Combined Training Qualifiers: Jumping to success

As we’re nearing the end of the 2025 Red Gorilla Combined Training qualifiers, we’re already looking forward to celebrating everyone’s amazing achievements at the Championships in May! We spoke to three riders who, together with their amazing equine partners, have secured their golden tickets to Western Lawns Equestrian (10 – 11 May).

Pictured above Phillipa Booth & Harlesford Elf © Bob Booth  

Phillipa Booth and Harlesford Elf travelled to West Wilts Equestrian (16 March) to compete in the Red Gorilla Combined Training Qualifier, and the duo came away with an amazing win in the Preliminary & 80cm. Phillipa took the time to speak to us about her experience and share some of her journey with her lovely gelding, Alfie.  

The two of them had not been out jumping for a while Phillipa told us, “I was thrilled he went so well, I thought he may be a bit wild, but he went beautifully in both phases.” West Wilts Equestrian is Phillipa’s most local venue, so it was the perfect opportunity to give the Combined Training series a go, “it is a lovely, relaxed venue” Phillipa shared.  

Alfie is a home-bred, making Phillipa’s journey with him even more special, “he originally was going to be my next hunter, so he had a few days autumn hunting as a four and five-year-old and rode out from the kennels a fair but, so he is fabulous with hounds. However, he was rather spicy as a youngster and found other horses cantering past far too exciting!” This then turned their attention to eventing instead Phillipa explained, “we made it as far as Novice level before unfortunately hock issues meant he needed to take a slightly easier career route.”  

Their BD journey only started last November, Phillipa tells us, “We have been lucky enough to get a wildcard for our first championships and qualify for the Combined Training Championships also.” Starting their dressage career on flying form, “it’s all a bit of a learning curve and I must admit I don’t own anything sparkly yet!”  

The 16.1hh black gelding is known for being “the most laid-back chap” Phillipa explained, “there is not much that phases him, we live on the edge of Sailsbury Plain and as such tanks and helicopters are not an issue! His favourite snack is a pear and he loves a good bum scratch.” Phillipa and Alife are fortunate to have miles of beautiful open hacking on Salisbury Plain to enjoy, so in preparation for the event Phillipa shared, “he gets plenty of cantering and hill work in, alongside regular lessons with Anne Keen, who is absolutely fabulous. We are so lucky to train with her, she is so knowledgeable and so incredibly patient with me and my complete inability to shorten my reins!”  

Phillipa chose to compete at the Combined Training qualifier after having previously competed in unaffiliated combined training competitions in preparation for the eventing season, “when I saw that BD ran a series I thought it would be great to take part and make it a bit more interesting for Alf, he loves to jump and I think variety is so important for horses.”  

Pictured above Elizabeth Roberts & Simply Jolene © PDG Photography  

Golden Cross Equestrian hosted their Red Gorilla Combined Training Qualifier on 22 March, where Elizabeth Roberts and her wonderful mare Simply Jolene achieved an incredible win in the Elementary & 80cm, with a lovely dressage test and a clear round showjumping.  

Elizabeth shared with us how she felt achieving such a great result, “I am so proud of her, she has not had the best of starts in life, and it’s been a difficult road. However, with finding a great team of trainers, Emma Kinsley for dressage and Janine Lamy for showjumping, we have managed to get us both on the same page and the past two years have seen the rewards for our hard work and persistence.”  

The pair have been on quite the journey together Elizabeth shared, “I saw her in the last of the horse auctions as Ashford Market about seven years ago, I had gone to make sure my niece didn’t do something stupid like buy a horse.” Elizabeth described the young mare as looking scared, with a thick winter coat, a little bit thin and uneven, “the hammer dropped at just under £1,500 and I found myself with a Irish Sports Horse.” Elizabeth found out that she had a name change and was able to get in contact with her breeder and change her back to her original name of Simply Jolene.  

Looking back Elizabeth shared the best piece of advice she received from Simply Jolene’s breeder George Newton, “she will take a long time maturing, take your time.” Since then Elizabeth explained, “we have spent the past four years taking our time, building strength and building partnership. She was bred to event, her sire is Simply Javelin out of Simply Imprint. We have done a little bit of everything, from some low-level local eventing, arena eventing, showjumping and competing at Medium, and hope to out at Advanced Medium towards the end of 2025.”  

Elizabeth described her sweet bay mare as being very loving, “she is also anxious about life, always wanted to know where the other horses are, and changes on the yard require lots of snorting.” The two of them have recently started TRT work alongside Reiki with Sara Brown, Elizabeth told us “these have been so helpful and have given me tools to use when she is starting to worry.” 

Away from competing Elizabeth runs a small yard and has a full time job overseeing the day to day management of a 7000 acre ancestral farming estate, “the role does give me the flexibility to run the yard and look after my horses, having an employer who understands the needs of livestock is very helpful, but it works both ways I am often found on the laptop or phone just before or after competing.”  

Elizabeth is also a volunteer for Kent Police and through this has also competed at the Associated Championships and will be heading to the Forces Games at the end of May, “this role encompasses you into the Force, being able to do as little or as much as you like,” Elizabeth explained. If she wasn’t already busy enough Elizabeth is also an equine and canine laser therapist, which she explained as “working alongside vets and owners to help both maintain and repair all types of injuries.”  

Pictured above Gabrielle Mcdonald & Heatwave V © KT Equine Photography 

Heading to Kelsall Hill Equestrian’s Combined Training qualifier we caught up with competitor Gabrielle McDonald, who rode her own Heatwave V to the win in the Novice & 80cm, finishing on their dressage score after a clear round showjumping.  

Reflecting on their day Gabby shared, “we entered both the novice classes with 80cm and 90cm jumping and Heatwave performed so well in both dressage tests and did beautiful clear rounds in both. As a rising six-year-old I was very proud of how he handled both phases.” 

The combination have monthly lessons with Rui Campeo for dressage, but Gabby told us that they haven’t jumped much since last year, so running up to the event the duo jumped on a weekly basis to prepare. “It was so rewarding for him to jump round so confidently in his first showjumping show in over six months, and we trust each other so much now as we’ve built up our partnership over the last year,” Gabby shared.  

Gabby brought Heatwave in February of last year from Vere Phillipps who had bred and produced him for eventing, “we planned to event, but last May my brother had a severe stroke and this halted all competition as we were at the hospital most nights for months.” Gabby started to pick up competing again by competed at the BD shows that were hosted at the yard where Heatwave was stabled she explained, “Heatwave had never been in-between the dressage boards before but he was so well behaved and he really enjoyed it.”  

Their dressage journey has been incredible already, “we made a Prelim freestyle with Equidance which was so much, we qualified and won at the Area Festival Championships!” The duo moved up to Novice level over the winter and went on to also win at their Winter Area Festival at Aintree, and are heading to the Winter Championships, “we have officially got the dressage bug.” 

Heatwave earnt his name by being born on a really hot spring day in April, Gabby described him as “a really kind and loving horse, who loves to lick you and will follow you around the stable as you muck out.” The bay gelding is multi-talented too, “he has the most wonderful temperament, one day he can be competing and the next hacking out around the countryside with my dog and brother on his mobility scooter.”  

“I love Combined Training as it gives a really nice varied competition day for the horses” Gabby told us, “Heatwave absolutely loves to jump so that was definitely his favourite part, and my favourite moment from the day was giving him a big sloppy mash after doing so well, whilst we all lad a cup of tea and cake!”