Myerscough Premier League: Moody in winning form

Becky Moody produced five winning tests at the FEI levels together with taking two wins in the young horse classes at Myerscough Premier League Show in Lancashire (07 – 12 March 2023). The show saw strong performances across the six days of competition, despite the snowy conditions unleashed by Storm Larisa keeping many competitors stranded at home.

Becky’s continued good form resulted in multiple successes, including a Grand Prix win with homebred high achiever, Jagerbomb (Dante Weltino x Jazz) - pictured above. The nine-year-old gelding, on only his second start at the level, was piloted by Becky to win the 24-strong LeMieux Grand Prix on Sunday with an impressive score of 71.27%. The duo was followed on the leader board by Louise Bell with Into the Blue (70.91%) then Tom Goode with Dior III (70.72%).

“I was really pleased with Jagerbomb,” commented Becky. “He’s still green at the level and we had a poor transition into piaffe on the centre line, but there was so much good stuff! There’s a lot to come as he gets stronger. He really does have a heart of gold and he always just goes in there and enjoys it.”

Saturday’s Grand Prix Freestyle saw a convincing win by Matt Frost and the 11-year-old KWPN mare Helga (by Chagall D&R), who he co-owns with Nicola Keenan. This promising partnership took the class on 72.63%, with Dan Greenwood aboard Chevalier-O and Nathalie Kayal with DHI Homerun completing the podium.

“What a day for us all," said Matt on social media. "Helga was a total superstar and won the Grand Prix Freestyle at Myerscough Premier League. She is feeling great after a winter of training. Thanks Carl Hester for all your support. So nice to be out in the arena with her.”

Earlier in the week, Becky Moody claimed Thursday’s Fairfax Saddles Prix St Georges Gold on 72.89% with Jo Cooper’s stallion James Bond II, the Desperado x Fidertanz nine-year-old adding another victory in Friday’s Saracen Horse Feeds Intermediate I Gold (70.59%).

“I was really, really pleased with James Bond,” commented Becky. “There were too many little glitches, so not the scores that we could achieve, but fundamentally he had really good energy levels throughout the show and was really up for it. I was very happy with him.”

Another promising nine-year-old ridden by Becky, Jo Cooper’s Jack Diamond (Electron x Diamond Hit), shone bright to win Thursday’s Saracen Horse Feeds Intermediate I Gold (71.23%) and Friday’s Fairfax Saddles Prix St Georges Gold (71.47%), sealing direct qualification to the LeMieux National Championships at both levels for both horses.

“It was Jack Diamond’s first Inter I test, and although we had a good mark, I wasn’t totally happy [with his way of going],” continued Becky. “On the second day, I worked on him being more 'through' and relaxed, and he felt really super.”

Talking about the progress and development of this trio of promising rides, Becky added, “It’s really exciting. They’re all nine and hopefully all three of them will be Grand Prix-ready next year.”

In the young horse classes showcasing the next generation of dressage stars, Becky won the KBIS 6YO qualifier on Magic Dream (Governor x Swarovski) and the 7YO qualifier with Lancelot B.S. (Dreamboy x Lancet) as well as placing strongly with Emma Blundell’s MSJ Viva Dannebrog (Vitalis x Don Schufro) in the 5YO qualifiers at their first show together.

Danny delivers
Jess Dunn, who is based at White Hill Stud in the Ribble Valley, Lancashire, enjoyed a fantastic Premier League show clocking up several successes along the way. Partnering Jennifer Whittaker’s Dan It’s Carston, by the Grand Prix stallion Durable, she achieved a super 74.41% in the Bret Willson Dressage International Advanced Medium 96 Gold, adding another win when taking the Advanced Medium 98 Gold on 71.71%.

Dan It’s Carston, a handsome bay 10-year-old gelding, bears a striking resemblance to his sire, Durable. “From what we’ve seen, his [Durable] offspring are all a spitting image of him!” said Jess. “They’re very similar in stamp, movement and temperament.”

Dan It’s Carston, also known as Danny, was first spotted by Jess and owner Jen last July. “We just happened upon Danny,” explained Jess. “He was with Astrid Bolton to be sold when he came here for a lesson with Isobel Wessels. We straight away thought, ‘we like him!’

“He is super-springy with lots of ability and a very nice character. He’s a proper sweetheart.”

