Addington Premier League: Greenwood takes Grand Prix Freestyle win

Addington Premier League (28 – 30 April 2023) saw a number of horses achieving personal best scores or successfully stepping up a level, while the young horse classes showed an impressive array of young talent.

Daniel Greenwood openly admits that he finds freestyle classes “a bit of a faff” so normally opts for the Grand Prix Special with his horses. However, Chevalier O (pictured above) put in a classy performance to achieve a personal best score in a freestyle, with one judge awarding them an artistic mark of 82.00% and a nine for music and interpretation of the music.

“Tom Hunt did my music and every time I use it people comment it’s great music and I enjoy riding to it,” commented Dan. Chevalier is a 16-year-old gelding (Lord Leatherdale x Negro) and is owned by Juliet Leighton. “He felt great in the test and everything fell into place. He felt foot perfect. I was supposed to do 16 one-time changes on a curved line and he felt so good I kept going and did 22.

“At 15 he’s feeling better than ever. On Friday in the LeMieux Grand Prix he had an attack of nerves as it was his first big outdoor of the season but came out the next day on top form.”

Tom Goode and Sam Geddes’ Gribaldi x Good Times stallion, Dior III, were also demonstrating their ability to master the Grand Prix with 72.5%, matching their previous highest Premier League score.

“Emile [Faurie] and I have been working hard on his canter pirouettes and I was very happy with his trot work,” said Tom. “I made a silly counting error and did too many one-tempi changes. He’s now 15 and seems to be getting better and better.”

Tom also rode Debbie Cunningham’s Iceland Girl PS (Ierland x Londonderry) to victory in the KBIS six-year-old Young Horse class. “They are very different horses. Dior is a little powerhouse and Ice is a tall elegant lady,” explained Tom. “Ice is one of the most amazing young horses with lots of natural talent. She’s very tall but very balanced for her age. She’s done her first Medium test and part-qualified for the regionals. I’m very excited about her.”

Alexander Harrison and Emma Blundell’s MSJ Top Secret (Totilas x Dacaprio) put in a confident performance to put them 3% ahead of Andrew Gould and Amicella in the Stübben Inter II. The pair were the first-place choice of all three judges, Debbie Wardle, Fiona Wilson and Mary Robins. They attracted lots of 8s for their passage and piaffe.

Alexander has been competing the 11-year-old mare for a year and he and Secret placed second in Friday’s Grand Prix behind Tom Goode, only their second attempt at the level. “I’m really pleased with her and it’s good to know for the future that she can pull out good scores for both tests. She has fabulous paces and tries really hard. It’s exciting as she’s the first grand prix horse Emma has bred.

“The way I train has clicked with her and we’ve established a good partnership. I’m looking forward to the future with her and I think she can go all the way.”

Sara-Jane Lanning and Hawtins Lirica posted their second highest score at Inter I to win Saturday’s competition, while Henry Boswell and Rock Emotion (Rock Forever x Don Gregory) won the Inter I on the first day.

Owned by Kristina Rausing, Henry has been riding the 11-year-old gelding for a year and this is their first proper season at small tour. “He’s just coming into himself,” commented Henry. “He’s a big boy and very powerful and has been finding his balance at the level. We’re still making little mistakes so there are more marks to come.

“He’s a talented horse with a kind, willing nature. It’s rare to find one who is an extravagant mover but also sane and sensible.”

New to Inter I

Active Solaris’ first Inter I competition went well, with he and Andrew Gould (pictured above) posting 72.89% in Sunday’s class. Owned by Jo and Terry Barnett-Knott, he is British-bred by Active Equestrian and is by Sezuan out of a Fidermark mare.

“Strength is the main factor for him,” explained Andrew. “He’s still in development mode and there’s still so much more to come. I’ve been working on developing his balance and cadence.”

Michael Eilberg’s Prix St Georges winner, eight-year-old MSJ Encore (Escolar x Caprimond), is known on the yard as ‘the dude’ because he is so easy-going. Owned by Nicky Hammond, he has been with the Eilbergs since he was a foal.

“I’m very excited about him,” said Michael. “He’s got one of the best brains I’ve ever worked with. You ask him something, he processes it and then comes out with it. I’ll keep training him up the levels. I don’t have to over-compete him so I concentrate on the training.”

Jessica Dunn and Jennifer Whittaker’s Dan Its Carston (Durable x Clearway) won Advanced Medium 96 and his second PSG class. “He was fabulous,” enthused Jess. “I couldn’t have asked for more. He was a bit green and wobbly in the first PSG and I think he went away and thought about it overnight!

“He’s a lovable character and wants to do his best for you. He can get upset if everything doesn’t go to plan. I have to be tactful and keep it neutral. I’ve only been riding him for 11 months so it’s still early in the partnership.”

