Winter Regional Championships: Chard Equestrian

Somerset’s Chard Equestrian hosted their first BD Winter Regional Championships on 18 – 19 February with riders from the South & West stepping up to make it a debut event to remember.  

Three-time winner Jessica Davies was without doubt star of the show at Chard as the Wiltshire-based rider excelled with two riders in three classes. With the eight year old KWPN mare Kadanz II, Jessica earned a win in the Prestige Novice Gold scoring 74.63% before going on to claim the Equi-Trek Elementary Gold on 72.50%. Known as ‘Berry’, the eye-catching chestnut mare is sired by Hengstenstation van Uytert’s Grenoble (Bordeaux x Florencio I) and out of a mare by KWPN jumping stallion Within Temptation. Jessica’s third win came in the Nupafeed Advanced Medium Freestyle with Berry’s stable mate Sparkling Moet; performing with plenty of class and fizz, the combination scored 73.67% to claim the title ahead of Georgina Nicholls with Briarwood Notorious and Dominique Mills on board Crosstown Mollteser.

Jessica commented, “Absolutely on cloud nine! What an amazing day, Moët Advanced Medium Music Regional Champion with 73.6% and Berry Elementary Gold Regional Champion with 72.5%! So so proud of my girls couldn’t do it without my amazing team, thank you all, and a big thank you to my trainer Sophie Dickinson for helping me warm up today, really made us feel full of confidence going into the ring!” 

Dannie Morgan delivered the highest score of the show on board Claire and Mark Speer’s five year old Blissful Optimism (Bordeaux x Sheepcote Wurlitzer) in the Baileys Horse Feeds Novice Freestyle Gold. The combination earned 78.98% to place in front of Katherine Lewis and Steph Eardley in a hot competition judged by Patt Watts, Frances Turner and Jo Rose. Speaking on social media Dannie was full of praise not only for his winning ride but also his talented team member Lauren, “She [Blissful Optimism] has only ever been to three shows before this so she exceeded all expectations. The day then got even better when my groom Lauren Burrows won the Novice Silver regional at her first ever regionals on the gorgeous With Flair.” 

At the FEI small tour levels, it was a tight fought contest for the Magic Prix St Georges Gold title with less than one percent splitting the top three. Olivia Oakeley and Caroline Bell’s Full House (Florencio I x Falkland) would be the duo to take the top spot, with Sue Petty, Fiona Wilson and Clare Deithrick rewarding their efforts a winning 69.51%. Based at Allington Equestrian in Hampshire, Olivia has produced the talented tall gelding successfully to small tour level alongside her own Rock Diva, who collected a wild card to contest the Superflex Intermediate I Gold.  

Natasha Rumble and Dragon Fly VCG scored 69.17% to pick up the winner’s spoils in the Superflex Intermediate I Gold qualifier at Chard Equestrian. Whilst the silver sections saw the top spots shared by Sian Turner and Janine Jansen; with Spitfire III, Janine excelled in the Magic Prix St Georges Silver scoring 67.16% to claim the win ahead of second placed Sian before the duo switched placed in the Superflex Intermediate I Silver where Sara Gallop’s 10 year old Rock That Tango stepped up to 67.40% for Prestige Equestrian team member Sian.

With high scores up and down the country, the HorseHage Preliminary Gold is shaping up to be a contest to watch at the NAF Five Star Winter Championships; Mark Forrest (pictured above) became the latest rider to secure his ticket with the sublime Ivicii RMD (Asgards Ibiza x Don Schufro). The five year old has already made an impact on the biggest of stages, achieving 8.24 in the opening round for four year olds at last year's KBIS Young Horse Championships, and the gelding looked superb once again at Chard scoring 73.22% to take the win. In the Silver section, Kate Massey and Moondance were the sole combination to top the 70% barrier to take home the title ahead of Sky Kaye and Orchids Rosetta.  

Congratulations to all the winning riders and owners, and to everyone who took part. Thanks go to the entire team at Chard Equestrian for hosting a successful debut Winter Regional Championships. 
 
