Keysoe CPEDI: Britain's paras impress at spring international

Keysoe proved to be a great start to the 2022 international season, with personal best scores for British Paralympians Sophie Wells and Georgia Wilson and British-based Canadian team member Roberta Sheffield.

Sophie dominated the 3* Grade V classes, winning the team test with Charlotte Hogg’s Classic Jillz Geuzenhof (pictured above), with Rowland and Maria Kinch’s Don Cara M a close second. The placings were reversed in the individual test and Don Cara won the freestyle with a personal best score.

“I’m thrilled to bits with them. We’re starting the year on a good note. The tests flowed in the arena – it’s not often how it feels matches up with what the judges score,” commented Sophie who has qualified both of them for the able-bodied Winter Championships.

“Jillz was good on the first day but nervous on the second, while Don was the other way round! Our next stop is Deauville. They both need mileage and to see different venues.”

Georgia Wilson (Grade II) logged personal bests in the 3* individual and team tests and posted a great freestyle score of 76.74% on her Tokyo ride, Sakura (pictured above). “Suki has always scored consistently in the 70s and it’s nice to come out in the New Year still improving. Everything we’ve been working on over the winter is paying off,” said Georgia who will continue her campaign for team selection for the World Championships at Deauville next month. “She felt happy to be out. My freestyle music is Ellie Goulding which I really like and gets in everybody’s heads! I can have the music as loud as I like and Suki doesn’t care. She’s a really easy horse.”

Both of Nicola Naylor’s horses took home red rosettes in the Grade IV section of the 3* competition.

Her more established partner, Flemmingh gelding Del Piero V (pictured above), pipped Humberto L (Cachet x Haarlem) to first place in the team and individual tests before leaving the way clear for Humberto to win the freestyle class.

“Pierre’s tests were some of the best he’s done,” recalled Nicola. “He’s such a happy horse. He’s very talented and rhythmical. He’s found his balance and momentum.

“Humberto is much less experienced. We’ve been competing for less than a year so he’s still finding his feet. He has huge potential. On the third day he showed how amazing he actually is – he really put his dancing shoes on [in the freestyle].”

Nicola, who is visually impaired, has recently moved her horses to be based with international rider Sarah Millis so has had to put a whole new system place. “Sarah has been incredibly supportive – she’s an incredible trainer and the whole team is very switched on.”

Canada’s Bert Sheffield and Fairuza (‘Wonky’) won the 3* individual and team tests. Bert bought the British-bred Gelderlander mare seven years ago as an unhandled six-year-old. The pair has competed internationally since 2018 and was part of the Canadian team at the Tokyo Olympics. “We scored just under our personal best in the team test and posted personal bests for us in the individual and freestyle,” said Bert who is based in Britain and trains with Gerd Hauschmann and Clive Millkins. “Her experienced in Tokyo helped Wonky finally grow up into a reliable competition horse. She’s got an amazing will to work and so much power.”

Britain’s Emma Kent and her relatively new ride, Sophie Butchart’s Royalty II (pictured above) shone at their first international and fourth-ever show as a partnership. They were close behind Bert in the team and individual tests and came out top in the freestyle with 73.02%. Sophie offered Emma the ride on the inter I mare (by Samba Hit) and the pair decided to see how the partnership worked in competition. They took a first and second at the Para Winter Championships before diving into the deep end in the Keysoe 3* international.

“She’s so understanding as it’s not easy going from doing inter 1 to being a para horse,” said Emma who is a financial intelligence officer with the Nottinghamshire Police. “It’s like she knows it’s me when I get on.

“Sophie has done everything for us – groom, driver and support – I can’t thank her enough. Work has also been very supportive about allowing me to change round shifts.

“It was a busy show but she was such a good girl and as soon as she stepped into the arena she grew a hand (in a good way) and just did her job.”

