Festival Focus - Vale View Equestrian
Vale View welcomed Petplan Equine Winter Area Festival riders on the last weekend in January (26 – 28 January). To award tickets to 28 new combinations for the Championships in April, see who'll be joining us!
Petplan’s picks!
After being crowned the Petplan Equine Summer Area Festival Prelim Bronze Champions last year, Lily Carson is back to add more titles to her record this time in the Prelim Silver and Novice Bronze with Red Valentino SCS. “What an incredible 48 hours I have been lucky enough to have experienced at Vale View Area Festival!” Lily took to social media to say. Having achieved all three qualification scores within a week of each other back in December they were determined to be top of the podium. Not only has she gained two tickets to the championships but three with a new ride SCS Lifeguard CDS in the Novice Bronze where they came second with 72.01%. “I am so grateful and thankful to Sue Carson for providing me with this opportunity and to everyone who has help and supported the horses and myself. It was an amazing show at Vale View!” Lily said on social media.
“It’s a great feeling when you’ve been the one to produce them from a young horse to now,” Abigail Denham told us about her nine year old mare De-Cibelle. It’s been a difficult first few years in their training Abigail went onto say, “I bought her as an unbacked rising five year old. When she came back from being backed unfortunately Covid hit so we were unable to get her out to her first competition until late into her sixth year. Sadly, midway through her seventh year she was diagnosed with a granulosa cell tumour in her right ovary, resulting in surgery and eight weeks off.”
After only doing a handful of tests at this level late last year to qualify, they went home today with a second place rosette with 66.72% in the Medium Bronze. Abigail tells us about her dancing partner, “She’s a very difficult and opinionated mare which obviously doesn’t make life easy! A lot of blood sweat and tears have gone into getting her to where she is now. She’s a sassy know it all!” Training with Jezz Palmer after moving to Lincolnshire a year ago from the Isle of Wight they are looking forward to polishing off their test ready for the Petplan Equine Winter Area Festival Championships in April.
Partners for over nine years, Heidi Hutchinson and Ellison were delighted to have won the Inter I Silver with 68.82%. The gelding out of the Dutch stallion Sandreo is now fourteen and was advertised as a ‘project’ horse said Heidi, “He was very hot and spooky but we’ve worked our way through the levels over the years. I have learned so much riding and training him, he is my best teacher.”
It has only been in the last few months where he has grown more into the advanced work, “We managed to keep concentration through the test and kept it clean with no big mistakes. There is a lot that can go wrong in the Inter I! He has a talent for the canter pirouettes, and can pick up some valuable marks for these,” Heidi told us. Known at home as Rodders, they are looking forward to being back at Hartpury, “It’s always a lovely competition with a great atmosphere.” Heidi is then hoping to step up another level, “It would be a dream come true to attempt an Inter II later this year. With the help and encouragement from my trainer Paul Hayler, it may just be possible.”
Flora Heyes is back to stand on another podium after coming third in the Elementary Bronze at last years championships with Machno Excalibur. Taking the win with 67.65% in the Medium Bronze Flora is super pleased with the eleven year old gelding, “We’ve now secured our third ticket to the winter championships! After qualifying at the Arena UK Regional Championship the week before in the Elementary Silver and Elementary Silver Freestyle to Music.” It was only the pairs fourth Medium test after not competing since October. “We can’t wait to compete at the Area Festival finals at Hartpury and progressing our training for the Summer Area Festival series.”
“I went looking for a horse no bigger than 16hh2, chestnut or black and came home with Fungus - bay and 17hh1!” Louise Lea told us about her wonderful gelding Fanucci whom she has owned for three years. He was a present to herself after battling breast cancer, “I decided to treat myself. We saw lots of horses and identified them by odd markings or funny markings. Fanucci had just finished getting over ring worm - hence the name “Fungus.” When he came off the lorry, I couldn’t believe how tall he was.”
Louise was still in recovery when she found out the cancer was back, just as lockdown started, “My thoughts are that there is always someone worse off than myself, so pull yourself together and get on with it.” However, she was still as determined as ever despite the terminally ill diagnosis. “The only way is forwards,” Louise told us. Training with Emily Watts, Louise loves their sessions together, “I find her motivational and truly inspirational! She knows exactly how far to go and when to stop.” They competed and came third in the Petplan Equine Summer Area Festival Championships and also in the Veteran Rider Associated Championships. To top off their year they were also nominated for the most Inspirational Rider at the Horse and Hound Awards.
The route to Vale View was not plain sailing but with three qualification scores under her belt Louise as well as her family and friends made it down the M1 to the show, “I managed to ride Wednesday, Thursday and Friday for about 10 minutes and then it was the show on Saturday.”
“My test was amazing, the changes were not too bad for me and my walk pirouettes were some of my best. My sister and friends came to watch me along with Jill Watts - we call ourselves #teamfungus. I was completely amazed and overwhelmed to find out I had won the Advanced Medium Bronze!” Louise thanks the amazing oncologist and nurses who take care of her, “Unfortunately exerting myself has its toll. I was admitted into hospital on Sunday and came out a few days later. They are an amazing bunch of people, and it was worth it!”
“My plans for the future are to keep going, there is no other way! I have met some fabulous people along the way including Lou from the BD Office,” Louise said. “My quote would be “give yourself a kick and get going - life’s too short to dilly dally.””
Vale View Equestrian Winners
Petplan Equine Winter Preliminary Bronze
Keighley Spaughton and Ballyengland Princley, 72.22 %
Petplan Equine Winter Preliminary Silver
Lily Carson and Red Valentino SCS, 72.50 %
Petplan Equine Winter Novice Bronze
Lily Carson and Red Valentino SCS, 72.01 %
Petplan Equine Winter Novice Silver
Hazel Allin and Oxnead Schann, 69.58 %
Petplan Equine Winter Elementary Bronze
Gemma Jones and Quartermiro, 68.53 %
Petplan Equine Winter Elementary Silver
Sally Ann Tucker and Dr Who, 69.07 %
Petplan Equine Winter Medium Bronze
Flora Hayes and Machno Excalibur, 67.65 %
Petplan Equine Winter Medium Silver
Laura Hill and Kensington I, 69.66 %
Petplan Equine Winter Advanced Medium Bronze
Louise Lea and Fanucci, 65.47 %
Petplan Equine Winter Advanced Medium Silver
Jane Goodridge and D’Amore of Class, 67.01 %
Petplan Equine Winter Prix St Georges Bronze
Louise Mcdonald and Zander, 65.49 %
Petplan Equine Winter Prix St Georges Silver
Julie Carolyn Hyslop and Rubin Star Lioness, 69.56 %
Petplan Equine Winter Intermediate I Bronze
Fiona Helen Mudford and Armani B, 65.34 %
Petplan Equine Winter Intermediate I Silver
Heidi Hutchinson and Ellison, 68.82 %