SOUTH Widmer, Bucks
Snow reduced entries at Widmer but some intrepid riders who braved the elements gained valuable qualifying points.
Stephen Allen and the eight-yearold PRE stallion Comico XXXIII won both mediums.
“He’d never competed until Neil Brener bought him in Spain last year,” said Stephen, who trains with Paul Friday. “As our school was frozen at home, we thought he’d benefit from the outing just going in the lorry and to the venue even if we couldn’t compete when we got there.
“But of all my horses he’s the one who copes best with the weather. Being at medium worked in his favour as he just quietly collected and did one movement after another.”
Stephen’s main aim this year is to qualify Comico for the MCI European Championships for Iberian horses, which will be held at Addington Manor in October.
Janine Modder works in the film industry and often has to go away at short notice, so relies on her home team to keep Western Max going while she’s on location. She bought the nine-year-old Connemara, who was bred by Mary Mitchell in Galway, when he was four.
“His ears were at 10 to two as if he was asking, ‘Mother are you mad?’ But he knuckled under and got on with [his test]. He’s a lovely chap,” said Janine, who won both novice classes.
“Jenny Davis did a good job to keep the show running.”
Just out of the placings at the Merrist Wood regionals, Max will move up to elementary soon.