News
Winter Regional Championships: Onley Grounds
- Written By: Anna Chadfield
- Published: Wed, 22 Jan 2025 15:42
The much-anticipated 2025 Winter Regional Championships got underway at Onley Grounds Equestrian in Warwickshire (15 – 19 January 2024), with nineteen regional champions crowned and a host of multiple winners.
Hampshire’s Dannie Morgan (pictured above) enjoyed a hugely successful visit to Onley, securing four wins and three further top placings with several promising young horses. His winning streak began on the first day of the competition riding Kristina Rausing’s Oh My VH (Oban VH x First Wish) as he secured the Nupafeed Advanced Medium Freestyle Gold title with a strong score of 73.723% while also finishing second in the Black Country Saddles Advanced Medium Gold. On day two, Dannie delivered another winning performance this time aboard his seven-year-old gelding Fever Tree (Foundation x Dayano). ‘Gordon’ was a standout performer at the 2024 NAF Five Star Winter Championships, winning two titles; this year the gelding’s booked his spot at the next level up, with a win in the HorseLight Medium Gold on 75.417%.
Over the weekend, Dannie achieved further success with two of Kristina Rausing's talented six-year-old mares. With Freya VII (Fidertanz x Rosengold), Dannie claimed victory in the Prestige Novice Gold before taking the Baileys Horse Feeds Novice Freestyle Gold with the highest score of the competition, an outstanding 79.445%, rewarded by Claire Ballantyne (C), Sandra Smith (E) and Islay Auty (M). Dannie also claimed second and third in the Novice Gold and Novice Freestyle Gold classes aboard the Vitalis-sired Verity), with scores exceeding 73%.
Reflecting on his success across the competition, Dannie said, “I’m really proud of my team of horses. Each of them performed fantastic tests at Onley and it’s exciting to have them all directly qualified for the Winter Championshipsin April. I feel very fortunate to have such a talented string to produce.”
There was further success for Dannie too, as he also celebrated the double victory of Lauren Burrows, whom he coaches. The 2024 Prelim Silver National Champion Lauren Burrows (21) and her young mare High Hoes Esquisse (Escalito x Loudabilis) delivered an impressive performance at Onley, securing two wins. They triumphed in the Baileys Novice Freestyle Silver on 77.03% and took the Prestige Novice Silver title with another excellent score of 71.290%. Reflecting on the progress of their journey and partnership together, Lauren said, “To see her have her moment yesterday couldn’t make me more proud of how far she’s come over the last few months.”
Following her exceptional performance last year at this fixture, Gracie Catling once again was a standout competitor, achieving three top finishes with the striking mare Fraithwens Wytske Fan Ter Lune (Hessel 480 x Maurus 441), owned by Ian and Gaynor from Fraithwen Friesians. The pair won both the PDS Saddles Elementary Freestyle Gold and the Spillers Medium Freestyle Gold with two consistently strong scores of 75.257% and 75.167%. Additionally, they secured second place in the HorseLight Medium Gold with a score of 73.009%.
Expressing pride and gratitude for the mare on Facebook, Gracie said, “She was insane in both tests,” before adding in a later post, “I’m running out of adjectives to describe her.”
Bryony Goodwin joined the list of riders who had achieved double wins at Onley; with Krack DE, she secured the Black Country Saddles Advanced Medium Gold with an impressive 74.815% before following it up with another win in Sunday’s Magic Prix St Georges Gold on 73.235%.
Sara-Jane Lanning and Hawtins Lirica (Lemony's Nicket x Dimaggio), also delivered notable performances. She claimed victory in the Superflex Intermediate I Gold with a score of 70.049% and placed third in the Magic Prix St Georges Gold on 69.559%. Meanwhile, another mare enjoyed her moment in the spotlight as Rose Hugh Smith’s Quintana (Quantensprung x Sandro Hit) earned her Championship ticket with a first place finish in the Spillers Medium Freestyle Silver on 71.667%; the duo also placed third in the HorseLight Medium Silver.
Congratulations to all competitors who took part and those successful in achieving places at the NAF Five Star Winter Championships. A special thanks go to the team at Onley Grounds Equestrian for kicking off the Winter Regional Championships with such a successful show.
