Team GBR are champions of Compiegne

Britain’s riders across the international levels were in dominant form at the 2019 Compiegne CDI in northern France. The feature class was the first European leg of the FEI Nations Cup TM Series and we selected a very strong team in Carl Hester with Ann Cory, Lady Anne Evans and his own Hawtins Delicato, Gareth Hughes with Julia Hornig, Rebecca Hughes and his own Classic Briolinca, Richard Davison with Gwendolyn Meyer and his own Bubbling and senior team debutante Charlotte Fry with Dark Legend who she jointly owns with Van Olst Horses.

Newbie Charlotte was first to go in the Grand Prix with her 2018 FEI U25 European Freestyle Champion Dark Legacy and they had a great warm up but the horse was unsettled by the entry gate just before the start of the test and the duo found it tough to recover enough to get the high marks. But ‘Lottie’ kept her cool and stuck to the task at hand to get the team underway with a solid score of 67.08%.

From the expectation of youth to the experience of years, Richard Davison followed with his homebred Bubblingh who had a great show at Windsor just days ago. The Lingh gelding is becoming more and more relaxed on the international stage and a 72.67% was a useful addition to the team.

Gareth Hughes and Classic Briolinca had a great show at Compiegne last year and the mare clearly loves the venue and showed a bit of unwanted piaffe in her first halt, just to show her delight at being in the arena. She soon settled well and showed her extraordinary talent in the piaffe and passage plus some lovely changes to score 74.96%, a new international PB for this test.

Then it was the turn of Carl Hester and Hawtins Delicato in their first international outing together since the World Equestrian Games. As with Gareth and Briolinca, it was a slightly edgy start with the Diamond Hit British-bred gelding clearly in a cheeky mood and not fully focused on his rider. The test still oozed brilliance and that bit of Hester magic to post 76.34%.

Sweden’s Patrik Kittel was the GP winner with his star performer Well Done de la Roche CMF, the duo were part of the winning Nations Cup team here last year – could it be a repeat performance?

Gareth and Carl were nominated to contest the Special while Richard and Lottie were in the Freestyle mix.

Carl was drawn third last to go and again, ‘Del’ was on his toes and niggling mistakes kept the score to a more than respectable 75.31% but still huge mark towards the team total. Gareth followed immediately and Briolinca clearly had got her focused ears on and their test was a pleasure to watch. Focus, harmony, athleticism, expression, partnership; the test had it all and the judges agreed in awarding 77.17%, as second international PB of the weekend and eventual victory of the class. It was also a great score towards the team tally.

Lottie and Dark Legend were back on point in the Freestyle and 72.01% all but sealed the Nations Cup victory even before Richard and ‘Bubbles’ set foot in the arena. Richard certainly raised the roof with his characteristic ‘gangsta’ routine to 75.67% to cement gold in the team competition and sixth spot for himself overall. Lottie was just two places behind in eighth.

Team GBR finished on 24 points, three clear of Sweden and a development team from the USA were third on 51.

In the CDI3* Big Tour, we had three riders in action. In a weekend of debuts, Lottie Fry rode Everdale (Lord Leatherdale x Negro) in their first senior CDI together. She jointly owns the black stallion with her employers, Van Olst Horses and the duo were impressive to score 70.41% Daniel Watson was the next Brit to go with Nicola Naylor’s faithful partner Amadeus VI and they scored 66.28%. Then it was the turn of the vastly experienced Emma Hindle with her Blue Horse Romanov mare Romy Del Sol. The ultra-sensitive mare has shown huge potential in her two years at GP level and has a mixed record of scores but in the sunshine of Compiegene she and her rider were on song to score 70.45% which left them second overall. Charlotte was fourth and Daniel 19th.

In the Freestyle, which all three opted to do, our riders dominated with Lottie taking the win on a huge 76.07%, Emma second with 75.57% and Daniel in 10th with 69.45%.

In the Small Tour division we also fielded three riders, a very busy Lottie being one of them. In another debut, it was her 2018 World Young Horse Champion Glamourdale (Lord Leatherdale x Negro) in his first full international competition and he didn’t disappoint any of his fans with two victories on 77%+ scores.

Jess Dunn has been in great international form this spring with a brace of wins at Saumur and she’s carried her form on with Jennifer Whittaker’s Alicante Valley as they finished on the podium just behind Lottie in both tests.

Katie Bailey had mixed fortunes with Leslie Forlee’s Boccelli 6 in her first senior CDI abroad. Nerves go the better of the Gloucestershire rider in the PSG and an error of course pegged the score back to 67.08% and 25th place but in the Inter I the duo were back to the form they’ve shown to score 71.91% to give a completely British podium.