Britain’s Gabriella Blake and her lovely Strong Beau had to settle for second places behind an in-form Michael Murphy and Cleverboy (IRL). Beau is a Connemara 13-year-old by Spinway Blakethorn. The pair picked up a first place in the Para Gold Championships last September and three first places at the Bishop Burton Para International. Their freestyle score was just .01% shy of their personal best.

British-based Michael was riding Cleverboy (pictured above) in his first competition since the Tokyo Olympics and it was only their fourth competition ever together. “He was amazing and it was good to get out,” said Michael whose scores were all over 73%. “We had a break after Tokyo and it was good for both of us to come back mentally refreshed.”

In the 2* competition, Heather Bennett also got the year off to a good start with her new ride, British-bred Don Index mare, Dolores Van Cartier CF (pictured), winning all classes in Grade IV. “I got her at the end of last year from her breeder, Darren Mattia,” said Heather. “I bought her without trying her as I was recovering from a knee operation. Keysoe is the biggest competition she’s ever been to and she coped really well with just a few baby mistakes.”

All the Grade II classes were won by Sarah Cooper and Becky Monk’s PRE gelding Seni-Lliso who will be 20 this year. He was bought by Becky for £1 four years ago for her riding school Lakefield Equestrian in Cornwall. “He’s turned out to be a fabulous para horse,” said Sarah who works as an instructor at Lakeside. “It is more of a challenge for us as he doesn’t find the extended walk easy and he was a bit tired as it was only week after competing at Myerscough.

“However, he really brought his A game in the freestyle on the last day. I could really feel him trying and he was dancing through the test.”

Vicky Nurcombe and Celano V and Roseanne Knox and Eragon M went head-to-head in the grade III classes with the scores coming out 2 to 1 wins in Vicky’s favour.

Britain was represented in the 1* competition by Sharon Kelsall and her Showmaker mare, GDH Summer Hit. The pair’s best score was 67.73% in the novice B test.

Results – top three
CPEDI3* Team Test
Grade I
1. Michael Murphy and Cleverboy, 73.76% (IRL)
2. Gabriella Blake and Strong Beau, 72.5% (GBR)
3. Mari Durward-Akhurst and Quaikin Guaranteed Good, 70.35% (GBR)

Grade II
1. Georgia Wilson and Sakura, 73.51% (GBR)
2. Sir Lee Pearson and Roughcote Jupiter, 71.24% (GBR)
3. Georgia Wilson and Midnight II, 69.93% (GBR)

Grade III
1. Roberta Sheffield and Fairuza, 71.94% (CAN)
2. Emma Kent and Royalty II, 70.35% (GBR)
3. Amanda Shirtcliffe and Hermione, 69.58% (GBR)

Grade IV
1. Nicola Nayler and Del Piero V, 69.35% (GBR)
2. Nicola Naylor and Humberto L, 68.80% (GBR)
3. Laura Gulliver and Farok V Singing, 67.4% (GBR)

Grade V
1. Sophie Wells and Classic Jillz Geuzenhof, 74.62% (GBR)
2. Sophie Wells and Don Cara M, 74.46% (GBR)
3. Charlotte Cundall and FJ Veyron, 71.50% (GBR)

CPEDI3* Individual Test
Grade I
1. Michael Murphy and Cleverboy, 74.64% (IRL)
2. Gabriella Blake and Strong Beau, 71.64% (GBR)
3. Jamie Winduss and Day And Night, 70.21% (GBR)

Grade II
1. Georgia Wilson and Sakura, 73.14% (GBR)
2. Lee Pearson and Roughcote Jupiter, 71.14% (GBR)
3. Georgia Wilson and Midnight II, 70.92% (GBR)

Grade III
1. Roberta Sheffield and Fairuza, 71.23% (CAN)
2. Emma Kent and Royalty II, 70.29% (CAN
3. Amanda Shirtcliffe and Hermione, 70.05% (GBR)

