Vale View Premier League: Kathleen Kröncke claims Grand Prix

The concluding Premier League fixture of 2022 took place last week at the Leicestershire venue of Vale View Equestrian (14 - 17 July 2022), featuring four great days of competition streamed live to viewers by Horse & Country. Kathleen Kröncke posted a Grand Prix double, Sara-Jane Lanning and Hawtins Lirica shone in the small tour classes, while Sarah Millis’s young star continues to impress.

Kathleen Kröncke (née Keller), from Germany, claimed the LeMieux Grand Prix on Friday with her handsome 14-year-old gelding Hampton Court 2 (Hochadel x Walt Disney I) - pictured above. In front of the judges panel comprising Claire Ballantyne, David Trott and Stephen Clarke, she posted the winning mark of 71.159% to top the podium ahead of her closest challenger, Lisa Marriott with Valucio DH Z (70.652%). The German duo also took the weekend’s Grand Prix Special on a score of 69.043%.

Kathleen and her husband Nikolas moved to the UK in 2020 and are based at Cotswold Club Equestrian where Kathleen trains with Spencer Wilton and her parents Dolf-Dietram and Manuela Keller. Hampton Court 2 has been lightly competed in recent years, firstly due to Covid and then Kathleen’s pregnancy.

Kathleen presented Hampton Court 2 on his international Big Tour debut at Hamburg CDI4* in May of this year, having previously placed well in the Small Tour at Neumünster CDI in 2019. Their domestic successes this year include placing second to Charlotte Dujardin and Imhotep in the Grand Prix at Myerscough Premier League in March, where they also took the Freestyle honours.

Close third in the LeMieux Grand Prix, on a score of 70.217%, was Sarah Millis and her charismatic nine-year-old Dutch gelding Impressive VDC (Charmeur x Krack C) - pictured above. Bought as a two-year-old from the Equine Elite auction in Weert, having trained him through the levels, Sarah introduced “Ed” to Grand Prix earlier this year. The pair also claimed the top spot in Thursday’s Stübben Intermediate II on a score of 72.108%.

“I was delighted with him,” said Sarah, who is based in West Sussex and trains with Richard White. “Generally he was more relaxed and I felt an improved communication at this level throughout both days. He’s now gaining a better understanding and is more assured in the work so is able to show more expression. As always there’s still a lot to improve, but he’s heading in the right direction.”

Sara-Jane Lanning and Nicola Seale’s Hawtins Lirica (Lemony’s Nicket x Dimaggio) enjoyed a double win taking both Fairfax Saddles Prix St Georges classes. The eight-year-old mare (pictured above) was ridden into first place on scores of 73.725% and 71.863% respectively.

“She [Hawtins Lirica] was just awesome,” said a delighted Sara-Jane. “I've had tests where I've had super marks but with mistakes - but now she's more established at the level, we are becoming more consistent.

“I’ve been riding her since September 2020. She’s a phenomenally quick learner, full of go and she loves to work – she’s the whizziest horse I’ve ridden, but she never uses it against you - she always works with you.

“We were awarded 8s for the medium and extended trots, and the changes all came off, which I was very pleased with. The pirouettes need development - in the coming months we will develop the collection a bit more and develop the half steps. She has already started the ones (one-time tempi changes). She picks things up so quickly, it’s almost as if she’s done it before!

“She loves Vale View and the surfaces are superb," added Sara-Jane.

Alice Oppenheimer is enjoying a phenomenal year with her stable of Headmore-bred horses. Here at Vale View, she finished just outside the podium in the LeMieux Grand Prix with Caroline Dibden's dun Dimaggio son, Headmore Difinnity, and was third in the Stübben Inter II with Headmore Dionysus (pictured above) with whom she also nailed Friday’s Saracen Horse Feeds Inter I. An expressive test earned 74.09% to place her and Amanda Radford’s “Dillon” at the top of the leader board, with Lucinda Elliott and Hawtins Soave (72.892%) and Nikki Barker with Iwan (71.569%) completing the top three.

Lucinda Elliott and Hawtins Soave (Sir Donnerhall x Belissimo M), owned and bred by Judith Davis, gained their ticket for the LeMieux National Championships by winning Saturday’s Saracen Horse Feeds Intermediate I. Lucinda, who works and rides for Hawtins Stud, and the elegant 11-year-old mare scored 71.029% to take the win after being well-placed in the two earlier Inter I classes.

