BD Winter Regionals: Easton & Otley College

The third Winter Regional Championships of 2018 took place last week at Easton & Otley College in Norfolk (13 – 17 February). During the five-day show there was close-fought competition and high standards as riders battled it out to gain a golden ticket for the NAF Five Star Winter Championships in April.

Four riders went home with more than one title to their name – Jessica Thompson, Tracy Fall, Cornelia O’Mahony, and Nikki Barker (née Crisp) who won a remarkable three.

Tracy Fall (41) from Chatteris in Cambridgeshire reigned supreme in the Equi-Trek Elementary Silver scoring 71.61% aboard Mount Pleasant San Lorenzo (Sarkozy x Rohdiamant), securing one of two tickets to Hartpury. San Lorenzo (pictured), an eight-year-old British bred gelding, is no stranger to the NAF Five Star Winter Championships having won the KBIS Prelim title in 2016 so they could be ones to watch in April.

Enjoying good form, Tracy also claimed the Spillers Medium Freestyle, this time with Mount Pleasant Fleur VII, scoring 70.27%. Fleur, a 13-year-old chestnut by Florianus out of a Donnerhall mare, is another repeat visitor to Hartpury - she was third in the Novice Restricted Freestyle in 2016, partnered by Tracy.

Jessica Thompson (27), who works as a competition rider for Assouline Dressage in Essex, won both the Blue Chip Novice Gold and Equi-Trek Elementary Gold with Soensmindes Sylvester, scoring 73.64% and 71.25%. Sylvester was imported last year from Denmark as a seven-year-old and shows much talent. He remains unbeaten in every competition start so far and, remarkably, his scores have never dropped below the 70% barrier.

Cornelia O’Mahony (pictured right) also reigned supreme winning the Albion Medium Silver and Charles Owen Advanced Medium Silver, both with Formidable, a Jazz-sired eight-year-old owned by Adam Signy. They were awarded 69.05% and 68.81% respectively.

Nikki Barker’s wins came in the form of the Baileys Horse Feeds Novice Freestyle Gold with her own and Celia Bushnell’s seven-year-old San Pedro (77.31%), the Superflex Inter I Gold with Jan Crisp’s Forever Young, a 12-year-old by Flovino (68.50%), and the Magic Prix St Georges Gold with her own and Viv Gleave’s Spielberg son Durable (68.64%), the seriously talented winner of the 2012 Shearwater four-year-old title.

One of the most close-fought regional titles over the five-day competition was the KBIS Preliminary which was ultimately won by 14-year-old Abigail Taylor and Castaway Diamond on a solid percentage score of 70.28. Abigail has competed the ten-year-old bay Thoroughbred since August last year. Following success in Quest competitions with his previous rider, Abigail has formed a great partnership with him in short space of time resulting in this dream qualification.

British Dressage thanks Easton & Otley College, the Winter Championships class sponsors and all involved for a successful Regional Championships. Congratulations to all qualified combinations and to everyone who took part.

Regional Champions

KBIS Prelim Silver
Abigail Taylor with Castaway Diamond, 70.28%

Blue Chip Novice Silver
Sarah Heath with Feuertanz, 69.63%

Blue Chip Novice Gold
Jessica Thompson with Soensmindes Sylvester, 73.64%

Baileys Horse Feeds Novice Freestyle Silver
Mark Butler with Floretiner, 74.07%

Baileys Horse Feeds Novice Freestyle Gold
Nikki Barker with San Pedro, 77.31%

Equi-Trek Elementary Silver
Tracy Fall with Mount Pleasant San Lorenzo, 71.61%

Equi-Trek Elementary Gold
Jessica Thompson with Soensmindes Sylvester, 71.25%

PDS Saddles Elementary Freestyle Silver
Jessica Clarke with TT Amika, 72.43%

PDS Saddles Elementary Freestyle Gold
Margaret Phizacklea with Good Guy, 71.73%

Albion Medium Silver
Cornelia O’Mahony with Formidable, 69.05%

Albion Medium Gold
Sharon Hunt with Loughnatousa Winston, 67.97%

Spillers Medium Freestyle Silver
Tracy Fall with Mount Pleasant Fleur VII, 70.27%

Spillers Medium Freestyle Gold
Tahley Reeve-Smith with Sharola Show Star, 74.44%

Charles Owen Advanced Medium Silver
Cornelia O’Mahony with Formidable, 68.81%

Charles Owen Advanced Medium Gold
Elli Darling with Eaimbry Endeavour, 69.95%

Nupafeed Advanced Medium Freestyle Silver
Robyn Walker with Master Merlin, 76.16%

Nupafeed Advanced Medium Freestyle Gold
Sofie Butchart with Royalty II, 73.33%

Magic Prix St Georges Gold
Nikki Barker with Durable, 68.64%

Superflex Intermediate I Gold
Nikki Barker with Forever Young, 68.50%