News
Blake on song at Bishop Burton CPEDI
- Written By: Helen Triggs
- Published: Wed, 18 Aug 2021 09:32
Gabriella Blake and Strong Beau were in excellent form, winning all three of their Grade I classes in the 3* competition at Bishop Burton CPEDI 1/2/3* (09 - 13 August 2021).
The pair shone with no score less than 74% in all three phases, improving on their scores from the Hartpury CPEDI in July.
Beau (pictured above) is a British-bred registered Connemara and is now 11 years old. Gabriella bought him three years ago. “He’d done some eventing but he didn’t really want to jump and wasn’t enjoying hacking either,” explained Gabriella who trains with Paralympian Sophie Wells. “He loves his [dressage] work and as soon as he gets in the arena he knows what his job is.”
Gabriella’s mum Estelle is her carer, groom and rider and warms up Beau at shows. “All my scores at Bishop Burton were personal bests. I enjoyed every minute. He’s a perfect para pony. He can be quirky but when he does his job he looks after me. He knows when he’s done well and gets a bit cocky and ‘look at me!’”
Gabriella and Beau have notched up a number of titles over the three years, including wins at the National Championships and Para Silver Summer championships in 2019 and the Para Winter championships in 2020 and 2021.
Another star of the 3* event was Australian rider, Tilda Carnegie (pictured above), who won all three of her Grade IV classes, including a 71%+ in the Freestyle. Her dancing partner was Boccelli 6, who she has leased from owner Leslie Forlee. Boccelli was originally competed up to Inter II by Katie Bailey who now trains the pair. The 17hh Bellissimo gelding is 14 years old.
“Boccelli is a golden boy who likes everyone and is a very willing and happy chap. But sometimes in a way it can be difficult to form a special bond with a horse who likes everyone. I spent a lot of time with him, and my hearing disability has made me good at reading non-verbal cues and this extends to reading the expressions on horses. So I tried to read his face cues about where he liked to be scratched and brushed and build up the bond that way,” said Tilda.
“Katie has done the most amazing job producing Boccelli 6 and is such a talented trainer. Boccelli is one of those rare gems that is super-talented and has the temperament of a saint, you usually get one or the other in a horse.”
“I needed to learn to ride him in a way that the quality and basics were solid. He can be quite laid back and sometimes a bit lazy, so you do need to be able to apply aids effectively to get the best out of him. I have had to work hard on my fitness, a process that is still ongoing.”
“I have also never cracked the 70% barrier so consistently before. I’m grateful to both Leslie and Katie for giving me this opportunity.”
Grade III rider Amanda Shirtcliffe had two horses competing in the 3* competition – Remi II (‘Kevin’) who won the Team Test and Hermione who won the Individual Test.
Hermione had a little spook in the Team Test which meant that Kevin could snatch the win but settled to do a solid 68.41% in the Individual Test. Amanda has had the nine-year-old Vitalis mare for a year and she has only been lightly competed. She was bred in Britain by Pat Ruck and wasn’t backed until she was six.
After the Individual, she pulled a shoe and Amanda had to ride a rather enthusiastic Kevin in the Freestyle where they came second to Irish rider Katie Reilly. “He’s a big chap and a bit cheeky – he knows how to get the better of me!”
Natasha Adkinson and Jemima Green swapped first and second places in the Grade II tests in both the 2* and 3* sections.
In the 3* tests, Jemma and Elrite (by San Remo) won the Team and Individual tests while Natasha and Sweet Caledonia (‘Cally’) picked up the win in the Freestyle with 71.15%.
Jemima has owned ‘Echo’ since she was four. “She has a very active brain so she does able-bodied competitions with Virginia Cundy. Her way of going has improved a lot recently. I was thrilled with her at Bishop Burton. She lost her confidence in a freestyle test a few weeks ago so she showed a little tension but she coped really well for a green horse,” said Jemima who trains with Marcia Cundy.
