Petplan Summer Championships 24: Day Two

Autumn delivered a beautiful day of bronze sunshine and golden winners on day two at the Petplan Summer Area Festival Championships, where we met five winners with special stories behind their success. 

Petplan Medium Freestyle Bronze 

Winner: Chelsea Donovan and Frankie Zenturio, 71.000%  

Success tasted extra sweet for Chelsea Donovan who achieved her first championship win with her homebred 12-year-old Frankie Zenturio, scoring 71% to earn the Petplan Medium Freestyle Bronze title.  

“It feels absolutely amazing, I’m speechless,” she said with a smile after her prize giving, “My aim was to get over 65%, I thought that if I made it into the top ten I would be thrilled. I’m over the moon. We got a wild card last year to do the Elementary Freestyle where we came eighth, but Medium is a whole new level and I’m thrilled with him.” 

“He was really relaxed and rideable and I love my music,” Chelsea said about her performance where she rode to violin-inspired Ed Sheeran tunes in front of Cherry Elvin (E), Debbie Wardle (C) and Janet Surr (M). “We’ve been working hard to keep variety and not keep working too much in the arena. I have been playing with changes a bit because we’re aiming to do some Advanced Mediums by the end of the year. 

“But this is all new to us, it’s the highest level either of us have ridden at so to win today is just amazing.” 

Achieving this level of success with a horse that has been part of the family since his first day in the world makes the experience all the more special – explaining his story Chelsea said, “At the time I was working for a show jumper, we decided to put his mum in foal, so he’s show jump-bred by Centurio. I went to put her feed over the door one of the days and there he was! I didn’t think he’d grow big enough for me because I’m quite tall but luckily he did.” 

“We have jumped but I absolutely love dressage,” she continued, talking about her superstar horse, “What I love most about him is that he always looks like he’s smiling when he goes around the ring, he’s always got his ears forward and he loves the work.” 

Chelsea, who runs a riding school in Kent, is an inspiring example of how to do everything and still find time for winning titles, “I have two kids, three and four, I’m a wife and I just try to fit everything in – Frankie is my sanity, I love working with him and he helps me keep sane with my crazy life!” 

Denise Glanville took the reserve champion position with Gypsy Fortune, whilst the British Hanoverian Donaigo Ace (Don Index x De Niro) produced a lovely performance for third place with Sophie Isaacs in the saddle.  

Petplan Medium Freestyle Silver 

Winner: Emma Jane Agnew and Heroique J, 69.445%  

Local lady Emma Jane Agnew earned her very first championship win in the Petplan Medium Freestyle Silver, scoring 69.445% to take the title with her own Heroique J.  

“It feels amazing,” Emma reflected, sharing an emotional story behind her win, “he is literally my horse of a lifetime. He was my present to myself when I got over breast cancer, I said ‘if I survive I’m going to buy myself a nice horse’ and he has to be a nice horse because I’m not all that strong any more! He’s just an absolute darling. I train with Amy Woodhead and Jane Critchely has been polishing us up on test points. It’s just unbelievable that he’s won today.” 

Hero’, known to his friends at home as Peter Perfect,  has been more than just a dancing partner to Emma: “He kind of saved me after I was diagnosed; I had a really aggressive round of breast cancer treatment for a year and the doctor said ‘if you give me a year of your life I’ll give you the rest of your life back’. He was there are a shining symbol for me. I’m not that strong and he’s everything to me.” 

“He’s just a joy. People ask if I get nervous and the answer is no because we just love competing together. We love going out, we go to the beach together, we go hacking together, we do pole work clinics together, he’s just such great company.” 

The day wasn’t without its challenges for Emma and Hero, who managed to hold their nerve despite a stressful start: “It didn’t start off so well as my tack locker key wouldn’t work! So we were all ready, I went to put his tack on and couldn’t get in! Luckily, I have a really good team of people with me and one of them, Maxine, is really good at DIY and she managed to open it. Our warm up did not go to plan and I was trying to get through it with deep breathing to stay calm! But the test went really well – I hadn’t got here in time to do the arena walk but he rose to the occasion and thought everything looked fabulous and was there just for him! I was really pleased with him.”  

