SOUTH-WEST
Amy Francis and Marsden El Nino headed an elementary at Kingston Maurward, before finishing 10th in the elementary freestyle silver at the winter championships.
“He’s part-Connemara and has taught me to ride for every mark and be massively accurate,” said Amy of Vanessa Davidson’s 20-year-old 14.2hh. “He’s very established at that level and was so chilled at the nationals that I didn’t really have to do an arena walk on him.”
Amy also topped the silver elementary 40 section at Kingston Maurward on Nicky Parsons’ nine-year-old Fleetwater Catriona, who was competing for the first time at that level.
Joanna Johns headed for the Area Festival finals after winning her last outing at Bicton Arena on her Sandro Hit-sired Feel Fine in the medium 75 qualifier.
Ivybridge-based Joanna, who has two children, runs a livery yard and juggles her family commitments with teaching and competing. She trains with Nina Venables and Matt Hicks.
“I try to visit Matt for a couple of days every month,” said Joanna. “We’ve done our first advanced medium and it will be exciting to put my tails back on after a fiveor six-year break since my last advanced horse retired.”
Melanie Richards, from Mark in Somerset, works in business development and headed both novice sections at Badgworth Arena with her Florestan son
Floh (see box, above).
“Our scores are quite varied as he tends to throw in a couple of his own moves during a test, so to do two good tests on the same day is brilliant,” said Melanie.