Results: top three

Thursday 14 July
Class 1: HorseLight Medium 75
1. Emma Corbett and Tantoni Salamanca, 71.149%
2. Vikki Pengilly and Indianna, 70.743%
3. Jennifer Martell and Kasanova III, 70.473%

Class 2: Equitex Advanced Medium 96
1. Fenella Quinn and Barcelona de Malleret, 71.711%
2. Jessica Dunn and Dan it’s Carston, 70.000%
3. Vikki Pengilly and Indianna, 69.013%

Class 3: Advanced 102
1. Darren Hicks and Sir Soleil, 69.632%

Class 4: Fairfax Saddles Prix St Georges
1. Jennifer Martell and Integro, 71.275%
2. Beth Bainbridge and Toska Too, 70.539%
3. Nikki Barker and Dan Icarus, 69.363%

Class 5: Saracen Horse Feeds Intermediate I
1. Becky Moody and Jack Diamond, 73.529%
2. Zoe Sleigh and For Rome, 70.539%
3. Jennifer Martell and Integro, 70.392%

Class 6: Stübben Intermediate II
1. Sarah Millis and Impressive VDC, 72.108%
2. Kimberley Alice Siddorn and Dutch Class, 70.196%
3. Alice Oppenheimer and Headmore Dionysus, 70.098%

Friday 15 July
Class 7: Andrews Bowen Advanced Medium 98
1. Jessica Dunn and Dan it’s Carston, 72.434%
2. Tom Goode and Furstenrausch PS, 71.382%
3. Victoria Maw and Benito Dorato, 71.316%

Class 8: Fairfax Saddles Prix St Georges
1. Sara-Jane Lanning and Hawtins Lirica, 73.725%
2. Nikki Barker and Iwan, 71.078%
3. Nikki Barker and Dan Icarus, 69.314%

Class 9: Saracen Horse Feeds Intermediate I
1. Alice Oppenheimer and Headmore Dionysus, 74.09%
2. Lucinda Elliott and Hawtins Soave, 72.892%
3. Nikki Barker and Iwan, 71.569%

Class 10: LeMieux Grand Prix
1. Kathleen Kröncke and Hampton Court 2, 71.159%
2. Lisa Marriott and Valucio DH Z, 70.652%
3. Sarah Millis and Impressive VDC, 70.217%

Class 11: British Dressage International Young Horse 5YO
1. Tom Goode and Iceland Girl PS, 87.40%
2. Elspeth Day and Miss Sarah, 69.20%

Class 12: British Dressage International Young Horse 6YO
1. Lily Laughton and Armada Lieveling HN, 73.40%

Saturday 16 July
Class 14: Equitex Advanced Medium 92
1. Jessica Dunn and Dan it’s Carston, 71.284%
2. Melissa Chapman and TCE Jinte, 70.000%
3. Darren Hicks and Tramontana Grey Eagle, 68.716%

Class 15: Fairfax Saddles Prix St Georges
1. Sara-Jane Lanning and Hawtins Lirica, 71.863%
2. Becky Moody and Heavenly Kiss BS, 70.588%
3. Jessica Dunn and Woodcroft Ferdinand, 68.431%

Class 16: Saracen Horse Feeds Intermediate I
1. Lucinda Elliott and Hawtins Soave, 71.029%
2. Natasha Rumble and Dragon Fly VCG, 68.578%
3. Stephanie Eardley and Ruxton Pinacolada, 67.696%

Class 17: Grand Prix Special
1. Kathleen Kröncke and Hampton Court 2, 69.043%
2. Darren Hicks and Standsfield, 64.645%
3. Natasha Rumble and Show Boy, 64.574%

Class 18: Grand Prix 16 – 25
1. Clare Hole and Pro-Motion, 61.709%

Class 19: Pony Individual Test
1. Sofia Games and Steendieks Cadillac, 71.802%
2. Abigail Gray and Godrics Campeggio, 69.820%
3. Isabella Caldwell and Thorneyside Kestrel, 68.604%

Class 21: Junior Individual Test
=1. Crystal Robinson-Long and Evita Ronia, 69.706%
=1. Megan Field and Bright Time FST, 69.706%
3. Megan Bullas and Brilijant Fame, 68.627%

Sunday 17 July
Class 23: Equitex Advanced Medium 96
1. Fenella Quinn and Barcelona de Malleret, 70.132%
2. Anna Bates and Gitina, 65.921%
3. Jade Porter-Harris and Saskia D’Amour, 62.763%

Class 24: Advanced Medium Freestyle
1. Charlotte Drakeley and Florisco, 70.000%
2. Jade Porter-Harris and Saskia D’Amour, 68.750%

Class 25: Prix St Georges Freestyle
1. Natasha Rumble and Dragon Fly VCG, 71.250%
2. Belinda Brereton and Galaxy Moone, 67.75%

Class 26: Intermediate I Freestyle
1. Belinda Brereton and Deco II, 70.333%

Class 27: Stübben Intermediate II
1. Fenella Quinn and Empire B, 69.020%
2. Anne-Marie Cowan and Woodcroft Royal Charter, 67.206%
3. Bridget Tate and Daltrey, 64.951%

Class 28: Grand Prix Freestyle
1. Natasha Rumble and Show Boy, 69.833%
2. Steph Croxford and Mr Benn II, 69.792%

Class 29: Pony Team Test
1. Abigail Gray and Godrics Campeggio, 71.190%
2. Ella Glennon and Amden Supreme Golden Dancer, 69.381%
3. Sofia Games and Steendieks Cadillac, 69.048%

Class 31: Junior Team Test
1. Mette Dahl and Cashmir, 69.394%
2. India Hamilton-Burnet and Geronimo VIII, 67.727%
3. Megan Bullas and Brilijant Fame, 66.566%

VIEW FULL RESULTS

Photo © Kevin Sparrow