Festival Focus - Highfield at Howe Equestrian

Highfield at Howe Equestrian Winter Area Festival saw more amazing partnerships qualify for the Petplan Winter Championships, as well as incredible spirit shown by those who have trained and competed during the Scottish winter.

Festival picks!

Zoe Archer who thought it was unlikely she would be able to make it to the competition due to a heavy snowfall the week before, won the Preliminary Silver, riding her 7-year-old mare Hallslake Auroa to an impressive score of 71.32%.

“Our track was filled with 4ft snow drifts, and we were heading nowhere” Zoe explains, Hallslake Aurora, who is known as “Pen” was content in the field making snow angels and Zoe with the help from her husband worked hard to make the way clear for them to travel. “Determined to do my best to get to the show I started digging. After three days of hand digging we managed to clear our mile long track to the lane, which had been cleared by David our local farmer.”

After Zoe was able to give Pen’s legs and tail a quick wash on the snow filled yard and after praying that the forecast was right and the temperature would rise, they were on their way to the Area Festival. “I was so relieved to get there I had no expectations, I was so stiff from all the digging, I just wanted to enjoy the day.”

Greeted by an extremely friendly and welcoming atmosphere at Highfield at Howe Equestrian, bumping into old friends and chatting with other competitors, “everyone seemed to be enjoying their day and that’s what it is all about.”

Zoe describes Pen as a, “super-genuine, kind and cuddly horse, who aways tries her best for you. She loves to go for a hack around the lanes.” The 15hh buckskin’s friendly personality Zoe tells us makes her a firm favourite with the school children in the village and is always happy to chill and enjoy the scenery while Zoe chats to the farmers in their tractors.

In preparation for this event Zoe and Pen spent little time in the school, the stubble fields are always too inviting. Pen loves an outing and on the day she was not phased by the flowers or atmosphere in the “beautifully presented” dressage arena. Highlighting the best parts of their test Zoe informs us, “we both remained relaxed throughout, and I enjoyed riding the test. We had some lovely comments from the judges and some positive feedback which I can work on prior to the Championships in April.” Totally shocked by the win, which made all the digging worthwhile, Zoe is looking forward to attending the Winter Championships, “Pen will love the big party down south and I have never been to Addington so it’s really exciting.”

Jo-Anne Murray’s preparation for the Area Festival included a lot of time focussing on the basics, especially in her test riding, “I have had lessons with a classical trainer to really focus on my position and aids. I have done quite a bit on mechanical horses to help me understand how to sit better and be straighter.” All the hard work paid off on the day when she rode Almwind to the win in the Medium Bronze, with a score of 66.47%. “I was very lucky we had such a good day and it all went to plan.”

The combination rode a "nice, relaxed test", Jo-Anne describing the experience as “one of those days when everything came together, and it was just a lovely feeling” putting them at the top of the scoresheet. “It feels strange to win, I’ve struggled to lift my marks and I have worked very hard to get better so I think I would say perseverance pays off.” Alongside determination to come back to the Area Festival series after a couple of years out because of horse injuries and her own injuries, rupturing her own Achilles this time last year, Jo-Anne has shown how dedication pays off.

Jo-Anne's four-year partnership with the 19-year-old mare has blossomed, “it has taken me a long time to learn to ride her as she is a big moving and powerful mare, but she has taught me so much and she always gives 1000 percent in everything she does.” Describing the 16.1hh bay as sometimes being very hot and sometimes tense, she really put her best foot forward on the day.

On her return to the Area Festival series Jo-Anne told us about her experience, “it was such an amazing day, everyone was so supportive of each other. It was also so well organised, and I loved every minute of it, apart from waiting for my score!” Luckily the support team had it covered, “my amazing friend Gemma kept an eye on it for me, she also helped me warm up and made sure my medium trot was as it should me and she checked my half-passes were correct and gave me a few pep talks.” It was obvious the pep talks had done the trick when the final score came in.

The winners of the Advanced Medium Silver were Lucy McDaid and Atlantico De Aragon (pictured above), who won the class with a score of 63.72%. Lucy explains, “I love my partnership with Atlantico, he is so willing to learn, he loves the harder movements.” The 13-year-old gelding's enthusiastic attitude makes him always up for learning new tricks and so much fun, he is a “dream horse.”

His attitude at home is the same as in his work, “Atlantico is the kindest most friendly horse, he is also very playful, he always wants to talk to you and is very sociable.” In preparation for the Area Festival Lucy worked on keeping the 15.1hh bay’s fitness as best as it could possibly be with only an outdoor to work with and the weather being against them most of the time. Lucy made sure to book lessons whenever her trainer Paul Hayler was up in Scotland, “this certainly helped to keep us motivated and feeling confident to compete.”

The combination competed at last years Winter Championships, “it was a great experience for us both, we were placed 6th in the Medium and we gained a good score in the Advanced Medium.” Since then Lucy tells us they have started to focused their training on tempi changes, counter change of hand and half canter pirouettes to prepare them for Prix St Georges together. “We have now done three Prix St Georges tests together, our first one we gained 61.76% and then we went back for two more a month later feeling more confident, this time gaining 65.29% and 65.74%.” Looking towards the future the pairs next aim is to compete in their first Petplan Championships together at Prix St Georges level.

Highfield at Howe Winners

The full results are not yet available as the final day of the Highfield at Howe Area Festival was postponed due to extreme weather. The Preliminary Bronze and Novice classes have been rescheduled for 3 March.

Petplan Winter Preliminary Silver
Zoe Archer & Hallslake Aurora, 71.32%

Petplan Winter Elementary Bronze
Imogen Casley & Parvadean Estelle, 69.31%

Petplan Winter Elementary Silver
Lily Godfrey & Fourstar Struck, 68.73%

Petplan Winter Medium Bronze
Jo-Anne Murray & ALMWIND, 66.47%

Petplan Winter Medium Silver
Karen Dewar & Half Moon Di Vinci, 68.38%

Petplan Winter Advanced Medium Bronze
Karen Dewar & Half Moon Di Vinci 66.84%

Petplan Advanced Medium Silver
Lucy McDaid & Atlantico De Aragon, 63.72%

Petplan Winter Prix St Georges Bronze
Katie Turnbull & Ashton Solitar, 62.43%

Petplan Winter Prix St Georges Silver
Rose Foley & DUQUE L, 62,43%

Petplan Winter Intermediate I Silver
Rose Foley & DUQUE L, 61.40%