NORTH-WEST Foxes Riding School, Wirral | Myerscough Arena, Lancs
Lessons with Dianne Breeze were the catalyst for Denise Wallis’ elementary success at Foxes Riding School.
Denise was riding her 20-year-old Welsh cob Erdyl Beauty (Erdyl Tywysog x Nebo Magic), whom she bought when the mare was an eight-year-old.
“I heard about her through a friend,” said Denise. “She’d done very little when I got her, so I hacked her a bit but she didn’t like the busy roads, so I’ve concentrated on dressage.”
The combination has made it to the regionals in the past but had hit a brick wall.
“I was getting disappointing marks and was on the point of giving up and just doing a few local unaffiliated shows,” she explained. “I ended up having a lesson with Dianne and she’s got me back on track. I’ve had five lessons now, the marks have gone up 5% and I’m aiming for regionals.”
Jeni Ball’s home-bred Midnight Circus (Izzy) won the novice 39 at Myerscough Arena.
The 10-year-old is by Upton’s Deli Circus out of Jeni’s event mare Top Totty.
“It’s a minor miracle even getting her to a show,” said Jeni, who bred the mare to event. “She had to have surgery on both stifles and has navicular changes in her front feet. The latter has been the end of her eventing career, but Father Christmas gave me British Dressage membership for this season so here we are.”
Jeni has done all the training herself with Izzy.
“Because she is fragile, I don’t have lessons as I tailor her work to how she feels that day,” said Jeni, who runs a successful cake and brownie company. H&H