KBIS high scorer
The young horses classes attracted a high number of quality contenders, with the biggest score awarded in the KBIS Young Dressage Horse 5YO category. A cracking score of 87.20 came courtesy of Jess Dunn with Jennifer Whittaker’s WHS Funtime Frankie (Franziskus x Ferro), a black gelding bred at White Hill Stud.

“It was incredible, we were a bit shocked, as we only took him for experience,” said Jess. “He was brilliant and gave me a great feeling in the arena.

“Frank is a very special horse. Jen was there at his birth, and he is the first of her home-bred horses to be out competing,” explained Jess. “He’s only little (16hh), but he has a lot of presence and shows a lot of natural ability. He’s a super horse, was so easy to back and is a joy to work with.”

Youth stars shine
In the U21 divisions, Demi Howard-Cartwright with Fin C WE, and Sofia Games with Steendieks Cadillac shared the top spot in the Pony Individual Test - both combinations achieving 69.01%. Sofia, who was a British team member at the 2022 Pony European Championships partnered by Next Black Magic, later piloted Steendieks Cadillac to win Saturday’s Pony Team Test.

National Academy rider Sophia Marston was unbeaten in the FEI Junior tests with Imogen Murray and Seonaidh O’Neill’s 14-year-old son of Jazz, E-mail, while Lily Laughton impressed in the Young Rider classes with her new ride, Alicia Laughton’s Skovborgs Romadinov.

Skovborgs Romadinov (by Blue Hors Romanov), a former Junior and Young Rider partner of Denmark’s Sara Aagaard Hyrm, made his competition debut with Lily in February, and Myerscough Premier League was only their third competition together. Lily took to social media to say, “What an amazing Premier League debut at Myerscough! On the first day we did the Young Rider Individual test, taking the win on almost 69%, with this being the first time we have ridden it so there is a lot to improve!

“Romadi has tried so hard for me all weekend and I’m so excited for this season. [I’m] So grateful to be riding a horse like him.”

Mimi Kempster and Rachael Sinden-Kempster’s 13-year-old German Riding Pony gelding, Che Bello (FS Champion de Luxe x Dressman I) won both Children on Horses tests, posting 68.40% in the Individual, and 69.55% in the Team.

Congratulations to all who took part and thank you to the team at Myerscough College for hosting a successful show.

Results: top three
Tuesday 07 March
TopSpec Medium 75 Gold
1. Melissa Chapman and Koning II, 70.61%
2. Bridget Tate and Francesco S, 69.46%
3. Charlotte Donovan and Just It’s Mie, 68.85%

Bret Willson Dressage International Advanced Medium 96 Gold
1. Jessica Dunn and Dan It’s Carston, 74.41%
2. Chloe Vell and Royal Rendezvous, 67.83%
3. Tracy Tomlinson and Wa’spoir, 66.19%

KBIS Young Dressage Pony 5YO
1. Anna Burns and Godrics Conquistador, 69.00

British Dressage 5YO FEI Int. British Young Dressage Horse
1. Kirstie Clarke and Nureno, 87.00
2. Becky Moody and MSJ Viva Dannebrog, 80.20
3. Mark Walters and New Secret, 80.00

British Dressage 6YO FEI Int. British Young Dressage Horse
1. Matthew Burnett and Mackintosh II, 70.40

Wednesday 08 March
KBIS Young Dressage Horse 4YO
1. Jennifer Martell and DBM Secre-C, 84.00
2. Hayley Colwell and Magnetic, 77.60
3. Jennifer Martell and Secret Millionaire, 76.20

KBIS Young Dressage Horse 5YO
1. Jessica Dunn and WHS Funtime Frankie, 87.20
2. Gregory Sims and Walnuts Zebadee, 78.80
3. Kirstie Clarke and Nureno, 77.80

KBIS Young Dressage Horse 6YO
1. Becky Moody and Magic Dream, 77.40
2. Melissa Chapman and Godieta’s Mind Over Matter, 75.40
3. Martin Schleicher and Marvelous Taonga, 73.20

British Dressage Young Horse 7YO
1. Becky Moody and Lancelot B.S., 18.53
2. Anne-Marie Cowan and Lumière L, 17.83