Youngsters performing well

Violet Hawkins and her part-bred Welsh pony, DZL Royal Sunrise (pictured above), won both Children On Horses classes, scoring over 76% in the team class. She has owned him for two years and is very fond of ‘Paddy’ despite his grumpy nature. “On a good day he can be brilliant,” she said. “He’s got a pretty good record at Premier Leagues. He finds the movements easy but can be challenging as he can be spooky. He felt nice and soft in the tests and off my leg.”

Thirteen-year-old Isla Sully won the Pony Individual test on Reitlands Don Totilas and the Junior Individual on Lusitano gelding, Vagabond de Massa. In the Junior team test she placed second to Mette Dahl riding another Lusitano from the French Massa stud, Caporal de Massa.

‘V’ was bought last August and has achieved the qualifying scores he needs for European selection. Isla and her mum Cassandra saw him at last year’s Europeans and fell in love with him. “He’s so cute you can’t not love him! He felt really supple in his test and his trot work was really good.”

Isla is training her horses with the help of Alexander Harrison at Collective Equestrian who gave her a scholarship to help with her training.

New kids on the block

An exciting prospect has to be the KBIS 4-year-old winner, Game On 1 who scored 91% under Ashley Jenkins. Those who attended BD’s Young Horse Forum had a preview of Nicola Mahoney’s chestnut beauty. He definitely appealed to young horse judges, Nicola McGivern and Jane Howard who placed him 15% higher than the runner-up. This was a great performance from a young horse at his first competitive event.

Another young horse to watch is Rachel Dowley’s GFL Nava (For Romance x Florencio) who won Friday’s BD International 5-year-old Young Horse class. The pair are currently Irish Winter Champions at novice level.

Tor Fenwick bought her and Olly Barr’s International 6-year-old winner, TFD Minneapolis (High Five UD x Gribaldi) from a video during Covid lockdown when she was an unbacked three-year-old. “She’s very beautiful but I didn’t realise until she arrived how small she was!” recalled Tor. “She was a nightmare to break in – she broke three lunge lines and regularly bucked the stirrups off the saddle. Once I started to ride her, she was amazing. I’ve produced her with the help of Nicky Barrett who’s been with us on the journey from the beginning.

“She’s so consistent and never lets me down. I hope to put her forward for selection for the World Breeding Championships – to go would be so exciting!”

The International 7-year-old class was won by Fiona Bigwood and her chestnut mare, Donna Bella (Don Juan de Hus x Gribaldi), beating Sarah Rogers and Ursula Bechtolsheimer and Laura Tomlinson’s Forest Hill. The latter came back in the 7-year-old national test to take first place.

Results – top three
Friday 28 April
LeMieux Grand Prix
1. Tom Goode and Dior III, 72.50%
2. Alexander Harrison and MSJ Top Secret, 71.52%
3. Anders Dahl and Esquire, 71.52%

Bret Willson Dressage International Advanced Medium 96
1. Jessica Dunn and Dan Its Carson, 74.12%
2. Zoe Sleigh and Zall Stensvang, 67.98%
3. Nathalie Kayal and Helianthos V.D. Fuik, 67.72%

Saracen Horse Feeds Intermediate I
1. Henry Boswell and Rock Emotion, 70.00%
2. Becky Edwards and Dita Von Teese, 69.02%
3. Nikki Barker and Dan Icarus, 68.52%

BD International Young Horse 5yo
1. Rachel Dowley and Nava, 89.00%
2. Abbie Newbury and Seagry Viceroy, 85.80%
3. Jody Haswell and Valentinio, 81.00%

BD International Young Horse 6yo
1. Tor Fenwick and TFD Minneapolis, 84.60%
2. Charlotte Dicker and Catherston Tarantella, 78.20%
3. Kirsten Mayne and Rosalind BCN, 66.80%

BD International Young Horse 7yo
1. Fiona Bigwood and Donna Bella, 75.17%
2. Sarah Rogers and Forest Hill, 73.49%

Fairfax Saddles Prix St Georges
1. Jackie Siu and Jockey Club Huittharien, 72.10%
2. Sara-Jane Lanning and Hawtins Lirica, 70.78%
3. Jessica Dunn and Dan Its Carston, 70.73%

U25 Grand Prix
1. Ruth Hole and Easy VZ, 68.41%
2. Maddy Frewin and Blue Hors Dexter, 64.23%
3. Bridget Tate and Daltrey, 62.19%

Saturday 29 April
Saracen Horse Feeds Intermediate I
1. Sara-Jane Lanning and Hawtins Lirica, 71.52%
2. Alexander Harrison and Kickback, 70.88%
3. Imogen Chant and Dirty Dancing, 70.24%

KBIS Young Dressage Horse 7yo
1. Sarah Rogers and Forest Hill, 75.91%
2. Ruth Hole and Rubico, 72.91%
3. Tom Goode and Top Diva, 71.83%

