Dressage Highlights
A grand prix rider returns to the higher levels for the first time in five years, and a Welsh pony impresses his fan base
“IT’S exciting to be back in tails,” said Olivia Oakeley, who headed the prix st georges (PSG) qualifier with Rock Diva. Olivia, a team member at five European championships as a junior and young rider, was competing in her first PSG for five years.
“‘Rocky’ is the most trainable horse I’ve sat on,” she said of the seven-year-old Rock Forever daughter, who was bred by Katarzyna Koch in Germany and bought at two. “She’s sassy but such a trier; she felt pretty much like a horse who has been doing it all her life. While her pirouettes are still a work in progress, her tempi changes are a highlight.”
Olivia has been using the facilities at her new base, Allington Equine in Hampshire, to introduce some variety to Rocky’s training.
“Cantering around the fields and doing plenty of hill work has made a huge difference to her, both mentally and physically,” she explained. “I school her just two or three times a week, so I think I’ll stick with that routine.”
Jezz Palmer is making the most of the quieter, post-Covid-19 show atmosphere to introduce young horses to the scene. He beat a sizeable novice 23 field with
Romanno Weltino, the big, bold four-year-old mare he rides for Caroline Hurst and Mel Morris, before taking the novice 37 qualifier with Tiny Dancer.
“I co-own Tiny Dancer with Anni MacDonald-Hall, who bred her, and my partner Lucy
Pye owns and rides her mum – Superstar III,” said Jezz of the Uthopia five-year-old. “The mares are similar, being a bit sharp, but I’ve never had a better feeling from a horse at its first show.”
Leigh-Louise Haynes and Felton Ragalok scored a satisfying prelim qualifier win on their third outing together.
“I was impressed by how forward he was and up into the bridle,” said Leigh-Louise, who took on the 11-year-old British warmblood gelding in January, to help out a friend who had broken a leg, and ended up buying him. “He is a bit quirky and he has his own agenda, but our trainer, Anna Jesty, feels he could go a long way.”
“I’ve never had a better feeling from a horse at its first show”
JEZZ PALMER ON FIVE-YEAR-OLD TINY DANCER