There was a surprise triumph for a 13-year-old at her first Area Festival.
Amelia Hendy, 13, won the prelim bronze title at the Allens Hill
Area Festival on Coedfryn Secret Surprise, with a show-high mark of 74.03%.
The 14.1hh part-bred Hanoverian mare was purchased just under a year ago as a Pony Club eventer, after being spotted for sale by Amelia’s trainer
Beth Hobbs.
“Beth has played a massive part in reschooling ‘Magic’,” said Amelia’s mother Sarah. “They affiliated only at the end of May; Amelia’s ambition was to have a go at an Area Festival, and we had our fingers crossed to be in the top 10. We never dreamt she’d win,” continued Sarah.
Amelia added: “I was a bit nervous going in, as I’d never been judged by three judges before and I had to remember the test as well, but Magic was a good girl; she was relaxed and I couldn’t be more pleased with her.”
Lizzie Webb won both advanced mediums at Quainton on plus-70% scores (72.65% and 70.53%). She was riding her home-bred WS Montpellier, a 10-year old bay gelding by Monte Carlo out a Welsh cob/ thoroughbred mare.
“Both tests were fairly good; the left shoulder-in has been difficult, and we are working on it in my lessons. The extended trots were good and now have much more expression than before,” said the rider, who trains with Tony Cockshutt and is hoping to debut at prix st georges in the next month or so.