Top talent at Nettex TGCA Championships

The Nettex TGCA Associated Championships, which took place at Solihull Riding Club last weekend (4 November 2018), truly celebrated what this popular and versatile breed has to offer within the dressage arena.

Many of the UK’s top dressage cobs converged at the West Midlands venue, some travelling from as far as Scotland, to vie for the ten titles up for grabs. Sensible, yet active and with a super work ethic, gypsy cobs make fantastic dressage partners and this was evidenced throughout the day.

Three combinations impressively won two championship titles apiece. Danielle Rhodes who travelled from Bruton in Somerset was unbeatable in the pure-bred divisions of the Elementary and Medium with Denise Kersley’s delightful black tobiano Tiger Tim (pictured above left). Their score of 71.68% gave them a five percent lead in the Elementary and they achieved 68.67% for their Medium.

Thirteen-year-old Tim is by Denise’s stallion Bashful Bobby Dazzler who she bought directly from travellers. Tim, himself a TGCA licenced stallion, has had an illustrious career so far, proving that he can hold his own against the archetypal dressage horses. He won the Novice Restricted title at the 2013 National Championships with his former rider Alysia Matravers, and has been ridden to much success with Danielle since. Their achievements include Elementary Silver victory at the Mount Ballan Summer Regionals earlier this year.

In the part-bred Elementary and Medium, it was Becky Jackman-Smith from Hereford who took the honours with her piebald 13-year-old, Black Diamond II (pictured above right). The handsome gelding was piloted by Becky to two solid tests earning 67.65% and 63.52% respectively. Competing together since 2012, highlights of their career include appearances at the Petplan Equine Area Festival Finals at Hartpury in both 2015 and 2016.

In the close fought part-bred divisions of the Preliminary and Novice, Tonya Ellis from Hertfordshire had the winning edge with Michele Cooper’s 11-year-old gelding Sammy IV (pictured right). The pair was awarded plus-68% scores to take both titles in only their second season of affiliated competition. Enjoying a very good 2018, they were fifth in the Novice at the Nettex CHAPS Associated Championships in September, and their scores have been building since.

Tonya and ‘Fluffy’, as the handsome piebald is known, have a wealth of experience in the show ring. They’ve competed at the Royal International and the Horse of the Year Show where they were placed eighth. Described as ‘kind and generous’, Fluffy really does symbolize all the fabulous qualities of the breed.

The highest score of the day was awarded to young Staffordshire rider Leanne Bailey who claimed the Preliminary for pure-breds by a more than two percent margin. Partnered by Moira Johnston’s 10-year-old black tobiano mare Fairytale III (by Vines Magpie), who’s returned to competition following a year out, she achieved 71.87%. Leanne took to LB Equine Facebook to say, “She’s done it again! After having horrible laminitis and meaning she had to have the whole of 2017 off, she’s come back in 2018 with a bang! Winning her class with 71.87% at the TGCA Championships. A huge thank you to her wonderful owners for letting me have the ride.”

British Dressage thanks the team at Solihull RC for a successful Championship event as well as title sponsor Nettex for their generous support of the Associated Championship series. Congratulations to all the winners and to everyone who took part.

The Champions:

Intro for pure-breds
Ema Bayliss and Hit The Road Jack, 63.69%

Intro for part-breds
Katherine Lansdown and Sacha, 68.03%

Preliminary for pure-breds
Leanne Bailey and Fairytale III, 71.87%

Preliminary for part-breds
Tonya Ellis and Sammy IV, 68.64%

Novice for pure-breds
Anneleise Brown and The Wolf, 69.27%

Novice for part-breds
Tonya Ellis and Sammy IV, 68.86%

Elementary for pure-breds
Danielle Rhodes and Tiger Tim, 71.68%

Elementary for part-breds
Becky Jackman-Smith and Black Diamond II, 67.65%

Medium for pure-breds
Danielle Rhodes and Tiger Tim, 68.67%

Medium for part-breds
Becky Jackman-Smith and Black Diamond II, 63.52%