Anna Dalrymple and Vagabond de Massa take the treble in Le Mans

Following a fantastic team effort at Le Mans CDIOY/J/P/CDICh-A in France, British riders went on to achieve exciting individual results including wins across the board for Young Rider duo, Anna Dalrymple and Vagabond de Massa.

Twenty-four hours on from spearheading Great Britain’s triumph in the Young Rider Nations Cup competition, Anna (19) and Vagabond de Massa (pictured above) presented a powerful, polished Young Rider Individual test for 72.294%. A new PB for the pair, and more than 2% in front of runners-up Theresa Friesdorf and Quotenkoenig 2 for Germany, sealed them the win in convincing fashion.

Showing great consistency, they concluded their week with an outstanding performance to win Sunday’s Young Rider Freestyle ahead of the home nation’s Mado Pinto and Hot Bit de la Gesse (75.358%) and Germany’s Theresa Friesdorf and Quotenkoenig 2 (73.858%). Riding to their Tom Hunt-produced programme, featuring music from the animated film Kung Fu Panda, Anna and Vagabond de Massa earned 75.667% to clinch their hat-trick.

“He (Vagabond) just pulled it out of the bag every single day,” said Anna, about her performances with Maxine Vainio’s athletic Lusitano gelding. “He came out, he wanted to please, and tried his heart out for me. Before the competition, he was fresh, ready and feeling great, but even though he was excited, he stays relaxed and allows himself to feel the work. He loved it, and I couldn’t have asked for any more."

Describing her first time on a team, Anna said, “It was an amazing experience. We all banded together, we all worked well together and there was so much support for each other – not just within the teams but also between the teams. There’s someone there for you, at every moment.”

After finishing hot on Anna’s heels in the team competition, and so instrumental in the British Nation’s Cup win, a clear round eluded Jessica McConkey (20) and Lady Gaga (by Quaterback) in the Young Rider Individual. A mistake in the medium trot and one of the pirouettes was costly but still they showed the quality that earned them second place to Anna on the first day of competition. They rounded off their show with seventh place in the Freestyle on 70.042%.

Sophie Taylor (19) and eight-year-old Jerrydale (by Everdale) also performed brilliantly all week. Consistently strong placings were the order of the day for this talented young pair, placing them just outside the podium in both the Team and Individual test, before fifth place in the Freestyle on a PB of 73.633%.

“He (Jerryale) gave such a good feel and tried so hard all week,” said Sophie. “It was his first outdoor overseas international and the longest journey he’s had to a competition, but he coped really well and took it all in his stride."

Sophie is based with Gareth Hughes in Warwickshire. “I have lots of help and constant input from Gareth, which is fantastic, and it was also great that Peter [Storr] and Clive [Halsall] were there to help too."

Riding to a Toto and Bronski Beat compilation by Tom Hunt, Jerrydale still had plenty left in the tank for his freestyle on day three, said Sophie. “He was totally up for it. It was our second best test of the week, after the team test, and he loved it.”

In the bronze medal position on day one, the Junior team of Sophie Wallace with Rosalie B, India Durman-Mills with Escade and Ruby Hughes with Extra Time P showed their class with prominent positions on the Junior Individual and Freestyle leader boards.

Sophie (15) and the Rubin-Royal-sired Rosalie B, who is owned by Laura Tomlinson and Ursula Bechtolsheimer, have formed a promising partnership during their short time together. In Le Mans they showed their great potential with fourth place for GBR in the Team Test, fifth in the Individual and, later, just outside the Freestyle podium on 74.383%.

Best of the Brits in the Junior Individual and Freestyle was India Durman-Mills (17) with Verity Saul’s Escade (pictured above). Achieving a podium spot with 69.559% in the Individual, they excelled themselves to achieve third place on 75.083% in the high-scoring Junior Freestyle competition.

