Local Riders Excel at Hartpury

Final round up:  Thousands enjoy dazzling displays from a galaxy of stars at Festival of Dressage

The shining and rising stars of dressage from all around the world put on a dazzling display at this year’s hugely successful Hartpury international Festival of Dressage.

Record entries saw 300 riders from 19 nations compete in more than 40 dressage and para-dressage classes over five days of outstanding equestrian sport and thousands of people followed the action from every corner of the globe – either in person or on the Festival of Dressage website and Facebook and twitter pages.

With the pinnacle of the Festival – Saturday’s Gala Evening – being livestreamed for the first time on Hartpury’s YouTube channel, 841 dressage enthusiasts tuned in to watch the high level competition and the showcase of stallions and up and coming dressage horses, along with the 700 spectators on the night.

An impressive 11,700 people have also already watched the video of world number one, Charlotte Dujardin, from Newent, lighting up the opening day’s proceedings. She rode a stunning test on Barolo to take top spot with 74.30% in the Corse Lawn Hotel FEI Prix St Georges 1a.

On the same day, Charlotte’s Great Britain team-mate, Michael Eilberg won the Corse Lawn PSG 1b with 73.68% on the fabulous Farouche – with 6000 people having watched the video – and he claimed another win in the Baileys Horse FeedsFEI Intermediate II on Woodlander Dornroeschen.

The para-dressage took centre stage on the second day with a full line-up of Great Britain’s Paralympians taking the team crown ahead of Canada, Brazil and France. In the FEI Para Individual Championship Grade 1a, Sophie Christiansen and Janeiro 6 put in a stunning test to take first place on 77.870 and Sophie Wells took the top two spots in the Grade IV before finishing in sixth place in an able-bodied international dressage class.

London 2012 Olympic gold medallist, Hartpury’s own Equine Academy coach Carl Hester opened his winning account on the second day riding Fine Time 13 in the Le Mieux Grand Prix on. He also rode Nip Tuck to victory in the Grand Prix event and the pairing put in another impeccable performance to take the honours in the Cushionbed FEI CDI Grand Prix Special on the final day.

Dane Anders Dahl managed an incredible four Festival wins, taking top spot in the FEI CDI Prix St Georges, the CDI3* Dressage Deluxe FEI CDI Intermediate I and the Andrew Bowens FEI CDI Intermediate I Freestyle on Selten HW as well as riding Wie-Atlantico de Ymas into top spot on the Gala Evening in the Superflex FEI CDI3* Grand Prix freestyle.

It has also been a fabulous festival for Gloucestershire’s dressage stars. While Hester and Dujardin stole some of the headlines, talented riders Daniel Greenwood and Lauren Wollen finished in the top two in the Shearwater PIDH Five-year-old competition, Callum Whitworth won the Four-year-old section and Lucy Cartwright won the Lovington Ice Advanced 100 in the Premier League.

Greenwood also won the Shearwater Young Horse Five-year-old Championships and fellow county rising star, Callum Whitworth, won the Four-year-old Championships. Hayley Watson Greaves on the Baileys Horse Feeds FEI Premier League Grand Prix Freestyle with former Hartpury student Stef Eardley in third place.

Another county rider, Charles Hutton, also had an excellent Festival – finishing second behind the outstanding Dahl in the Andrew Bowens and in the Dressage Deluxe, while Gloucestershire’s Christian Landolt was pipped by the indomitableMichael Eilberg in the FEI Prix St Georges Class 1b.

Rosie Scott-Ward, Director of Equine at Hartpury, said: “With record entries and so many people following all the action on social media as well as coming through the gates, this year’s Festival was our biggest and best yet.

“There were so many spectacular performances from riders and teams from all over the world over five days of outstanding equestrian sport – the standard of competition was incredibly high.

“While the best of Britain’s dressage and para-dressage riders have undoubtedly wowed the crowds, including Gloucestershire’s established up and coming dressage stars, it has truly been an international occasion.

“The support of our sponsors is absolutely crucial to the continued success of the Festival and a big thank you goes to them as well as to all the Hartpury staff and students who gave up so much of their time and worked so hard to make this year’s Festival such an outstanding event.”

Sunday round up:

Hester is Hartpury hero on another great day for Gloucestershire riders

He may have been riding a horse called Nip Tuck but Hartpury’s Carl Hester was streets ahead of the rest on home ground today.

