BD Winter Regionals: Easton College

The fifth BD Winter Regional Championships of 2020 took place last week at Easton College in Norfolk (18 – 22 February 2020). A further 19 regional champions were crowned and many came a step closer to their goal of competing at the NAF Five Star Winter Championships in April.

Martin Greet (52) was the runaway winner of the Charles Owen Advanced Medium Silver on day one. Riding the beautiful black gelding Fleedwood (pictured above), he won the class by a wide margin on a score of 71.40% ahead of runners-up Sarah Heath and Feuertanz, and third-placed pair, Sophie Chatwin and Professional.

“I’m so happy with him, he’s absolutely amazing,” said Martin of the 16 year old Fürst Heinrich son. “Quite a lot of horses were spooking but luckily he’s not nervous at all and gave me a great ride.”

He’s not a world beater but he enjoys the level he’s at and continues to improve. He’s absolutely genuine, so much so that you could put your grandma on him.

Martin has ridden Fleedwood, known at home as Minni, for just over 12 months. “I literally started riding him in February ’19, and he’s achieved all he has in very few competition outings,” he said. “He qualified for and competed in the Medium Silver at the National Championships last year then, just two shows later, qualified for the Winter Regionals. He’s not a world beater but he enjoys the level he’s at and continues to improve. He’s absolutely genuine, so much so that you could put your grandma on him.”

Martin, who rides professionally from his Hertfordshire base and trains riders at all levels, will ultimately hand over the reins as Fleedwood is destined for a future in para competition with his owner. “He’s just so easy-going and sensible, yet also sensitive, which is what you want.”

At the FEI levels, Ruth Hole (20) enjoyed victory in the Magic Prix St Georges Gold aboard Sarah Oppenheimer’s much loved campaigner Headmore Delegate (pictured above). A score of 73.64% secured them the win ahead of Harriette Williams and Creto on their heels with 72.67%.

Headmore Delegate, a 17 year old chestnut Dimaggio son and former international Grand Prix ride of Alice Oppenheimer, continues his long and illustrious career in the sport. For two years, he partnered Rebecca Edwards with whom he represented Great Britain at the Young Rider Europeans in 2017 and the U25 Europeans in 2018, achieving team bronze, before later joining Ruth at her family’s Suffolk home.

Ruth, who has not long returned from Le Mans CDI in France where she competed Easy VZ in the Young Rider divisions, was thrilled with her win.

“I really can’t believe I’m writing this post, but today myself and Headmore Delegate only went and won the hotly contested PSG Gold Regional Finals at Easton and Otley," she said on Ruth Hole Dressage Facebook. “Not only did we win and get our direct qualification for the Winter Championships at Hartpury, but we also scored a massive 73.64%.

Del was amazing from start to finish, and really felt like he rose to the occasion

“Del was amazing from start to finish, and really felt like he rose to the occasion. He was enjoying himself so much that I almost didn’t regain control at the end of our final extended canter - I think King Del forgot we were supposed to be doing a dressage test and were not out hacking!”

Ruth events as well as competing in dressage, and gives him plenty of cantering and jumping to keep him fresh, interested and enthusiastic in his work.

Ruth’s younger sister Clare (18) was one of three riders to achieve a double win. With her 13 year old Painted Black gelding Chuchaqui LAT she won the Charles Owen Advanced Medium Gold on 71.05% before claiming the Superflex Intermediate I Gold with her mother Rachel Murray’s Gribaldi x Donnerhall gelding, Winnetou GEP (17). This took the family tally to three classes, three wins and three tickets to Hartpury.

Tahley Reeve-Smith won the Baileys Horse Feeds Novice Freestyle Gold aboard Alison Jones’ six year old Jazz x Havidoff mare, Jilleke, as well as winning the Suregrow Elementary Freestyle Gold with her imposing seven year old chestnut, Woodcroft Valentino on 76.34%; Judy Hancock, a List 2 Judge who hails from Norfolk, won the Prestige Italia Novice Silver and the Equi-Trek Elementary Silver on 72.53% and 72.70% respectively with her Negro x Contango six year old gelding, Just Dance BH.

British Dressage thanks the team at Easton College, the class sponsors and all involved for a successful Winter Regional Championships. Congratulations to the winners listed below, to all qualified combinations and to everyone who took part.

The winners:
KBIS Preliminary Silver
Flora Hayes and Haybells Cinderella, 74.59%

Prestige Italia Novice Silver
Judy Hancock and Just Dance BH, 72.53%

Prestige Italia Novice Gold
Antonia Brown and Impulz De B, 74.44%

Baileys Horse Feeds Novice Freestyle Silver
Bethan Young and Jackpots Forsetti, 75.92%

Baileys Horse Feeds Novice Freestyle Gold
Tahley Reeve-Smith and Jilleke, 75.46%

Equi-Trek Elementary Silver
Judy Hancock and Just Dance BH, 72.70%

Equi-Trek Elementary Gold
Nikki Barker and Dan Icarus, 74.47%

Suregrow Elementary Freestyle Silver
Jo Freeman and Chalk II, 70.32%

Suregrow Elementary Freestyle Gold
Tahley Reeve-Smith and Woodcroft Valentino, 76.34%

TheraPlate Ltd Medium Silver
Abigail Taylor and Wind Dance, 70.85%

TheraPlate Ltd Medium Gold
Emma Bird and Soliman, 67.52%

Spillers Medium Music Freestyle Silver
Tracy Fall and Mount Pleasant Herman, 72.38%

Spillers Medium Music Freestyle Gold
Ruth Hurst and Penhaligon Rockstein, 70.16%

Charles Owen Advanced Medium Silver
Martin Greet and Fleedwood, 71.40%

Charles Owen Advanced Medium Gold
Clare Hole and Chuchaqui LAT, 71.05%

Nupafeed Advanced Medium Freestyle Silver
Jane Littlejohn and Urban Knight, 73.33%

Nupafeed Advanced Medium Freestyle Gold
Christine Cockerton and Evaldo, 73.77%

Magic Prix St Georges Gold
Ruth Hole and Headmore Delegate, 73.64%

Superflex Intermediate I Gold
Clare Hole and Winnetou GEP, 70.70%

Full results

Photo © Fae Loudon Photography