Summer Area Festivals 25: Elementary with Ease

Meet Rianne Fulton and Georgie Youngs as we continue to share your rider stories from the 2025 Petplan Summer Area Festival Championships. Rianne and Georgie attended their Area Festivals at Little Mill Equestrian and Brook Farm Equestrian, as the final few weeks of Championship qualification approaches.  

Rianne Fulton & Mojito Sunset © Pet and Equine Photography Co

Little Mill Equestrian  

Rianne Fulton and Sun Mojito enjoyed marvellous music at Little Mill Equestrian (25 – 27 July), winning the Elementary Bronze Freestyle with a score of 68.21% as well also gaining a top ten finish in the Elementary Bronze class.  

Rianne shared with us, “I am still absolutely over the moon, winning is never something that even enters my head if I'm totally honest, especially at an Area Festival! In fact after our freestyle I confidently untacked and washed my horse off then settled him back on the horsebox. I was also midway through getting undressed out of my competition clothes when the lady parked next to me peered in and said, ‘Aren’t you coming over to the prizegiving?’”  

Having no expectations of the experience and not realising what she had just achieved Rianne told us, “I checked my score for our first test in which we had a top 10 placing – and wandered over to the prizegiving area. It was at this point that my friend messaged me with lots of excited emoji’s and asked had I seen my freestyle result? I had not – so quickly checked and there we were in first place with one rider to go; I couldn’t believe it!” 

On the day when leaving the arena Rianne was, “so pleased with Moji at that point, the fact that he felt reasonably relaxed and was rideable for the freestyle was all I could ask for really! I’m sure he recognises his music now! However, it literally didn’t occur to me that we might be in with a chance of winning, I was just happy with him.”  

To achieve such amazing results at only their third Area Festival together Rianne and Moji have been able to move up a level each time, “we managed to go up one level each time! Trying to get those qualifying scores at Elementary was tricky to begin with, and I chose to do Elementary freestyle as well to try and add a fun element, while still working on becoming more established at that level. Also, qualifying at both Elementary and music in effect enabled us to compete twice.”  

Rianne has owned Moji since he was four-years-old, the gelding is now nine and has not always been easy she explained: “He has been very challenging to say the least! He really does have his own brain; he's so talented but very spooky, let’s just say he loves to keep me on my toes! As a youngster he was sharp and I lost a lot of confidence at one point after a couple of nasty falls but we took things very slowly and had a lot of support and now I absolutely love riding him. We are very much learning together, and we muddle along quite well I think, considering that only two years ago I honestly thought we'd be doing walk and trot tests for ever, so to actually win at an Area Festival at Elementary level was a real "pinch me" moment.”  

The Area Festival series gives the combination something to aim for each season, Rianne told us, “it motivates me to improve both my riding and Moji’s way of going and it gives a feel of a championship event with the Petplan banners, prize giving, plaques for all competitors and the lovely big rosettes up to 10th place. Let’s be honest, we all love a posh frilly! I really appreciate the arena walks as it gives Moji a chance to look at the scary flowers and familiarise himself with the arena, so I make full use of those! Everyone is super supportive, friendly and just generally happy to be there, we’ve all worked hard to qualify after all. The volunteers work tirelessly behind the scenes to ensure everything runs to plan, I also volunteer and write on the days that I’m not competing which I love doing and learn a lot.”  

In preparation for Little Mill’s Area Festival Rianne and Moji worked hard training at home she shared, “I am really lucky to have two fantastic instructors; Vikki Pengilly and Sue Thomas, and training is never really aimed just at the upcoming Area Festival - if there was a particular element within the test that we needed to work on then we would work on that of course, but in general it’s just about the dressage journey as a whole for me, and just improving. The Area Festival is just part of that journey.”  

Rianne had some good advice for fellow riders who may have had a test not go to plan and how she reacted to this before heading down the centre line for her next test, “I never enter the arena thinking about whether he’s going to spook or be tense, or he’ll pick up on that. I just relax, breathe and try to smile, at least up that first centre line. When he spooks at non-existent monsters I try to get back on track as soon as I can so it only affects the one movement, you can’t dwell on it too much!” Despite having the spook in their first test, the duo went on to finish the top of the scoresheet in their next one! 
Georgie Youngs and Barcelo XI © Melody Fisher Photography 

Brook Farm Equestrian 

At Brook Farm Equestrian (01 – 03 August) Georgie Youngs and her own Barcelo XI were in the ribbons twice, with a fourth place finish in the Elementary Bronze, achieving a score of 66.30% and an incredible second place in the Novice Bronze with 68.50%.  

Georgie now looking back on the event told us, “I am still on such a high! We only joined BD in October after I had broken my ankle last summer and had missed most of the Event season. We went to the Winter Area Festivals and came ninth at Novice Bronze and I was really hoping for another top ten rosette this time so to come second really was the cherry on top!”  

The eight-year-old gelding was on top form all weekend Georgie explained, “I was so overjoyed to also get a rosette in the Elementary too! I was so pleased with him all weekend, he did two clean tests, so I was thrilled, but knew we had missed a few marks as my nerves had me play it safe. I never expected to qualify for Champs so I am really excited as this will be our first time qualifying for anything like this! I really enjoy the Area Festivals as everyone is so supportive and encouraging and we were all cheering each other on at Brook Farm.”  

The duo’s partnership began in 2020, Georgie shared, “I bought B unseen from Spain during the first lockdown as a project to back and sell whilst I couldn’t work, and as you can see, he is still here 5 years later. He was a dream to back and is full of enthusiasm at all times which just makes him such a joy to produce! He is an eight-year-old PRE, who absolutely loves to jump.” 

Away from the white boards the 15.3hh grey is Georgie's event horse, “we love nothing more than zooming around the cross country course, the dressage is just an added bonus and I’m just loving seeing him move up the levels. His other favourite hobby is sleeping (and snoring!), which terrifies most people at stay away shows as he sounds like he is unwell!”  

Georgie explained that she is hoping to give Medium a go by the end of this year, and wishes to keep progressing up the levels. Georgie trains with Rui Campeão and told us, “who has taught me for 13 years, all whilst also trying to qualify for Badminton Grassroots. When I’m not competing, I am a workaholic - I am a McTimoney Animal Chiropractor and love nothing more than helping my Equine clients feel and perform at their best!”