Success for South & West at the Senior Home Nations

The Senior Home Nations provided a super end to a busy summer of regional team competition, with three days of thrilling competition taking place at Chard Equestrian from 5 – 7 September 2025.   

Team Competition

The contest for the Senior Home Nations team title is always tough, and this year didn’t disappoint with 32 teams going head-to-head.

After two days of competition, it was team South & West Donald to claim the win. Amanda King with Invincible, Helen James and Decadent, Jane Littlejohn and Not Just Anyway, and Lucy Baker with Last Dancer all contributed strong scores to produce a winning team total of 411.875. The team took an early lead on day one, with 210.457 points, including two plus 70% scores from Helen and Jane; this margin gave them the pressure of being overnight leaders, which all of the riders handled exceptionally to cement the win on Sunday. In the team event, Gloucestershire’s Helen James earned the highest score, bringing home 72.143% on day one with her eight-year-old mare Decadent.  

South & West Development Officer Amanda Rodgers commented, “I am exceptionally proud to have been able to share Chard with everybody and even prouder of the 36 South and West riders who joined us and rode their socks off over the team competition days,  securing the Senior Home Nations Title for 2025 for the region.” 

Wales concluded a strong season with second place in the team contest; their quartet of Amanda Leaker, Brendan Tegg, Georgina Williams and Loretta Joynson earned a total mark of 410.481. Whilst South & West Daffy were hot on the heels of their region team-mates, Joanna Johns, Laura Crew, Natalie Rosewarne and Rebecca Ezra-Ham rode to a combined total of 407.406 to see them complete the podium.  

Individual competition  

Earning more success for the South & West region, Alice Kneen strode to glory in the Prelim Individual with her six-year-old gelding Springtime Marvel, earning herself a combined score of 138.727, made up of 69.127% and 69.600%. The duo has been competing British Dressage together since March this year. The competition was very close in the Novice Individual section, with many combinations scoring on average 67%. However, 62-year-old Laima Davies pulled it out of the bag to claim another win for South & West scoring a total of 138.330. Laima scored a very respectable 68.222% on day one, whilst day two saw her climb the rankings and land a super 70.108%. Laima and Romera are regular BD competitions and also competed at the Area Festival last month held at Chard Equestrian, where she took the win in the Freestyle Music Elementary. 

Continuing the South & West domination, Senior Home Nations team title winner Jane Littlejohn secured first place in the Elementary Individual with her Dutch seven-year-old gelding Not Just Anyone. The partnership scored 70.990% and 70.253%, finishing on a combined score of 141.243, three percent ahead of South & West Daffy team rider Laura Crew in second. Speaking about her win, Jane said, "Not Just Anyone (known as Jet) was on top form! He warmed up lovely on the first day and went down the centre line feeling amazing. He listened to me and did his very best, ending in first place on day one with over 70%! Going into day two obviously wanting to hold onto first makes it’s a bit more pressure but we kept our cool.”  Nottingham-based Sam York took the win in the Medium on a combined score of 135.861, after earning 68.500% on day one and 67.361% on day two. Sam and her gelding Oakring Santino represented North & East Vindolanda, who placed seventh in the team competition. The duo have had a busy summer together, competing regularly at BD shows at Sheepgate Equestrian and attending the Hartpury Summer Regionals.  Making it individual title number four for South & West, India John won the Advanced Medium title riding her 24-year-old 14.2hh Welsh pony Grayswood Orlando. India finished on a well-deserved total of 135.477. The pair led the way in both rounds of competition, earning 68.070% on the first day of action, followed by 67.407% on day two.  Surg Lt (D) India John rides in her Royal Navy uniform and has been competing Grayswood Orlando with plenty of success since 2021.

BD Wales earned an individual title in the Prix St Georges as Brendan Tegg rode to an impressive score of 136.533. Brendan earned his win by four percent, claiming the top spot in both days of competition with consistent scores of 68.935% and 67.598%. Brendan’s dancing partner was his own and Sarah Davies’ bay sport horse, Foxcourt Solar Eclipse, a British-bred gelding sired by Sunset Boulevard. Brendan has produced him through the levels with success, progressing from Novice to Prix St Georges; earlier this year the duo competed at the NAF Five Star Winter Championships, and took a win at the Hartpury Summer Regional Championships in July at Advanced Medium level.  

Congratulations to all competitors who took part and to those who earned the top spots.  Our thanks go to Jane Gregory and her team at Chard Equestrian for hosting a memorable event, as well as all the sponsors, judges and stewards who ensured everything ran smoothly. 

 

Results  

Team standings 

1. South & West Donald - 411.875 
2. Wales Nessa - 410.481 
3. South & West Daffy - 407.406 
4. South & East Jagerbomb - 406.324 
5. South & West Daisy - 406.272 

 

Prelim Individual 

1. Alice Kneen and Springtime Marvel , 138.727 (South & West) 
2. Lee-Anne Pine and May Diamond, 137.057 (South & East) 
3. Katrina Ellis and Silverstor IV, 136.727 (South & East) 

Novice Individual 

1. Laima Davies and Romero, 138.330 (South & West) 
2. Amanda leaker and Haulwen’s Hope, 138.032 (Wales) 
3. Rebecca King and Faside Mark My Words, 136.948 (Wales) 

Elementary Individual 

1. Jane Littlejohn and Not Just Anyone, 141.243 (South & West) 
2. Laura Crew and E-Mail,138.769 (South & West) 
3. Greg Dickens and Brutus G,135.915 (North & West) 

Medium Individual 

1. Sam York and Oakring Santino,135.861 (North & East) 
2. Yvonne Mason and GF Demellia, 132.380 (South & East) 
3. Clare Deithrick and SP Dramatic, 132.139 (South & West) 

Advanced Medium Individual 

1. India John and Grayswood Orlando, 135.477 (South & West) 
2. Clair Reed and Catherston Specific,132.980 (Ireland) 
3. Kate McGee and M Obarma,132.15 (South & West) 

Prix St Georges Individual 

1. Brendan Tegg and Foxcourt Solar Eclipse, 136.533 (Wales) 
2. Hannah MacMillan and Brookeborough Lad, 132.725 (North & East) 
3. Chantelle Oliver-Symonds and Stadmorslow Coffee n Cream, 129.061 (South & West) 

 

FULL RESULTS  

Photography by ®ESP Photographic