SOUTH-EAST
Nicola Grainge and Eminence scored plus-71% in their first medium test.
“I wasn’t expecting a mark that good as we had a couple of mistakes, but otherwise it looked a smooth test on video,” said Nicola of her medium 61 with the Sorrento nine-year-old at Petley Wood.
“‘Ralph’s’ always forward for me and the half-passes we’ve been practising went well and he stayed off his shoulders. We will do our last elementary at the winter championships then I’ll try to qualify for the summer regionals at medium.”
Schoolteachers Clare Drury and Katrina Abbott took advantage of a sunny half-term to compete at Stilebridge. Clare won the silver section prelims with 69.14% and 71.67%, riding her first horse, 17hh seven-year-old Kingsleypark Panther. Now, after their first three affiliated shows, she is looking forward to moving up to novice.
Clare said: “I went all the way to Yorkshire to find Panther, who is by Country Top Dollar. He’s quite sharp, but forward and rhythmical, and as long as I ride an accurate test he can get the marks.”
Katrina, riding 10-year-old Kerry Mead, said she “cruised" to her 69.14% and 68.33% bronze section wins. She said: “I bought ‘Cruise’ from a showjumping yard three years ago and we’ve done everything — showjumping, cross-country and some TREC — whatever is happening in our area, but this is only our second affiliated dressage show.”
Katrina’s 16.1hh part-bred Irish draught is based at Cedars Equestrian, near Stilebridge. She said: “We have a great community of riders at Cedars and we all support each other when one of us competes.”