South & East paint Inter Regionals green at Pickering Grange

British Dressage South & East Region showed designer class to claim the first Regional title of the season, with their team Paco Rabanne dazzling at the top of a competitive leaderboard (18 – 19 May 2024).  

With 35 teams taking part in this year’s Inter Regional showdown, it would take a standout performance to top the tables as the competition proved closer than ever. Helen Bell (Rathnageera Casino Royal), Charlotte Dorey (Deards Silver Bounce), Catherine Brindley (Deerleap I) and Samantha Black (Zodibanta) proved the perfect model team riders for their region to put South & East Paco Rabanne at the top of the team standings at this year’s Inter Regional competition. Their winning score of 413.34 left the quartet two percent ahead of Wales Halo and North & East Versailles, who were close as can be in second and third, split by just .3 of a point.  

 

 

Charlotte Dorey claimed the Inter Regional double, triumphing as part of the team and claiming an individual title; with her own Deards Silver Bounce, Charlotte was successful in the Preliminary overall rankings, combining two superb scores of 71.32% and 70.52% to top a 43-strong section. Charlotte and Irish Sport Horse ‘Cali’ recently competed at the Red Gorilla Combined Training Championships and the Kent-based rider has produced the grey mare from a just-backed four-year-old to winning BD titles.  

Fellow South & East rider Luke Prior also took home an individual title, as well as contributing to fourth place in the team standings for S&E Hermes. With his own Millview Mamuka Rose, Luke’s stellar scores of 68.75% and 70.74% were enough to give him the win over Wales’ Chloe Vaughan and James Bond VII. Speaking on social media Luke commented, “Millie Rose, what a star! This little babe only went and won both her Novice tests at the BD inter regionals this weekend, winning the individual first place and team fourth. I always love representing BD South & East Region #TeamGreen! They are such a friendly and supportive team. What a weekend with the green family, you enter it as a stranger and end up chatting to everyone and making some great friends. Huge thank you to Julie Hugo-Ross and Jacqui Campbell for all of the help and support they give me on a weekly basis!” Luke’s wife Rozzy also represented the South & East Region, making it truly a successful family affair. 

South & East’s success was credit, not only to the outstanding performance of their four winning riders, but also to the team behind the scenes; Char Lassetter and Hayley Liddiard were instrumental as coaches, whilst the support of Senior Rider rep Jodie Smith, Vice Chair Mat Smith and Development Officers Sharon Walker and Katharine Perry was well-received by the whole of the region’s representatives.  

Speaking about the success of the region, Sharon Walker commented “The Senior Inter Regionals at Pickering Grange was an amazing event. For the first time we (S&E) were in the lead overnight by less than 1% - historically it can be a bit of a jinx when you are at the top at the end of day one but our riders continued to shine with consistent impressive tests. For us, it all came down to the last horse to go in the Preliminary class, Charlotte Dorey. We needed her to score over 69% to win...so we waited with hard to conceal nerves and then heard that she’d achieved a massive 70.52%! We knew then we had won!  So many of the team had amazing results and we are so very proud of them all, especially as we had a quite a few new riders in the teams this year and what is always so impressive to us is how they all band together so quickly, stand and support each other and work as one amazing group.” 

Making it something of a haul for the South of the country, the remaining individual titles were both secured by riders from the South & West Region. Former Area Festival Champion Ben James brought his elegant mare Clapton Banks Prima Donna to Pickering Grange and reaped the rewards of the journey; the duo put 67.70% and 69.96% on the board to produce a winning total of 137.66% in the Medium Championship. Whilst Tina Guion’s stunning skewbald Irish Draught With Good Intention, turned good intentions into winning actions in the Elementary contest, scoring 67.84% and 67.96% to show that consistency really counts when the competition gets close.  

Thanks go to Rachel Littlewood and the team at Pickering Grange who pulled out all the stops for an unforgettable event; as well as to prize sponsors LeMieux, EquiJewel by Emily Galtry and Urbany Equine. Congratulations go to all riders who won, placed and took part in the Inter Regionals, as well as to all the teams behind the scenes and those who support our regional activity.  

