WALES & WEST
Two promising young mares made their mark at elementary.
Rob Barker rode Charlotte Dujardin’s five-year-old River Rise Isabella to a 79.41% victory in the elementary qualifier at Summerhouse, on the Don Frederic mare’s debut at the level.
“She’s just amazing,” said
Rob. “She is quite hot and can find things quite exciting, so it’s a matter of giving her a good education in these early stages. I’m starting to get more of what I feel at home in competition, as she gets a little less green.”
Rob also rode Chloe Walton’s seven-year-old Fidertanz gelding Fidelius to a medium 69 win.
At Hunters EC, Abi Hutton headed the elementary 53 qualifier with Caroline Portnoi’s six-yearold Totilas daughter, Totil Liberty.
“I’ve never experienced anything like it — all she wants to do is work,” said Abi of the young black mare. “She’s unbelievably eager. We got her off the lorry in the pouring rain and she had to leave her friends, but as soon as she was in the arena, it was as if she said, ‘Cool! I’m happy.’”
Abi then scored a double advanced medium win with Caroline’s San Remo gelding Santorini. “He’s easy and sweet, a bit of a bear in the stable,” said Abi. “But he’s not very confident in the arena, so we’re doing a little bootcamp — five shows in a week, so that a test becomes like a normal ride.
“Previously, I was riding him defensively and trying to nurse him through,” she added. “At Hunters, it felt as if I could really ride him.”