Competing at this level for just over a year, India did a fantastic job on her first trip overseas with the 13-year-old Dutch-bred son of Jazz. “Escade just got better every day, I was so pleased with him,” said a delighted India. In the Individual test, the pair had an error of course; however, their high-quality work recouped plenty of marks to place them third, a position they repeated in the Freestyle.

“We have a Jazz-themed programme produced by Julie Geraghty, with a floor plan by Steph Croxford,” continued India. “Escade enjoys the music and it fits him very well. He’s built up a lot of fitness and had plenty of energy still for the last day - he really pulled it out of the bag. He switches on in the arena and has definitely got the moves! In the prize-givings, he was so proud of himself.”

Reflecting on her team experience, India said, “The team really came together, there was so much support, and it was great following everyone’s success.”

Ruby Hughes, the youngest member of the Junior team at 14, rode with maturity and style aboard Lucy Amy’s 13-year-old British-bred gelding, Extra Time P, to post scores of 69.500% and 72.008% respectively for fourth place in the Individual and sixth place in the Freestyle.

Our Pony rider quartet, who had much to celebrate after achieving a sensational silver medal position in the Nations Cup, continued their campaigns with exciting results in the individual competition. The established partnership of Mette Dahl and George Clooney BS (pictured above), already with a 72.400% Team Test third place under their belt, was the highest-placed British combination with fifth place in the Individual and fifth in Freestyle on scores of 70.721% and 72.54% respectively.

Thirteen-year-old Crystal Robinson-Long was Britain’s sole representative in the CDICh-A Children on Horses competition. With Evita Ronia, her newly acquired 13-year-old Dutch mare, she showed promise to achieve fourth place in the Preliminary Competition Test B, with a score of 71.929%, before sixth in both the Team and Individual.

Congratulations to all the riders on their successes during the week. Thanks go to the U21 Selectors Nikki Herbert, Leanne Wall and Richard Baldwin, U21 Performance Manager Caroline Bell, Chefs d’Equipe Nina Boex and Tom Hobday, and to the coach advisors Clive Halsall and Peter Storr, who are all so instrumental in the development of the U21 teams.

Results
CDIOY – Young Riders
Team Test (individual standings) – top three and British placings
1. Anna Dalrymple and Vagabond de Massa, 71.029% (GBR)
2. Jessica McConkey and Lady Gaga, 70.941% (GBR)
3. Theresa Friesdorf and Quotenkoenig 2, 70.176% (GER)
4. Sophie Taylor and Jerrydale, 69.000% (GBR)

Nations Cup
1. Great Britain – 210.970
2. Germany – 205.265
3. France – 201.824

Young Rider Individual Test – top three and British placings
1. Anna Dalrymple and Vagabond de Massa, 72.294% (GBR)
2. Theresa Friesdorf and Quotenkoenig 2, 70.029% (GER)
3. Mado Pinto and Hot Bit de la Gesse, 69.118% (FRA)
4. Sophie Taylor and Jerrydale, 68.853% (GBR)
9. Jessica McConkey and Lady Gaga, 67.618% (GBR)

Young Rider Freestyle – top three and British placings
1. Anna Dalrymple and Vagabond de Massa, 75.667%m(GBR)
2. Mado Pinto and Hot Bit de la Gesse, 75.358% (FRA)
3. Theresa Friesdorf and Quotenkoenig 2, 73.858% (GER)
5. Sophie Taylor and Jerrydale, 73.633% (GBR)
7. Jessica McConkey and Lady Gaga, 70.042% (GBR)

CDIOJ - Juniors
Team Test (individual standings) – top three and British placings
1. Lana-Pinou Baumgürtel and Zinq Emma FH, 74.939% (GER)
2. Mathilde Juglaret and Caporal de Massa, 73.030% (FRA)
3. Vivien Borgmann and Especially, 71.394% (GER)
4. Sophie Wallace and Rosalie B, 70.757% (GBR)
6. India Durman-Mills and Escade, 69.606% (GBR)
9. Ruby Hughes and Extra Time P, 68.333% (GBR)

