Rosehill CHN Team Challenge
ROSEHILL SUNDAY, SEPT.6TH
Once again our annual team dressage challenge was very kindly sponsored by Central Horse News, who gave super prizes to the winners and a commemorative rosette to every rider. After last year’s mammoth entries, the small classes were disappointing, but it seems that many other local events recently have suffered from low entries – whether it’s the economic climate, the end of the school holidays or our elusive summer to blame is anyone’s guess!
In every respect, however, this was a delightful show. It started and finished at civilized hours, competitors were friendly and appreciative, our two judges, Mrs Gilbey and Mrs Gillett, did a great job, and the team competition could hardly have been closer – in fact, an extra set of trophies has been ordered! Even the weather, after a grey start, smiled on us, with blue skies and bright sun to enhance the beauty of the Rosehill estate. Richard Stacey had prepared the arenas immaculately as always and the going was very good.
We had our share of excitement, too – thundering hooves shortly preceded the arrival of Oakdale the Last, lead rope trailing, at the arenas. He had been left tied to the lorry while his companion competed and very obligingly stopped beside his chum without causing problems to others. A reminder that it’s better to load your horse, however sensible, if you have to leave your lorry! Later, a competitor left her show jacket on a fence. In the field were Mrs Stacey’s two heavyweight show cobs, who had been watching with great interest. The blue roan picked up the jacket and walked off with it, pursued by an irate owner to general amusement!
Wokingham and Bearwood’s Suzy Turner, with the magnificent chestnut, Hopitana, won the open section of prelim 4 with the day’s highest score, 76.36%, getting her team, The Herbivore Four, off to a perfect start. Catherine Sayer and Half a Chance won the restricted section with a very good score, but had to be content with 2nd overall and 2 points for The Four Horsewomen of the Apocalypse; however, Catherine was chosen for the Most Stylish Rider award by the Central Horse News team, winning a lovely numnah. Isis junior Rose Hugh-Smith did well in the prelim classes with her elegant pony, placing 2nd in Class 1 for 3 team points for Ladies Who Lunge and 1st in the restricted section of Class 2 with 70.00%. This was particularly pleasing as Lottie has just returned to work after injury and this was her first outing for some time.
The open section of Class 2, prelim 19, was won by paralympian Daniel Manning and his black KWPN gelding, Wizard E, on 70.00%. Poor Dan has had a year of accidents with Wizzy, who must have reared under a tree in his field, driving a twig more than six inches down into his neck and requiring surgery. Then a series of foot abcesses confined him to box rest; the pair have competed in few classes this year, but hopefully things will now go well for this talented pair. Sue Newman and her sprightly 20-year-old, Jacob, were second to Rose Hugh-Smith in the restricted section with a good score, and as the highest-placed team rider Sue added only one point to the Isis total. Jacob returned from retirement last year when Sue’s beautiful young Hanoverian mare sprained a tendon and needed time off – the old horse has clearly enjoyed his return to dressage and will be part of the Isis team contesting the novice dressage at the BRC championships next weekend. Woody and Bev Wright, second in the open section, were team second for The Herbivore Four, and Fiona Mackay and Queen B were third for The Four Horsewomen of the Apocalypse.
Liz Mackay and Prince Pablo, who scored well at Addington last week, were outstanding in the novice classes, winning both open sections with high percentages and adding only one point to their team total in Novice 35. In Novice 20, Tiggi Bentley took over the ride on Wizard E for second place in the open section and one team point for Isis. Sarah Thomas rode her exciting youngster, the 5-year-old Davidoff, who looked a stunning prospect for the future, into third place and 2 team points, with Rachael Scourfield and Oakdale the Last, fifth in the restricted section, added 3 points to their team score. Claire Dunne’s big chestnut Hanoverian, Zindurain, was fourth in the open sections of Prelim 19 and Novice 20; this big-moving Hanoverian six-year-old is another with enormous potential for the future. Martina Compton and the handsome Welsh cob, Carnffoi Morys, was another combination to shine in the Novice classes, winning the restricted section of Novice 20 with 64.00% and placing second in Novice 35 with 65.00%.
