Festival Focus - Fenning Farm

Only three Petplan Equine Area Festivals to go! Fenning Farm (19 – 21 August) welcomed riders for the first time, as they were a new venue this year, to show off their best tests to gain their tickets to the Petplan Equine Summer Area Festival Championships.

Petplan’s picks!

Alice Begg and Gluckauf claimed third in the Prix St Georges Bronze, “he tried his heart out to get 64.80%,” said Alice who owns Finchingfield Equestrian Centre. “Always lots to improve on but I’m so happy with him! My first ever dressage horse and my dream was always to be able to wear my tail coat on my special boy… and here we are.” The thirteen year old Hanoverian gelding has been to numerous regionals and national championships and always placed within the top 10. Having attended the Petplan Equine Summer Area Festival Championships last year on her other rider Dior, it could be Alfie who claims the title this year.

Ten year old mare Dun-Lin took the win in the Inter I Bronze with Angela Fenn, the pair took some time off at the start of the year with hopes to breed from Star, “unfortunately that failed and then I went on holiday so we had a bit of a break,” Angela said on social media. Their first show back was Speedgate Area Festival which they also won in the Prix St Georges Bronze Freestyle, “this was our second test and she came out so relaxed to win a ticket to the championships.”

Talking about their day on social media Angela said, “well worth the late finish, it was a shakey start when Star took a dislike to the judges box, so we cantered in the trot half pass and in our extended trot however super pleased we have our tempi’s back and big improvement In our pirouettes too.”

Forth in the Medium Silver, Helen Taylor and Boogie Knight loved their time at Fenning Farm, “he loves earning me these lovely green and blue frillies!” said Helen on social media. “He felt a little bit too chilled about the whole thing but breezed round the test like it was a walk round the block one of the judges had us on 70% too. We finished on 67.35% as well as some really lovely comments.”

This will be Joanna Blood and Felicia IV’s first time at the Petplan Equine Summer Area Festival Championships, “I’m super excited to go” Jo told us. “I absolutely love taking part in the Petplan Area Festivals, I’m a one horse amateur rider/owner so the friendly and inclusive feel to the events is perfect for me,” Jo went on to say.

Gaining their ticket to the championships in the Elementary Silver but it was a successful day all round, “we started off coming 4th in the Medium Bronze, which felt like a win to me as in the same class last year my mare started to feel slightly ‘off’ and a follow up with the vet revealed an injury that put us out of action for the rest of the year. So, to come back and get a 67% score this year was great!”

Their weekend did not stop there said Jo, “winning the Elementary Silver really was the cherry on top. Our test felt lovely but I’d seen so many smart horses warming up I didn’t dare hope…but we did it.”

Fenning Farm winners

Petplan Equine Preliminary Bronze 

Lily Brackenbury and Captain Oats, 71.81 %

Petplan Equine Preliminary Silver

Jodie O'Kane and Bayyford Firefox, 68.68 %

Petplan Equine Novice Bronze  

Louise Clark and Boo Diddley, 69.31 %

Petplan Equine Novice Silver 

Nicky Tyrrell and Petlin Jessica, 69.93 %

Petplan Equine Elementary Bronze 

Nicky Tyrrell and Petlin Jessica, 68.09 %

Petplan Equine Elementary Silver  

Joanne Blood and Felicia IV, 69.66 %

Petplan Equine Medium Bronze  

Sarah Hillier and Winnetou Apache, 70.00 %

Petplan Equine Medium Silver 

Emma Elizabeth Openshaw and Penbretti Diamond Dancer, 69.22 %

Petplan Equine Advanced Medium Bronze 

Jessica Clarke and TT Amika, 68.21 %  

Petplan Equine Advanced Medium Silver 

Samantha Louise Collins and Geneve, 67.69 %

Petplan Equine Prix St Georges Bronze  

Toby Stephen Bancroft and Donnerstag III, 66.57 %  

Petplan Equine Prix St Georges Silver

Maxine Dowman and Biggles Tosha, 64.12 %

Petplan Equine Intermediate I Bronze

Angela Fenn and Dun-Lin, 63.97 %

Petplan Equine Intermediate I Silver

Okke Krol and Aldsvir Bese, 64.61 %