Nations Cup
1. Germany – 216.182
2. France – 211.242
3. Great Britain – 208.696

Junior Individual Test – top three and British placings
1. Lana-Pinou Baumgürtel and Zinq Emma FH, 72.677% (GER)
2. Mathilde Juglaret and Caporal de Massa, 72.412% (FRA)
3. India Durman-Mills and Escade, 69.559% (GBR)
4. Ruby Hughes and Extra Time P, 69.500% (GBR)
5. Sophie Wallace and Rosalie B, 69.412% (GBR)

Junior Freestyle – top three and British placings
1. Lana-Pinou Baumgürtel and Zinq Emma FH, 79.483% (GER)
2. Mathilde Juglaret and Caporal de Massa, 77.258% (FRA)
3. India Durman-Mills and Escade, 75.083% (GBR)
4. Sophie Wallace and Rosalie B, 74.383% (GBR)
6. Ruby Hughes and Extra Time P, 72.008% (GBR)

CDIOP – Ponies
Pony Team Test (individual standings) – top three and British placings
1. Julie Sofie Schmitz-Heinen and Carleo Go, 75.171% (GER)
2. Clara Paschertz and Celebration WE, 74.657% (GER)
3. Mette Dahl and George Clooney BS, 72.400% (GBR)
7. Sofia Games and Next Black Magic, 69.086% (GBR)
9. Demi Howard-Cartwright and Fin C WE, 68.172% (GBR)
10. Lauren Geraghty and WS Jackson, 67.686% (GBR)

Nations Cup
1. Germany - 221.714
2. Great Britain - 209.658
3. France – 204.943

Pony Individual Test – top three and British placings
1. Julie Sofie Schmitz-Heinen and Carleo Go, 77.477% (GER)
2. Clara Paschertz and Celebration WE, 75.991% (GER)
3. Carolina Miesner and Novellini, 72.252% (GER)
5. Mette Dahl and George Clooney BS, 70.721% (GBR)
8. Demi Howard-Cartwright and Fin C WE, 67.973% (GBR)
11. Sofia Games and Next Black Magic, 67.883% (GBR)
12. Lauren Garaghty and WS Jackson, 66.036% (GBR)

Pony Freestyle – top three and British placings
1. Clara Paschertz and Celebration WE, 79.608% (GER)
2. Julie Sofie Schmitz-Heinen and Carleo Go, 79.000% (GER)
3. Lilly Marie Collin and Cosmo Callidus NRW, 76.183% (GER)
5. Mette Dahl and George Clooney BS, 72.542% (GBR)
8. Sofia Games and Next Black Magic, 71.750% (GBR)
9. Demi Howard-Cartwright and Fin C WE, 70.517% (GBR)
11. Lauren Geraghty and WS Jackson, 69.833% (GBR)

CDICh-A Children on Horses
Preliminary Competition Test B – top three and British placing
1. Paola Callet and Quickly des Paluds, 83.947% (FRA)
2. Andrea Serre and Venise de Massa, 77.536% (FRA)
3. Manouk Zuiderent and Dollarboy S-G, 72.554% (NED)
4. Crystal Robinson-Long and Evita Ronia, 71.929% (GBR)

Children on Horses Team Test - top three and British placing
1. Paola Callet and Quickly des Paluds, 79.675% (FRA)
2. Eva Sanchez and Voltaire 93, 72.475% (FRA)
3. Andrea Serre and Venise de Massa, 72.050% (FRA)
6. Crystal Robinson-Long and Evita Ronia, 68.950% (GBR)

Children on Horses Individual Test - top three and British placing
1. Paola Callet and Quickly des Paluds, 80.704% (FRA)
2. Manouk Zuiderent and Dollarboy S-G, 72.440% (NED)
3. Andrea Serre and Venise de Massa, 70.750% (FRA)
6. Crystal Robinson-Long and Evita Ronia, 63.079% (GBR)

FULL RESULTS

Photo © Les Garennes
Words: British Dressage/Joanna Bowns

CDI4*/CDI2*/CDIU25 report to follow