Festival Focus - Prestige Equestrian
Our second Winter Area Festivals made it’s way to Prestige Equestrian in Gloucestershire, 19 – 22 January. With a slight change to the schedule due to weather, we crowned seven new champions.
Petplan’s picks!
Winners in the Prelim Silver, Talitha Jordan and her six year old Welsh Section D, Crippsy Bilbo Baggins have become a formidable pair in just two years. Buying the 14.2hh pony from Kirsty Martin, young rider Talitha has trained ‘Roe’ herself. This will be their second time at a championship after topping the podium at the Prelim and 70cm Combined Training Championships at Onley last April.
“Boe really is a dream pony with a wonderful personality, and we are extremely lucky to have him.”
Regularly training with Sophie Cox and Caroline Green as part of the West Midlands Dressage Group, they are also members of the Ludlow Hunt Pony Club to keep the variety in their schedule. “He can be a typical Welsh dragon but has a heart of gold. He has the willingness to learn and tries hard at all that is asked of him,” Mum Emmie told us. “They’ve been working really hard, especially with suppleness, and we were so pleased with his win at Prestige in the Prelim Silver. The weather on the day of the test was rather windy, but Boe coped well.”
They are now aiming to get another ticket to the Championships in the Novice Bronze and are heading to Solihull in just a week’s time. “Having only done a handful of Novice tests, it will be exciting to do one at a big competition.” They are all very excited about attending the Championships in April at it’s new home of Addington Equestrian. “Our plan is to get Boe fitter, ready for the Championships and continue to work on his overall way of going.” Talitha’s aim is to take Boe as far as she can up the levels and helps to create a career within dressage after her exams later in the year.
Trying to add another title to his belt after winning the Elementary Silver at the Petplan Winter Area Festival Champiosnhips last year, Ben James and Clapton Banks Primadonna are back, this time in the Medium Bronze. “Prestige is always good competition, it’s never an easy show, yet always ran superbly and the stewards were so friendly and helpful which does help take those competition nerves away slightly.” Going home with 70.59% their training program has been paying off.
“My training with the horses stays very much the same as usual, we do run through the tests but mainly concentrate on riding movements and perfecting the halt. I would get the white boards out, have music playing and try to mimic the competition vibe, as she does light up when we get to these shows and it’s always great to practice what we would be expecting at the Area Festival.”
Trainer Tessa Thorn was on hand on the day to help Ben during the warm-up, “Having someone on the ground does really help me keep concentration and focused.” Known at home as ‘Diva’ she likes to add a bit of character in the arena, “she had decided that letter ‘B’ was particularly scary on the day so I had to be tactical about how I rode her to keep her level -headed.”
Elementary Bronze qualification was secured by Ruby Walker, placing second with 68.33%. The eight year old gelding Moylough Cruz was right beside her, like he has been for the last four years. Finishing her final year of Veterinary Nursing at Hartpury College it was a delight to find out she’d be going to the championships, “This horse really owes me nothing, and I owe him the world! He is my best-friend who has coaxed me through PTSD and given me my love for horses back again. To be at the level he is currently at was a dream a year ago and he has made it a reality.”
The Irish Draught only started dressage last year but in such a short period of time has already come second at the My Quest U21 Novice Championships, won the Prelim Bronze Draught Associated Championships and is the South West Prelim Champion at the Midway Championships. “He does indeed hold his own up against a lot of the dressage bred horses at events.”
Also training with Tessa Thorne, ‘Cruz had extremely big hooves to fill’ after Ruby lost her previous horse in a lorry accident. “Lots of training and preparation went into our Area Festival this year. I struggle with competition nerves and Cruz gets very overwhelmed with the warm-up atmosphere resulting in him becoming rather introvert at a competition instead of his usual extrovert at home during training.” They had a late qualification, having only three weeks to do so but they relied on each other to pull it off.
Ruby explained how well the day went, “He warmed up amazingly and produced a beautiful test. I was extremely pleased with his leg yield, rein back and medium trot movements throughout the test. I was astonished at the result, due to it being our first at this level and being up against some very well established combinations!”
They also competed in the Novice Bronze where they came third, “Storm Isha greeted us, but Cruz coped extremely well. Down the centre line he trusted me and gave me the best Novice test he’s ever given, forgetting about his nerves and we had some great comments from the judges.”
They are now aiming for the Summer Area Festivals as well as heading back to the Midway Championships and Associated Championships. Cruz also has his debut at the Regional International Horse Show at Hickstead! Ruby would love to move up to Medium and try their hand at some freestyle tests.
With the rest of the classes scheduled for 23 February we look forward to seeing who else will be joining us at the Championships in April.
Prestige Equestrian Winners
Petplan Winter Preliminary Bronze
Verity Matthews and Bunbury Peppermill, 70.14 %
Petplan Winter Preliminary Silver
Talitha Jordan and Crippsy Bilbo Baggins, 69.51 %
Petplan Winter Novice Bronze
Juan Marin and Sheepcote Adios, 73.33 %
Petplan Winter Novice Silver
Gabriella Kozersky and Hollywood Semilly, 72.50 %
Petplan Winter Elementary Bronze
Annabelle Wesley and Armada Dyffryncothi Bridget, 70.74 %
Petplan Winter Elementary Silver
Sophie Smith and EMS Futura Estrella, 69.17 %
Petplan Winter Medium Bronze
Ben James and Clapton Banks Primadonna, 70.59 %