Vale View High Profile Show: Kathleen Kröncke takes Grand Prix win

The 2022 season was kicked off in style at Vale View Equestrian in Leicestershire, venue for the first High Profile fixture of the year (13 – 15 January 2022). German-born Kathleen Kröncke took a decisive victory in the Grand Prix, whilst Junior rider Sophie Wallace cemented her new partnership with Rosalie B by sealing a double win.

Kathleen Kröncke (née Keller), from Germany, headed Friday’s Grand Prix sponsored by Cheval Liberté UK. With San Royal 3, her 15-year-old San Remo x Grand Royal gelding (pictured above), she presented a super, harmonious test to post the winning score of 73.51% from the judging panel of Clive Halsall, Richard Baldwin and Nick Burton.

The experienced international partnership of Kathleen and ‘Sunny’ have an impressive career CV including Nations Cup appearances for Germany and a highly successful Neumünster CDI-W in 2019 where they finished top-six. Together with her husband Nikolas, Kathleen recently relocated to the UK and is based at The Cotswold Club Equestrian in Gloucestershire. The couple train with Spencer Wilton.

“It was really really nice,” said Kathleen, who was quick to praise the venue. “The show was great, and it was very well organised. I haven’t competed for a while as we arrived in the UK, then there was Covid and I was expecting our first baby, so this was my first proper competition back with Sunny.

“I was really happy with him, though I felt that I can improve things. I’m really looking forward to the rest of the year.”

Grand Prix second belonged to Theodora Livanos with Dono Di Maggio on a score of 70.61% whilst Anna Ross and the British-bred mare Habouche (pictured below) took third.

Anna and Habouche (Ampere x Sydney), a powerful 10-year-old who has very recently made her Grand Prix debut, also won Thursday’s Haygain Intermediate II, sponsored by Andrews Bowen, on a promising mark of 71.32%.

The highest score across the Small Tour classes belonged to Sarah Higgins with the talented German-bred gelding, Samuel (pictured above) who posted a winning 72.15% in Thursday’s Prix St Georges, sponsored by Horse & Country. The nine-year-old who is known as ‘Simba’ to his friends, and owned by Sarah Rao, stepped up to Small Tour last year.

At Inter I, Amy Woodhead and the exciting mare MSJ Top Secret (Totilas x Dacaprio), owned by Emma Blundell, impressed to win Thursday’s class, sponsored by Voltaire Design, just a shade off 71%.

Friday’s Prix St Georges, supported by Home Farm Equine Vets, was won by Sara-Jane Lanning with Nicola Seale’s delightful eight-year-old Hawtins Lirica, on a score of 70.04%. The pair also posted two decisive wins at Advanced Medium.

The new combination of Sophie Wallace and Rosalie B (pictured above) were unbeaten in the Junior classes, winning the Team and Individual tests with scores of 70.10% and 73.57% respectively. Rosalie B, now 15, was formerly partnered at top level by Laura Tomlinson who co-owns the mare with her mother, Ursula Bechtolsheimer.

After three years being competed by Sarah Rogers at Grand Prix, the Rubin Royal x Newcastle mare is now enjoying her new role with up-and-coming youth rider, Sophie, under the guidance of both Laura and trainer Carl Cuypers.

Fifteen-year-old Sophie, who has a background in show jumping, has recently developed her interest in dressage, and with her young Lusitano stallion Nadal FC (by Ruby AR) was a winner at the recent Elite Equine Associated Championships.

Another pairing to make its mark in the youth classes was the consistent combination of Anna Dalrymple (19) with Maxine Vainio’s Vagabond de Massa. Anna piloted the athletic French-bred Lusitano gelding to win both the Young Rider Team and Individual tests.

Sussex-based Anna works full-time for her trainer Sarah Millis, and with Vagabond de Massa was a triple winner at Keysoe CDI in October.

“A great start to the season for V and I at Vale View High Profile coming away with two wins in the Young Rider classes with a PB in the Individual today for 71.716%,” said Anna on social media. “He has been an absolute star and it’s so nice that the last couple of months of training is really paying off!”

The brand-new partnership of Sofia Games and 14-year-old former Dutch team pony Next Black Magic (Nabucco R x FS Pour l’Amour), owned by Katie Games, demonstrated their pony power to win the Pony Team Test with a score just shy of 70%. Thirteen-year-old Sofia, who trains with Nicola Lickley, also took third with Janet Oliver and Katie Games’ Mister Snowman (67.38%). She was joined on the podium by second-placed Beatrice Butterworth who posted 67.95% with the evergreen 24-year-old, Carlsson.

Saturday’s Pony Individual Test saw a Butterworth one-two. Fourteen-year-old Beatrice headed the leaderboard on 68.24% with Sharon Butterworth’s 14-year-old Noir De Luxe-sired black gelding, PAV Non Plus Ultra, as well as claiming the runner-up spot with Carlsson.

On Saturday, the three-day show was brought to a close by the U25 Grand Prix, sponsored by Vale View EC. The win was claimed by Anna Jesty (23) with her 11-year-old Fürstenball-sired gelding, Flow Motion, aka Floyd (pictured above), on a promising score of 67.22%.

“We know there is still a lot to work on and so much more to come but for now, I’m very pleased!” said Anna on social media.

Congratulations to all who took part and thank you to the team at Vale View Equestrian for hosting a fantastic event.

