British Dressage's innovative Autumn Championships pulled the crowds this weekend with a two day spectacular at Addington Equestrian Centre in Buckingham.
With three new Championship titles, a £1,000 first prize in the Spillers Prix St Georges and £1,000 prize money in the Spillers Musical Challenge, there was much at stake.
Spillers Prix St Georges Championship
Sunday's new Championship title was the one the best of our young horses at
Small Tour level had been aiming for all season, the Spillers Prix St Georges and was open to horses aged 6, 7 and 8. With a score of 70.70%, Peter Storr and Mrs Heintz' Gambrinus not only won the Championship title but also received a cheque for £1,000 from Anne Marshall and Andrea Mercer from Spillers - the highest prize money on offer in British Dressage. After tremendous success in Small Tour classes this year, and two Championship titles at the British Dressage National Championships, Peter certainly deserved this honour. The top four riders received Spillers
dressage numnahs. Peter said "Gambrinus has got better and better all year and is maturing into a real star. I think he went the best he's ever gone and I was delighted to win this exciting Championship. This was his last small tour outing as he is now aiming for Grand Prix."
Spillers Musical Championship
Lizzie Murray stole the show on Saturday's Gala Night winning the new Spillers Musical Championship and was presented by Lesley Etherington from Spillers with £500 first prize money and a Spillers dressage numnah. Riding Mrs Loriston-Clarke's Catherston Humbug, Lizzie produced an elegant and captivating test with 74.54% ahead of Pammy Hutton on Mrs Hughes' Rony with 73.04%. Qualification for this class went to the top three riders in Freestyle to Music Championships held during the summer of 1999.
Equest Dressage Rider Championship
For the first time ever in Britain, Fort Dodge Ltd hosted the hugely successful
Equest Dressage Rider Championship on Saturday afternoon where 14 riders
contested this exciting new challenge. All riders aged between 18 and 25 at the
British Dressage National Championships in classes Elementary through to Prix St Georges were eligible to qualify for this Championship. Generous prizes from
Equest included smart green cooler rugs to the top six placed riders and every entry received a years supply of Equest.
Judges Ferdi Eilberg, Jill Drew, Maureen Newall and Jane Kidd were looking for the influence of the rider on the horse's performance and way of going. This Championship, already extremely popular in Germany, enables talented riders to gain well-earned recognition and useful additional training support. Jane Kidd said "it was a great challenge to judge this class and gave one a very different perspective, focusing entirely on the rider. I was very happy that good riding had a
chance to be rewarded regardless of the ability of the horse." The clear winner in this Championship was Andrew Gould and his own 16.1 hh black gelding Koffee Break on a superb score of 85%. Andrew received a £300 training grant from Equest. Kate Attlee took Reserve position with her own Westwell Jem on a score of 77.50% and received a £200 training grant. Andrew Gould said "There was a lot of tension and excitement in the warm up arena and I thought it was a nerve wracking experience particularly to be analysed by top judges. I was absolutely delighted with my score and really pleased with the training grant which will be extremely useful. It was wonderful to have a worming company sponsoring, the class as I feel I can support them by using their product."
Patey Hats Medium Elite Championship
Hannah Moody and Carl Hester will certainly be the epitome of style with their coveted new,
hand made personally fitted Dressage Hats after winning the Patey Hats Medium Elite Championship. Hannah and Carl both rode John Law's Kwadraat with a combined score of 68.57% ahead of strong opposition from both regular riders and elite riders who included many Olympic, European and World championship team members. Paul Baynham-Honri, representing Patey Hats presented both winners with a Dressage Hat and £150 each.
Spillers Elementary and Medium Freestyle to Music Championship
An early start on Saturday morning did nothing to deter Tina Atkins and her own Swayze II from producing a fluent test and a score of 73.33% to be clear winners in the Spillers Elementary Freestyle to Music Championship. In the Spillers Medium Freestyle to Music Isobel Wessels claimed the Championship with Mr Wessels Donario, a 17hh dark brown gelding by Donnerhall ahead of Julie Deverill and her own dark bay stallion Half Moon Bertoni on 68.72%. The top two riders in both the Elementary and Medium Freestyle to Music Championships were presented by Graham Rigby of Spillers with dressage numnahs.
Official Pressrelease of British Dressage
Image of Catherston Humbug owned by Catherston Stud Farm