Addington CPEDI: British riders open international season in style

Addington Equestrian cut the ribbon on the 2023 international para dressage season, with Britain’s leading riders enjoying a great start to the year alongside some stellar St Patrick’s week performances by team Ireland. 

In the 3* Grade IV competition Nicola Naylor also took home a trio of wins, split between her two rides Humberto L and Del Piero. With her own 11 year old Humberto L (Cachet x Haarlem) Nicola completed a one-two in the Grand Prix A, judged by Marco Orsini (GER), Geneviève Pfister (SUI), Sarah Leitch (GBR), Marjukka Manninen (FIN) and Freddy Leyman (BEL), before repeating the feat in the Grand Prix B this time with her Flemmingh-sired KWPN Del Piero topping the tables. Nicola, who is visually impaired, took Humberto forward to the freestyle to complete a hat-trick of wins with her highest score of the week, a superb 74.43% for her programme created by Ros Kay. 

Summarising her week and final day on social media Nicola commented, “What a great start to CDI competition 2023. Both boys tried their hardest over the three days at Addington CPEDI. It was Humberto who competed in the freestyle to music, on the final day of competition. He was first to go and finished in first place, with great scores from all the judges.”

Fellow Brit Charlotte Cundall matched Nicola in achieving no less than three wins and two second placings, the highest possible combination of results on offer with only one horse allowed to take part in the freestyle competition. It was on board the Veyron Partnership’s FJ Veyron (Vivaldi x Fidermark) that Charlotte achieved three sublime victories, notching up some superb scores at this stage of the international season. In the 3* Grade V Grand Prix A and B they earned 71.51% and 71.84% respectably, before going on to earn 74.88% in the Grand Prix Freestyle. Credit also goes to Charlotte’s dual second placed ride LJT Simply Red, owned by the Lady Joseph Trust, with the Danish Warmblood by Sixten Langholt delivering two assured performances. 

Sir Lee Pearson CBE and his Tokyo 2020 gold medal winning partner Breezer showed their class at Addington Equestrian. Lee claimed all three tests in the 3* Grade II competition in convincing fashion, winning the Grand Prix A (75.79%), Grand Prix B (76.53%) and the Grand Prix Freestyle (77.50%). The individual marks across the board reflected the bountiful quality of a standout combination, including a ten awarded on day one.  

In the 1* competition Elan Williams and Isabella Benfield each secured not only valuable time in the international arena, but also multiple wins and some solid scores too. At just 13 years old Elan Williams, a Grade I rider with Quad Cerebral Palsy, looks a sure-fire star for the future. With her coach Sara Jones-Williams' WSH Something Borrowed she topped each day of 1* Grade I competition, with her new ride BKS Brandini taking the runner-up spot. Relishing the international atmosphere, Elan improved her scores each day and a training bursary alongside the Jane Goldsmith Armada Dish for gaining the highest U18 combined scores at the competition. The sixteen year old gelding WSH Something Borrowed has taken Elan from her first BD para test to her first CPEDI competition, and with ride of five months Brandini joining the team, we look forward to what’s to come for this super Welsh based team. Warwickshire’s Isabella Benfield also made her first international appearance, and the sixteen year old student enjoyed a debut to remember on board her own Cookies And Cream. Achieving a hat-trick of wins in the 1* Grade III competition, Isabella showed her skills and made a great step onto the international stage. Isabella began riding at the age of four, after a physio recommended her parents enrol her in a riding school to help with her cerebral palsy; more recently it’s been debut appearances at the Equissage Pulse Para Winter Championships and the RDA National Championships in 2022, the future looks bright for another rising talent.  

High praise must go to a talented team attending Addington’s CPEDI from Ireland; with no less than 14 wins notched up across the grades, it was a hugely successful week for the challengers in green. Paralympian Michael Murphy was undoubtedly the star of the show on board Bronte Watson’s Cleverboy (Vivaldi x Kennedy) as he rode to a hat-trick of wins in the 3* Grade I contest, also achieving the highest score of the competition with an immense 81.08% in the freestyle. Jessica McKenna also stood out, achieving her own triple count of victories with Emma McKenna’s Oldenburg gelding Davidoff 188 in a competitive 2* Grade III battle. 

Congratulations to all riders taking part and achieving fantastic results for Great Britain and overseas nations. 

Results – top three

Day one

CPEDI3* Para Grand Prix A  
Grade III  
1. Kate Kerr-Horan and Serafina T, 68.20% (IRL)

CPEDI1* Para Novice A  
Grade I 
1. Elan Williams and Wsh Something Borrowed, 66.54% (GBR) 
2. Elan Williams and Brandini, 63.69% (GBR)

CPEDI2* Para Intermediate A 
Grade III  
1. Jessica McKenna and Davidoff 188, 69.36% (IRL) 
2. Janet Cummings and Rhonderful Dorrells, 67.22% (GBR) 
3. Vicky Earnshaw and Prince Pepe, 66.58% (GBR)

CPEDI3* Para Grand Prix A  
Grade I 
1. Michael Murphy and Cleverboy, 75.37% (IRL) 
2. Laurentia Tan and Hickstead, 75.37% (SGP) 
3. Michael Murphy and Dark Diamond, 72.00% (IRL)