Riding last in the Cushionbed FEI CDI Grand Prix Special, Hartpury’s Equine Academy coach and Great Britain Olympic medallist put in an impeccable performance on Nip Tuck to clinch the honours with a score of 72.451.;

Katherine Bateson Chandler, who was first to ride, finished second on Wellnetta with 66.157, while third place went to Lesley Peyton-Gilbert riding Garuda K with 66.020.

It was a great day for Gloucestershire riders as county duo Daniel Greenwood (riding Exige M) and Lauren Wollen (riding Hawtins Horatio) finished in the top two in the Shearwater PIDH Five-year-old competition. In the preliminary placings, the pair were equal first on 83.00 but in the final judging, the winning rosette went to Greenwood.

In the Four-year-old competition, another of Gloucestershire’s finest – Callum Whitworth – was pipped to the post, finishing second on Florizant behind Leah Beckett and Shamwari Debonair.

Another county rider, Hayley Watson Greaves, was second in the Premier League Top Sec FEI Intermediate II on Wg Don Wimero, with Gareth Hughes and Vivanck taking top spot.

Denmark’s Anders Dahl was again in unbeatable form in the Andrews Bowen FEI CDI Intermediate I Freestyle as he rode Selten HW to victory with a score of 78.00. Great Britain and Gloucestershire’s Charles Hutton was second on Douglas IV with 75.600. May Goldberg took the Fairfax FEI Prix St Georges honours on Torino with a score of 66.97.

In the Speedskip Medium 75, Zoe Sleigh finished top of the tree, riding Dark Legend to victory with 74.32, while in the Dawson Memorial FEI Pony Junior and Young Rider Team Test, Herefordshire’s Lucy Pincus finished first on David Pincus’ Sheepcote Don Calisto with 67.93.

Rosie Scott-Ward, Equine Director at Hartpury, said: “There was a packed programme for the final day and the standard was exceptionally high, as it has been for the whole of the Festival.

“There have been so many spectacular performances from riders and teams from all over the world over five days of outstanding equestrian sport. While the best of Britain’s dressage and para-dressage riders have undoubtedly wowed the crowds, it has truly been an international occasion and Denmark’s Anders Dahl has certainly grabbed his share of the headlines!

“The support of our sponsors is absolutely crucial to the continued success of the Festival and a big thank you goes to them as well as to all the Hartpury staff and students, who gave up so much of their time and worked so hard to make this year’s Festival so special.”

Saturday round up:

Anders Dahl kept up his fabulous form at Hartpury’s international Festival of Dressage as he rode Selten HW to victory today.

Following hot on the heels of a win in yesterday’s FEI CDI Prix St Georges, the talented pairing from Denmark scored an impressive 74.000 in a magnificent test to take the honours in the CDI3* Dressage Dulux FEI CDI Intermediate I. They finished ahead of Great Britain’s Charles William Hutton (GBR)  and Douglas IV with 72.789 and New Zealand’s  Vanessa Way and Don Archie in third place with 69.684.

The morning’s competition featured the finest young horses in the eagerly awaited Shearwater Young Horse Championships, giving the crowds the chance to see the dressage stars of the future.In the Six-year-old Championships, Scotland’s Jill Grant and Dizzy Heights took top spot with 81.20, while second place went to Amy Stovold riding Louboutin on 75.60 and Becky Moody was third riding Santa Tropez HFD with a score of 74.80.

In a fascinating Five-year old Championships, only 2.2  marks separated the top three with victory going to Daniel Greenwood riding Jenny Welham’s Exige M on 81.20. Moody rode Eaimbry Eleonora and scored 79.60 for second place and Laura Wollen was third on Hawtins Horatio with 79.00.

Calum Whitworth and Floris clinched the Four-year-old  Championships with a score of 86.80, with Jody Haswell in second riding his own Sir Calido with 79.60 and Leah Beckett and Shamwari Debonair scoring 79.40 for third.

The top two horses in each class went through to the Shearwater British Young Horse Championship Showcase at tonight’s Gala Evening.

A chance to compete at the Gala – the pinnacle of the Festival of Dressage – was also the prize on offer to the three best riders in the BYRDS A Squad Ride Off.