Rebecca Swain and Bon Jovi, by Krack C, enjoyed a successful overseas debut in the Young Rider ranks and they had a strong show. In the opening Team test they finished third, followed by a fifth in the Individual test and then saved the best until last for the Freestyle where they won with 73.71%. 

Jessica McConkey and Lady Gaga flew the flag in a competitive junior division with this being their third international this year. They finished 11th in the Team test and 13th in both the Individual and Freestyle.

Three riders featured in the Pony competition, Annabella Pidgley with Cognac IX, Lily Laughton with Steendieks Cadillac and Hermione Tottman riding Brasil. Over the three tests, Annabella rode fantastically with her smart palomino and occupied every position on the podium. Her campaign got off to the perfect start with a win in the Team test on 71.04% and on Individual day a strong score of 71.89% put them third, while on Sunday she climbed on place to runner up spot in the Freestyle with a cracking 76.93%

Hermione finished 11th, 14th and 9th while Lily was 11th and 18th, just missing out on a Freestyle spot.

This trip to France was certainly a successful one with some great scores, amazing wins and selection-earning performances – a great start to the summer season.

British placings

CDIO5* - FEI Nations Cup

Grand Prix
1. Patrik Kittel with Well Done De La Roche CMF (SWE), 77.28%
2. Carl Hester with Hawtins Delicato, 76.34%
5. Gareth Hughes with Classic Briolinca, 74.69%
7. Richard Davison with Bubblingh, 72.67%
27. Charlotte Fry with Dark Legend, 67.08%

Team standings after GP
1. GBR 14
2. SWE 17
3. USA 36

Grand Prix Special
1. Gareth Hughes with Classic Briolinca, 77.17%
3. Carl Hester with Hawtins Delicato, 75.31%

Grand Prix Freestyle
1. Emmelie Scholtens with Desperado (NED), 81.58%
6. Richard Davison with Bubblingh, 75.67%
8. Charlotte Fry with Dark Legend, 72.01%

Final team standings
1. GBR 24
2. SWE 27
3. USA 51
4. NED 55
5. FRA 74

CDI3*

Grand Prix
1. Malin Wahlkamp-Nilsson with Eddieni (SWE), 71.56%
2. Emma Hindle with Romy del Sol, 70.45%
4. Charlotte Fry with Everdale, 70.41%
19. Daniel Watson with Amadeus, 66.28%

Grand Prix Freestyle
1. Charlotte Fry with Everdale, 76.07%
2. Emma Hindle with Romy del Sol, 75.57%
10. Daniel Watson with Amadeus, 69.45% 

Small Tour
Prix St Georges
1. Charlotte Fry with Glamourdale, 77.35%
2. Jessica Dunn with Alicante Valley, 72.52%
25. Katie Bailey with Boccelli 6, 67.08%

Inter I
1. Charlotte Fry with Glamourdale, 77.10%
2. Jessica Dunn with Alicante Valley, 72.84%
3. Katie Bailey with Boccelli 6, 74.91%

CDIY

Team
1. Kimberly Pap with Vloet Victory (NED), 72.69%
3. Rebecca Swaine with Bon Jovi, 71.47%
12. Rebecca Bell with Nibeley Union Hit, 68.72%

Individual
1. Elizveta Lyban with Erantos (RUS), 70.14%
5. Rebecca Swaine with Bon Jovi, 69.55%
23. Rebecca Bell with Nibeley Union Hit, 65.58%

Freestyle
1. Rebecca Swaine with Bon Jovi, 73.71%

CDIJ

Team
1. Natalia Bacariza Danguillecourt with Romantico Ymas (ESP), 71.81%
11. Jessica McConkey with Lady Gaga, 68.13%

Individual
1. Natalia Bacariza Danguillecourt with Dhannie Ymas (ESP), 72.35%
13. Jessica McConkey with Lady Gaga, 67.59%

Freestyle
1. Natalia Bacariza Danguillecourt with Romantico Ymas (ESP), 75.07%%
13. Jessica McConkey with Lady Gaga, 68.29%

CDIP

Team
1. Annabella Pidgley with Cognac IX, 71.04%
11. Lily Laughton with Steendieks Cadillac, 67.33%
14. Hermione Tottman with Brasil, 66.9%

Individual
1. Lara Van Nek with Brouwershaven’s Nairobi (NED), 74.18%
3. Annabella Pidgley with Cognac IX, 71.89%
14. Hermione Tottman with Brasil, 67.92%
18. Lily Laughton with Steendieks Cadillac, 67.33%

Freestyle
1. Lara Van Nek with Brouwershaven’s Nairobi (NED), 74.18%
2. Annabella Pidgley with Cognac IX, 76.93%
9. Hermione Tottman with Brasil, 71.35%