Rao’s star keeps rising
Sarah Rao scores the biggest win of her career, as several from her yard enjoy a bonanza day — and Becky Moody lands a double
JUST two years after riding her first novice test in the UK, Chinese rider Sarah Rao won the prix st georges (PSG) riding Waldessarini (Foxy). This was a stepping stone on the way to bigger things later this year.
It was the perfect start to a week that included both Sarah’s birthday and the Chinese New Year, particularly as Sarah’s other horse Davidoff (Hoff ) won the advanced medium silver with her trainer Sarah Higgins in the saddle.
“When Sarah [Higgins] won on Hoff and received a sash, she told me I’d have to win my own on Foxy,” said Sarah Rao. “I did say I would, and I went out to do my best, but I never believed we’d win. I was so pleased with how he went that I would have been happy whatever the mark. I was standing by the scoreboard when my 67.5% went up and I had to ask Sarah if it was right!”
Foxy was bought just over 12 months ago and is now headed for the international circuit with the ultimate aim being the Asian Games in Jakarta in August.
Sarah herself is based with Olympic eventer Alex Hua
Tian and Sarah Higgins in Cheshire while she studies brand management at Manchester University, and it proved an amazing week for graduates of Alex and Sarah’s yard. Aside from Davidoff ’s win, Sophie Williams topped the medium silver with Ella and finished second with Ferrari, and Ellis Morton won section B of the prelim.
For Sophie’s winning ride
Ella, it was a second regional win having taken the novice here three years ago in the hands of Kelly Oxtoby. Since then, the Caesar
171 x Santano mare, bred by Julie Lockey, has represented Ireland at the pony Europeans and Sophie has this year’s Europeans as the
aim in what is her last year of eligibility. That said, the mare’s knowledge of the pony test nearly proved her undoing as she tried to add an unscheduled rein-back.
Ellis, who works for Zebra Products, has been eventing her winning ride Elsinore ELS.
“We’re still out-and-out eventers and this has been to help improve our dressage scores, but we’ll carry on doing a bit more as I’ve really enjoyed it,” said Ellis.
Sarah Higgins, who herself trains with Peter Storr, added: “I couldn’t have been prouder of all of them.”
MOODY TAKES TWO
IT wouldn’t be a major show at Myerscough if Becky Moody didn’t go home with at least one red rosette, and in the end she scooped two. First up was the advanced medium gold with Lucy Swindon’s home-bred Odwig’s Echo. Becky has been riding the son of Lucy’s small tour and young rider horse, Stanhopes Odwig, as Lucy has had a baby.
“He’s always been an intermittent lodger here but he’s been based with us since last year’s summer regionals and will stay with us until after the winters, then Lucy will take over,” said Becky. “He’s not super flashy with massive paces but he’s so trainable and you can ride a really neat, tidy test on him — he’s such a dude.”
Her second winner was Heavenly Kiss BS, a Julie Lockey home-bred by Furst Kiss out of a Don Schufro mare, who topped the elementary gold.
“I love him,” declared Becky. “He’s got the sharpness despite being such a big horse and he’s also got real trainability.”
Dawn Grundy won both the medium and advanced silver medium freestyles with over 70% on Rough Lee So Schufro, another with Don Schufro breeding.
“My first two tests of the show yesterday were at best disappointing; in fact I was so cross with myself that by the evening my other half, Steve Barr, and I were nearly divorced and we’re not even married!” said Dawn. “Today he told me to let the reins go and trust the horse, and he was absolutely right.”
Kate Cowell had nearly five marks in hand as she landed
the advanced medium freestyle with Tricia Andrews’ Dramatic Conquest. Tricia bought the Dramatic x Rohdiamant mare as a yearling and Kate has ridden her and brought her up through the grades.
“She’s a big mare so she’s had
all the time in the world,” said Kate, who rates her highly. “She’ll move up to PSG this year and do some of the Premier Leagues but I couldn’t be more pleased with her; it’s her first regionals and her first time away from home and she’s been a little star.”