Eilberg on winning form at Addington

The sun shone brightly on three days of Premier League dressage competition at Addington Equestrian in Buckinghamshire (10 – 12 May 2019).

Maria Eilberg pulled off a double victory with her long-term ride, Royal Concert, the 16-year-old gelding she co-owns with Hermione Black. The partnership of six years (pictured) won Friday’s close-fought Cavalor Intermediate II, the grey Royal Diamond son a little on edge but growing in confidence as the test progressed to earn 71.53% and finish in front of second-placed Nicola Buchanan with Half Moon Dark Magic (70.92%) and Joanna Thurman-Baker with Highcliffe Apollo in third (70.26%).

Competing on all three days, Maria and ‘Rico’ contested Saturday’s LeMieux Grand Prix – the score kept in check with some costly mistakes in the canter tour. Still, a respectable 67% was on the board for fifth place. With another day in front of them, the pair put on their dancing shoes for Sunday’s Grand Prix Freestyle and deliver they certainly did, with a runaway plus-four percent lead for their 74.29% performance.

“Royal Concert was on top form again in his freestyle today, winning with 74%,” said Maria on Facebook. “He loves his music [and was] very happy with himself after his test.”

Maria and Rico have shown much talent in the Grand Prix work as was evidenced with their double Medium Tour victory at Deauville CDI last June. The horse has battled with his nerves in the past but once relaxed, his enthusiasm and quality, channelled by Maria’s riding, can earn them marks from the higher end of the scale.

Annabella Pidgley, British team rider at the 2018 FEI European Pony Championships, dominated Saturday’s Pony Team Test by taking first and second with her rides, chestnut mare Ine and the attractive palomino son of FS Chambertin, Cognac IX. Ine (Constantin x Handryk) was number one, winning the class with phenomenal PB of 74.61%, for an almost six percent lead. Annabella and Cognac IX earned 68.63%, just ahead of Olivia Langley and Bathleyhills Sea Wurzel who posted 68.24% to complete the top three.

Sunday was a momentous day for young Devon-based rider Scarlett John who won the Pony Individual Test with her 11-year-old gelding BKS Grand Design on their Premier League debut. They scored 69.02% ahead of runners-up Betsy Smethan and Golden Amber, with Olivia Langley and Bathleyhills Sea Wurzel, third. Scarlett trains with Diane Thurman-Baker.

Dan Greenwood and Exige M (Samarant x Jazz) impressed in both Friday’s and Saturday’s Saracen Horse Feeds Inter I classes for owners Jenny Welham and Diana Louvain-Miller. Friday saw them claim a second place to Jess Bennett and JB Dukaat, Saturday they won with 73.07%. A ticket to the LeMieux National Championships is now secured for Cotswolds-based Dan and Exige M, who is no stranger to Stoneleigh having won the 2014 Shearwater Supreme title there as a five-year-old.

British Dressage thanks all the class sponsors and the team at Addington Equestrian for putting on a fantastic event. Congratulations to all the winners listed below and to all those who took part.

The winners:
Friday
Class 1: Hickstead British Young Horse National 5YO Qualifier
Lucinda Elliott with Hawtins Lirica, 8.06

Class 2: Hickstead British Young Horse National 6YO Qualifier
Victoria Maw with Benito Dorato, 7.02

Class 3: Hickstead British Young Horse FEI 5YO Qualifier
Lucinda Elliott with Hawtins Lirica, 7.90

Class 4: Hickstead British Young Horse FEI 6YO Qualifier
Tom Goode with Sakira, 7.80

Class 5: Fairfax Saddles Prix St Georges
Kate Cowell with Dramatic Conquest, 71.93%

Class 6: Saracen Horse Feeds Intermediate I
Jess Bennett with JB Dukaat, 70.83%

Class 7: Cavalor Intermediate II
Maria Eilberg with Royal Concert, 71.53%

Saturday
Class 8: Pony Team Test
Annabella Pidgley with Ine, 74.61%

Class 9: Equine Construction Advanced Medium
Fiona Brennan with De Angelis II, 70.81%

Class 10: Fairfax Saddles Prix St Georges
Becky Moody with Full Fusion BS, 70.96%

Class 11: Saracen Horse Feeds Intermediate I
Dan Greenwood with Exige M, 73.07%

Class 12: LeMieux Grand Prix
Becky Moody with Carinsio, 70.76%

Sunday
Class 13: Pony Individual Test
Scarlett John with BKS Grand Design, 69.02%

Class 14: Equine Construction Advanced Medium
Jayne Turney with Cruz III, 70.48%

Class 15: Advanced 105
Antonia Brown with SJL Duuk, 62.10%

Class 16: Fairfax Saddles Prix St Georges
Gareth Hughes with Sintano Van Hof Olympia, 71.22%

Class 17: Shearwater Young Horse 4YO Qualifier
Dylan Deutrom with King Boy, 7.74

Class 18: Shearwater Young Horse 5YO Qualifier
Lucy Amy with Jaliva, 8.06

Class 19: Shearwater Young Horse 6YO Qualifier
Judy Harvey with SP Bento, 7.94

Class 20: Prix St Georges Freestyle
Olivia Towers with Mercian Edjena, 70.45%

Class 21: Grand Prix Freestyle
Maria Eilberg and Royal Concert, 74.29%