Results: top three 
HorseHage Preliminary Silver 
1. Kate Massey and Moondance, 70.92% 
2. Sky Kaye and Orchids Rosetta, 68.32% 
3. Jane Surmon and He’s The Man, 68.16%

HorseHage Preliminary Gold 
1. Mark Forrest and Ivicii RMD, 73.22% 
2. Taylor Denness and Gues, 72.47% 
3. Lucie Stokoe and Nicolaas B, 70.29% 
 
Prestige Novice Silver 
1. Lauren Burrows and With Flair, 70.25% 
2. Jessica Louise Caple and Jaguar (MSF), 69.81% 
3. Claire Louise Davies and Quatlady, 67.78% 
 
Prestige Novice Gold 
1. Jess Davies, Kadanz II, 74.63% 
2. Taylor Denness and Gues, 72.59% 
3. Dannie Morgan and Blissful Optimism, 72.53% 
 
Baileys Horse Feeds Novice Freestyle Silver 
1. Lucie Stokoe and Nicolaas B, 71.94% 
2. Kelly Jewell and Juno Watt, 70.19% 
3. Laima Davies and Romero, 68.15% 
 
Baileys Horse Feeds Novice Freestyle Gold 
1. Dannie Morgan and Blissful Optimism, 78.98% 
2. Katharine Rose Lewis and SLS Maurits, 77.78 % 
3. Stephanie Eardley and Infinity IV, 72.22% 
 
Equi-Trek Elementary Silver 
1. Charlotte Chadwick and Bogrant, 69.58% 
2. Victoria Gawler and Scirocco, 69.06% 
3. Jocelyn Maude and Dea III, 68.70%  
 
Equi-Trek Elementary Gold 
1. Jessica Davies and Kadanz II, 72.50% 
2. Mat Burnett and Mackintosh I, 71.41% 
3. Alice Oppenheimer and Headmore Flintstone, 69.95%

PDS Saddles Elementary Freestyle Silver 
1. Jess Ralton and Dallaglio II, 72.95% 
2. Victoria Gawler and Scirocco, 70.32% 
3. Emma Staton and Buckland Romantic, 68.78% 
 
PDS Saddles Elementary Freestyle Gold 
1. Lucy Anne Baker and Last Dancer, 74.94% 
2. Matthew Burnett and Mackintosh II, 71.67% 
3. Jemima Jennings and Wilmine, 71.15% 
 
HorseLight Medium Silver 
1. Fiona Louise Gair and BRS Kingdom, 69.68% 
2. Katherine Carmella Davis and Ex Lunar Sea, 66.98% 
3. Elizabeth Anne Trowbridge and Lord Lancelot, 66.35% 
 
HorseLight Medium Gold 
1. Alexander Harrison and Mount St John Diamonds Are Forever, 69.68% 
2. Darren Hicks and Jack XXVI, 67.34% 
3. Sarah Louise Ridd and First Kiss, 67.30% 
 
SPILLERS Medium Freestyle Silver 
1. Fiona Louise Gair and BRS Kingdom, 72.44% 
2. Elizabeth Anne Trowbridge and Lord Lancelot, 71.33% 
3. Susan Jane Lanz and Wellshead Foxtrot, 71.17% 
 
SPILLERS Medium Freestyle Gold 
1. Lucy Anne Baker and Last Dancer, 72.39% 
2. Louise Hutchinson and Leonardo VIII, 66.83% 
 
Equitex Advanced Medium Silver 
1. Sara Squires and Laetitius C, 70.48% 
2. Georgia Nicholls and Briarwood Notorious, 69.91% 
3. Julia Veen and Westpoint Solitaire, 65.92%

Equitex Advanced Medium Gold 
1. Vikki Pengilly and Indianna, 71.58% 
2. Charlotte Dicker and Catherston Timeless, 69.47% 
3. Abbie Mae Newbury and Seagry Firstamour, 68.73% 

Nupafeed Advanced Medium Freestyle Silver 
1. Jess Davies and Sparkling Moet, 73.67% 
2. Georgina Nicholls and Briarwood Notorious, 70.83% 
3. Dominique Mills and Crosstown Mollteser, 66.78% 
 
Nupafeed Advanced Medium Freestyle Gold 
1. Stephanie Wood and Kapri, 67.83%

Magic Prix St Georges Silver 
1. Janine Jansen and Spitfire III, 67.16% 
2. Sian Turner and Rock That Tango, 64.66% 
3. Abbie Mae Newbury and Seagry Firstamour, 63.77% 
 
Magic Prix St Georges Gold 
1. Olivia Kate Oakeley and Full House, 69.51% 
2. Alexander Harrison and Kickback, 69.22% 
3. David Harvey and Rossana, 69.02% 
 
Superflex Intermediate I Silver 
1. Sian Turner and Rock That Tango, 67.40% 
2. Janine Jansen and Spitfire III, 65.64% 
 
Superflex Intermediate I Gold 
1. Natasha Rumble and Dragon Fly VCG, 69.17% 
2. Dylan Deutrom and Dillon II, 68.19% 
3. David Harvey and Rossana, 67.89% 

VIEW THE FULL RESULTS

Photos © ESP Photographic