Winter Regional Championships: Chard Equestrian

Congratulations to the 22 new regional champions and those who earned their NAF Five Star Winter Championship qualification tickets at Chard Equestrian’s Winter Regional Championships held in Somerset last week (14 – 16 February). 

Jezz Palmer (pictured above) produced a plethora of exceptional performances which saw him clinch three regional champion titles. Riding Martin Price’s promising five-year-old Premier, the Hampshire-based rider claimed the victory in the Baileys Novice Freestyle Gold with the highest score of the competition, an outstanding 77.31%. He also secured the top spot in the Prestige Novice Gold, with the First Date-sired gelding earning 73.12%. Partnering with Toddington Debut (Glock’s Toto Jr x Zack), Jezz also delivered a stunning freestyle routine to win the PDS Saddles Elementary Freestyle Gold with 74.29% and placed second in the Spillers Medium Freestyle and Equi-Trek Elementary Gold. Additionally, he rode the nine-year-old Dante Weltino-sired mare Romanno Weltino to a strong second place finish in the Superflex FEI Intermediate I Gold with 68.77%. 

Jezz reflected on the success, saying: “I’m very happy with how the horses performed, especially given the cold and windy conditions. They all came out feeling really fresh and we had an incredible weekend.” 

It was a successful show for not only Jezz but also for his wife Lucy Palmer, who claimed two victories with another Dante Weltino-sired mare, La Vida Loca. The combination were successful in the Spillers Medium Freestyle Gold scoring 72.78% and the HorseLight Medium Gold on 68.75%. Meanwhile, Emily Ormerod and her own FLS Samphire (Showmaker x Di Caprio) were another combination to add two regional champion titles to their record, topping the Black Country Saddles Advanced Medium Gold and Nupafeed Advanced Medium Freestyle Gold with a score of 71.22%. “I cannot put into words how grateful I am to the most special horse FLS Samphire and the team around us. Conditions were challenging this weekend, but we have such a solid partnership that we managed to pull off two lovely tests,” commented Emily on Facebook. 

Riding Emma Blundell’s nine-year-old mare Mount St John Diamonds Are Forever, Somerset’s own Alex Harrison won both the Magic FEI Prix St Georges Gold and the Superflex FEI Intermediate I Gold on 70.39% and 72.84%, making him the top scorer across the FEI classes. Taking to social media to share his pride in the mare, Alex said: “She has only done one test at each level before this show, but she is a cracking horse inside the whiteboards and rose to the occasion. Thank you to Emma for trusting me to produce this special mare, giving her time and believing in the process.” 

Across the Silver categories, Lauren Burrows and Elizabeth Frampton-Hobbs’s Beaux Lyon (Beltano x Herzensdieb) emerged as the top scorers after the duo’s stellar Baileys Novice Freestyle Silver routine earned an outstanding score of 77.13%. Also impressing in the Silver classes, Amy Hose and Ellen Glover each achieved two wins, whilst Jessica Davies and her own Kadanz II (by Grenoble) put in a strong performance in the FEI Magic Prix St Georges and Superflex Intermediate I Silver classes, taking the wins with 66.86% and 68.53%. Taking to social media to reflect on her experience, Jessica said, “An amazing few days away despite the weather; I have never been so cold in my entire life, but the horses were great! Berry exceeded all expectations - she really is the golden girl.” 

Congratulations to all competitors who took part in this fantastic weekend of dressage, especially those who collected NAF Five Star Winter Championships qualification tickets. Thanks go to the organising team at Chard Equestrian for running a terrific Regional Championships. 

Results – top three

Friday 14 February 

Spillers Medium Freestyle Silver
1.    Paula Lee and Deseado Santo, 72.72%
2.    Louisa Julie Brend and Cynheidrefawr Gerwyn, 69.89%
3.    Katie Palmer and Headmore Braithwaite, 67.61% 

Spillers Medium Freestyle Gold
1.    Lucy Palmer and La Vida Loca, 72.78%
2.    Jezz Palmer and Toddington Debut, 72.00%
3.    Isobel Goodwin and Milano Van Hof Olympia, 70.44% 

Baileys Novice Freestyle Silver
1.    Lauren Burrows and Beaux Lyon, 77.13%
2.    Tamara Egglestone and Olinde, 70.09%
3.    Willow Tarrant Clark and Ashgrove Wendi, 68.52%

Prestige Novice Gold
1.    Jezz Palmer and Premier, 73.12%
2.    Robyn Walker and Voila St Giles, 70.48%
3.    Dylan Deutrom and Ottilie, 69.03%

