Winter Regional Championships: Bishop Burton College

Congratulations to the 22 new regional champions and those who earned their NAF Five Star Winter Championship qualification tickets at Bishop Burton’s Winter Regional Championships held in East Yorkshire last week (18-22 February). 

Amy Woodhead (pictured above) enjoyed a stellar week at Bishop Burton College, adding four more regional champion titles to her tally and bringing her season total to eight. Achieving the high marks,  she expertly piloted Jennifer Martell’s Secret-sired six-year-old gelding DBM Secre-C to a standout score of 76.72% in the Prestige Novice Gold, making them the highest scoring combination of the competition. Praising the pair’s performance, the gelding’s proud owner Jenny took to social media to say, “Extremely proud of our horse DBM Secre-C with Amy at the regionals! We have worked a lot over the winter getting him stronger and it’s definitely paid off. I love watching, riding and owning such an incredible horse.”

Amy also claimed the Black Country Saddles Advanced Medium Gold victory with K II (by Krack C) on 69.12%. Then with Sarah Wood’s Fürstin Fugger (Furst Heinrich x Piroschka) the Grimsby-based rider rode two consistently strong tests to win both the Magic FEI Prix St Georges Gold (68.28%) and Superflex FEI Intermediate I Gold (68.43%), finishing ahead of runners-up Sally Walker and her own Wilton Wood Blaze (by Jelmar).

Sarah Payne and Zoe Rymer also delivered notable performances, each claiming double victories. Sarah secured wins with her own Woodlander Wild Romance in the Spillers Medium Freestyle Gold and Black Country Saddles Advanced Medium Silver on 71.44% and 68.24%. Meanwhile, Zoe and JSR Joie De Vivre (Grafenstolz  x Salopian Inschello) topped the Nupafeed Advanced Medium Freestyle Silver, scoring 70.28% before claiming another first-place finish in the Magic Prix St Georges Silver.

25-year-old Anna Burns, based at Moody Dressage, delivered two beautifully ridden tests aboard Becky Moody’s promising home-bred mare Duende Roo (Dankeschoen x Sir Donnerhall II). The pair won the HorseHage Preliminary Gold with an outstanding score of 74.93%, placing ahead of Hannah Esberger-Hancock, who claimed the remaining two podium spots with Doolittle (72.20%) and Franklin II (71.00%). Anna and Duende Roo also secured second place in the Prestige Novice Gold with another strong score of 71.94%.

"I was really pleased with her," said Anna, reflecting on the young mare’s performance. "She’s only five this year and she’s never been to Bishop Burton before, so I thought she might want to have a look around, but she took it all in her stride and I was so happy with how she responded."

Having backed and produced the young mare herself, Anna’s excited about her future. "She’s a really cool mare and has such a good work ethic. At the moment we’re just aiming for the Winter Championships and probably some young horse classes this year; just focusing on building her strength and confidence. She hasn’t been to many shows yet, but she’s such a lovely, willing horse to ride."

In the Silver sections, 2024 Petplan Summer Area Festival title winner Oliver Lawery (16) from North Yorkshire and his Welsh section D Seiont Glesyn (Ystraddewi Romeo x Mabnescliffe Survivor) led the way. The young rider claimed the highest Silver score across the week in the Baileys Novice Freestyle Silver with a score of 73.06%, which was awarded by Linda Pearce (C), Claire Ballantyne (E) and Caroline Tupling (M). The pair also took the win in the HorseHage Preliminary Silver with yet another impressive score of 71.13%.

The Silver Elementary classes saw a thrilling competition between Amanda Barrett and Christine Daniels. In the Equi-Trek Elementary Silver, Amanda took the win with A Capella (by Ampere) on 69.34%, followed closely by Christine in second place aboard her own Connemara gelding Darbey Ramblin with a score of 68.74%. The pair continued their strong performances in the PDS Saddles Elementary Freestyle Silver, swapping places on the podium as Christine clinched first place with a score of 71.60% and Amanda secured second on 70.26%.

Congratulations to all competitors who took part and those successful in securing their spot at the NAF Five Star Winter Championships in April. Thanks go to the team at Bishop Burton College for hosting a fantastic Winter Regional Championship show. 

