LeMieux Nationals 2024: day two

The sun was shining as day two got underway at Somerford Park for day two of the LeMieux National Dressage Championships, where six new National Champions were crowned.

KBIS Young Dressage Horse Four-Year-Old Champion

Winner: Jezz Palmer and Premier, 90.00%

Jezz Palmer rode the extremely talented Premier (First Date x Govenor) owned by Martin Price, to win the KBIS Young Dressage Horse Four-Year-Old final.

The young gelding impressed judge Isobel Wessels and trainer judge Spencer Wilton, to achieve an incredible score of 9 for their ‘way of going’ and a 9.5 for the ‘general impression’. The only four-year-old to achieve  scores of 9 or above. The partnership between rider and horse is so quintessential to how a horse performs, “I think it is great that we have a partnership like we do now, I always take my time with the young ones, doing little and often. They get to know me, and they trust me” Jezz shares.

Reflecting on his outstanding score Jezz spoke to us about how the Dutch gelding felt, “he was so chilled, he felt so good and through his body. I had Dannie Morgan helping me in the warmup, and we thought he felt and looked great, so we left him.” The only thing he may have improved on was his walk Jezz tells us, “but he still got a really good mark and on the whole, the balance felt right and everything felt great.” One of the highlights of their test being their trot, “I have actually been working on our trot, it is something you have to produce and today I felt like the trot came out really strong and he got rewarded for it. So, I am very happy.”

Having competed at the Ermelo Young World Breeding Championships with the stunning bay, Jezz shares how he pictured the atmosphere at the National Championships to be very similar, “he was so good the whole time there, so coming here I imagined he would be about the same, which it was.” The young horse enjoys the spotlight and the feel of a big event, “he loves it, he’s not a spooky horse” Jezz tells us, “so if you get him in the right place he will go and do his job, so for me it is so lovely having a horse like him.”

Jezz has been riding Premier for just over a year, after going to Holland to buy him, “to have gone and picked him to him now turning into a big winner, it’s been the icing on the cake.” Describing the 16.1hh Jezz tells us, “he is one of those that is quite cheeky and everything is in his mouth, he’s a big child.” However, he was not the easiest horse when he arrived, “when we were in Holland, he was the quietest stallion and could be led around the stables but when we brought him over to the UK he was nuts and I thought we had made a mistake!” Now the equine superstar has settled down and become such a chilled horse but he has never lost his playful streak.

The young horse classes are so important to help bring these talented horses into the competition atmosphere that allows them to grow in confidence and enjoy themselves. Jezz spoke to us about how beneficial the KBIS Young Dressage Horse classes are for the start of a horse’s career, “I have always loved doing the young horse classes, I think it is an amazing opportunity, even when you go out to qualify, taking them out and in the ring. The judges are more lenient if they have a little wobble.” Competing at the National Championships is also a great experience, “to be able to come here with the top 14 in the country is a great thing to have. I would be gutted if they ever stopped” Jezz explains.

Jezz stated he was quietly confident about competing today, “I knew he would be able to come here and hold his own but I never thought in a million years he would win by 11%.” Jezz and Premier were greeted by an emotional support team when they left the arena, “when I came out my wife was holding her fingers up telling me it was a 90” which Jezz couldn't believe, “and then his owner Martin Price, burst into tears, telling me how proud it was of him and then Molly my groom looked like she was about to cry. I am not really emotional, but I felt like I was going to cry and I hadn’t even won then, I only had my score.”

Planning on giving Premier a break after this, ready to compete during the winter, Jezz tells us that he will keep competing in the young horse classes, “we will give him a couple months off and then we will begin to focus on next year.”

Florisemo ridden by Katie Ownes finished in second place with a 79.400 and Galaxico ridden by Beth Bainbridge finished in third with 79.000%.

 

Saracen Horse Feeds Gold Inter I Championship

Winner: Laura Tomlinson and Forest Hill, 71.765%

It was a double placing for Laura Tomlinson in the Saracen Horse Feeds Gold Inter I Championship, taking first place on Forest Hill with a score of 71.765% and second place on Full Moon II with a score of 71.147%.

“I was in the PSG yesterday and I felt like both horses were more settled today in the arena. Forrest felt really good, he was a little green in places and I can tell he hasn’t been to a competition in a while. He’s genuinely lovely in the frame and it’s easy to give a nice, correct picture with him.” Laura speaks to us about her experience in the LeMieux Arena today.

Both Forest Hill and Full Moon 11 are homebred, Laura describes them as “pretty uncomplicated” and tells us about their personalities and her progress with Forest Hill, “he gets more and more up for it in the ring at the moment. He hits his diagonals and sort of takes off with me like ‘lets go mum’ so it’s really nice feeling that change in him and how he’s starting to become a bit more ambitious himself.”