Ros Emery Kay was responsible for the winning floorplan and music, which Emma is looking forward to tweaking for Advanced Medium level, aiming to make the step up over the winter. 

Concluding on a special experience, Emma commented on the Petplan series, saying “It’s just a brilliant thing to do, anyone can go and do it right from the ground upwards. The Area Festivals always have a lovely atmosphere, the judges are nice, the stewards are nice and the rosettes are beautiful! You’ll see me chatting with people that I’ve only met through Petplan and we’ve supported each other through the Petplan journey, we then become friends on social media and stay for each other's prize givings, it’s just a lovely experience.” 

There was plenty of applause in the afternoon sun-kissed prize giving for all top ten placed riders, with Matilda Ashley and Christianslund Gevalia earning second and Craig Messenger with Neil Higham’s eye-catching stallion Treliver De La Creme in third. 

Petplan Prix St Georges Freestyle Bronze 

Winner: Jessica Parr and Juvat FCS, 69.375% 

Claiming the final title of the day, Jessica Parr rode her Fairytale-sired ten-year-old mare Juvat FCS to victory in the Petplan Prix St Georges Freestyle Bronze title, scoring 69.37%.  

Jessica made a gamble on her freestyle choices which paid off; telling the story of how she chose her music she said, “That’s the first time I’ve done the test! I got my music through last week, so I had a practice on Sunday. I was undecided, I usually do Abba but I had mixed opinions on this music...two thirds loved it and one didn’t so I only decided two days ago to ride to this programme!” 

“I’ve had her since she was five,” she continued, speaking about her elegant black mare, “she’s ten now, this is her first year doing PSG and mine as well so we’re learning together. But we really enjoyed that today. We’re working towards Inter I so I’d love to have a go at that later in the year.” 

“She’s so easy on the floor and lovely to have around.” 

Second place belonged to Nicola North with Baptista-Ra (Bretton Woods x De Niro), whilst Bex Woolf and her British-bred mare by Wolkenderry, Hillgrounds Woleena, completed a super top three.  

Petplan Medium Bronze  

Winner: Laura Schroter and Willem van Wup, 70.441% 

Event rider Laura Schroter brought her handsome bay Willem van Wup to Arena UK and impressed the judges in the Petplan Medium Bronze, scoring 70.441% to take the win.  

“He was fantastic,” West Sussex-based Laura said, “he stayed really rideable and totally with me for all of it. I perhaps over-prepared for a couple of the canter movements which is where we got marked down for a couple of mistakes. But he was just fantastic, he just loves a big show and loves a big atmosphere, he’s one that shows off rather than gets tense. So it’s really nice to be able to ride him at a show like this.” 

Reflecting on the highlights of her test she continued, “His medium canters felt fantastic today. He used to be an event horse so it’s a movement I can really go for, his range, canter and gallop are fantastic. He’s always just a dream to ride in the trots.” 

“I’ve owned him since he was four,” Laura spoke about her long-term partnership with her 15-year-old gelding, “his breeder was actually one of the guys with me today who’s come over from Holland to see him. We’ve just gone up through the levels eventing, up to four-star level. He’s had a few placings at three and four-star and then this year I decided he just deserves a quieter life. So, we retired from eventing and tried a bit of dressage!” 

“This is our first championship or anything serious dressage, so I’m thrilled.” 

“I’d love to come back at Advanced Medium and we’re just kind of learning all the new moves. We’ve been playing with four-time and three-time changes, they’re quite chaotic at the moment! We’re learning that and some canter pirouettes, and I just want to keep him feeling really good and happy, so I hope we’ll just keep moving up the levels of dressage.” 

Abigail Tomlinson and Don Carlos Z scored 69.804% to take second place, whilst Alex Greatorex and the Irish Sports Horse Carrick Toomes Ambassador (Carrick Diamond Lad x Cruising) placed third.  

Petplan Medium Silver 

Winner: Penny Smith and Rembrandt GSH, 70.539%  

Penny Smith made a joyful return to the winner's circle with Rembrandt GSH, scoring 70.539% to claim the Petplan Medium Silver and record a remarkable come-back.

“It’s actually insane," a beaming Penny said after her prize giving, "I haven’t got a rug in a very very long time! The first time I did was at Novice level on him and that was ages ago, I’m over the moon right now.” 