CPEDI3* Para Grand Prix A  
Grade II 
1. Lee Pearson and Breezer, 75.79% (GBR) 
2. Ashleigh Rose Turner and Soensmindes Sylvester, 65.53% (GBR) 
3. Julie Payne and Divinity, 65.10% (GBR)

CPEDI1* Para Novice A 
Grade III  
1. Isabella Benfield and Cookies And Cream, 60.72% (GBR)

CPEDI2* Para Intermediate A 
Grade II 
1. Heather Lemmon and Ladychapel Narnia, 66.75% (IRL)

CPEDI3* Para Grand Prix A  
Grade IV 
1. Nicola Naylor and Humberto L, 71.75% (GBR) 
2. Nicola Naylor and Del Piero, 69.55% (GBR) 
3. Marcelle Ward and Dornroeschen, 68.16% (GBR)

CPEDI3* Para Grand Prix A  
Grade V 
1. Charlotte Cundall and FJ Veyron, 71.51% (GBR) 
2. Charlotte Cundall and LJT Simply Red, 68.69% (GBR) 
3. Tamsin Addison and Jaguar, 65.75% (IRL)

CPEDI2* Para Intermediate A  
Grade V 
1. Tamsin Addison and Lissau's Decco, 64.34% (IRL)

Day two

CPEDI2* Para Intermediate B  
Grade V 
1. Tamsin Addison and Lissau's Decco, 63.18% (IRL)

CPEDI3* Para Grand Prix B 
Grade IV 
1. Nicola Naylor and Del Piero, 69.75% (GBR) 
2. Nicola Naylor and Humberto L, 69.62% (GBR) 
3. Marcelle Ward and Dornroeschen, 69.51% (GBR)

CPEDI3* Para Grand Prix B  
Grade V 
1. Charlotte Cundall and F J Veyron, 71.84% (GBR) 
2. Charlotte Cundall and LJT Simply Red, 67.05% (GBR) 
3. Tamsin Addison and Jaguar, 63.68% (IRL)

CPEDI2* Para Intermediate B 
Grade II  
1. Heather Lemmon and Ladychapel Narnia, 66.81% (IRL)

CPEDI1* Para Novice B  
Grade I  
1. Elan Williams and Wsh Something Borrowed, 68.92% (GBR) 
2. Elan Williams and Brandini, 66.66% (GBR)

CPEDI1* Para Novice B 
Grade III  
1. Isabella Benfield and Cookies And Cream, 62.91% (GBR)

CPEDI3* Para Grand Prix B  
Grade I 
1. Michael Murphy and Cleverboy, 78.33% (IRL) 
2. Laurentia Tan and Hickstead, 74.70% (SGP) 
3. Michael Murphy and Dark Diamond, 73.29% (IRL)

CPEDI3* Para Grand Prix B 
Grade II  
1. Lee Pearson and Breezer, 76.53% (GBR) 
2. Julie Payne and Divinity, 65.63% (GBR)  
3. Ashleigh Rose Turner and Soensmindes Sylvester, 64.23% (GBR)

CPEDI2* Para Intermediate B 
Grade III  
1. Jessica McKenna and Davidoff 188, 67.90% (IRL) 
2. Vicky Earnshaw and Prince Pepe, 67.02% (GBR) 
3. Roseanne Knox and With Love JM, 66.88% (GBR)

Day three

CPEDI3* Para Grand Prix Freestyle 
Grade II  
1. Lee Pearson and Breezer, 77.50% (GBR) 
2. Ashleigh Rose Turner and Soensmindes Sylvester, 68.54% (GBR) 
3. Julie Payne and Divinity, 67.14% (GBR)

CPEDI3* Para Grand Prix Freestyle 
Grade III  
1. Kate Kerr-Horan and Serafina T, 68.37% (IRL)

CPEDI3* Para Grand Prix Freestyle  
Grade I  
1. Michael Murphy and Cleverboy, 81.08% (IRL) 
2. Laurentia Tan and Hickstead, 77.24% (SGP) 
3. Susanna Wade and Zaire LH, 71.80% (GBR)

CPEDI2* Para Intermediate Freestyle 
Grade III  
1. Jessica McKenna and Davidoff 188, 69.48% (IRL) 
2. Vicky Earnshaw and Prince Pepe, 69.06% (GBR) 
3. Janet Cummings and Rhonderful Dorrells, 68.56% (GBR)

CPEDI1* Para Novice Freestyle  
Grade I 
1. Elan Williams and Wsh Something Borrowed, 66.63% (GBR)

CPEDI2* Para Intermediate Freestyle 
Grade II 
1. Heather Lemmon and Ladychapel Narnia, 59.62% (IRL)

CPEDI3* Para Grand Prix Freestyle 
Grade IV 
1. Nicola Naylor and Humberto L, 74.43% (GBR) 
2. Katie Radzik and Showkia, 73.19% (GBR) 
3. Fiona Maynard and Denver, 71.95% (GBR)

CPEDI3* Para Grand Prix Freestyle  
Grade V  
1. Charlotte Cundall and F J Veyron, 74.88% (GBR) 
2. Tamsin Addison and Jaguar, 69.50% (IRL)

CPEDI2* Para Intermediate Freestyle  
Grade V  
1. Tamsin Addison and Lissau's Decco, 69.19% (IRL) 

VIEW THE FULL RESULTS

Photos: Kevin Sparrow Photography