Festival Focus - Prestige Equestrian 22
Our second Petplan Equine Area Festival of the weekend at Prestige Equestrian (3 – 6 February) proved a popular venue for riders hoping to make their way to the Petplan Equine Winter Area Festival Championships in April. We caught up with some of the winners!
Petplan’s picks!
Emma Louise Dunkley was our successful winner in the Petplan Equine Winter Elementary Silver on her own, Stanley Grange Heir Supreme, topping the podium with an amazing 71.23%. Known at home as ‘Harley’ the ten year old gelding came from a showing background, “I have owned him for about two and a half years, he is a very quirky gelding and does like to share his own opinions so hasn’t been straight forward. He is however a lovely person and we have grown together.”
Emma, who has been a long-standing member of British Dressage, loves the Petplan Equine Area Festival series, “we have worked hard to qualify for various area festivals over the years and I really enjoy the great atmosphere at these events. It’s a fantastic chance for ammeter riders like myself to compete in a championship environment.” The pair received a wild card to the NAF Five Star Winter Championships last year and they loved the experience, “The show was fantastic for him, and we had a great time. This year having won our area festival we go into the championships with great expectations.”
Normally a huge critic of her tests, Emma was proud of Harley; “We have been trained by Lorna George (my rock) for over 12 years and we have a great relationship. She and my husband, Jamie, were over the moon with our test at Prestige and I can genuinely say I enjoyed every second of it and was really pleased with our performance on the day.”
Working full time, Emma balances her work, life and competition schedule, “it does get tiresome in the cold winter months, but the Area Festivals make it all worthwhile and certainly carry me through the rough times.”
It was a double win for Sheepcote rider Molly-Rowan Sharples in the Novice and Elementary Bronze on Breanormore Silver, topping the podium with 70.42% and 68.77% respectably. Known at home as Lyra, Molly is very proud of her ride and took to social media to thank her trainers Serena and David Pincus saying, “so unbelievably happy and grateful to her, smashing it in both classes at Prestige Equestrian-Centre.”
Prestige Equestrian Winners
Petplan Equine Winter Preliminary Bronze
Lilly Winter and Jimmy Thunderstruck, 68.61% & Amber Nethercott and Tequila Hit, 68.89%
Petplan Equine Winter Preliminary Silver
Nikki Crocker and Northcliff Dee Shee Lady NE, 69.31%
Petplan Equine Winter Novice Bronze
Molly-Rowan Sharples and Breanormore Silver, 70.42% & Sophie Taylor and Parkfield Quintessential II, 71.74%
Petplan Equine Winter Novice Silver
Rosie McDermott and Carrick Aldato Girl, 72.01% & Katherine Kneen and Springtime Gypsy Moth, 70.28%
Petplan Equine Winter Elementary Bronze
Molly-Rowan Sharples and Breanormore Silver, 68.77% & Sophie Smith and EMS Futura Estrella, 70.25%
Petplan Equine Winter Elementary Silver
Emma Louise Dunkley and Stanley Grange Heir Supreme, 71.23% & Annie Ho and Calling card, 70.83%
Petplan Equine Winter Medium Bronze
Tina Phillips and DHI Classical Dancer, 68.58%
Petplan Equine Winter Medium Silver
India Keates-Robinson and French Noir MFS, 67.84%
Petplan Equine Winter Advanced Medium Bronze
Danielle Balsdon and Lord Lennox, 68.33%
Petplan Equine Winter Advanced Medium Silver
George Ernest Martin and Silver Dream, 68.76%
Petplan Equine Winter Prix St Georges Bronze
Katharina Sievert and Samba Song, 68.09%
Petplan Equine Winter Prix St Georges Silver
Clare Green and Apollo III, 68.28%
Petplan Equine Winter Intermediate I Bronze
Georgina Tapner and Bugatti II, 68.82%
Petplan Equine Winter Intermediate I Silver
Olivia Sealy and KL Mac, 67.75%