News
Sonnar Murray-Brown soars to comeback success at Somerford
- Written By: British Dressage
- Published: Fri, 30 May 2025 13:14
Somerford Park Premier League (24–25 May 2025) delivered a memorable weekend of dressage, as Sonnar Murray-Brown led the LeMieux National qualification charge with a triumphant return to the arena in the LeMieux Grand Prix on board Erlentanz, whilst Becky Moody and Amy Woodhead both recorded multiple victories.
Sonnar Murray-Brown (pictured above) made a triumphant return to competition at Somerford Park with his long-time partner Erlentanz (Eldana x EH Benz), after a four year break from the arena. The duo impressed the judging panel – Stephen Clarke (B), Clive Halsall (C), Fiona Louise Wilson (E), Richard Baldwin (H) and Nick Burton (M) – to lead the LeMieux Grand Prix on 71.980% and claim their place at the LeMieux Nationals in September.
“2021 was the last time I competed with him,” explained Sonnar, “I was just very grateful and pleased to be back with him. He’s 18 now and feeling good – I didn’t have any expectations of him, I came here to enjoy the run and he’s been amazing.”
The Gloucestershire-based rider credited the support of his team, including owners, coach Carl Hester and his long-term physio Cintia, who has worked with 'Erly’ since the gelding was six. “Cintia is always working hard to keep him in peak fitness… he’s not going to be the horse he was at 11 or 12 years old, but she has looked after him as if he were one of her own. I’m very grateful for that.”
In second place on 68.93% were Somerford’s High Profile Grand Prix winners from the day before, Jess Dunn and Dan It’s Carston, whilst Gareth Hughes completed the podium with his new ride Lufada MVL, a 10-year-old Lusitano mare owned by Monica Lindstedt.
Following his Stübben Intermediate II Gold victory on Friday in the High Profile, Worcestershire’s Michael Eilberg continued a successful show riding 12-year-old gelding MSJ Dante VX (Dante Weltino x Quattro B) to first place in the Intermediate II with an equally strong score of 71.62%.
The Saracen Horse Feeds Intermediate I classes were led by Becky Moody and Magic Dream (Governor x Swarovski), who won Saturday’s class with an excellent score of 74.22% and also placed third on Sunday. Pleased with their winning performance, Becky praised the talented mare, whom she has now owned for five years: “She is only eight and still quite green at the level, and the balance is something I struggle with a little. It’s taken a while, but it’s coming together… she shows a lot of talent for the Grand Prix work.”
The Fairfax Saddles Prix St Georges action on Saturday saw Becky once again take the win, this time with her eight-year-old gelding Lancelot B.S. on 70.64%. However, the following day Davy Harvey and Hercules III edged the pair out of the top spot on 70.10%.
Adding to the weekend’s list of impressive victories, Tom Goode and Holly Woodhead each scored over 70% to triumph in the Bret Willson Dressage International Advanced Medium classes. Tom secured Saturday’s win with 70.92% aboard SCS L’Amour (Ampere), whilst Holly took Sunday’s victory with 70.97%, riding MSJ Bachelor (Bordeaux x Don Gregory).
In the youth classes, Gloucestershire’s Sophie Wallace enjoyed a double victory in the Young Rider classes on board Ursula Bechtolsheimer and Laura Tomlinson’s Fallatijn Van Kairos. The new combination look set to be ones to watch, claiming the Individual and Team test wins with scores of 71.13% and 69.61%. “He’s an incredible horse and I’m very fortunate to be riding him. We went in and he was just with me the whole way through,” said the 18-year-old rider, “I’ve now been riding him for three months, so he’s quite new to me, but I’m really enjoying learning everything with him.”
With KBIS Young Dressage Horse Semi-Finals spots up for grabs, the Young Horse classes were a highlight of the weekend. Twenty-year-old Lily Laughton and Luis Filipe Vihena’s Oldenburger stallion Bonds Junior (Quaterback x Qualifying) headed the KBIS Four-Year-Old standings with a score of 8.0. Whilst Amy Woodhead dominated the remaining age groups, securing a KBIS double with two ofEmma Blundell’s home-bred mares. The Grimsby-based rider claimed the KBIS Five-Year-Old win with MSJ Odelia on 8.04 before topping the KBIS Six-Year-Old class with MSJ Swing Musik with a score of 8.0.
“I was super happy with her [MSJ Swing Musik]. I don’t usually ride her. My sister Holly Woodhead rides and produces her but she isn’t very well this weekend, so I jumped on yesterday, had a little 20 minutes and then did the test today, but she felt fabulous,” explained Amy, reflecting on the emotional win for both her and her sister. “Holly was crying at the end of the test because she went so well!”
Amy also saw success in the BD International Young Horse classes with the former FEI World Breeding Championship representative MSJ Viva Dannebrog, winning the Seven-Year-Old class with an impressive 76.07%.