Results  

Team standings 
1. South & East Paco Rabanne, 413.34 
2. Wales Halo, 411.33 
3. North & East Versailles, 411.02 
4. South & East Hermes, 409.08 
5. Wales Hampton, 408.05 

Prelim Individual  
1. Charlotte Dorey and Deards Silver Bounce - 71.32% - 70.52% - 141.84% (S&E) 
2. Stefanie Dando-Mansell and Josse - 72.64% - 67.07% - 139.71% (Wales) 
3. Lauren Cox and Pandora - 71.18% - 67.64% - 138.82% (N&E) 
4. Emma Bevan and Cregduff Kirken - 71.32% - 67.18% - 138.50% (Wales) 
5. Felicity Carter and Queensdown Safari - 69.58% - 68.74% -138.32% (S&E) 
6. Clare Bosley and Tremeer - 69.65% - 68.62% - 138.27% (N&E)  
7. Jo Stacey and I Boy - 69.31% - 68.10% - 137.41% (S&E) 
8. Suzie Pugh and Westceffyl Poppy - 69.86% - 67.07% - 136.93% (Wales) 
9. Helen Bell and Rathnageera Casino Royal - 68.96% - 67.70% - 136.66% (S&E) 
10. Charlotte Gomez and Bacardi Z - 67.15% - 68.79% - 135.94% (S&E) 

Novice Individual  
1. Luke Prior and Millview Mamuka Rose - 68.75% - 70.74% - 139.49% (S&E) 
2. Chloe Vaughan and James Bond VII - 67.77% - 70.74% - 138.51% (Wales) 
3. Georgina Williams and Sharaz - 68.68% - 69.32% - 138.00% (Wales)  
4. Hannah Folkard and Kipekee Wakati - 67.51% - 68.95% - 136.46% (S&E)  
5. Ishta Taylor and Koda - 65.90% - 70.56% - 136.46% 5 (S&E) 
6. Sarah Pickford and Monet S - 67.36% - 67.78% - 135.14% (N&E) 
7. Catherine Brindley and Deerleap I - 66.88% - 67.96% - 134.84% (S&E) 
8. Michaela Preston and Faside Supernatural - 67.92% - 66.91% - 134.83% (N&E)  
9. Andrea Sparkes and Kazan - 65.42% - 68.09% - 133.51% (S&W) 
10. Abi Moore and Coednewydd Kansas Express - 67.22% - 65.68% - 132.90% (S&E) 

Elementary Individual  
1. Tina Guion and With Good Intention - 67.84% - 67.96% - 135.80% (S&W)  
2. Charlotte Fogel and Royal William - 66.81% - 68.44% - 135.25% (S&E)  
3. Emily Lay and Kingsdale - 67.30% - 67.47% - 134.77% (Wales)  
4. Nikki Goldup and Watermill Rocks - 67.94% - 65.75% - 133.69% (S&E) 
5. Abigail Williams and Ekko Dolce Vita - 66.62% - 66.72% -133.34% (Wales)  
6. Alys Matravers and Vorvashill Vertigo - 68.53% - 64.62% - 133.15% (S&W)  
7. Ruby Lewin and CNS Cob Marley - 66.32% - 66.77% - 133.09% (S&E) 
8. Maria Mcdiarmid and Jack Morka - 67.25% - 65.43% - 132.68% (N&E)  
9. Florence Turner and Dacapo 277 - 67.55% - 65.11% - 132.66% (S&E)  
10. Corinne Murphy and Firestarter III - 67.21% - 65.27% - 132.48% (S&E) 

Medium Individual  
1. Ben James and Clapton Banks Primadonna - 67.70% - 69.96% - 137.66% (S&W) 
2. Hilary Janion and Sir Wilhelm - 67.16% - 68.92% - 136.08% (N&E) 
3. Alice Kneen and Master Voyager - 67.94% - 67.75% - 135.69% (S&W)  
4. Sam York andOakring Santino - 68.14% - 67.52% - 135.66% (N&E) 
5. Shirley Wright and Der Blitz - 68.28% - 66.35% - 134.63% (N&W)  
6. Katie Kneen and Springtime Evergreen - 66.76% - 67.12% - 133.88% (S&W)  
7. Briony Cutler and Encore III - 66.23% - 66.89% - 133.12% (Wales)  
8. Lesley Clark and Mr Snowman - 66.57% - 66.31% - 132.88% (N&E)  
9. Pippa Morgan and Davinci Vl - 67.75% - 65.09% - 132.84% (Wales)  
10. Cat Dalton and Derrentigue Bruce - 66.27% - 65.90% - 132.17% (N&E)