BD Winter Regionals: Merrist Wood

Six thrilling days of Winter Regional competition took place this week at the Merrist Wood College, Surrey, with the action coming to a close on Valentine’s day (9 – 14 February 2018).

Repeating their successes of 2017 were the winning team of Alice Oppenheimer, Dannie Morgan and the Headmore horses, with Alice herself riding to no less than four victories across the duration of the show. After taking over the reins from Dannie at the end of last year, it was Headmore Davina (pictured) who shone under the supreme direction from Alice in the Albion Medium Gold and Spillers Medium Freestyle Gold Championships. The eight-year-old Davina, owned by Sarah Oppenheimer, now has a colossal six Regional titles to her name.

Alice went on to triumph in two more classes, this time with the eye catching Headmore Dirubinio - a 17hh chestnut gelding by the popular sire Dimaggio. Alice and ‘Robin’ did the double in the Advanced Medium classes winning the Charles Owen Advanced Medium Gold with 72.63% before going on to win the Nupafeed Advanced Medium Freestyle Gold with an immense 77.94% - the highest score of the show.

Continuing the Oppenheimer’s great show Dannie Morgan notched up his first Championship ticket in the Blue Chip Novice Gold with Sarah Oppenheimer’s five-year-old Florencio sired Headmore Figaro. The British-bred gelding made his debut in British Dressage shows in June 2017 and has an impressive record not having scored below 72% in all of his outings. Dannie’s great Winter Regional record continued as he topped the leaderboard in the Nupafeed Advanced Medium Freestyle Silver after scoring 74.44% with his own Southern Cross Braemar, also known as ‘Barry’.

It was 74% all-round in the Freestyle Silver classes as the competitions proved both well entered and highly competitive. 74.07% was good enough for first place in Baileys Horse Feeds Novice Freestyle Silver with Sally Green and Keystone Rhia booking their place at Hartpury whilst Nicola Byam-Cook and the former FEI pony Twyford Salamander aced the PDS Saddles Elementary Freestyle Silver with 74.42%. The final 74% belonged to Christine Cockerton in the Spillers Medium Freestyle Silver; Christine rode a stellar test aboard her own Evaldo, a nine-year-old by Vivaldo whom she has competed and trained up through the levels from 4 year old Young Horse tests.

Looking up the levels, hoping to make the Friday night gala evening at Hartpury will be Luke Baber-Davis who earned his spot in the Magic Prix St Georges with Tracy Cooper’s Keystone Drummer boy. The elegant duo impressed the judges to win on a score of 71.93%. Speaking on Facebook Luke said, ‘I could not be happier with Tracy Cooper’s Keystone Drummer Boy winning the Magic PSG Winter Regional Championships he just keeps getting better and better every time we go out. Thank you so much to all my fantastic friends and sponsors and of course Dexter’s Mum Tracy who makes this all possible.’

British Dressage thanks the team at Merrist Wood for a fantastic Winter Regional Championship show, as well as all sponsors, volunteers and competitors. Congratulations to those who qualified and took part.

Regional Champions

KBIS Prelim Silver
Daisy Mansfield with Rayid Heart Breaker - 71.83%

Blue Chip Novice Silver
Frances Morrissey with HH Samba Spring - 69.38%

Blue Chip Novice Gold
Dannie Morgan with Headmore Figaro - 72.59%

Baileys Horse Feeds Novice Freestyle Silver
Sally Green with Keystone Rhia - 74.07%

Baileys Horse Feeds Novice Freestyle Gold
Jezz Palmer with Swanmore Wynte -, 77.22%

Equi-Trek Elementary Silver
Joanne Price with Casino Scandal - 74.42%

Equi-Trek Elementary Gold
James Burtwell with Verano - 72.18%

PDS Saddles Elementary Freestyle Silver
Nicola Byam-Cook with Twyford Salamander - 74.42%

PDS Saddles Elementary Freestyle Gold
Joshua Hill with Final Highlight - 75.38%

Albion Medium Silver
Patrick Troddyn with Altogether Endeavour - 70.67%

Albion Medium Gold
Alice Oppenheimer with Headmore Davina - 76.77%

Spillers Medium Freestyle Silver
Christine Cockerton with Evaldo, 74.94%

Spillers Medium Freestyle Gold
Alice Oppenheimer with Headmore Davina, 76.77%

Charles Owen Advanced Medium Silver
Devon Woodgate with Distaulgold - 69.29%

Charles Owen Advanced Medium Gold
Alice Oppenheimer with Headmore Dirubinio - 72.63%

Nupafeed Advanced Medium Freestyle Silver
Dannie Morgan with Souther Cross Braemar - 74.44%

Nupafeed Advanced Medium Freestyle Gold
Alice Oppenheimer with Headmore Dirubinio - 77.94%

Magic Prix St Georges Gold
Luke Baber-Davis with Keystone Drummerboy - 71.93%

Superflex Intermediate I Gold
Hannah Biggs with Don Caledonia - 71.36%