Festival Focus - Aintree International Equestrian 21

The third to last festival at Aintree International (27 – 30) was the centerpiece for some large classes and exciting results to gain qualification for the Petplan Equine Winter Area Festival Championships in a few weeks.

Tight scoring and almost perfect tests made it a competitive weekend in the north.

Petplan’s picks!

In two highly competitive classes, Novice and Prelim Silver, young rider Matthew Procter scored the highest results of the weekend with AB Kensington, 73.50% and 73.06% retrospectively. The pair are new to British Dressage and each other but have quickly made it up the levels and the six-year-old gelding, owned by Astrid Bolton Sport Horses, is one to watch. Matthew is also a showing star at the Royal International Horse Show in 2019, as reserve for Pony Champion and 'Dutch Dame' Supreme Intermediate Champion in 2020.

Previous British Dressage Junior Pony team member, Nicola Naprstek added another horse to her qualifications list, Don Cru, after successfully qualifying various other horses for Regional and National Championships over the years to Intermediate Level. The Hanoverian is a “Sensitive soul but with great potential” who is in the early stages of his dressage career winning the Elementary Silver with 72.11%. 

Holly Watson is enjoying life with her ‘little Unicorn,’ Furst Oskar, after starting their career together when they were both youngsters (four and sixteen-years-old, retrospectively), she is ‘forever grateful for everything he’s brought to our lives.” The pair won the Advanced Medium Silver with 67.52% and the now, 11-year-old, dark bay, gelding is looking forward to stepping up to Prix St George level soon. 

Aintree International Equestrian Winners 

Petplan Equine Preliminary Bronze (section 1) 
Holly McHugh and Bengad Christmas Cactus, 70.97%

Petplan Equine Preliminary Bronze (section 2) 
Emily Sheldon and Cwmhir spark, 68.96%

Petplan Equine Preliminary Silver 
Matthew Procter and AB Kensington, 73.06% 

Petplan Equine Novice Bronze 
Evie Head and Browershaven's Leonie, 71.53% 

Petplan Equine Novice Silver 
Matthew Procter and AB Kensington, 73.40% 

Petplan Equine Elementary Bronze 
Helena Perry and GERONIMO II, 68.97% 

Petplan Equine Elementary Silver 
Nicola J Naprstek and Don Cru, 72.11% 

Petplan Equine Medium Bronze 
Lucy Taylor and Delfino, 66.52% 

Petplan Equine Medium Silver 
Fiona Clair Newall and Don Romance, 67.21% 

Petplan Equine Advanced Medium Bronze 
Jo Parkes and Hamlets Harmony, 62.61%  

Petplan Equine Advanced Medium Silver 
Holly Watson and Furst Oskar, 67.52% 

Petplan Equine Prix St Georges Bronze 
Dawn Karen Grundy and Rough Lee So Schufro, 64.61% 

Petplan Equine Prix St Georges Silver 
Jennifer Ainscough and Showstar, 68.75% 

Petplan Equine Intermediate I Bronze 
Nicola Adams and Royal Troy,  66.64%