“He was off for the whole of 2022 and his rehab took nine months of just walking," the young rider explained about an amazing journey back from a really unlucky spell of soft tissue injuries. Her patience and kindness have been rewarded with sweet victory, as she spoke about bringing her heart horse back to full strength, "we built his work up gradually and finally got here! We started our journey together doing Novice and now we’re back at Medium and Advanced Medium; he’s just the best, he’s the sweetest ever.” 

“I love him so much and wouldn’t change him for the world – he can find everything super scary sometimes but that aside he’s the cuddliest horse ever."

Reflecting on her winning test and something of a nervous wait for the final results Penny continued, “I was getting very worried! We were one of the first to go and I just had to keep watching the live scores, it was very stressful! The medium canters are always great, it used to be that I struggled to get them back but now I just go – he loves them! It’s taken a while for him to not buck, but now we’ve got them under control he’s got so much power it’s great.” 

Penny, who is a sixth form art student, told us about her six year partnership with her horse: “I got him when he was four in Austria, we moved to the UK from Singapore during Covid and he was six by then so we didn’t get to go out at all. Our first competition was a nightmare! I was a lot younger and I couldn’t control him! It’s taken a while for him to settle; then we found Jessica Davies my current coach and she’s helped so much, it’s amazing, she’s the best coach ever and loves him as much as I do.” 

The future looks bright for the combination, who are now hoping to aim for the Asian Games, where Penny aspires to represent Singapore. 

“I always see my friends here and I really look forward to it! My Academy friends are here and it’s great to meet new people in the stables," the bubbly young talent concluded, summarising her Petplan Area Festivals experience, "it’s just such a lovely social environment,” 

Valerie Berman and Pina Colada IV (Daily Deal x Donnerbal) were our wonderful runners up in second, and Charlotte Wood achieved third place with her own Alfred de Niro.

Petplan Prix St Georges Bronze  

Winner: Annabel Abell and Sheepcote Let’s Go, 67.402%  

Annabel Abell and her own Sheepcote Let’s Go were impressive winners of the Petplan Prix St Georges Bronze Championship, topping the 20-strong class with 67.402%. The duo are no strangers to success, having secured a Winter title in 2021 and been regular visitors to this championship, having placed in the top ten on their appearances in 2023 and 2022.  

Speaking about her test a delighted Annabel said, “He went really well today, I was really pleased – we had a mistake sadly in the three tempi changes but he just felt really with me. He was really through and listening, for anyone who is still quite new to Prix St Georges as I am, there actually felt like there was some space in there to really ride! I was delighted with him.” 

Annabel detailed the half pass zig zag as one of the highlights, admitting that she’s not found this movement one of the easiest to learn - “He came out of the corner and was balanced, we listened to my half halt, did the flying change and we ended up back at the right place on the other side of the arena! I was delighted with that today.” 

“He’s just absolutely lovely,” she said about her dancing partner, who is clearly the apple of her eye, “We’ve had him for six years, we bought him from Serena and David Pincus at Sheepcote Equestrian and we’ve been lucky enough to train with Serena ever since. We also train with Maria Eilberg too. He’s just the most laid-back horse ever, I was riding at Elementary level when we bought him so I’ve done all of the Petplan series from Elementary to Intermediate I. He’s enabled me as an amateur, who does this around a busy full-time job, to be here and have this experience. I’m just so grateful to him.” 

“We’re really green at Inter I so we’ll give it our best shot on Saturday,” Annabel continued speaking about her next test here on Saturday, “we’ll continue to train over the winter and just see where it takes us really. I’d like to think about stepping up to Prix St Georges Silver in the regional series and maybe do some Inter I music. But really we’ll just continue to focus on way of going, because the better we can get the way of going the more comfortable we both feel with the more advanced movements.” 

Annabel is Shropshire-based and keeps her horse at Somerwood Stud, owned by Sarah and Gordy Edwards, who she was keen to thank as part of the winning journey: “It’s two minutes from home and the team are brilliant – they keep Sam on his toes, he does lots of cantering and hacking and we’re so grateful for what they do with him around work.” 

Ben James and his own Camarilla-calimero earned the reserve champion spot, with the Samba Hit-sired MSL Saltarello Hit looking super in third for Lucy Mills.