Winter Regional Championships: Onley Grounds

The 2023 Winter Regional Championships continued at Onley Grounds Equestrian Centre in Warwickshire, where a further 22 regional winners were crowned over five days of competition (31 January – 04 February 2023). BD Youth National Academy athlete Sophia Marston achieved a tremendous treble while Molly-Rowan Sharples, Virginie de Senneville and Ashley Jenkins each took home two regional titles.

Sophia Marston (17) recorded a total of three wins aboard the Dutch-bred gelding, E-mail (pictured above) who is owned by international event rider Imogen Murray and Seonaidh O’Neill. The young rider from Coventry in the West Midlands piloted the 14-year-old son of Jazz to win the Equitex Advanced Medium Silver on 70.13%, the Nupafeed Advanced Medium Freestyle Silver on 74.33%, as well as the HorseLight Medium Silver the following day, with 70.23%.

“I went there thinking, ‘you’re with all the pros’, so had no expectations,” commented Sophia, clearly delighted. “But each time in the arena, he felt fantastic. We had some lovely comments from the judges and some lovely scores too.”

Sophia trains with Michael Eilberg and Sarah Cheetham, and has been riding ‘Emu’ since November 2021, as she explains; “My mum (Claire Marston) used to compete with Imogen when they were in Pony Club together so they’ve known each other for a long time. Imogen didn’t have time to devote to him (E-mail) because of her eventing commitments, so he came to me.

“He’s such a softy,” she continued. “It’s been quite hard to get his confidence in the arena because he’s a spooky horse, but I love riding him.”

The duo are no strangers to Hartpury, having last year won the Petplan Equine Medium Bronze Area Festival Championship as well as taking the runners-up spot in the Elementary Freestyle Silver at the prestigious winter season finale. They have also recently stepped to FEI Junior level, achieving three podium placings, including a Freestyle win, at Keysoe CDI last October.

Young stallion Fire Kracka (Fidertanz x Diamond Hit) - pictured above, owned by Claire Wyatt of Bromson Stud and Henry Boswell, continues to show his quality. Partnered by Virginie de Senneville (27), the six-year-old Hanoverian nailed both the EquiTrek Elementary Silver and the Prestige Italia Novice Silver classes on outstanding scores of 73.07% and 74.01% respectively.

“The stallion is absolutely incredible and I cannot be any prouder than I am with how he’s developing,” wrote Claire on Fire Kracka’s own Facebook page. “He was an absolute superstar from start to finish, and could not have behaved any better in the prizegivings.

“Again a huge thank you to Vee (Virginie), you really deserve this! Thank you to Rebecca, Gareth and Carl for the incredible training this partnership is receiving from you all.”

Winners of the Prelim Silver title at last year’s LeMieux National Championships, Virginie and Fire Kracka’s competition CV includes a 100% strike rate in every regional championship entered.

Molly-Rowan Sharples and Sheepcote Jackson (Johnson x Don Primero) - pictured above - maintained their long-time unbeaten record, winning two freestyle classes here at Onley. They took the Spillers Medium Freestyle Silver on 74.50%, and the PDS Saddles Elementary Freestyle Silver with 75.32%.

Sheepcote Jackson, a 10-year-old gelding bred by Serena and David Pincus at Sheepcote Equestrian in Herefordshire, has been partnered by Sheepcote’s working pupil, Molly-Rowan, since the start of 2021. The pair came third in the Novice Freestyle Silver at last year’s NAF Five Star Winter Championships and will be a combination to watch going into this year’s show.

Molly-Rowan took to social media to say; “Super Jackson won both the Medium Freestyle Silver with 74.5% and Elementary Freestyle Silver with 75.3% at the British Dressage Winter Regionals at Onley Grounds this week. I’m so proud of him! Thank you to all the organisers, judges and stewards, it was such a lovely show to be at! And big thank you to Sheepcote Equestrian.”

Ashley Jenkins was on form to secure two Winter Regional Championship titles. Aboard Cat Austin’s Last Gift, a seven-year Governor x Fabriano mare, he posted 75.83% - the highest non-freestyle score of the show - to win the PDS Saddles Elementary Freestyle Gold. He also topped the table in the HorseHage Preliminary Gold, this time with Elena Goodfellow’s Marchioness de Fleurs on 75.17%. Marchioness de Fleurs (Floriscount x Riant), a six-year-old KWPN mare (pictured above), has enjoyed an unbeaten run in her last eight shows.

Ashley has worked for Dan Greenwood and Jamie Reynolds for the past 11 years, where he specialises in educating the younger horses. “What a great few days at the regional championships at Onley!” he said. “Great to get a couple of inexperienced young horses out seeing the world.”

Ruby Hughes and World Exclusive, who continue to form an exciting team, gained the highest score across the FEI level classes. The 17-year-old World of Dreams x Rohdiamant gelding and 15-year-old Ruby achieved the winning score of 72.70% to take the Magic Prix St Georges Gold regional championship title.

Speaking on social media Ruby commented; “Yesterday, Wex and I managed to win the extremely strong PSG Gold Regional Championship at Onley Grounds! And I still can’t believe it. Honestly, this horse is one in a million and I couldn’t love him more the amount he has taught me and he never stops learning.

“And the biggest thank you to Kate Lister who lets me ride her absolute legend… I really am the luckiest girl in the world.”

Sara-Jane Lanning and Hawtins Lirica (Lemony’s Nicket x Dimaggio), the bright prospect owned by Nicola Seale, took second place in the PSG Gold, later winning the Superflex Intermediate I Gold on 71.27%. “A great week at the most wonderful venue!” said Sara-Jane. “Can’t wait to go back! Thank you Onley Grounds for such a friendly show.”