Results
(top three)
Wednesday 15 January
Black Country Saddles Advanced Medium Silver
1. Laura Hill and Jobarde-E, 69.954%
2. Amy Knight and Fredansa, 68.565%
3. Tabitha Leicester and Eires Rock, 67.824%
Nupafeed Advanced Medium Freestyle Silver
1. Owen Davies and Churchtown Hollyboy, 71.778%
2. Amy Knight and Fredansa, 71.612%
3. Tabitha Leicester and Eires Rock, 70.723%
Black Country Saddles Advanced Medium Gold
1. Bryony Goodwin and Krack DE, 74.815%
2. Dannie Morgan and Oh My VH, 71.852%
3. Shelley Reeve Smith and Dante Fortuna, 70.602%
Nupafeed Advanced Medium Freestyle to Music Gold
1. Dannie Morgan and Oh My VH, 73.723%
2. Sue Carson and SCS Lumiere KH, 72.278%
3. Shelley Reeve Smith and Dante Fortuna, 70.723%
Thursday 16 January
HorseLight Medium Silver
1. Lesley Hughes and Serupgaards Sassicaia, 67.871%
2. Alison Calvert and Woodlander Frampton, 67.408%
3. Rose Tamsin Hugh Smith and Quintana, 67.315%
Spillers Medium Freestyle to Music Silver
1. Rose Tamsin Hugh Smith and Quintana, 71.667%
2. Charlotte Calvert and Quando, 70.334%
3. Ginnie Turnbull and Fabelwelt, 70.167%
HorseLight Medium Gold
1. Dannie Morgan and Fever Tree, 75.417%
2. Gracie Catling and Fraithwens Wytske Fan Ter Lune, 73.009%
3. Daniel Bremner and Tomasz, 69.352%
Spillers Medium Freestyle Gold
1. Gracie Catling and Fraithwens Wytske Fan Ter Lune, 75.167%
2. Martin Schleicher and Marvelous Taonga, 72.223%
3. Ruby Hughes and Champignon Sauvage, 71.556%
Friday 17 January
Equi-Trek Elementary Silver
1. Craig Messenger and Niko Aster, 69.394%
2. Laura Cooper and Woodlander Roxanne, 68.384%
3. Oonagh Dervish-Lang and Kent, 66.515%
PDS Saddles Elementary Freestyle Silver
1. Rebecca Pearce and Romanno Highgrove, 71.603%
2. Laura Cooper and Woodlander Roxanne, 70.706%
3. Alexzandra Houldcroft and Bardot Herself, 70.193%
Equi-Trek Elementary Gold
1. Rob Barker and Kilans Bartholomew, 70.859%
2. Alison Calvert and Woodlander Frampton, 69.748%
3. Sadie Smith and Times Nika, 69.697%
PDS Saddles Elementary Freestyle Gold
1. Gracie Catling and Fraithwens Wytske Fan Ter Lune, 75.257%
2. Charlotte Calvert and Woodlander Frampton, 72.628%
3. Jodie Pharaon and Bellisario TJ, 69.744%
Saturday 18 January
Prestige Novice Silver
1. Lauren Burrows and High Hoes Esquisse, 71.290%
2. Imogen Swann and Upgrade James WS, 70.484%
3. Georgie Wheeler and Newton Frank Zappa, 70.115%
Baileys Horse Feeds Novice Freestyle Silver
1. Lauren Burrows and High Hoes Esquisse, 77.037%
2. Alexis Knight and Mila, 72.778%
3. Ruby Kelly and Sir Nunn’s Just Rudi, 68.241%
Prestige Novice Gold
1. Dannie Morgan and Freya VII, 76.936%
2. Dylan Deutrom and Balthazar III, 75.484%
3. Dannie Morgan and Verity, 73.065%
Baileys Horse Feeds Novice Freestyle Gold
1. Dannie Morgan and Freya VII, 79.445%
2. Dannie Morgan and Verity, 78.426%
3. Sadie Smith and River Rise Onassis, 77.130%
Sunday 19 January
HorseHage Preliminary Silver
1. Freddy Steele and Bernstein SN, 70.533%
2. Vickie Archer and Franklin’s Destiny, 69.867%
3. Amelia Dovey and Pencwarre Butty Bach, 69.467%
HorseHage Preliminary Gold
1. Daniel Greenwood and SJL Vivaldo, 75.067%
2. Harvey White and D’ORO, 73.133%
3. Lucinda Elliott and Otis V D Anjershof, 72.467%
Magic Prix St Georges Silver
1. Kate Jones and Hollywood VI, 66.716%
2. Jade Clark and Jemimah HH, 65.833%
3. Theresa Smyth and Impress II, 64.902%
Magic Prix St Georges Gold
1. Bryony Goodwin and Krack DE, 73.235%
2. Lisa Hopkins and Liss La Belle, 72.010%
3. Sara-Jane Lanning and Hawtins Lirica, 69.559%
Superflex Intermediate I Silver
1. Christine Cockerton and Florance Christi, 66.765%
2. Claire Ackerman and Woodcroft Heinrich, 66.372%
3. Harry Corkett and Destino H, 65.147%
Superflex Intermediate I Gold
1. Sara-Jane Lanning and Hawtins Lirica, 70.049%
2. Lucinda Elliott and Ice LH, 68.774%
3. Jodie Pharaon and Best Of Art, 68.627%