Congratulations to all competitors, especially those collecting tickets for the LeMieux National Championships, and thank you to the team at Somerford Park for hosting a fantastic Premier League event.
Results - top three
Saturday 24 May 2025
Fairfax Saddles Prix St Georges
1. Becky Moody and Lancelot B.S., 70.64%
2. Davy Harvey and Hercules III, 67.94%
3. Fiona Brennan and Gestion, 67.94%
Saracen Horse Feeds Intermediate I
1. Becky Moody and Magic Dream, 74.22%
2. Kate Cowell and Final Reign 106, 70.39%
3. Greg Sims and Waverley Fellini, 70.00%
BD International Young Horse 5YO
1. Sarah Higgins and MSJ Evolution, 72.40%
BD International Young Horse 6YO
1. Becky Moody and Don Galahad, 82.60%
KBIS Young Horse 7YO
1. Carol Wagstaff and Narocko, 68.95%
Young Riders Individual Test
1. Sophie Wallace and Fallatijn Van Kairos, 71.13%
2. India Hamilton-Burnet and Kissingdale, 67.01%
3. Francesca Cawley and Dame Blanche, 65.59%
BD International Young Horse 7YO
1. Amy Woodhead and MSJ Viva Dannebrog, 76.07%
2. Jade Whitelaw and Nancy I, 63.49%
LeMieux Grand Prix 16-25
1. Charlotte Lutener and AB Barroco, 66.38%
Pony Individual Test
1. Jessie Clarke and Bunteeichen Nivaro, 68.51%
2. Ever Sinfield Day and Machno Excalibur, 66.85%
3. Violet Hawkins and DZL Royal Sunrise, 66.67%
Bret Willson Dressage International Advanced Medium
1. Tom Goode and SCS L’Amour, 70.92%
2. Fiona Brennan and Leroy, 70.13%
3. Melissa Chapman and Mind Over Matter, 68.29%
LeMieux Grand Prix
1. Sonnar Murray-Brown and Erlentanz, 71.98%
2. Jessica Dunn and Dan It’s Carston, 68.93%
3. Gareth Hughes and Lufada MVL, 68.63%
Junior Individual Test
1. Ella-Grace Dovey and Bocelli 6, 68.92%
2. Penny Smith and Rembrandt GSH, 67.55%
3. Hannah de Wit and Christianson, 66.86%
Children on Horses Individual Test
1. Rose Punchard and Elason, 74.69%
2. Melissa Hargreaves and Lagerfeld W, 72.05%
3. Rocky Leahy and Newton Freddie Flintoff, 70.99%
Sunday 25 May 2025
KBIS Young Horse 4YO
1. Lily Laughton and Bonds Junior, 8.0
2. Greg Sims and Vidi Vici de la Roche CMF, 7.66
3. Kirstie Clarke and Russo I, 7.52
Bret Willson Dressage International Advanced Medium
1. Holly Woodhead and MSJ Bachelor, 70.97%
2. Davy Harvey and Benefit, 69.77%
3. Danielle Hardwick and Love Actually Wins MFS, 67.18%
Saracen Horse Feeds Intermediate I
1. Fiona Brennan and De Angelis II, 71.27%
2. Kate Cowell and Final Reign 106, 69.90%
3. Becky Moody and Magic Dream, 69.51%
KBIS Young Horse 5YO
1. Amy Woodhead and MSJ Odelia, 8.04
2. Jessie Kirby and EQP Deidre, 7.92
3. Sarah Higgins and MSJ Evolution, 7.78
Fairfax Saddles Prix St Georges
1. Davy Harvey and Hercules III, 70.10%
2. Becky Moody and Lancelot B.S., 69.66%
3. Gareth Hughes and Mowgli Olympia MC, 69.12%
KBIS Young Horse 6YO
1. Amy Woodhead and MSJ Swing Musik, 8.0
=2. Becky Moody and Don Galahad, 7.0
=2. Hayley Colwell and Magnetic, 7.0
Children on Horses Team Test
1. Rose Punchard and Elason, 80.95%
2. Rocky Leahy and Newton Freddie Flintoff, 78.55%
Stübben Intermediate II
1. Michael Eilberg and MSJ Dante VX, 71.62%
2. Rowan Bryson and Izonik, 66.27%
3. Charlotte Lutener and AB Barroco, 65.64%
Junior Team Test
=1. Penny Smith and Rembrandt GSH, 69.39%
=1. Ella-Grace Dovey and Bocelli 6, 69.39%
3. Evie Head and De La Veiga, 68.33%
Pony Team Test
1. Ever Sinfield Day and Machno Excalibur, 69.05%
2. Violet Hawkins and DZL Royal Sunrise, 68.43%
3. Sophia Longworth and Don de Luxe, 67.95%
Young Riders Team Test
1. Sophie Wallace and Fallatijn Van Kairos, 69.61%
2. Isobel Lickley and Katniss, 67.25%
3. Francesca Cawley and Dame Blanche, 67.16%
Photo © Jasmine Punter Photography