The restricted section of Novice 35 was won by Jill Smith’s dappled grey warmblood x Andalucian, Miss Marple, who always does a good test and will be part of the Isis Area 18 novice team at Lincoln next weekend. She rode for the Ladies Who Lunge team, adding two points to their total, behind overall winners, Liz Mackay and Prince Pablo. Woody and Bev Wright picked up 3 points for their 3rd place. Miss Marple was the only competitor in Class 5, Elementary 50, but beat two other contestants to win Elementary 57 with the good score of 65.36%.
The Four Horsewomen of the Apocalypse and Ladies Who Lunge tied on 5 points each in the team competition, and even adding in the fourth team member couldn’t separate them, so a worthy draw was declared. Mary Baker of Central Horse News awarded the prizes for the best team name to The Herbivore Four, making all three teams winners, a most satisfying result.
Grateful thanks are due to our two tireless judges, Mrs Gilbey and Mrs Gillett, who coped with tests at three levels, their writers, Isis members Emma Lemounes and Suzanne Morgan, scorer Richard Haggis, test sheet retriever Ricardo Goncalves, gate opener Andrew Gleeson and photographer Dave Morgan. Photographs may be viewed on his website www.equinesinaction.co.uk. Very special thanks are also due to my co-secretary, Linda Sammons, who organized everything beforehand superbly and stewarded all day from a chair, having broken her foot a few days previously in, of course, a horse-related accident! Sadly, Linda will not now be going to Lincoln as part of the novice team! Hala Bentley
RESULTS AS FOLLOWS:-
Class1 Prelim 4 M/J Mark %
Judge - Mrs J Gilbey Writer - Emma Lemounes
1st O Hopitana Suzy Turner 168 76.36
1st R Half a Chance Catharine Sayer 161 73.18
2nd R Rambling Fairy Magic Rose Hugh-Smith MJ 145 65.91
3rd R Private Ryan Rachael Scourfield 144 65.45
4th R Queen B Fiona Mackay 138 62.73
5th R Oakdale the Last Helen Scourfield 128 58.13
6th R Literally Chaos Jane Walton 122 55.45
Class 2 Prelim 19 Mark %
Judge - Mrs J Gillett Writer - Suzanne Morgan
1st O Wizard E Dan Manning 154 70.00
2nd O Woody Bev Wright 141 64.09
1st R Rambling Fairy Magic Rose Hugh-Smith MJ 154 70.00
2nd R Jacob Sue Newman 146 66.36
3rd R Half a Chance Catharine Sayer 145 65.91
4th R Zindurain Claire Dunne 144 65.45
5th R Queen B Fiona Mackay 136 61.82
6th R Henry Rebecca Champion J 133 60.45
Class 3 Novice 20 M/J Mark %
Judge - Mrs J Gilbey Writer - Emma Lemounes
1st O Prince Pablo Liz Mackay 180 72.00
2nd O Wizard E Tiggi Bentley M 175 70.00
3rd O Davidoff Sarah Thomas 174 69.60
4th O Zindurain Claire Dunne 170 68.00
1st R Carnffoi Morys Martina Compton M 160 64.00
2nd R Mockbeggar Snippet Rebecca Champion J 155 62.00
3rd R Private Ryan Rachael Scourfield 154 61.60
4th R Jacob Sue Newman M 153 61.20
5th R Oakdale the Last Rachael Scourfield 151 60.40
Class 4 Novice 35 M/J Mark %
Judge - Mrs J Gillett Writer - Suzanne Morgan
1st O Prince Pablo Liz Mackay 178 68.46
2nd O Davidoff Sarah Thomas 177 68.08
3rd O Funtime Frankie Marion Virgo 137 52.69
1st R Miss Marple Jill Smith M 171 65.77
2nd R Carnffoi Morys Martina Compton M 169 65.00
3rd R Woody Bev Wright 158 60.77
Class5 E 50 M/J Mark %
Judge - Mrs J Gilbey Writer - Emma Lemounes
!st R Miss Marple Jill Smith M 163 58.21
Class6 E 57 M/J Mark %
Judge - Mrs J Gillett Writer - Suzanne Morgan
1st Miss Marple Jill Smith M 183 65.36
2nd Dexter Siobhan Wilkins 178 63.57
3rd Funtime Frankie Marion Virgo 147 52.50
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