BD Winter Regionals: Prestige Equestrian

The 2021 Winter Regional Championships continued last week at Prestige Equestrian in Gloucestershire (27 – 29 May), an event that enjoyed a high class entry of riders competing for a place at the NAF Five Star Winter Championships at Hartpury later this month.

Charlotte Dujardin had two of her up-and-coming rides at the Gloucestershire venue – eight-year-old Imhotep (Everdale x Vivaldi), owned by Carl Hester and Coral Ingham, and Times Kismet (pictured), a six-year-old Ampere-sired mare owned and bred by Peter Belshaw.

With Imhotep she won Thursday’s Charles Owen Advanced Medium Gold on a score 76.53% to claim the class ahead of Lucinda Elliott with Judith Davis’s 10-year-old Hawtins Bellegra (Belissimo M x Weltmeyer) and Jacky Stolper with Virtuoso G, the nine-year-old son of Jacky’s former top ride, Geisha.

Friday’s Equi-Trek Elementary Gold was a high-scoring affair with the top three all scoring beyond 75% but it was Charlotte and Times Kismet on 76.25% who sealed the win before continuing their regional championships with a 77.90% winning performance in Saturday’s Prestige Italia Novice Gold.

The biggest score in the non-freestyle Silver classes came courtesy of Nicky Southall and Skelwith Loulou (by Quintador) - pictured above - in Friday’s Equi-Trek Elementary Silver. The pair, who were first to go, delivered a super test for 72.50% to win the class in addition to an earlier third place in the Medium Silver.

“She felt amazing,” said Nicky, who has ridden the British-bred 10-year-old for owner Cheryl Reynolds for the past four years.

“It was a big class and being first in Cheryl and I just said ‘let’s give her a good ride’. There was no pressure at all so it was a lovely extra to win.”

“I first saw Loulou when I was training Cheryl on the mare at a clinic, and Cheryl later offered me the ride,” explained Nicky, who runs a livery yard near Bromsgrove and trains with Carl Hester. “She’s a lovely horse. She’s started her changes and we’re playing with the higher movements so we’ll see how far she goes.”

Impressing in the Nupafeed Advanced Medium Freestyle Silver was Tyler Bradshaw from Tiverton in Devon who posted a winning 74.72% with her Uphill-sired KWPN gelding, Igor VIII. In fact, Tyler had a great regionals overall with two podium placings aboard five-year-Jaegerbomb added to her haul – second in the Baileys Horse Feeds Novice Freestyle Gold and third in the KBIS Preliminary Gold (71.14%).

Heading the KBIS Prelim Gold was Jenny Lo-Vel, from Dulverton in Somerset, with her five-year-old Dutch gelding Lanuvio (Gandhi x Uphill). The promising partnership (pictured above) posted a super score of 75.34% from the judging panel of Judith Harris, Martyne Galland and Susan Staines on the horse’s first championship experience.

“I had an amazing day with ‘Lando’,” said Jenny. “He was on autopilot, almost like all I had to do was steer. It’s a pleasure to ride him.”

Lanuvio was bought by Jenny, unseen, as an unbroken three-year-old. “After always having part-bred horses I wanted to buy a horse that was bred for the job, so I emptied my bank account. From day one, he has been amazing. His conformation makes the work easy for him and he has the most incredible mind.”

Jenny used to run a livery yard but following a recent career change, now works in hospitality at Tarr Farm Inn in the heart of the Exmoor National Park. “I’m lucky in that the riding is now my hobby so it gives me more time to spend on my horses,” says Jenny, “and as well as our training we hack on the moor with the dog, which Lando loves.”

A background in showing, with appearances at county shows, HOYS and Hickstead has given Jenny a natural confidence in the arena. “Although I was a little nervous on the day,” she admits. “Probably because this horse means so much to me.”

The talented Lanuvio has also qualified for the Shearwater Young Horse Semi-Finals so will have two trips to Hartpury a couple of weeks apart. “Long term, I’m hoping he [Lanuvio] will go all the way. I’ve got a game plan and will give it everything I’ve got.”

Rob Barker (28) enjoyed a successful regional championships. The Gloucestershire-based rider won the Charles Owen Advanced Medium Silver with Alison Haste’s Woodlander Romance (71.44%) as well as placing second to Charlotte Dujardin in the Equi-Trek Elementary Gold with Katherine Bateson’s seven-year-old Landea on a score of 75.88%.

“[I’m] Looking forward to the Winter Championships with them both!” said Rob on Facebook.

