Summer Regional Championships: Hickstead

In searing heat, the first Summer Regional Championship of the 2018 season took place last week at Hickstead in Sussex (13 – 15 July 2018). The three-day show offered visitors a feast of high quality competition as seasoned professionals and talented amateurs alike went all-out for a place at the LeMieux National Championships in September.

Friday the thirteenth may be unlucky some but not for the three riders who took home the spoils that day. The Dodson & Horrell Novice Silver was an incredibly close-fought affair with the top four combinations all within less than half a percent of each other. The winner, Ashleigh Hill (pictured) from Kent, had a show to remember with her two homebred chestnut mares. It was six-year-old Floriek (Floriscount x Jazz) - pictured left - who had the edge for victory with a score of 68.89%, whilst stablemate Dyani (Desperados x Regazzoni) was awarded 67.72% for fifth.

“I’m absolutely over the moon with my two girls today!” said Ashleigh on her Facebook page. “My first homebred only went and won the Hickstead Regionals! Overwhelmed is an understatement.... I’m so incredibly proud of how they both performed at their first stay away show. Fleur [Floriek] worked her socks off and tried so very hard for me and I couldn’t be more impressed with how she’s developed! And Ruby [Dyani] did super to go first in the test and manage to hold fifth place.”

Multi-talented local rider Helen Millichamp (42) from Billingshurst claimed the Backinaction Preliminary with the eventing prospect, Jalado’s Star. The six-year-old mare by Wish Upon A Star who’s known at home as Thelma was piloted by Helen to a score of 72.59%. Manon Evans (18) with her German bred nine-year-old Otto VII were runners up with Katherine McGrail and the Welsh Section D mare, Floreat Heartbeat, completing the top three.

The Dodson & Horrell Novice Gold belonged to Kerry Mackin (36) from Horsham with the beautiful and talented young stallion, Izonik (Zonik x Jazz). A runner-up in the 2017 Shearwater Young Horse Four-Year-Old Championship, Izonik, who radiates quality, earned a score of 75.12% with proud owner Rowan Bryson looking on. Also at Hickstead with her competitor’s hat on, Rowan (23) achieved second in the Equine Construction Advanced Medium Silver aboard her Laudabalis 11-year-old, Lazulith.

Hickstead was bathed in sunshine all weekend as a further eight regional titles were distributed and qualifying spots earned. Australian Olympic Event rider Brook Staples claimed the Childéric Saddles Elementary Silver with 12-year-old event horse Doonaveeragh O Six who has competed internationally to 2* level; Alice Oppenheimer and Headmore Bella Ruby (Belissimo M x Rubinstein) took the Childéric Saddles Elementary Gold and pony power came to the fore in the form of Emilia Nelson (13) and the pony stallion WFS Top Red (by Top Yellow). The pocket-sized pair won the TopSpec Medium Silver with a superb 70.86%.

The highest scorer on Sunday was Tom Goode with Emile Faurie’s handsome German seven-year-old, Langley – this new partnership took the TopSpec Medium Gold with 73.42%. Gary Hoult from Cranleigh impressed with Deborah Knight’s Rhodium-sired mare, B Jazzmin to claim the Equine Construction Advanced Medium Gold; reigning Petplan Equine Prix St Georges Silver Champions, Molly Key and Absinth W continue their fantastic 2018 by taking the winning ticket in the Fairfax Saddles Prix St Georges; Adam Signy’s Jazz son, Formidable, certainly lived up to his name - with Essex’s Cornelia O’Mahoney in the saddle taking the Equine Construction Advanced Medium Silver; and Vicky Thompson Winfield and Exquisite-D, her beautiful 10-year-old Lord Loxley stallion earned 70.66% to win the Saracen Horse Feeds Inter I Gold by a margin of almost two percent.

British Dressage thanks Dressage at Hickstead and all involved for a successful Regional Championships. Congratulations to all qualified combinations and to everyone who took part.

Regional champions:

Friday 13 July
Backinaction Preliminary Silver
Helen Millichamp with Jalado’s Star, 72.59%

Dodson & Horrell Novice Silver
Ashleigh Hill with Floriek, 68.89%

Dodson & Horrell Novice Gold
Kerry Mackin with Izonik, 75.12%

Saturday 14 July
Childéric Saddles Elementary Silver
Brook Staples with Doonaveeragh O Six, 70.78%

Childéric Saddles Elementary Gold
Alice Oppenheimer with Headmore Bella Ruby, 71.93%

TopSpec Medium Silver
Emilia Nelson with WFS Top Red, 70.86%

Sunday 15 July
Fairfax Saddles Prix St Georges Gold
Molly Key with Absinth W, 69.52%

Equine Construction Advanced Medium Silver
Cornelia O’Mahoney with Formidable, 69.34%

TopSpec Medium Gold
Tom Goode with Langley, 73.42%

Equine Construction Advanced Medium Gold
Gary Hoult with B Jazzmin, 69.52%

Saracen Horse Feeds Intermediate I Gold
Vicky Thompson Winfield with Exquisite-D, 70.66%