Advanced Medium 102 Gold
1. Georgina Roden and Saraswati, 67.50%
2. Chloe Vell and Royal Rendezvous, 65.89%
3. Anne-Marie Cowan and Kracka GH, 65.59%

Thursday 09 March
Bret Willson Dressage International Advanced Medium 98 Gold
1. Jessica Dunn and Dan It’s Carston, 71.71%
2. Anne-Marie Cowan and Lumière L, 69.56%
3. Kirstie Clarke and Ghita Fille de Zita S, 67.98%

Fairfax Saddles Prix St Georges Gold
1. Becky Moody and James Bond II, 72.89%
2. Sarah Higgins and Geniaal, 71.86%
3. Becky Moody and AB Barroco, 70.59%

Saracen Horse Feeds Intermediate I Gold
1. Becky Moody and Jack Diamond, 71.23%
2. Tyla Jane Schou and Dennis DeNiro, 69.75%
3. Becky Moody and James Bond II, 69.41%

Friday 10 March
Fairfax Saddles Prix St Georges Gold
1. Becky Moody and Jack Diamond, 71.47%
2. Sarah Rao and Geniaal, 71.37%
3. Sara-Jane Lanning and Hawtins Lirica, 68.82%

Saracen Horse Feeds Intermediate I Gold
1. Becky Moody and James Bond II, 70.59%
2. Tyla Jayne Schou and Dennis DeNiro, 69.75%
3. Sarah Rao and Faydirmie ZH, 69.51%

Pony Individual Test
=1. Demi Howard-Cartwright and Fin C WE, 69.01%
=1. Sofia Games and Steendieks Cadillac, 69.01%
3. Abigail Gray and George Clooney B.S., 68.42%

Junior Individual Test
1. Sophia Marston and E-mail, 69.41%
2. Isabella Caldwell and Don Geniro, 67.45%
3. Megan Field and Bright Time, 66.23%

Young Rider Individual Test
1. Lily Laughton and Skovborgs Romadinov, 68.92%
2. Emily Coller and Flabbergasted II, 63.82%
3. Emily Coller and Alina V, 63.68%

Children on Horses Individual Test
1. Mimi Kempster and Che Bello, 68.40%
2. Darcey Blaze Marcus and Tackmann’s Dark Deluxe, 67.80%

Saturday 11 March
Pony Team Test
1. Sofia Games and Steendieks Cadillac, 69.81%
2. Demi Howard-Cartwright and Fin C WE, 69.67%
3. Myles Graham and Dresscode Cocktail, 69.38%

Junior Team Test
1. Sophia Marston and E-mail, 71.26%
2. Myles Graham and Nibeley Union Hit, 69.14%
3. Isabella Caldwell and Don Geniro, 68.03%

Young Rider Team Test
1. Lily Laughton and Skovborgs Romadinov, 70.00%
2. Ruby Hughes and World Exclusive, 69.12%
3. Emily Coller and Flabbergasted II, 66.27%

Children on Horses Team Test
1. Mimi Kempster and Che Bello, 69.55%
2. Darcey Blaze Marcus and Tackmann’s Dark Deluxe, 69.30%
3. Emily Sheldon and Wadacre’s Wee Pocket Rocket, 67.45%

Stübben Intermediate II
1. Kathleen Kröncke and Kiriakos TSF, 69.17%
2. Eilidh Grant and Mount St John Doornroos II, 67.84%
3. Nikolas Kröncke and Flanell, 66.86%

Intermediate I Freestyle
1. Belinda Brereton and Galaxy Moone, 69.46%
2. Sarah Higgins and Geniaal, 68.79%
3. Sarah Higgins and Easter Bunny II, 68.04%

Grand Prix Freestyle
1. Matt Frost and Helga, 72.63%
2. Dan Greenwood and Chevalier-O, 70.61%
3. Nathalie Kayal and DHI Homerun, 70.57%

Sunday 12 March
LeMieux Grand Prix 16-25
1. Anna Jesty and Commodore Platinum, 67.05%
2. Bridget Tate and Daltrey, 65.13%
3. Anna Jesty and Discoqueen St Giles, 59.49%

LeMieux Grand Prix
1. Becky Moody and Jagerbomb, 71.27%
2. Louise Bell and Into the Blue, 70.91%
3. Tom Goode and Dior III, 70.72%

VIEW FULL RESULTS