Advanced Medium Freestyle to Music
1. Vikki Pengilly and Indianna, 73.50%
2. Rachel Dowley and Insticator B.S., 69.16%
3. Stephanie Wood and WGS Kapri, 68.66%

Prix St Georges Freestyle
1. Charlotte Drakely and Florisco, 66.16%
2. Kirsten Mayne and Insanity, 64.79%

Intermediate I Freestyle
1. Anu Sironen and Fiori Weltino, 71.45%
2. Becky Edwards and Dita Von Teese, 70.70%
3. Alejandro Farina Rodriguez and Wasryw, 68.75%

Grand Prix Freestyle
1. Daniel Greenwood and Chevalier O, 73.50%
2. Nathalie Kayal and DHI Homerun, 71.66%
3. Anu Sironen and Fioretto Fin, 71.47%

Fairfax Saddles Prix St Georges
1. Jessica Dunn and Dan Its Carston, 73.03%
2. Becky Edwards and Laerke Stensvang, 72.30%
3. Sara-Jane Lanning and Hawtins Lirica, 70.83%

Junior Individual Test
1. Isla Sully and Vagabond de Massa, 72.50%
2. Mette Dahl and Caporal de Massa, 72.20%
3. Daisy Mansfield and Feentanz 3, 67.54%

Children On Horses Individual Test
1. Violet Hawkins and DZL Royal Sunrise, 72.43%
2. Izabel Worthington and Machno Gabrielle, 67.29%
3. Sophia Longworth and Gwithian Percival, 64.16%

Pony Individual Test
1. Isla Sully and Reitlands Don Totilas, 71.30%
2. Daisy Bullman and Godrics Dionysus, 68.50%
3. Ella Glennon and Don de Luxe, 68.06%

Young Rider Individual Test
1. Jennie Colbourne and Keystone Dynamite, 67.99%
2. Hermione Tottman and Exquisite, 67.79%
3. Emily Coller and Flabbergasted II, 65.88%

Sunday 30 April
Junior Team Test
1. Mette Dahl and Caporal de Massa, 75.00%
2. Isla Sully and Vagabond de Massa, 71.86%
3. Ruby Hughes and Classic Goldstrike, 70.80%

Bret Willson Dressage International Advanced Medium 98
1. Henry Boswell and Finest Dream, 69.86%
2. Marsha Webb and Ivanhoe, 69.69%
3. Ben Martin and Jacko B, 68.28%

Saracen Horse Feeds Intermediate I
1. Andrew Gould and Active Solaris, 72.89%
2. Becky Edwards and Dita Von Teese, 71.32%
3. Charlotte McDowall and M Obarma, 71.27%

Stübben Intermediate II
1. Alexander Harrison and MSJ Top Secret, 73.38%
2. Andrew Gould and Amicella, 70.73%
3. Katie Bailey and Hawtins Barolo, 70.29%

Children On Horses Team Test
1. Violet Hawkins and DZL Royal Sunrise, 76.10%
2. Izabel Worthington and Machno Gabrielle, 68.27%
3. Avah Heath and Koningshoek-Jackpot, 66.80%

KBIS Young Dressage Horse 4yo
1. Ashley Jenkins and Game On I, 91.00%
=2. Sadie Smith and Times Oddjob, 76.40%
=2. Charlotte Dicker and Oceanny HL, 76.40%

KBIS Young Dressage Horse 5yo
1. Daniel Sherriff and Nothing Compares 2U, 76.40%
2. Alicia Lee and Della Ballerina, 74.60%
3. Ashley Jenkins and Farrah Fawcett, 73.60%

KBIS Young Dressage Horse 6yo
1. Tom Goode and Iceland Girl PS, 85.60%
2. Elizabeth Richards and Dante’s Secret, 79.40%
3. Victoria Wall and Furst Hit EDH, 78.40%

KBIS Young Dressage Pony 5yo
1. Clare Yetton and Sloot’s Sir Victorie, 75.40%
2. Eleanor Darling and Godrics Detonator, 67.20%

Pony Team Test
1. Sofia Games and WS Jackson, 73.47%
2. Demi Howard-Cartwright and Fin C We, 68.38%
3. Fi Grabham and Hilkens Showgirl, 67.61%

Fairfax Saddles Prix St Georges
1. Michael Eilberg and MSJ Encore, 72.89%
2. Becky Edwards and Laerke Stensvang, 70.98%
3. Alexander Harrison and Kickback, 70.83%

Young Rider Team Test
1. Ruby Hughes and World Exclusive, 71.30%
2. India Durman-Mills and Escade, 69.90%
3. Lilah Gibbs and Zenith, 69.80%

VIEW FULL RESULTS

Photo © Spidge Event Photography