Festival Focus - Bishop Burton
Reaching the half way point of the 2024 Winter Area Festivals, 14 more winners were crowned at Bishop Burton College, after three days of brilliant competition.
© Kevin Sparrow
Petplan’s picks!
First time Area Festival goers, Lilly-Ella Newcombe and 8-year-old gelding Lagos (pictured above) took the win in the Novice Silver with a great score of 69.51%. Lily proud to share their incredible results on her social media, explains how it feels to have won, “it was beyond our highest expectations with it being my first championships.” Prior to their Area Festival debut, Lilly describes how she focussed on the accuracy of her test, so on the day she was able to feel confident.
Lagos, or otherwise Rupert as he is known at home, had never competed at Bishop Burton College before and Lilly had not previously competed without a reader. Only three months into their partnership, Lilly tells us, " I had no expectation, I just went and had fun and enjoyed showing all our hard work. I really thought it brought our partnership together." Lilly thanked the chestnut’s owner Georgina Roden, “thank you so much for letting me ride him and trust me with him, he’s so loved.”
Reflecting on her experience at their first Area Festival together Lilly states, “it was definitely an emotional day, we held each others hands and had an amazing day. Me and Rups appreciate all the help and pamper treatment he gets.” Continuing to thank her support team, “everyone’s made such a special part in helping us.” Bishop Burton was the venue to be at as, "everyone made it a special day, the atmosphere as so nice and it was great to see everyone helping and working alongside one another."
Freya Alderson who is currently working towards her GCSEs, attended her first ever Area Festival riding Brookshill Precious, the New Forest x Thoroughbred. The combination came together after a long search, visiting lots of ponies and despite her not being the pony Freya intended to visit that day, she was unable to leave her behind.
The partnership between Freya and the 14hh mare has blossomed since then, “she has become my best friend, we learned to ride together during lockdown and at first, I didn’t aspire beyond hacking. However about a year ago I asked my Mom and Dad if I could have a go at dressage.”
Since then, the pair began their dressage journey in the unaffiliated competition, Freya tells us, “Precious took Addington by storm in August 2023 and came 3rd in the Trailblazers National Championships at Intro.” The 15-year-old mare, “enjoyed the venue and the attention, even managing to gain her own fan club in the crowd, she adores a mounted prize giving.”
After competing at British Dressage competitions for less than 12 months and only nine Prelim tests under their belt, the pair placed fourth in the Prelim Bronze at Bishop Burton College, Freya describes one of the highlights of the Area Festival being the three judges, “this is something I’d never experienced before.” As well as having an amazing support team, “I was so happy to see some of Precious’ fan club from Trailblazers cheering us on.”
Freya and Precious are heading to another Area Festival in February in hope to gain a Championship qualification, “I joined BD Youth this year, my ambition is to continue my 2024 partnership with Precious and represent North and East at the Inter-Regionals and plan to start competing at this level in the Spring.”
Christine Daniels has owned her horse Darbey Ramblin (12-years-old) since the gelding was four-years-old, beginning their journey with jumping and eventing, but over the past few years have developed a love for dressage, focussing on and thoroughly enjoying their training and moving up the levels.
The combination were the winners of the Elementary Silver class, reflecting on this amazing achievement Christine tells us, “I had a good warm up and stuck to my warm up plan and when it was out turn to enter the arena, I actually felt like he took me and had a great feel about it, like he was ready to do his thing.” Raymond as the 14.2hh grey is known at home, is your typical cheeky pony type of character, who is loving and into everything when at home.
While staying over the night before the Area Festival, Christine describes him as, “his usual chilled out self until the arena walk” he finds them very exciting. The grey geldings enthusiasm for his dressage showed in front of the judges Christine explains, “the whole test he just felt like he was listening to me and trying his best to do what I was asking.” One of the obvious highlights of their test being the incredible 9 they received for their halt and rein back, contributing to their winning score of, 71.08%. “I’ve have never had that feeling after a test before." Overcome with emotion when leaving the arena Christine tells us she felt, “all the hard work and practise had all come into play.”