Results - Top Three

Tuesday 18 February

HorseLight Medium Gold
1.    Martin Schleicher and Marvelous Taonga, 68.80%
HorseLight Medium Silver
1.    Eliza Stoddart and Codebreaker, 69.12%
2.    Jodie Reay and Jupiler, 67.41%
3.    Emma Littlewood and Woodcroft Nolan, 67.41%
Spillers Medium Freestyle Gold
1.    Sarah Payne and Woodlander Wild Romance, 71.44%
Spillers Medium Freestyle Silver
1.    Jodie Reay and Jupiler, 69.50%
2.    Georgie Rockingham and September Song, 69.39%
3.    Sophie Isaacs and Donaigo Ace, 68.72%

Wednesday 19 February

Black Country Saddles Advanced Medium Gold
1.    Amy Woodhead and K II, 69.12%
Black Country Saddles Advanced Medium Silver
1.    Sarah Payne and Woodlander Wild Romance, 68.24%
2.    Samantha Smith and Sylvester, 66.71%
3.    Eliza Ireson and Classic Jillz Geuzenhof, 65.83%
Nupafeed Advanced Medium Freestyle Gold
1.    Victoria Maw and Belli Blue, 70.22%
Nupafeed Advanced Medium Freestyle Silver
1.    Zoe Rymer and JSR Joie De Vivre, 70.28%
2.    Emma Littlewood and Camacho, 68.33%
3.    Rachel Bowles and Daffodil, 68.28%
Magic FEI Prix St Georges Gold
1.    Amy Woodhead and Furstin Fugger, 68.28%
2.    Sally Walker and Wilton Wood Blaze, 65.39%
3.    Mary Pritchard and Koeka Matcha JCS, 64.75%
Magic FEI Prix St Georges Silver
1.    Zoe Rymer and JSR Joie De Vivre, 65.64%
2.    Lily Irene Kinsella-Pearn and Leonidor L, 59.46%
Superflex FEI Intermediate I Gold
1.    Amy Woodhead and Furstin Fugger, 68.43%
2.    Sally Walker and Wilton Wood Blaze, 66.42%
Superflex FEI Intermediate I Silver
1.    Emily Clarke-Attwood and Inspector Gadget II, 63.24%

Thursday 20 February

HorseHage Preliminary Gold
1.    Anna Burns and Duende Roo, 74.93%
2.    Hannah Esberger-Hancock and Doolittle, 72.20%
3.    Hannah Esberger-Hancock and Franklin II, 71.00%
HorseHage Preliminary Silver
1.    Oliver Lawery and Seiont Glesyn, 71.13%
2.    Jessica Whitfield and Feeling Fabulous, 68.27%
3.    Ashlene Bagshaw and Dream-Maker, 68.27%
Prestige Novice Gold
1.    Amy Woodhead and DBM Secre-C, 76.72%
2.    Anna Burns and Duende Roo, 71.94%
3.    Lucy Robinson and Feuertanz II, 68.23%

Friday 21 February

Prestige Novice Silver
1.    Alexandra Postolowsky and Iden Van De Rosweide, 69.35%
2.    Michelle Hulme and Leonardo Belizaro, 68.66%
3.    James Wolfenden and Ventus, 68.23%
Baileys Novice Freestyle Gold
1.    Louise Davison and Diagorus, 70.28%
2.    Verity Franks and Daiquiris Tangfastic, 69.81%
3.    Rebecca Townsend and Feedmark's Grand Gesture, 69.72%
Baileys Novice Freestyle Silver
1.    Oliver Lawery and Seiont Glesyn, 73.06%
2.    Sarah Coleman and Daddies Girl, 71.30%
3.    Mark Ineson and Jack Morka, 70.46%
Equi-Trek Elementary Gold
1.    Jessica Ellen Carr and Nando Z, 69.60%
2.    Louise Davison and Diagorus, 69.29%
3.    Emma Littlewood and Woodcroft Nolan, 68.28%

Saturday 22 February

Equi-Trek Elementary Silver
1.    Amanda Barrett and A Capella, 69.34%
2.    Christine Daniels and Darbey Ramblin, 68.74%
3.    Megan Lane and Kósza, 67.58%
PDS Saddles Elementary Freestyle Gold
1.    Natalie Widdowson and Nelson Van De Gathe, 71.28%
2.    Louise Davison and Illustrious Caledonia, 70.96%
3.    Pippa Hahn and Huckleberry V, 66.99%
PDS Saddles Elementary Freestyle Silver
1.    Christine Daniels and Darbey Ramblin, 71.60%
2.    Amanda Barrett and A Capella, 70.26%
3.    Emma Savage and Mummys Dream, 70.19%

FULL RESULTS

Photo © Kevin Sparrow Photography