to event, "I did a bit of eventing until having children. Coming back after having children, I think as you get older you kind of lose your brave pants for jumping, so I don't jump as much anymore. He has really brought the dressage out in me though, he can be quite tricky at times but when you get him going right, he can really pull out a nice test, so it is lovely following that dressage journey now and I am looking forward to stepping him up another level next year." 

Sharing how she became involved in the Quest series, Claire told us, "A friend of mine wanted to put a team together, and we already went out competing a lot together, so it was just nice to go and do it as a team, with the support of everyone else." 

Quest has been a great stepping stone for the combination: "All the judges and stewards are really kind, even all the fellow competitors not in your team, everyone is really friendly and there to lend a hand and give support. It is a community and really inviting." 

In second place in the My Quest Open Novice was Emma Murch and Gwynfaes Llewelyn, with a score of 69.295% and in third was Rachel Scales riding Bish Bash Bosh on a score of 68.910%. Congratulations to everyone who competed today, we hope you all had a brilliant time.  

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© Kevin Sparrow Photography