Christine spoke about their winter training prior to the Area Festival, “I train once a week with Bobby Hayler, we had plenty of variety in his work, including trips to gallops, lunge jumping, pole work and hacking.” Raymond is known to perform better when he is working, this led Christine to take a trip to Notherallerton Equestrian centre for a run through of tests and test riding on the Friday before as perfect preparation.
After having a “lovely time” at Bishop Burton College, catching up with friends who train on the same yard and always seeing a friendly face, which is a nice experience after travelling alone, Christine is looking forward to get going with qualifiers for the riding club and dressage to music, also moving up to medium seems the next step for the combination now.
Charlotte Wood riding 8-year-old Alfred de Niro won the Medium Bronze with a great score of 71.67%, Charlotte having owned “Freddie” since he was three-years-old tells us what it means to have won, “it is very satisfying to know that I’ve produced him myself with the help of my trainer Victoria Maw. I’d previously evented but lost my nerve so decided to concentrate on pure dressage.”
The combinations partnership the judges thought was harmonious between the white boards, Freddie receiving high praise for his “super canter” one of the highlights of their test being at the beginning and end, “I have had a problem trying to make him stand still in the test which has proved very costly on several occasions, so to get two still halts was very satisfying even if they were a long way off square!” The training at home also paying off, “I have worked hard on his simple changes recently, so it was really nice that we were able to pull them off in the test and we even managed to get a few 8s!”
Charlotte and Freddie are no strangers to the Area Festival series, beginning their journey in 2022 and most recently attending the Summer Area Festival Championships in 2023 finishing fifth and fourth in the Elementary and Elementary Freestyle. “I have been very lucky to be so successful at the Area Festivals and have always enjoyed competing at them as the other competitors are always friendly and ready to help each other.” Reflecting on their Area Festival Journey, “it takes a lot of hard work and dedication to be able to progress up the levels. Freddie is very willing to learn and appears to enjoy the training which has made things much easier. We had only competed at Medium five times before, so I was thrilled with my score.”
Although the progress and succes the pair have had has not been easy, “it has been frustratingly slow at time mainly due to injuries. Freddie had to be treated for grade three gastric ulcers last year. He’s had a large cut on his front right leg and later a cut about his eye, both of which had to be stitched by the vet and meant time off work” Despite the adversity they have been through the hard work had paid off.
Looking towards the future Charlotte is heading to the Winter Regional at Bishop Burton competing in the Elementary and Elementary Freestyle and she also tells us she is, “keeping my fingers crossed that Freddie doesn’t get any more injuries so we can keep up the consistent work ahead of the Nationals.”
Bishop Burton Winners
Petplan Winter Preliminary Bronze
Zurie Dempster & Ella’s Lightening, 68.68%
Petplan Winter Preliminary Silver
Kirstin Mellor & Jupiter TN, 73.54%
Petplan Winter Novice Bronze
Kirstin Mellor & Jupiter TN, 70.56%
Petplan Winter Novice Silver
Lilly-Ella Newcombe & Lagos, 69.51%
Petplan Winter Elementary Bronze
Jordan Kavanagh & Flashdance GH, 68.73%
Petplan Winter Elementary Silver
Christine Daniels & Darbey Ramblin, 71.08%
Petplan Winter Medium Bronze
Charlotte Wood & Alfred de Niro, 71.67%
Petplan Winter Medium Silver
Leanne Michelle Dudhill & A.M Dynamo, 68.04%
Petplan Winter Advanced Medium Bronze
Louise Cupitt & Energiek N, 63.03%
Petplan Winter Advanced Medium Silver
Lindsey Robshaw & Balero, 65.51%
Petplan Winter Prix St Georges Bronze
Fiona Clair Newall & Fendy VCG, 69.90%
Petplan Winter Prix St Georges Silver
Heidi Hutchinson & Ellison, 66.57%
Petplan Winter Intermediate I Bronze
Fiona Claire Newall & Fendy VCG, 64.31%
Petplan Winter Intermediate I Silver
Heidi Hutchinson & Ellison, 66.86%