Addington CDI: Home-grown talent on display  

British-bred talents were amongst the winners at Addington CDI, as Small Tour and Big Tour competition took centre stage at the opening UK-based international competition of the year (13 – 17 March 2024).

The CDI1* Small Tour competition provided a merry-go-round of wins for the top three from Thursday’s opening Prix St Georges competition. Nikki Barker’s British-bred Dan Icarus topped the tables on day one scoring 71.176% from judges Gabriela Valeriánová (CZE), Mary Robins (NZL) and Patricia Wolters (NED). The eye-catching 11-year-old is by Nikki’s grand prix stallion Durable and out of a Negro mare and has excelled on his way up the levels, including being a former winner at the NAF Five Star Winter Dressage Championships. 

Andrew Gould took third place in the Prix St Georges and went two better on day two, taking an Intermediate I win with Terry and Joan Barnett-Knott's Sezuan-sired 10-year-old Active Solaris. The duo also claimed the runner up in the Intermediate I Freestyle class to complete a week of top three placings. Andrew was full of praise for his team and owners following a busy week at the show, where his son Oliver was also in action in the Young Rider competition; taking to social media to comment, Andrew said, “All horses home safe, would just like to take this opportunity to thank our wonderful owners for their support this weekend, it’s not cheap owning an international horse and not easy but weekends like this definitely help. Big thank you to my team of staff for looking after the horses so well, and to everyone at Addington for a well-run show.” About Active Solaris, the West Sussex-based rider added, “I’ve been riding him since he was five and I’ve loved the journey; we all couldn’t be prouder of this honest horse.”

Jezz Palmer and Ketcher B (Negro x Stedinger) were twice the bridesmaids in the Prix St Georges and Intermediate I classes, missing the top spot by just a whisker, but the duo had their moment in the spotlight in Sunday’s Intermediate I Freestyle where they rose to the top spot. In front of Mascha Reijs (NED), Leif Tornblad (DEN) and Gabriela Valeriánová (CZE), Jezz presented Emily Irvin’s KWPN breeding stallion superbly to earn a winning score of 74.167%

In the Grand Prix classes, it would be Britain’s Becky Moody (pictured above) to once again show her class with her own and Jo Cooper’s home-bred Jagerbomb (Dante Weltino x Jazz). The combination have recently returned from a successful trip to CDI Lier in Belgium and showed further improvement on their overseas foray to score 75.457% in Friday’s Grand Prix, before going on to earn 76.191% in the Grand Prix Special. In both classes, Becky was voted the unanimous winner across all five judges.  Australia’s Jayden Brown was a dual runner-up with Willingapark Quincy B; the combination, who are currently based in the UK on the hunt for a place at Paris 2024, were second in both the Grand Prix and Grand Prix Special with consistent 71% scores. 

Abi Lyle was a popular winner of the 3* Grand Prix Freestyle contest, who celebrated St Patrick’s Day by achieving her first international win with her own and Caroline Clarry’s Giraldo. The combination scored 74.995% on the evening performance in the Addington arena to top the podium ahead of Britain’s Andrew Gould with the Skillman’s KWPN stallion Genie and Theodora Livanos riding for Greece with her own British-bred gelding Robinvale. 

Congratulations go to all riders taking part in the first domestic international fixture of the year, with thanks to the organising team at Addington Equestrian for putting on a fantastic week of senior, para and youth competition.  

Results

CDI1* Prix St Georges 
1. Nikki Barker and Dan Icarus, 71.176% (GBR) 
2. Jezz Palmer and Ketcher B, 71.127% (GBR) 
3. Andrew Gould and Active Solaris, 71.029% (GBR)

CDI3* Grand Prix   
1. Becky Moody and Jagerbomb, 75.457% (GBR) 
2. Jayden Brown and Willingapark Quincy B, 71.217% (AUS) 
3. Abigail Lyle and Giraldo, 70.326% (IRL)

CDI1* Intermediate I  
1. Andrew Gould and Active Solaris, 71.912% (GBR) 
2. Jezz Palmer and Ketcher B, 71.226% (GBR) 
3. Nikki Barker and Dan Icarus, 70.784% (GBR)

CDI3* Grand Prix Special  
1. Becky Moody and Jagerbomb, 76.191% (GBR) 
2. Jayden Brown and Willingapark Quincy B, 71.319% (AUS) 
3. Sarah Millis and Impressive VDC, 68.532% (GBR)

CDI3* Grand Prix Freestyle 
1. Abigail Lyle and Giraldo, 74.995% (IRL) 
2. Andrew Gould and Genie, 74.065% (GBR) 
3. Theodora Livanos and Robinvale, 73.920% (GRE)

CDI1* Intermediate I Freestyle  
1. Jezz Palmer and Ketcher B, 74.167% (GBR) 
2. Andrew Gould and Active Solaris, 72.034% (GBR)  
3. Sara Jane Lanning and Hawtins Lirica, 71.467% (GBR) 

FULL RESULTS

Photo credit: Spidge Photography