Top-three results

Thursday
Class 1: Medium Gold
1. Daniel Bremner and Frederico, 72.70%
2. Robert Barker and Landea, 71.44%
3. Charlotte McDowall and Alive and Kicking, 69.91%

Class 2: Charles Owen Advanced Medium Silver
1. Robert Barker and Woodlander Romance, 71.44%
2. Jacob Denham and Woodcroft Don Diego, 69.38%
3. Rhiannon Hinton and Quaikin Horatio, 69.12%

Class 3: Charles Owen Advanced Medium Gold
1. Charlotte Dujardin and Imhotep, 76.53%
2. Lucinda Elliott and Hawtins Bellegra, 72.63%
3. Jacky Stolper and Virtuoso G, 68.46%

Class 4: Superflex Intermediate I Gold
1. Rowan Bryson and Lazulith, 69.60%
2. Jayne Turney and Cruz III, 67.89%
3. Jodie Pharaon and Bear, 67.80%

Class 5: Spillers Medium Freestyle Gold
1. Maria Griffin and Cerruti, 73.00%
2. Abbie Newbury and Seagry Firstamour, 72.66%
3. Sarah Khairallah and Ilowette, 72.11%

Class 6: Nupafeed Advanced Medium Freestyle Silver
1. Tyler Bradshaw and Igor VIII, 74.72%
2. Stefanie Harrington and Lorna Doone, 72.05%
3. Ellie Somme and Ranazotti, 70.66%

Class 7: Nupafeed Advanced Medium Freestyle Gold
1. Kate Smith and Last Love, 74.44%
2. Alice Peternell and Cynheidrefawr Crème De La Crème, 72.22% (col. 337.5)
3. Jacky Stolper and Virtuoso G, 72.22% (col. 334.5)

Friday
Class 8: Equi-Trek Elementary Silver
1. Nicky Southall and Skelwith Loulou, 72.50%
2. Claire Deuten with Lord Flashheart, 71.19%
3. Clare Bennett and Jozef S, 70.26%

Class 9: Equi-Trek Elementary Gold
1. Charlotte Dujardin and Times Kismet, 76.25%
2. Robert Barker and Landea, 75.88%
3. Sadie Smith and Swanmore Dantina, 75.10%

Class 10: Medium Silver
1. Brendan Tegg and Haybrook Welita, 71.03%
2. Brendan Tegg and Sunset Boulevard, 69.50%
3. Nicly Southall and Skelwith Loulou, 67.52%

Class 11: Magic Prix St Georges Gold
1. Tom Goode and Sakira, 71.57%
2. Lucinda Elliott and Hawtins Bellegra, 69.64%
3. Rowan Bryson and Lazulith, 67.85%

Class 12: PDS Saddles Elementary Freestyle Silver
1. Ali Dane and Stantaii Ashbank, 76.73%
2. Louisa Julie Brend and Cynheidrefawr Gerwyn, 72.75%
3. Chantelle Oliver-Symonds and Stadmorslow Coffee ‘n’ Cream, 71.47%

Class 13: PDS Saddles Elementary Freestyle Gold
1. Jezz Palmer and King IV, 78.20%
2. Jane Morris and Silverstar Z, 74.10%
3. Serena Pincus and Sheepcote Floyd, 73.78%

Class 14: Spillers Medium Freestyle Silver
1. Rebecca Lee-Woolf and Evaldi O, 70.88%
2. Janine Jansen and Spitfire III, 70.27%
3. Jules Praed and Enigma, 70.00%

Saturday
Class 15: KBIS Preliminary Silver
1. Bizzy Loffet and Dario Fo, 72.01%
2. Lucy Bridgwater and Monaco II, 70.28%
3. Lois Hughes and Woodlands Ugo, 69.31%

Class 16: Prestige Italia Novice Silver
1. Clare Bennett and Jozef S, 70.61%
2. Matt Jenkins and Branston II, 69.50%
3. Sophie Smith and EMS Futura Estrella, 69.01%

Class 17: Prestige Italia Novice Gold
1. Charlotte Dujardin and Times Kismet, 77.90%
2. Sadie Smith and Swanmore Dantina, 77.28%
3. Serena Pincus and Sheepcote Floyd, 74.25%

Class 18: Baileys Horse Feeds Novice Freestyle Silver
1. Anya Hitt and Cnoc an Noinin Clover, 72.87%
2. Nicola Deakin and Rubicon, 72.31%
3. Becky Jackman-Smith and Black Diamond II, 71.85%

Class 19: Baileys Horse Feeds Novice Freestyle Gold
1. Serena Pincus and Sheepcote Floyd, 78.51%
2. Tyler Bradshaw and Jaeger bomb, 67.13%

Class 20: KBIS Preliminary Gold
1. Jenny Lo-Vel and Lanuvio, 75.34%
2. Anna Johannson and Utah IV, 75.23%
3. Tyler Bradshaw and Jaeger bomb, 71.14%

Full results

Photo © Jasmine Punter Photography