Grade IV
1. Nicola Naylor and Del Piero V, 70.70% (GBR)
2. Nicola Naylor and Humberto L, 68.36% (GBR)
3. Laura Gulliver and Farok V Singing, 68.29% (GBR)

Grade V
1. Sophie Wells and Don Cara M, 77.07% (GBR)
2. Sophie Wells and Classsic Jillz Geuzenhof, 74.61% (GBR)
3. Charlotte Cundall and FJ Veyron, 72.95% (GBR)

CPEDI3* Freestyle
Grade I
1. Michael Murphy and Cleverboy, 74.98% (IRL)
2. Gabriella Blake and Strong Beau, 74.42% (GBR)
3. Jamie Winduss and Day And Night, 70.52% (GBR)

Grade II
1. Georgia Wilson and Sakura, 76.74% (GBR)
2. Sir Lee Pearson and Roughcote Jupiter, 74.21% (GBR)
3. Natasha Adkinson and Sweet Caledonia, 70.07% (GBR)

Grade III
1. Emma Kent and Royalty II, 73.02% (GBR)
2. Roberta Sheffield and Fairuza 72.85% (CAN)
3. Amanda Shirtcliffe and Hermione, 70.57% (GBR)

Grade IV
1. Nicola Naylor and Humberto L, 74.86% (GBR)
2. Rosemary Gaffney and Chantal 2, 70.41% (IRL)
3. Heather Bennet and Rhonderful Dorrells, 70.00% (GBR)

Grade V
1. Sophie Wells and Don Cara M, 80.71% (GBR)
2. Charlotte Cundall and FJ Veyron, 76.09% (GBR)
3. Hope Hayward Cadeau K, 71.16% (GBR)

CPEDI2* Novice A
Grade II
1. Sarah Cooper and Seni-Lliso, 69.85% (GBR)
2. Jason Inchley and Rubin Ryella, 66.01% (GBR)
3. Jane Ogden and Fairview Romeo, 64.2% (GBR)

Grade III
1. Vicky Nurcombe and Celano V, 65.67% (GBR)
2. Roseanne Knox and Eragon M, 63.20% (GBR)

Grade IV
1. Heather Bennett and Dolores Van Cartier, 67.70% (GBR)
2. Alicia Griffiths and Aegrus Ophelia, 66.15% (GBR)

CPEDI2* Team Test
Grade II
1. Sarah Cooper and Seni-Lliso, 65.70% (GBR)
2. Jane Ogden and Fairview Romeo, 64.79% (GBR)
3. Jason Inchley and Rubin Ryella, 63.08% (GBR)

Grade III
1. Roseanne Knox and Eragon M, 61.37% (GBR)
2. Vicky Nurcombe and Celano V, 60.98% (GBR)

Grade IV
1. Heather Bennett and Dolores Van Cartier, 66.29% (GBR)
2. Alicia Griffiths and Aegrus Ophelia, 65.16% (GBR)

CPEDI2* Freestyle
Grade II
1. Sarah Cooper and Seni-Lliso, 69.66% (GBR)
2. Jason Inchley and Rubin Ryella, 66.71% (GBR)
3. Jane Ogden and Fairview Rome, 65.45% (GBR)

Grade III
1. Vicky Nurcombe and Celano V, 62.57% (GBR)
2. Roseanne Knox and Eragon, 60.92% (GBR)

Grade IV
1. Heather Bennett and Dolores Van Cartier, 69.18% (GBR)
2. Alicia Griffiths and Aegrus Ophelia, 63.90% (GBR)

CPEDI1*
Novice A Grade III
1, Sharon Kelsall and Summer Hit, 64.93% (GBR)

Novice B Grade III
1. Sharon Kelsall and Summer Hit, 67.73% (GBR)

Freestyle Grade III
1. Sharon Kelsall and Summer Hit, 55.88% (GBR)

FULL RESULTS

Photo © Kevin Sparrow

CDI3* and CDIYJPCh-A reports to follow