Results – top three
Thursday 13 January
Class 1: TopSpec Medium 75
1. Ann Staines and Kartouche V, 68.37%
2. Marcin Stachurski and San Pedro, 68.17%
3. Natalie Tsuchiya and Don King II, 68.10%

Class 2: Andrews Bowen Advanced Medium 91
1. Anna Jesty and Commodore Platinum, 74.87%
2. Rowan Bryson and Izonik, 73.26%
3. Nikki Barker and Dan Ivanhoe, 70.06%

Class 3: Prix St Georges, sponsored by Horse & Country
1. Sarah Higgins and Samuel, 72.15%
2. Amy Woodhead and MSJ Top Secret, 69.85%
3. Karen Shepherd and Szibadano, 69.26%

Class 4: Intermediate I, sponsored by Voltaire Design
1. Amy Woodhead and MSJ Top Secret, 70.93%
2. Leak Beckett and Sebastian, 68.77%
3. Tyler Bradshaw and Gijsbert, 67.89%

Class 5: Haygain Intermediate II, sponsored by Andrews Bowen
1. Anna Ross and Habouche, 71.32%
2. Kathleen Kröncke and Uniteds Maerchan, 70.53%
3. Amy Woodhead and Mount St John Valencia, 69.60%

Friday 14 January
Class 6: TopSpec Medium 76, sponsored by Fenwick Photography
1. Sophia Marston and E-mail, 69.09%
2. Jennifer Martell and MSJ Formula One, 68.33%
3. Cerys Macauley and Drumconnick Cavalier, 66.51%

Class 7: Andrews Bowen Advanced Medium 92
1. Sara-Jane Lanning and Hawtins Lirica, 73.04%
2. Rowan Bryson and Izonik, 71.21%
3. Alex Chick and Giovanni BM, 69.66%

Class 8: Pony Team Test
1. Sofia Games and Next Black Magic, 69.95%
2. Beatrice Butterworth and Carlsson, 67.95%
3. Sofia Games and Mister Snowman, 67.38%

Class 10: Junior Team Test
1. Sophie Wallace and Rosalie B, 70.10%
2. Martha Jobling-Purser and Ivan Carlos, 68.33%
3. Isobel Lickley and Gracia LH, 68.03%

Class 11: Young Rider Team Test
1. Anna Dalrymple and Vagabond de Massa, 70.29%
2. Jessica McConkey and Wilson Stensvang, 69.41%
3. Jessica Hickey and Ziezo I, 67.89%

Class 12: Prix St Georges
1. Harriette Williams and Creto, 69.85%
2. Emma Jablonski and Higgens Van De Uilenhoek, 69.70%
3. Angus Corrie-Deane and Jack Johnson, 69.51%

Class 13: Intermediate I
1. Emma Jablonski and Higgens Van De Uilenhoek, 68.92%
2. Tyler Bradshaw and Gijsbert, 68.57%
3. Karen Shepherd and Szibadano, 67.69%

Class 14: Grand Prix, sponsored by Cheval Liberté UK
1. Kathleen Kröncke and San Royal 3, 73.51%
2. Theodora Livanos and Dono Di Maggio, 70.61%
3. Anna Ross and Habouche, 68.44%

Saturday 15 January
Class 15: TopSpec Medium 75, sponsored by Fenwick Photography
1. Marsha Webb and Ivanhoe, 71.21%
2. Alison Timmins and Johnny Fletch, 67.77%
3. Marcin Stachurski and San Pedro, 66.75%

Class 16: Andrews Bowen Advanced Medium 96, sponsored by Portech 4 x 4 Servicing and Maintenance
1. Sara-Jane Lanning and Hawtins Lirica, 72.03%
2. Victoria Maw and Benito Dorato, 71.44%
3. Angus Corrie-Deane and Don Darius II, 66.18%

Class 17: Pony Individual Test
1. Beatrice Butterworth and Non Plus Ultra, 68.24%
2. Beatrice Butterworth and Carlsson, 67.83%
3. Fleur Pocock and Jacodi’s Bo’s Barclay, 63.91%

Class 19: Junior Individual Test
1. Sophie Wallace and Rosalie B, 73.57%
2. Martha Jobling-Purser and Ivan Carlos, 72.20%
3. India Durman-Mills and Escade, 69.70%

Class 20: Young Rider Individual Test
1. Anna Dalrymple and Vagabond de Massa, 71.71%
2. Ellie Roberts and Zante, 67.01%
3. Emily Coller and Alina V, 65.44%

Class 21: Prix St Georges, sponsored by Home Farm Equine Vets
1. Sara-Jane Lanning and Hawtins Lirica, 70.04%
2. Anna Jesty and Commodore Platinum, 69.11%
3. Karen Shepherd and Szibadano, 67.79%

Class 22: Medium Freestyle
1. Marsha Webb and Ivanhoe, 73.66%

Class 23: Advanced Medium Freestyle
1. Victoria Maw and Benito Dorato, 70.44%
2. Victoria Maw and Belli Blue, 68.72%
3. Angus Corrie-Deane and Don Darius II, 67.61%

Class 24: Prix St Georges Freestyle
1. Angus Corrie-Dean and Jack Johnson, 67.04%
2. Jane Gilby and Sansisko, 64.41%

Class 25: Grand Prix 16-25, sponsored by Vale View EC
1. Anna Jesty and Flow Motion, 67.22%
2. Chloe Vell and Gredstedgards Stuntman, 62.73%

FULL RESULTS

Photo © Kevin Sparrow