Congratulations to all the winning riders and owners, and to everyone who took part. Thanks go to organiser Sarah Jacklin and the entire team at Onley Grounds Equestrian Centre for hosting a successful Winter Regional Championships.

Results: top three

Tuesday 31 January
Class 1: Equitex Advanced Medium Silver
1. Sophia Marston and E-mail, 70.13%
2. Jade Clark and Jemimah HH, 69.25%
3. Lise Roberts and Ipurus, 68.60%

Class 2: Nupafeed Advanced Medium Freestyle Silver
1. Sophia Marston and E-mail, 74.33%
2. Jade Clark and Jemimah HH, 71.89%
3. Laura Green and Ireldo L, 70.33%

Class 3: Equitex Advanced Medium Gold
1. Nicola Lickley and Katniss, 71.71%
2. Jezz Palmer and Ketcher B, 69.34%
3. Sara-Jane Lanning and Breit Fantastic, 69.08%

Class 4: Nupafeed Advanced Medium Freestyle Gold
1. Jezz Palmer and Ketcher B, 73.56%
2. Marsha Webb and Ivanhoe, 70.89%
3. Sharon Edwards and El Greco, 70.67%

Wednesday 1 February
Class 5: HorseLight Medium Silver
1. Sophia Marston and E-mail, 70.23%
2. Elizabeth Richards and Diamantino, 70.18%
3. Alicia Laughton and Armada Bathsheba, 70.05%

Class 6 Spillers Medium Freestyle Silver
1. Molly-Rowan Sharples and Sheepcote Jackson, 74.50%
2. Louise Robson and Remi II, 71.67%
3. Sarah Carmichael and Hoemathika M, 68.94%

Class 7: HorseLight Medium Gold
1. Amy Woodhead and MSJ Florenza, 72.48%
2. Tom Goode and Margot, 72.25%
3. Michael Eilberg and EDH Saubermond, 70.18%

Class 8: Spillers Medium Freestyle Gold
1. Gracie Catling and Qwinton, 73.39%
2. Lauren Geraghty and WS Jackson, 73.39%
3. Emily Ormerod and FLS Samphire, 71.72%

Thursday 2 February
Class 9: Equi-Trek Elementary Silver
1. Virginie de Senneville and Fire Kracka, 73.07%
2. Louise Gallavan and Fabergé TF, 71.04%
3. Violet Hawkins and Cruz III, 70.63%

Class 10: PDS Saddles Elementary Freestyle Silver
1. Molly-Rowan Sharples and Sheepcote Jackson, 75.32%
2. Lindsay Wilcox-Reid and Sanbonani, 71.09%
3. Guy Reynolds and MSL Sambastar, 70.58%

Class 11: Equi-Trek Elementary Gold
1. Ruth Hole and Rubico, 71.93%
2. Holly Bates and Hillgrounds Feinline, 71.88%
3. Jayne Turney and Penhaligon Freigeist, 71.88%

Class 12: PDS Saddles Elementary Freestyle Gold
1. Ashley Jenkins and Last Gift, 75.83%
2. Ruth Hole and Rubico, 74.49%
3. Dannie Morgan and Oh My VH, 73.72%

Friday 3 February
Class 13: Prestige Italia Novice Silver
1. Virginie de Senneville and Fire Kracka, 74.01%
2. Violet Hawkins and DZL Royal Sunrise, 70.49%
3. Catherine Rose and Abermenai Gilbern Invador, 69.75%

Class 14: Baileys Horse Feeds Novice Freestyle Silver
1. Catherine Rose and Abermenai Gilbern Invader, 73.52%
2. Sophie Bennett and Sheepcote Deluxe, 73.06%
3. Beverley Dixon and Barnadarrig Boy, 71.39%

Class 15: Prestige Italia Novice Gold
1. Henry Boswell and Belinski, 73.95%
2. Holly Bates and Hillgrounds Feinline, 73.77%
3. Jayne Turney and Penhaligon Freigeist, 73.77%

Class 16: Baileys Horse Feeds Novice Freestyle Gold
1. Sarah Turner and Mowgli S, 76.67%
2. Dannie Morgan and Monsieur Frederique, 75.00%
3. Sara-Jane Lanning and Hawtins Belina, 71.30%

Saturday 4 February
Class 17: HorseHage Preliminary Silver
1. Charlotte Morris and Shamrocks Cavalier, 70.34%
2. Joshua Kehoe and Frankfurt, 70.29%
3. Ruth Whitmore and Autopilot II, 68.62%

Class 18: HorseHage Preliminary Gold
1. Ashley Jenkins and Marchioness de Fleurs, 75.17%
2. Emma Beswick and Linkswood Fantasia, 73.10%
3. Ashley Jenkins and Nickname Nancy, 70.92%

Class 19: Magic Prix St Georges Silver
1. Anya Kolleth and Frings 2, 67.75%
2. India Durman-Mills and Escade, 67.35%
3. Olivia Sugdon and Cortez, 65.00%

Class 20: Magic Prix St Georges Gold
1. Ruby Hughes and World Exclusive, 72.70%
2. Sara-Jane Lanning and Hawtins Lirica, 71.08%
3. Amy Woodhead and Furstin Fugger, 70.78%

Class 21: Superflex Intermediate I Silver
1. Charlotte Blain and Donatella IV, 68.09%
2. Christine Cockerton and Evaldo, 67.79%
3. Mille Gover and Kamil ‘T’, 67.71%

Class 22: Superflex Intermediate I Gold
1. Sara-Jane Lanning and Hawtins Lirica, 71.27%
2. Amy Woodhead and Furstin Fugger, 70.93%
3. Daniel Bremner and Frederico, 68.97%

VIEW FULL RESULTS

Photo © EmmPix