The 2014 BYRDS Inter-Regional event took place at the end of June with teams of four riders from regions all over the UK competing. Today, the top riders from the A squad competition competed in groups of three, all riding each other’s horses, and they were judged by International Rider Anna Ross Davies. Each rider performed a short test on horses they have never ridden before.

Philip Cheetham, Hartpury’s Equine Director, said: “This competition gives young people the chance to ride at a high profile international show. It also enables British Dressage to demonstate how our rider development works and to give centre stage to the talented young people they are developing for the sport of dressage.”

The three riders who went through to the Gala Evening were Emma Barnes riding Korenbloem Uptimes,  Daisy Powel riding C No Limit and Paddy Cush riding Lord of the Rings.

There’s still one day left to enjoy the Festival of Dressage with tickets for tomorrow’s competition priced at only £5 per person per day. Entry for Under-16s is free and there is no charge for parking.

Photos to follow shortly

Friday round up:

Gold medallists show their class at Hartpury Festival of Dressage

Olympic and Paralympic Gold medallists Carl Hester and Lee Pearson were the stars of the show on day three at Hartpury as they showed their worth with convincing victories at the Festival of Dressage.

Ten time gold medallist Pearson’s score of 83.200 lit up the morning of para-dressage riding as he secured top spot riding Zion in the Para Freestyle Test Grade Ib. Ricky Balshaw and Ashley Gowanlock took the remaining podium places with scores of 75.850 and 71.650 respectively.

Carl Hester, meanwhile, continued his stables’ good form, after Charlotte Dujardin picked up a win yesterday. The Hartpury Elite Academy coach and 2012 London gold medal winner rode Nip Tuck to a score of 74.600 to secure top spot in the Grand Prix event.

It was also a great day for Dane, Anders Dahl, who finished a close second to Carl Hester in the FEI CDI Grand Prix having already picked up top spot in the FEI CDI Prix St Georges earlier in the day with a score of 74.316. Anders was keen to point out his horse, Selten HW, is ‘the best [he’s] ever ridden.’

Maria Eilberg also continued her fine form at the event with a third place finish behind Dahl  and fellow Brit, Gareth Hughes and horse, Samma Hit III in the Prix St Georges.

Rosie Scott-Ward, Hartpury’s Director of Equine, said “the festival has seen some outstanding performances over the first three days with some very high scoring winners. There’s no doubt that all eyes will now be on tomorrow evening’s gala event which promises to be a showpiece for international dressage.”

Day three also played host to the Pavo Cup, the most prestigious young horse competition in the Netherlands. Horses are pre-selected for the semi-finals here at this special Pavo Cup pre-selection here at Hartpury, especially organised for the large group of British breeders and owners of KWPN horses. The horses are judged and marked out of 100 points for functionality and correctness of confirmation and those with 75 points or more are invited for the semi-finals.

Daniel Greenwood and four year-old Exige M claimed top spot, and the prestigious Pavo Cup rug, with a score of 78.5 points. The pair were closely followed by Four Year old Florresant and rider Calum Whitworth on 76 points as well as Sadie Smith and Futurisme M, who’s score of 75.5 secured them the final qualification spot of the day.

Sophie Christiansen and Sophie Wells also both shone again after their magnificent victories yesterday. Christiansen and Janeiro 6 scored 82.150 to blow away the competition with Brazilians Vera Lucia Martins Mazzili (riding Ballantine) and Sergio Froes Ribeiro De Oliva (on Beck’s Gold) taking second and third respectively on 69.450 and 68.950.

Wells, meanwhile, scooped another first place to add to yesterday’s double podium finish with a score of 80.200. France’s Nathalie Bizet (on Odate F J) and Britain’s Kathryn Gallagher (riding Waragon) were her closes challengers taking second and third with scores of 73.150 and 68.150 respectively.

Record entries from 19 Nations were received for this year’s International Festival of Dressage, which runs until Sunday, July 13th.  The Festival features the CDI3*,  CPEDI3* and the National Premier League competitions, including the Shearwater Young Dressage Horse Championship.

Thursday round up:

Two Sophies among stars of the show on second day of first class Festival action

Great Britain’s Sophie Christiansen and Sophie Wells both put in show-stopping performances on the second day of Hartpury’s international Festival of Dressage.

The sunshine brought out the crowds and they were treated to a host of outstanding performances, particularly in the para-dressage, which featured a full line-up of Great Britain’s dressage Paralympians.