Magic FEI Prix St Georges Silver
1.    Jessica Davies and Kadanz II, 66.86%
2.    Amy Richards and Happy Pleasure, 65.00%
3.    Amanda Robb and Ruby Tuesday V, 63.92%

Magic FEI Prix St Georges Gold
1.    Alexander Harrison and Mount St John Diamonds Are Forever, 70.39%
2.    Sara-Jane Lanning and Choice, 67.16%
3.    Nynn Puttisombat and Rock That Tango, 67.01%

Superflex FEI Intermediate I Silver
1.    Jessica Davies and Kadanz II, 68.53%
2.    Fiona Gair and BRS Kingdom, 66.03%
3.    Amanda Robb and Ruby Tuesday V, 64.22%

Superflex FEI Intermediate I Gold
1.    Alexander Harrison and Mount St John Diamonds Are Forever, 72.84%
2.    Jezz Palmer and Romanno Weltino, 68.77%
3.    Katharine Lewis and Albertho B, 66.42%

Black Country Saddles Advanced Medium Silver
1.    Amy Hose and Enrique, 69.26%
2.    Amy Richards and Happy Pleasure, 67.22%
3.    Patrick Troddyn and Hero (Huroos), 66.90%

Black Country Saddles Advanced Medium Gold
1.    Emily Ormerod and FLS Samphire, 70.83%
2.    Dannie Morgan and Vive La Reinne VH, 69.86%

Saturday 15 February 

PDS Saddles Elementary Freestyle Silver
1.    Joe Roome and Acqua Marina Della Caccia, 73.14%
2.    Dominique Mills and Sermaggio, 69.94%
3.    Alysia Matravers and Vorvashill Vertigo, 69.23%

PDS Saddles Elementary Freestyle Gold
1.    Jezz Palmer and Toddington Debut, 74.29%
2.    Beth Bainbridge and Newton Glovetrotter, 74.04%
3.    Hayley Watson-Greaves and Lamborghini, 73.59%

Baileys Novice Freestyle Gold
1.    Jezz Palmer and Premier, 77.31%
2.    Elder Klatzko and Dynasty Hit, 71.85%
3.    Jess Ralton and Top Secret I, 71.57% 

Prestige Novice Silver
1.    Ellen Glover and Morricones Love MFS, 72.20%
2.    Daisy Hedges and Felicia V, 69.30%
3.    Tamara Egglestone and Olinde, 68.66%

HorseLight Medium Silver
1.    Paula Lee and Deseado Santo, 68.61%
2.    Louisa Julie Brend and Cynheidrefawr Gerwyn, 67.92%
3.    Joe Roome and Acqua Marina Della Caccia, 67.31%

HorseLight Medium Gold
1.    Lucy Palmer and La Vida Loca, 68.75%
2.    Hayley Watson-Greaves and Lamborghini, 67.92%
3.    Lucy Baker and Last Dancer, 67.87%

Sunday 16 February 

Nupafeed Advanced Medium Freestyle Silver
1.    Amy Hose and Enrique, 72.33%
2.    Jess Ralton and Newton Galactica, 72.00%
3.    Saska Ingham and Fantasma, 69.06%

Nupafeed Advanced Medium Freestyle Gold
1.    Emily Ormerod and FLS Samphire, 71.22%
2.    Bryony Jones and Northcliff Fairoak NE, 69.72%
3.    Lucy Palmer and La Vida Loca, 68.78%

HorseHage Preliminary Silver
1.    Leanna Osborne and Pherreau, 71.40%
2.    Polly Tucker and Chaceley Bobby, 68.67%
3.    Sophie Miller and Brookswood Arctic Sparkle, 67.47%

HorseHage Preliminary Gold
1.    Tara Faulds and Platinum SNW, 74.20%
2.    Jessie Kirby and EQP Deidre, 73.20%
3.    Caitlin Burgess and Supermanjam, 71.13% 

Equi-Trek Elementary Silver
1.    Ellen Glover and Morricones Love MFS, 71.11%
2.    Joe Roome and Acqua Marina Della Caccia, 71.06%
3.    Joe Roome and SJL King, 68.94%

Equi-Trek Elementary Gold
1.    Dylan Deutrom and Balthazar III, 73.59%
2.    Jezz Palmer and Toddington Debut, 72.27%
3.    Hannah Biggs and St Giles Fortune Cookie, 71.72%

FULL RESULTS

Photo © ESP-Photographic