A sparkling performance
A feisty young mare gets her career off to a strong start and a recently rehabbed mare scores a double
SIX-year-old mare Dolores Van Cartier CF topped a prelim with 77.93% at Prestige Equestrian – her first-ever show. Dolores is a home-bred by Don Index out of a Londonderry mare, and is owned and ridden by Mark Forrest.
“She was feisty as a young horse and I couldn’t do a lot with her,” said Mark. “That was her first outing and I was really pleased because last year, I couldn’t walk from my stables to my arena without her napping.”
Mark also won the novice 23 with 76.88% riding another sixyear-old, the Furstenball gelding Francesco S, who is owned by the Sweeney family.
“He was bought as an unbacked four-year-old, so is a little bit behind,” said Mark. “We’ve just finished his qualification and he’s proving to be an impressive horse.”
Australian rider Jane Gilby scored a double plus-70% novice win with her seven-year-old Oldenburg mare, Danjah Lou.
Jane, who runs Hillend Stud in Gloucestershire, has owned the Don Olymbrio x Laurentio mare since she was a six-month filly. The mare was bred and backed by Viola Abrahams in Germany, then she was brought to the UK at five and competed by Laura Wollen.
“She qualified for the novice summer regionals in 2018, after which she had a break for 18 months due to a suspensory injury,” explained Jane. “She was rehabbed and began competing again in July this year.”
The partnership is still fairly new, but Jane has already fallen for the mare, whose name contains “ja”, the German word for “yes”, which is used in all the names of the foals bred by Viola.
“Danjah Lou is so honest, with a heart of gold,” said Jane, who trains with Peter Storr. “We’re slowly getting our confidence together and have been working on straightness. She is very forward, so we’re trying to bring her back and start some collection and changes.”
Jane initially found the mare’s size daunting, but is learning to trust her more every day.
“She is 17hh with a big set of shoulders, which scared me at first, but she is so kind,” she said. “We plan to go as far as we can – I’d love to get her up to grand prix.”
Emma Castle landed medium 76 with her nine-year-old Vitalis x Vivaldi gelding Vital, whom she has owned since a three-year-old.
“He’s been a bit slow in the medium work, but now that he’s working on the changes, he’s a lot more supple and his medium work has come on in leaps and bounds, so we’re now cracking on with advanced medium,” said Emma. “He’s a lovely horse and the yard mascot, always trying to grab people for a fuss when they walk past him in the barn.”
“I’d love to get her to grand prix”
JANE GILBY ON SEVEN-YEAR-OLD DANJAH LOU