Barker claims a hat-trick
Nikki Barker dominates with three titles, including ‘a masterclass in balance and lightness’, while patience and hard work pay dividends for others
NIKKI BARKER (née Crisp) left these inaugural regionals — brilliantly organised by Optimum Event Management — with three regional titles. She claimed a hard-fought prix st georges (PSG) on Durable, her own and Viv Gleave’s stunning 10-year-old stallion, standing at over 17.2hh.
“‘Danny’ felt unreal in the warm-up, then we had a few ringrusty errors in the test,” said Nikki.
Even so, this powerhouse of a stallion, beautifully ridden in a snaffle, produced an impressive test that was a masterclass in balance and lightness. The Spielberg offspring is well on the way to grand prix — he’s showing plenty of promise for piaffe and passage — and Nikki has two of his babies, both five, at home.
She also took the gold section of the novice music on seven-yearold San Pedro (by San Amour), who was a bargain buy aged five and is now owned by
Celia Bushnell.
“He’s light and athletic, so his music, put together by Ros Kay, complements that,” said Nikki, whose third and final ticket to the nationals came in the inter I, which she took on Alicia Laurie’s 12-year-old Forever Young (Flovino x Ehrentanz).
“‘Yogi’ is a real yard favourite who tries so hard. This was only his third-ever inter I, having done two to qualify last summer. Alicia bought him as a schoolmaster, but she got pregnant, so I kept the ride, and clearly now have to keep him until Hartpury. Then I guess I’ll have to try and qualify for the summer regionals, to keep him even longer,” joked Nikki.
Also taking multiple tickets to Hartpury was Jessica Thompson, who won the novice and elementary gold on Ashleigh Rose Turner’s nine-year-old
DWB Soensmindes Sylvester
(by Spinoza).
Cornelia O’Mahony was another multiple winner, taking the medium and advanced medium silver on Formidable, who is owned by his Suffolk-based breeders Adam and Clare Signy.
The freelance rider and trainer said of the Jazz x Rohdiamant eight-year-old: “He used to be a bit of a shrinking violet in the arena, but we’ve been working hard in our training to make him more reactive and expressive, and it’s so exciting that this work is starting to come during tests. He’s become more of an extrovert, which gives a lovely feeling.
“He had a spook in the medium, which cost us some marks, but I was thrilled he got through it and did some lovely relaxed work afterwards. In the past, this would have created a lot of lasting tension,” added Cornelia.
MERLIN’S THE MASTER
ROBYN WALKER impressed in the advanced medium silver
freestyle on the nine-year-old Oldenburg coloured stallion Master Merlin (Schufro x Maxwells Nescafé), owned by his breeders Robert and Mary Middlehurst, who also own the Dreammaker Stud, where he stands at stud.
“He gave me everything I asked and more; 76% is a personal best for him. He has such a wonderful personality and tried so hard, but stayed relaxed with it,” said Robyn, who is based and teaches at Dreammaker.
“Robert and Mary are so dedicated and never put any pressure on us. I’m currently training with Becky Moody, whose help has been invaluable. I’ve also had some help from Dr Lynn Pal, a sports psychologist, who has made a big difference to our performance at competitions.”
Another of Becky Moody’s students, Elli Darling, took the advanced medium gold on nineyear-old Eaimbry Endeavour (San Amour x Sir Sinclair), whom she first spotted at Becky’s as a fouryear-old and “totally fell for”.
“It’s all finally coming together for ‘Stanley’,” said Elli. “I nearly didn’t take him as we’ve changed a lot in the last few weeks. We’ve been experimenting with the way of going and keeping him more forward and committed in a test.
“It’s all still a little fragile, but he felt amazing on the Thursday, so I decided to risk it. It’s been a testing few years, but we are now finally managing to get the power and expression without tension in a test, which is wonderful. He was hot as hell but so rideable and genuine; you could tell how much he was trying to contain himself by his explosion at the applause after his final halt,” said Elli.