“Cally loves her music and knows it really well,” commented Natasha who has been having on-line training with Tamsin Addison, Irish Paralympic team rider, while she was shielding for a year because of Covid. “She tried her little heart out. I’ve had her since she was six weeks old so I know her really well. She loves to show off so I have to try to keep it all together.”
Natasha’s 2* ride, Highlander II (pictured above), is a lot greener than Cally and this was only his fourth international show and his first in three years. The pair won the Novice test and Natasha was pleased with how he behaved. “He needs more arena experience – the training is there and I know what I need to build on.”
Jemima’s Team Test and Freestyle winner, Damgaards Fleur was at her first ever international competition. Jemima bought the 12-year-old Feedback mare in March and took her to Bishop Burton to gain experience. “She did better than I ever could’ve expected,” she said. “She was a bit difficult for me to get on and wouldn’t stand still but once I was on she was very good and very responsive to my aids.”
In the 2* Hope Hayward (Grade V) was unopposed on Cadeau K and on Et L’Amour in the 3* but scored well in all her classes.
Cadeau (pictured above) was at his first international for three years, having been sidelined with surgery for ulcerative keratonitis in both eyes. “I’m very proud of how he’s come back to international level and we had a personal best (70%) in his freestyle,” said Hope whose horses are owned by Sean Reynolds. “I use music from The Lion King musical and it’s light and energetic and he floats around to it.”
Hope has been riding Et L’Amour (“Ellie’) for two years and the 11-year-old San Amour x Ferro 11-year-old was a broodmare until she was seven. “She has great potential and has done well to step up to 3*.”
Laura Gulliver and Farok v. Singing (‘Guppy’) - pictured above - won two out of the three classes in the Grade IV 2* competition. The 18hh nine-year-old is owned by Jo Alderton-Whitworth and Laura has had him for a year. “We’ve only had about 10 outings so he’s still green and lacking competition experience,” said Laura who trains with Judy Harvey and Clive Milkins. The pair won the Para Training Trust bursary for the highest scores in the 2* competition.
“He’s got a willing attitude – I can’t make him do anything by strength.”
Veronica Bower thinks that aged 75 she might be the oldest rider competing in para dressage. She and Game Over (‘Daisy’) were uncontested in the Grade II 1* classes. She has owned the Fürstenball 10 year-old since she was five and is trained and supported by her daughter Tracy Ormrod. “When we arrived at Bishop Burton she was an absolute dragon – she’s an incredibly nosey horse!” recalled Veronica. “She’s a lovely horse and I really enjoyed riding her.”
Zoe Squirrell and Alice Pearce’s Wonnacott (pictured below) were unopposed in the Grade III 1* classes and posted scores of 67-69%. It has been Zoe’s dream to compete at an international – so job done!
As Zoe doesn’t drive, exercising ‘Biscuit’ involves a six-hour round trip to get from her home to Alice’s stables. As she has a visual impairment as well as her physical disability, Zoe also needs to have the test called. “It’s a challenge to steer a horse round – the faster he goes the less I can see,” said Zoe. “Biscuit is good at his job and helps me out. If I press in the right places he does as I ask. If I don’t, he tries to work it out. I work on improving myself by working-out so I can be the best rider I can be for him.”
