Wells and Greenhill do GBR proud at Deauville CPEDI3*

Sophie Wells and Nicky Greenhill’s 2019 campaigns have continued with five victories between them at Deauville CPEDI3* in France last week (4 – 7 April 2019).

With Charlotte Hogg’s C Fatal Attraction (Fidertanz x Olivi), Sophie (28) won Friday’s Team Test with 74.65% as well as taking a podium position with relatively new ride, the 10 year old mare, Diadeem (by Westenwind) who scored 69.86% for third. Separating Sophie’s rides was the Netherlands’ Frank Hosmar and Alphaville NOP (70.76%).

Individual Test day saw another victory for Wells. C Fatal Attraction (picture last year) who is known as ‘Jorge’ is coming into his prime at the age of 12. His increasing power and suppleness is reflected in his growing scores. 76.04% was the reward for his winning test, with Diadeem earning a very pleasing 68.85% for fourth.

Sophie maintained her supremacy in Sunday’s Freestyle to add another win to her Grade V dominance, this time with a score of 78.39%. “I love him so much but he was a little devil today!” said Sophie on Facebook. “I had to change the floor plan three times through the test to try and claw back some marks after he had other ideas! Some of the work he’s doing feels the best he’s ever produced, so we are definitely heading in the right direction.....but maybe a bit of able bodied practise needed now!

Sophie was also in Deauville with her trainer’s hat on; “Well done to Georgia Wilson this week too, Chico was a little cheeky today in the Freestyle, but for their second international abroad, loads of learning and experience gained.”

Nicky Greenhill enjoyed great success in the Grade IV divisions. She was second to the home nation’s Camille Jaguelin and Wimke in the Team test, but by the narrowest of margins with the exciting prospect Betty Boo (pictured last year), a black Benetton Dream x Londonderry mare she co-owns with husband Gary. Nicky, who is visually impaired, also was fifth with the 11 year old son of Calido, King Edward I, who is owned by Gary. Following this excellent start, Nicky, 41, went one better to dominate the Individual with first and second place.

“Wow wow wow! What a day of mixed emotions... Both the horses were on flying form!

“Eddie really let me ride him today and felt so much more confident, although he seemed to have a gravitational force pulling him towards his dad standing at X! Betty did one of the best tests she has ever done, but I had a massive disorientation moment in the halt rein back which left me feeling utterly confused... it’s just the worst feeling ever when you end up somewhere you are not expecting and have no idea how it happened. It took all my strength to carry on, but I’m pleased I did as she finished a very close second to her brother!

“It’s always been my dream to come first and second at an international, but now I have done it, it makes me feel so unbelievably sad that I can’t share the news with my mum,” said Nicky, referring to the recent passing of her mum. “She would have been the first person I would have rung and she would have been so excited. I know she is watching over me and when I look back in a few months when I’m not so emotional I will hopefully feel super proud of what I have just achieved.”

On Sunday, Nicky once again stood atop the podium, winning the Grade IV Freestyle with Betty Boo, scoring 72.87%. “What a week! I cannot believe we are taking home two international champions,” she said. “I love these ponies.”

Results of the British riders:

Grade II
Team Test
1st Nicole Den Dulk with Wallace N.O.P., 70.90% (NED)
2nd Lee Pearson with B Grandeur, 70.12% (GBR)
3rd Georgia Wilson with Chico III, 68.16% (GBR)
4th Natasha Adkinson with Sweet Caledonia, 67.81% (GBR)
6th Susanna Hext with LJT Enggaards Solitaire, 67.48% (GBR)

Individual Test
1st Nicole Den Dulk with Wallace N.O.P., 71.23% (NED)
2nd Natasha Adkinson with Sweet Caledonia, 69.23% (GBR)
3rd Lee Pearson with B Grandeur, 69.17% (GBR)
4th Susanna Hext with LJT Enggaards Solitaire, 68.94% (GBR)
6th Georgia Wilson with Chico III, 68.20% (GBR)

Freestyle
1st Nicole Den Dulk with Wallace N.O.P., 71.80% (NED)
2nd Susanna Hext with LJT Enggaards Solitaire, 71.60% (GBR)
3rd Lee Pearson with B Grandeur, 71.39% (GBR)
4th Natasha Adkinson with Sweet Caledonia, 69.66% (GBR)
5th Georgia Wilson with Chico III, 69.58% (GBR)

Grade IV
Team Test
1st Camille Jaguelin with Wimke, 67.85% (FRA)
2nd Nicky Greenhill with Betty Boo, 67.82% (GBR)
3rd Nicola Naylor with Ferrari SDB, 66.75% (GBR)
4th Nicola Naylor with Donnatella H, 66.57% (GBR)
5th Nicky Greenhill with King Edward I, 66.20% (GBR)
8th Heather Bennett with Guinevere Aimbry, 63.40% (GBR)

Individual Test
1st Nicky Greenhill with King Edward I, 68.41% (GBR)
2nd Nicky Greenhill with Betty Boo, 68.24% (GBR)
4th Nicola Naylor with Ferrari SDB, 66.12% (GBR)
5th Heather Bennett with Guinevere Aimbry, 65.68% (GBR)
7th Nicola Naylor with Donnatella H, 63.58% (GBR)

Freestyle
1st Nicky Greenhill with Betty Boo, 72.87% (GBR)
5th Nicola Naylor with Ferrari SDB, 67.75% (GBR)
6th Heather Bennett with Guinevere Aimbry, 63.35% (GBR)

Grade V
Team Test
1st Sophie Wells with C Fatal Attraction, 74.65% (GBR)
3rd Sophie Wells with Diadeem, 69.86% (GBR)

Individual Test
1st Sophie Wells with C Fatal Attraction, 76.04% (GBR)
4th Sophie Wells with Diadeem, 68.85% (GBR)

Freestyle
1st Sophie Wells with C Fatal Attraction, 78.39% (GBR)

Nations Cup
1st Great Britain, 423.497
2nd The Netherlands, 416.642
3rd Russia, 402.040
4th France, 400.784
5th Ireland, 388.630
6th Spain, 367.794