Festival Focus - Vale View
Our second Summer Area Festival of 2024 was held at Vale View Equestrian in Leicestershire, where new Area Festival winners were crowned and the team at Vale View, the riders and supporters created an amazing atmosphere.
Sophie Davenport shared her Area Festival experience with us, riding Miss Moneypenny to a score of 65.63% in a very highly contested Prelim Bronze class at Vale View Equestrian Summer Area Festival. “Competing at the Summer Area Festival was a great experience, the team at Vale View were fantastic, super organised, welcoming and encouraging! It’s a beautiful venue and I feel lucky that it is within 45 minutes of home.”
Explaining why she choose to compete in the Area Festival series, Sophie tells us, “I wanted to set myself and Penny and challenge, which is hopefully to compete at the area festival championships.” Looking back on their test Sophie shares some of the standout moments, “I think one of the highlights of our test was probably our halt (in which we got an 8 from the judge at C!) I’m thrilled overall with Penny and our test though as the nice bits were really nice and we hadn’t had the best preparation prior to the festival with Penny’s asthma diagnosis and life being so busy meaning no time for lessons in the lead up.”
The combinations dressage journey began just over a year ago, when they gained three test scores to qualify for the Area Festivals, in just two outings! Sophie tells us that at the time Penny had a lameness issue, meaning sadly they didn’t make it to the Summer Area Festivals in 2023. After lots of investigation and rehab, their journey began again, this time gaining qualification scores for the Winter Area Festivals. Travelling to Solihull in February, Sophie and Penny placed and impressive sixth in their biggest class to date. Sophie tells us, “after that we have put our efforts into more Area Festival qualification scores to try and make it to the summer ones and as I said earlier, hopefully the area festival championship.”
Although Penny is known for being a “little problem horse” Sophie originally brought her to bring on a sell, but eight years later the partnership is still getting stronger and Sophie tells us, “she’s a permanent member of the family.” Speaking about the skewbald’s personality, “she is the kindest little horse who always wants to please, she is as much of a perfectionist as I am and hates to make mistakes! She tries so hard for me and these days is always a pleasure to have around and take out competing.” However, Sophie explains, “she hasn’t always been the easiest horse, having had what I can only presume was a pretty hard start in life as a driving pony/trotter, she had quite a sour attitude to people/work/life in general when I brought her. It took a while but gradually overtime we built up her trust and helped her learn to enjoy life and work! She can be a bit of a drama queen when she wants to be albeit a very predictable one! But is also a brilliant judge of character, she is 100% my horse, I’ve been told many times she is just like me and that she probably wouldn’t get on with anyone else,”
Sophie’s Dad who is ‘not terribly horsey’ is their biggest supporter while out competing, “Dad does a fantastic job of being our own personal groom when I can’t get to the yard, driving us to all our competitions and being top photographer/videographer and treat feeder - which both myself and Penny are very grateful for!”
Sophie and Penny are also ‘very much looking forward to’ heading to Onley Grounds Summer Area Festival to have a second chance at Summer Area Festival experience in 2024.
Jasmine Smith and Omey Patrick achieved a top ten finish in the Preliminary Silver, Jasmine tell us, “we had a fantastic day, it was actually a last minute decision to qualify him as we focus mainly on working hunters during the summer but I really didn’t want to miss out on the Area Festivals.” With only seven days to go before the end of the summer qualification period, Jasmine headed out to two BD shows and gained the three needed qualification scores, “which really just goes to show how achievable it is” Jasmine states.
Omey Patrick, otherwise known as Granite to his friends, loves performing for the big occasions, and really showed this at Vale View. “It is a stunning location and we love competing there” Jasmine describes, “we did have a small mistake in our test which was expensive but overall I was super pleased with him.”
The combinations partnership started together over eight years ago, “I brought him from Emerald Irish Horses as a five-year-old.” The now 13-year-old Jasine describes as “the horse of a lifetime.” Going from strength to strength, Jasmine tells us, “he holds my hand and I hold his, we’re a real team.”
Next up for the both of them is to have a go at qualifying for the BD Regionals at Prelim level, whilst aiming for the Winter Area Festivals at Novice and Elementary, Jasmine is also looking forward to having a go at Freestyle too.
Jackson Black and TCE El Paso VDJ won the Medium Bronze with a score of 66.81% from the three judges. Jackson reflects on his time at the Area Festival, “it was a fantastic experience, this was my first one and my horses too! The day was well organised, professional and most of all friendly, all the officials worked so hard to keep the day running smoothly.
At their first ever Area festival and only El Paso’s fifth ever medium test, Jackson states, “we had some really great moments throughout, my highlights would be his medium canters and the feeling he gave me in his trot work was impressive, especially the trot half passes.”
In preparation for the big day Jackson explains that he has a varied training programme with El Paso, from hacking, schooling in the arenas, test riding and having lessons. “Throughout this preparation I had to not just think about the horse's way of going, but how I could ride to the best of my ability and no stirrups really helped me stay relaxed and find my seat! However, the preparation isn’t just in our ridden training, the care is so important, making sure my horse is looking and feeling his best, allowing him to have rest days and turnout.”
Jackson describes El Paso as his “heart horse” telling us more about the gelding’s personality at home he states, “he’s the most loving, calm horse to have. He is everyone’s best friend and at the yard! His attitude to work is what makes him so trainable.” Despite being “hot and powerful to ride” Jackson tells us, “he gives me as a rider the greatest feeling and shows so much potential to go up the levels.”
Jackson chose to start his dressage journey with El Paso in the Area Festival series, “I thought it would be a good start to our journey, as I haven’t competed much, I’ve always been a rider who trains at home and spends most of my time coaching others. It was a big achievement for us especially after El Paso having a year out due to an injury!”
Looking ahead Jackson is focusing on training towards the Area Festival Championships in October but also working on flying changes with El Paso, hoping to start training at Advanced Medium at home.
Danielle Annable and Penstrumbly Maid Me Smile won the Preliminary Silver, with an amazing score of 69.17%. Enjoying their experience at Vale View Summer Area Festival, Danielle tells us, “my area festival experience was definitely a positive one. The day ran very smoothly with beautiful weather and a great venue to ride at.”
Reflecting on her test Danielle pointed out that her highlight was, “that Smiley stayed in a lovely relaxed rhythm throughout as I have had some trouble with her spooking and becoming tense.” It was a tense wait after receiving their score, waiting for all the competitors to ride down the centre line, “I was on cloud nine when I realised I had won the class. I was aware that I had the highest score after the first half had ridden but couldn't believe it when I had managed to cling on to the top spot right to the end having watched some lovely combinations compete.”
Danielle’s partnership with Smiley is still very new, “she was new to me at the beginning of the year. I can't believe my luck that i was able to buy her after she was offered to me at a time when i was almost thinking of giving up.” But their partnership continues to grow and go from strength to strength. Danielle describes the 11-year-old Welsh Section D as “already so special” hinting at the bay mares kind nature and most lovely active trot.
Planning their next goal, Danielle states, “I now aim to compete at the winter Area Festivals at Novice level.” Having loved her Area Festival experience, and the “championship feeling” that comes along with the friendly atmosphere, and “the opportunity to progress and compete at a championships.” It can be really beneficial for riders to have a goal to work towards, not matter how big or small, “I really love having a goal to work towards at my level. I also aim to take part in the Associated Championships for native breeds.”