With just over 0.6% between the two placings, Laura explains why she thinks Forest Hill had the edge, “he's got super expressive changes which help at that level. Sometimes he’s over enthusiastic but I think that’s probably where he won, when he gets it right, it’s got a little bit more pizazz.”

Speaking on the eight-year-old, “each time he moves up a level, he’s finding a new gear a little bit. He’s not the most spectacular but he’s just super correct and every time you ask a little bit more to go up a level, he’s got the right answers and he’s just really fun to work with.”

The gelding is described to us as “really cuddly, very hungry, very sleepy. He likes to sleep, eat and cuddle! He’s a lot quieter than Full Moon, he’s quite vocal if you walk onto the yard he says hi! Full Moon’s a lot more in your face to handle in general, he’s just all over you! They’re both like big dogs!”

Laura and Full Moon return tomorrow for the Inter I Freestyle and Laura will be riding Soegaards Bon Royal in the Grand Prix.

Across the weekend Laura will be taking to the LeMieux Arena for the masterclasses where she tells us “even if someone’s only watching one of the days, they’ll get something out of it and for those that watch both, there will hopefully be a nice progression to see on the second day what happens with those horses when they come through my system and where you can get them.”

Third place went to Andrew Gould and Active Solaris with a score of 70.882%.

 

TopSpec Medium Silver Championship

Caroline Hunt and Fancy That, 73.000%

Returning champion Caroline Hunt has had another incredible year at this year’s Nationals. Riding her own ten-year-old Franziskus x Kaiser Kult chestnut mare, Fancy That, or Freya as she’s known at home, Caroline became the TopSpec Medium Silver Champion on a score of 73.000%.

The combination were the Elementary Silver Champions in 2022 and it’s fantastic to see this promising pair continuing their success as they work up the levels. “Coming back, to be honest, I was just really thrilled to get a chance to come back here.” Says Caroline, describing what it was like to return and once again claim the champion title.

Talking to us about how this partnership has been one that has not rushed, Caroline says, “I've had Freya since she was two, and she came over from Germany when she was three, and then I really cracked on with her from about four years old, but she's been with me the whole time so it's been really nice because I've been able to take it at my speed and she’s really easy, so if I feel that she needs a break, I don't really worry about bringing her back into work, but if I put the pressure on, she thrives on it.”

On the lead up to the nationals Caroline explained how she was conscious that she didn’t want to let it add to much pressure saying, “I needed to make sure that they didn't suddenly go, ‘Oh, we've qualified for the nationals. We must change everything.’ I needed to keep it the same so that she wasn't unnerved by it, and I knew that if I kept it quite similar, she'd be quite relaxed.”

However, this journey has also been a team effort, “I've had lots of help. I have Julie Payne, who is based at the yard that I run at Oxford, or the edge of Oxford, and then, Judy Harvey very kindly helped me with my warm up this morning.” Says Caroline, explaining how crucial this was to their success, “So I've got a really good support network. I'm really lucky.”

This conscious approach to training and building a partnership with a horse has really paid off for the pair. “She's only been out twice this year, so the idea of even being in the top three was like a dream come true.” Says Caroline, going on to say how this made the test all the more special for her: “I think that's what stood out for me, was to go into those boards and her take a breath and say, okay, Mum, what would you like that? For me, it beats all rosettes and sashes.”

Rose Foley and Suarez came in second with a score of 70.379% and Beth Miller took third place with a score of 70.027% on possibly one of the biggest horses we’ll see at this year’s nationals, U-gino, standing at 18.2hh.

 

Bettalife Novice Gold Champion

Winner: Alice Peternell and Newton D, 74.185%

“I’m thrilled with my test because he stayed pretty consistently with me.” said Alice before she opened up to us about how she almost did not make it down the centre line with the six-year-old, Newton D, and seriously considered withdrawing, “It was very difficult when I came yesterday and he almost threw me off and then did again this morning, so I was slightly worried about it before I warmed up.”

Talking about how she managed to put this confidence-knocking start behind them, Alice explains, “From having quite a tricky start with him, there is definitely an element of sort of talking myself around, like, come on. You can do this, and we can both do this, and psych myself up, and then try to breathe, be calm, so that it gives us confidence to do the job. He's a hot horse, and it's just getting his brain channelled where, yeah, he's working nicely,” adding “To put that to bed, go it and win, it makes it extra special.”

However, Alice goes on to add that the real thing that kept her going was the support she had with her, saying, “It's having a good team around you”.

“Lee has been amazing. Not only getting the horse ready, but he's really supportive as well, and he's led me everywhere too and that makes a difference having someone there that has got your back and is helping you and boosting your confidence. Lee deals with him, on a day-to-day basis as well. So, I felt really lucky to have him with me.” Says Alice, crediting Lee Westaway, her Yard Manager, for being key to her making it into the white boards.

