SOUTH-WEST
A successful final outing before a ‘hot class’ at the summer regionals paid off for an 18hh ginger giant.
Steph Sweet and Sarah Banwell’s Dolle Jung headed both mediums at Kings Sedgemoor ahead of their medium silver regionals victory at Bicton Arena (report, p48).
“It couldn’t have been any wetter as it was pouring and to produce the tests he did in those conditions means I have nothing to complain about,” said Steph.
“He kept working and he stayed with me. His was a really hot class at Bicton.”
The partnership is trained by Virginia Peters, who travelled to Germany with Sarah and Steph to help find the seven-year-old Dolle Jung, by Don Davidoff, two years ago.
Mary-Anne Ghazala, 60, and her 18-year-old Captain Flashman, who are trained by Julie Langrish, won the elementary 57 bronze section at Kings Sedgemoor.
“I am an old person with an old horse and we’re having a lot of fun even though his conformation doesn’t really lend itself to dressage,” said Mary-Anne.
“I have come to accept that when the dragons are in attendance, he spooks and misbehaves.”
The horse was originally bought as a seven-year-old to hunt with the West Somerset and for Pony Club activities, but MaryAnne was persuaded to register Captain Flashman with BD after joining the local riding club when her daughter went to university.
Sara Squires headed a medium silver and an elementary gold at West Wilts on the six-year-old Carla Bruni, by Contendros Bube.