Results
CPEDI 1*
Grade II Novice A
1. Veronica Bower and Game Over, 67.96%
Grade II Novice A
1. Veronica Bower and Game Over, 68.26%
Grade II Freestyle
1. Veronica Bower and Game Over, 62.53%
Grade III Novice A
1. Zoe Squirrell and Wonnacott, 67.80%
Grade III Novice A
1. Zoe Squirrell and Wonnacott, 69.88%
Grade III Freestyle
1. Zoe Squirrell and Wonnacott, 67.13%
Grade V Novice
1. Emily Skerrett and Zorra Verte, 63.44%
CPEDI 2*
Grade II Novice A
1. Natasha Adkinson and Highlander II, 66.83%
2. Jemima Green and Damgaards Fleur, 66.39%
Grade II Team Test
1. Jemima Green and Damgaards Fleur, 65.18%
2. Natasha Adkinson and Highlander II, 63.85%
Grade II Freestyle
1. Jemima Green and Damgaards Fleur, 69.55%
2. Natasha Adkinson and Highlander II, 67.02%
Grade III Novice A
1. Roseanne Knox and Eragon M, 60.96%
Grade III Team Test
1. Roseanne Knox and Eragon M, 60.68%
Grade III Freestyle
1. Roseanne Knox and Eragon M, 53.30%
Grade IV Novice A
1. Alicia Griffiths and Aergrus Ophelia, 66.38%
2. Laura Gulliver and Farok v. Singing, 65.76%
3. Sara Bates and Solo Hit 2, 65.76%
Grade IV Team Test
1. Laura Gulliver and Farok v. Singing, 69.28%
2. Alicia Griffiths and Aergrus Ophelia, 63.28%
3. Sara Bates and Solo Hit 2, 62.4%
Grade IV Freestyle
1. Laura Gulliver and Farok v. Singing 70.65%
2. Sara Bates and Solo Hit 2, 61.05%
3. Alicia Griffiths and Aergrus Ophelia, 56.57%
Grade V Novice A
1. Hope Hayward and Cadeau K, 65.53%
Grade V Team Test
1. Hope Hayward and Cadeau K 66.3%
Grade V Freestyle
1. Hope Hayward and Cadeau K, 70.04%
CPEDI 3*
Grade I Team Test
1. Gabriella Blake and Strong Beau, 74.43%
2. Martina Benzinger and Nautika 70.46% (GER)
3. Mari Durward-Akehurst and Quaikin Guaranteed Good, 69.18%
Grade I Individual Test
1. Gabriella Blake and Strong Beau, 74.68%
2. Martina Benzinger and Nautika 69.54% (GER)
3. Mari Durward-Akehurst and Quaikin Guaranteed Good, 69.50%
Grade I Freestyle
1. Gabriella Blake and Strong Beau, 74.43%
2. Martina Benzinger and Nautika 70.9% (GER)
3. Mari Durward-Akehurst and Quaikin Guaranteed Good, 66.53%
Grade II Team Test
1. Jemima Green and Elrite, 70.03%
2. Natasha Adkinson and Sweet Caledonia, 67.48%
Grade II Individual Test
1. Jemima Green and Elrite, 68.79%
2. Natasha Adkinson and Sweet Caledonia, 68.29%
Grade II Freestyle
1. Natasha Adkinson and Sweet Caledonia, 71.15%
2. Jemima Green and Elrite, 66.28%
Grade III Team Test
1. Amanda Shirtcliffe and Remi II, 67.26%
2. Amanda Shirtcliffe and Hermione P, 65.59%
3. Katie Reilly and Hadena 64.91% (IRE)
Grade III Individual Test
1. Amanda Shirtcliffe and Hermione P, 68.41%
2. Amanda Shirtcliffe and Remi II, 65.54%
3. Katie Reilly and Hadena 64.35% (IRE)
Grade III Freestyle
1. Katie Reilly and Hadena 68.59% (IRL)
2. Amanda Shirtcliffe and Remi II 65.38%
Grade IV Team Test
1. Matilda Carnegie and Boccelli 6, 70.08% (AUS)
2. Izzy Palmer and Je Suis Adiva, 69.15%
3. Katie Radzik and Showkia, 68.33%
Grade IV Individual Test
1. Matilda Carnegie and Boccelli 6, 69.10% (AUS)
2. Izzy Palmer and Je Suis Adiva, 67.39%
3. Katie Radzik and Showkia, 66.41%
Grade IV Freestyle
1. Matilda Carnegie and Boccelli 6, 71.87% (AUS)
2. Katie Radzik and Showkia, 68.88%
3. Laura Scott and Koko Pop, 68.46%
Grade V Team Test
1. Hope Hayward and Et L’Amour, 64.12%
Grade V Individual Test
1. Hope Hayward and Et L’Amour, 64.95%
Grade V Freestyle
1. Hope Hayward and Et L’Amour, 66.02%
Photo © Kevin Sparrow