They clinched the team crown with a score of 463.851 with Canada in second place, Brazil third and France fourth – the perfect preparation for the World Equestrian Games.

In the FEI Para Individual Championship Test Grade 1a, Christiansen and Janeiro 6 performed an excellent test to take first place on 77.870. Second spot went to Sergio Froes Riberio De Oliva (Brazil) on Beck’s Gold with 69.826  and third place went to Emma Sheardown (GBR) riding Claybank Magnet on 68.304.

Sophie Wells was the star in Grade IV, taking first and second place with scores of  74.548 (riding Valerius) and 70.357 (on C Fatal Attraction) respectively. Even more impressively, Wells then competed in the able-bodied international competition – the Monarch Equestrian FEI Intermediate I – on Forever Himself and scored 66.01 to finish in sixth place.

Grade 1b was won by Lee Pearson (GBR) and Zion, who performed a superb test to achieve a score of 78.862, while Grade II was won by Natasha Baker (GBR)  and Cabral, scoring 75.800 and in the Grade III, Canada’s Roberta Anne Sheffield was first on Double Agent with 70.195 and third on Bindro T with 68.927.

Philip Cheetham, Hartpury’s Equine Director, said: “The competition really steps up in the next few days as the international able-bodied classes get underway and I’m sure the high quality we’ve seen so far will be maintained.”

In today’s Premier League action, Hartpury’s Elite Academy coach and Olympic gold medallist, Carl Hester, triumphed in the Le Mieux FEI Grand Prix, taking first place with a score of 72.440. Michael Eilberg followed up his two wins yesterday by clinching second spot on Woodlander Dornroeschen with a score of 66.520.

Lucy Cartwright took first place in the Lovington Ice Advanced 100 riding Fergana with 69.69. Henry Boswell took second place on Vincente II (68.20) and  third on Retro-Hit (67.27).

In the Hartpury College Advanced 105, first place went to Louise Bell riding her own Into the Blue and in the Monach Equestrian FEI Intermediate 1, Spencer Wilton took top spot riding Alfons with 71.80. World number one Charlotte Dujardin, from Newent, followed up yesterday’s win with a second place, again riding Barolo.

Wednesday round up:

Dujardin and Eilbergs steal the show as Festival’s finest on first day

World number one Charlotte du Jardin and the Eilberg siblings were in scintillating form at Hartpury’s international Festival of Dressage today.

Olympic gold medal winner Dujardin, from Newent, who won the CDI3* Grand Prix freestyle last year, rode a stunning test on up and coming horse, Barolo, to take first place with 74.30% in the Corse Lawn Hotel FEI Prix St Georges 1a.

Maria Eilberg took second spot with Royal Concert on 71.27% and Lucy Cartwright was in third with Waterloo V, scoring 67.46%

It was a great day for the Eilbergs as Maria’s brother, Michael, on the fabulous Farouche, won the Corse Lawn PSG 1b with 73.68% and his second win came hot on its heels as the Dam of Woodlander Farouche, Woodlander Dornroeschen, took him to victory with a score of 70.22% in the Baileys Horse Feeds BD Intermediate II.

Gareth Hughes and Anna Sclater’s Vivanck scored an impressive 70.09% for second place in their first Intermediate II together. Lara Griffith took third place with Rubin Al Asad, owned by Dr and Mrs Bechtolsheimer, scoring 68.55%.

Record entries from 19 Nations were received for this year’s International Festival of Dressage, which started today and runs until Sunday, July 13th.

The five days of outstanding equestrian sport include the CDI3*,  CPEDI3* and the National Premier League competitions, including the Shearwater Young Dressage Horse Championship. The CPEDI3* entries include the full line-up of British Paralympic medallists from London 2012.

Philip Cheetham, Hartpury’s Equine Director, said: “The Festival got off to a cracking start today and there were some fantastic dressage performances for the crowd to enjoy. It has really built up the excitement for the rest of the Festival, with the promise of so much more to come.

“As always, a large number of our students are helping out during the Festival and have been working really hard in the build-up, which is great experience for them which will help open doors to their dream careers.”

A highlight for tomorrow’s competition promises to be graded Para-dressage rider, Sophie Wells, competing in an international able-bodied class in the Premier League.

Photos to follow