Festival Focus - Field House

Staffordshire was next on the Petplan Equine Area Festival list where Field House (13 – 16 August) saw riders get their dancing shoes on to impress the judges.

Petplan’s picks!

Having given up competing after her last horse, Ruth Sturmey thought the white boards would be the last place she would be on her new ride Walton Murphy’s law she tells us, “I bought my 14hh Irish pony as a safe happy hacker thinking my competing days were over due some serious injuries I had sustained. I was so wrong.”

Six months later they won their first show and didn’t look back, “I have always wanted to do freestyle to music so this year I gave it a go and have loved every minute. We have a Disney medley put together by Equidance and it suits him down to the ground. I can’t help but smile every time I ride it.” Ruth was over the moon to place second in the Prelim Bronze Freestyle on her “fluffy pony” she goes on to say, “he has had his fair share of health issues himself but he put everything he had into our test and it’s an absolute dream come true and we are going to enjoy every minute of being there.”

Libby Williams had “one of those extremely rare days with horses when everything went entirely according to plan” winning the Prelim bronze on her piebald mare Oreo Cookie. She tells us about her day, “Cookie has a wonderful temperament and simply rose to the occasion. It was our first Area Festival and we went with the attitude that it will be great experience for the future but the win made the day so memorable. Arriving back home the Festival plaque had already been put up on the wall by the time we had finished unplaiting Cookie.”

Encouraged by her trainer Steph Bradley to join BD last year after having success unaffliated and within the Pony Club they are grateful for the support, “we can’t thank Steph enough for being such a fantastic coach and mentor.”

Over the last sixteen years together Fay Fowler and Freckleton Melody have had a go at all of the disciplines but dressage is their niche. Buying ‘Millie’ as a rising five year old when Fay was only twenty six they learnt the ropes together, “she is my first and only horse, neither of us had ever been to a dressage competition and we certainly didn’t know what ‘on the bit’ meant.”

Starting their journey in 2007 at an unaffliated dressage competition they have grown together, “our goals have constantly changed from being able to get the right canter lead, through to mastering the changes and earning our tails,” Fay said. “I love the technicality of dressage and Millie seems to enjoy the training and really wants to get it right, she loves being told ‘good girl’!” Millie is Fay’s heart horse and it certainly shows, “she is much more than just a horse to me, she is my part of my family and when it all comes together for us, which is definitely not all the time, the feeling is just wonderful.”

Their day at Field House was “icing on the cake” as the pair got to stand on the podium for the Advanced Medium as well as the Prix St Georges Bronze Freestyle where they came second. “I am absolutely over the moon the be heading to Arena UK to compete in the championships with my girl, at twenty one she is looking and feeling great, but I am aware at some point she will have to slow down, so we are just enjoying the journey while we can.”

Ruth Whitmore’s homebred gelding  overcame his shyness to win the Novice Bronze, “Autopilot and I started our journey in August of last year and moved up to Novice after the Petplan Equine Winter Area Festival Championships. He felt really game and ready to show off at Field House, which is what we’ve been lacking so far. I was thrilled when he came out with this forward thinking, go get’em attitude. I’m super proud of the horse he is becoming and excited for the championships.”

Their first stay away show since becoming a partnership in 2020 Olivia Taylor and Cointreau Bay have had their ups and down, “she suffered an injury seven months after I got her so was on eight months of box rest and lots of walk hacking. She had her first canter in March 2021 and we did our first unaffiliated test a few months later.”

Olivia tells us more, “I never actually wanted Connie as she was four and a half years old when I got her and green as grass. She has really taught me what it is to have fun again, I love going places with her and cannot wait for the championships.” Pulling out a 69.17% in the Novice Bronze Freestyle to claim second place they have qualified from only doing two Area Festivals, “I am beyond proud of our journey.  She was also an absolute angel in our Novice test on the Sunday. It was a lovely experience to stand on the podium too.”

Field House winners

Petplan Equine Preliminary Bronze 

Libby Williams and Oreo Cookie, 71.94 %

Christine Yeomans and Foxbarn Peppermills Girl, 69.72 %

Petplan Equine Preliminary Freestyle Bronze 

Tracie Lavelle and Sarco Sovereign, 70.09 %

Petplan Equine Preliminary Silver 

Sophie Newman and Dixie II, 69.86 %

Petplan Equine Preliminary Freestyle Silver  

Charlotte Little and One Royal, 72.04 % 

Petplan Equine Novice Bronze  

Ruth Whitmore and Autopilot II, 70.49 %

Alison Garner and B Walt Lando Z, 74.17 %

Petplan Equine Novice Freestyle Bronze  

Kathryn Elizabeth Strangeway and Bob the Cob, 69.91 %     

Petplan Equine Novice Silver 

Lorraine Allan and Somethin' Else, 70.35 %

Petplan Equine Novice Freestyle Silver 

Samantha Jo Wood and Little Man AB, 72.04 %

Petplan Equine Elementary Bronze 

Hannah MacMillan and Brookeborough Lad, 68.97 %

Petplan Equine Elementary Freestyle Bronze 

Hannah MacMillan and Brookeborough Lad, 72.24 %           

Petplan Equine Elementary Silver  

Lorraine Allan and Somethin' Else, 70.98 %

Petplan Equine Elementary Freestyle Silver  

Lucy Robinson and Silvio Berlusconi, 72.18 %

Petplan Equine Medium Bronze  

Olivia Rimmer and OSCAR C, 68.82 %

Petplan Equine Medium Freestyle Bronze  

Denise Glanville and Gypsy Fortune, 67.33 %   

Petplan Equine Medium Silver 

Samantha Jo Wood and Lexus II, 70.98 % 

Petplan Equine Medium Freestyle Silver 

Samantha Jo Wood and Lexus II, 72.39 % 

Petplan Equine Advanced Medium Bronze 

Heather Urquhart and Crafty Wizard, 65.26 %

Petplan Equine Advanced Medium Freestyle Bronze 

Lucy Taylor and Delfino, 71.61 %

Petplan Equine Advanced Medium Silver 

Rachel Platt and Gracia Du Rona, 68.03 %     

Petplan Equine Advanced Medium Freestyle Silver 

Rachel Platt and Gracia Du Rona, 68.44 %

Petplan Equine Prix St Georges Bronze  

Kate Jones and Gabriella NG, 61.27 %

Petplan Equine Prix St Georges Freestyle Bronze  

Katie Owens and Inamorata, 67.46 %      

Petplan Equine Prix St Georges Silver

Julie Carolyn Hyslop and Rubin Star Lioness, 67.11 %

Petplan Equine Prix St Georges Freestyle Silver   

Antonia Frances Brown and SJL Jackson, 68.00 %

Petplan Equine Intermediate I Bronze  

Fiona Helen Mudford and Armani B, 59.61 %

Petplan Equine Intermediate I Silver

Tania Johnson and Zidaan, 65.00 %          

Petplan Equine Intermediate I Freestyle Silver 

Rhiannon Hinton and Quaikin Horatio, 68.79 %