She also tells us how she trains with Carl Hester and despite not seeing this horse Carl’s support with her other horses has helped her hugely: “It just helps you, with how you train in general and having tools, in your toolkit to go to. Carl helping me with the other one feeds back on to all of them”

This is a fairly new partnership and originally he came to Alice to be sold. However, Alice saw something in him and decided to buy him herself. She is now focusing on building that partnership and despite at time “questioning her sanity” she goes on to say “I've just got to try and hopefully calm down the silliness at the beginning where he just gets himself wound up then by the time I did the test, he feels lovely, soft and relaxed, and how I want it to, so it's there, it's in there. It's just tapping into it. He is really talented and that's what keeps me going with him. Also to deal with, and so he's such a sweet horse, so I've just got to find that way with him.”

Darcas Lever and Savannah I took second place on 73.815% and Robert Barker and Licorno claimed third on 73.037%.

Fairfax Saddles Prix St Georges Freestyle Gold Championship

Winner: Sarah Higgins and Geniaal, 77.150%

After claiming her very first National title on day one at the LeMieux Championships, Sarah Higgins went on to achieve the Prix St Georges double on day two, becoming Fairfax Saddles Supreme Champion with Sarah Rao’s, Geniaal.

In the Freestyle, Sarah truly reigned supreme with a fantastic winning score of 77.1505, ranking a unanimous first amongst Peter Storr (E), Jane Critchley (H), Isobel Wessels (C), Nick Burton (M) and Leanne Wall (B).

“It’s a total dream to be honest,” Sarah said after her prize giving, “I hardly slept last night I was just so excited! Today I think when I got into the arena I just felt much more relaxed and I really enjoyed riding him. It feels amazing!”

Sarah managed to pull it all together at the last minute for her freestyle win, borrowing good friend Amy Woodhead’s Prix St Georges programme to be able to take part in the class: “I don’t have my own music for him so thankfully my good friend Amy stepped in at the last moment...this morning! I rode the four-year-old this morning and focused on those, and then as soon as I got home I sat and watched the test video over and over again!”

“The horse is so amazing to ride and so easy in lots of ways, you don’t to think crazy amounts, so I could take the time to listen to the music as well as riding him.”

“He’s generous, that’s the best way to describe him. For me as a trained, training Sarah on him, he’s taken me to places I could have never dreamed of. We’ve both won internationals on him and for one horse to give two people that much back is quite extraordinary really. He’s a very special boy,” Sarah concluded, reflecting on the Vivaldi-sired stallion who’s a shining example of how special the horse-human relationship is.

Second place belonged to Becky Moody with Jo Cooper’s seven-year-old Magic Dream (Governor x Swarovski) on a super score of 74.975%, whilst Matt Frost and his own Sezuan-sired Kerouac completed the podium with 73.725%.

Fairfax Saddles Prix St Georges Silver Championship

Winner: Bryony Goodwin and Krack DE, 69.882% 

In the final class of the day in the Vector Arena, Bryony Goodwin topped the podium with Krack DE, scoring 69.882% to win the Fairfax Saddles Prix St Georges Silver Championship. 

Bryony, who is based in Gloucestershire and trains with Sarah Pincus, who was there to help Bryony warm up today, said “the test went really well. We had a really good frame of mind when we started the test. I was really pleased with the trot work, it was lovely and expressive. And then I made a little mistake in the canter. But we picked up and carried on, and obviously, just about did well enough.” 

This is a second National title win for Bryony, who topped the podium last year at the LeMieux National Championships riding her own Dion II in the HorseQuest Elementary Gold. 

When asked if Bryony felt any added pressure coming here today having won last year, she said “not particularly because of having won last year, I think I more felt a bit of pressure because we won at the regional a few weeks ago. So then I was a bit more feeling like I need to try and keep this good form going.” 

Bryony has only been riding the 13 year old gelding since April, who is owned by Antonia Brown and has been previously ridden by Dan Greenwood. Despite their relatively short partnership together, the two clearly have a strong bond already, with Bryony describing him as “an absolute gem of a horse, a really, really lovely character, but he is quite cheeky as well! Training wise, he tries really, really hard for me, we have to be very tactful and make sure that he's comfortable in the work, and as long as he's comfortable in the work and trusts in me, then he tries really hard for me.” 

On their future plans, Bryony said “we'll just quietly keep working away. And maybe it would be nice to think that maybe we'll step up as well at some point. But just when we're both ready, I don't want to rush.” 

Bryony is competing again this week in the TopSpec Medium Silver Championship on Saturday with her own horse Dion II, and the Bret Willson International Advanced Medium Silver on Sunday with both Krack De and Dion II.  

In second place was Amanda Towle Shaw with Rockwood Virtue scoring 69.882%, followed by Sara Squires and Laetitius C who scored 68.471% to finish third.