THE OFFICIAL MAGAZINE FOR BD MEMBERS | £5.00 | ISSUE 7 | 2021
LeMieux National Champion Crowned
Supports Optimum Gastric Health
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- Eilberg Dressage
www.spillers-feeds.com
©Mars, 2021.
CONTENTS & WELCOME.
DESIGNED AND PRODUCED ON BEHALF OF BRITISH DRESSAGE BY: Fellows Media: www.fellowsmedia.com e: mark@fellowsmedia.com t: 01242 259241 Fellows Media, The Gallery, Manor Farm Southam Lane, Cheltenham GL52 3PB Managing Director: Mark Brown ADVERTISE WITH US: For enquiries, contact Jacob Holmes e: jacob.holmes@fellowsmedia.com t: 01242 259249 SUBSCRIBE NOW: If you aren’t a member and would like to receive the magazine contact 01442 820580, bd@webscribe.co.uk or www.mysubcare.com CONTACT US: British Dressage: www.britishdressage.co.uk Managing Editor: Winnie Murphy e: winnie.murphy@britishdressage.co.uk t: 024 7669 8842 Content Editor: Jane Carley e: janecarley5@gmail.com t: 01926 645981 For the full list of BD Office staff, visit www.britishdressage.co.uk British Dressage, Meriden Business Park, Copse Drive, Meriden, West Midlands CV5 9RG Main switchboard: 024 7669 8830 Fax: 024 7669 0390 Executive: 024 7669 8844 Training & Education: 024 7669 8833 BD Youth/u21 International: 024 7708 7801/024 7669 8834 Membership, Horse Registrations & Results: 024 7669 8832/836 Quest: 024 7669 8908 Sport Operations: 024 7669 8827 Judges: 024 7669 8831 Senior International: 024 7669 8835 Para & International: 024 7708 7803 Fixtures: 024 7708 7804 Championships: 024 7669 8846 BD Shop: 024 7669 8830 – press 1 Finance: 024 7669 8838/841 Marketing: 024 7669 8819 Communications: 024 7669 8842/839 Sponsorship & web ads: 01608 676180 The views expressed by individual contributors are not necessarily those of British Dressage. Equally, the inclusion of advertisements in this magazine does not constitute endorsement of the products and services by British Dressage.
IN THIS ISSUE...
65 – Load up! Payload is an important consideration when purchasing a new horsebox
W
ell that was a summer season to remember. The inspiring performance by our Olympic team seems a lifetime ago, and since then our Paras have done us proud once again, followed by another great result at the Europeans by Carl, Charlotte, Lottie and Gareth. Most excitingly, our international squads have given us a taste of at s to co e elding young orses it t e otential to ea at the Paris 2024 Games. And we’ve seen some stunning young talent amongst the riders too, with both Lottie Fry and Georgia Wilson exceeding ex ectations at t eir rst ly ic and araly ic a es ut t e do inant erfor ance of t e er an tea in bot o yo and Hagen showed that it’s no time to rest on our laurels. Their strengt in de t is incredible and e en on an o day t ey re ain impressively focused. With this in mind, the topic of the British ressage on ention loo s tantalising risto ess and Judge Katrina Wuest, with Philipp Hess as rider and trainer sharing some of the secrets of their German squad’s success. o be eld at art ury ni ersity on o e ber e re o ering a li ited nu ber of tic ets still indful of o id considerations to attend in erson ile t e tre endous rece tion for s rst online convention has shown how popular this format is, so we have repeated the opportunity for ‘virtual’ viewing. Details are on the website – it should be fascinating. ne e ent ouldn t a e issed in erson as t e eMieux ational a ions i s ic as a uge it in its ne o e at o erford ar at a fantastic o ortunity to see our to riders in action and spot some rising stars, both human and equine. There was a great atmosphere, and competitors told us it was a orse friendly and en oyable ex erience congratulations to all our ne ly cro ned c a ions The new Fan Zone drew the crowds to hear news, views and even the odd bit of gossip, and it was great to see our team riders mingling it t e cro ds and s o ing o t eir edals e e got a uge amount to build on and lots of new ideas for 2022, and we can’t wait to share it with you. MAGAZINE
FOR BD M EMBERS
From the Editor
5
News
7
LeMieux National Championships All the news and winners
40 Out and about at the Nationals Enjoying the atmosphere at Somerford
WELCOME
THE OFFIC IAL
3
| £5.00 | ISSUE 7 | 2021
43 European Championships Team Silver and Individual Bronze in Hagen for our Olympic heroes 46 Feeding for respiratory health Advice on how and what to feed to help your horse’s breathing 52 Santa’s on his way Get ahead with your Christmas shopping 54 Paralympic perfection Striking gold again 59 Shine a light How stable lighting can boost horse health and performance 62 Walk this way Jane Kidd continues her series on key movements through the grades 65 A weighty issue Considering payloads for horseboxes 70 Ask the expert Equine Cushing’s Disease diagnosis and options 73 Infectious diseases Equine Infectious Anaemia 74 Bodyzone Looking at the legs 76 BD Action BDHQ updates and members’ benefits
Jane Carley, Content Editor, British Dressage
79 Regional Activity Judge training
ON THE COVER: Emile Faurie and Dono Di Maggio, LeMieux National
82 Dressage Days New para director Tracy Ormrod
Champions. KEVIN SPARROW
LeMieux Nationa l Champion Crowned
BRITISH DRESSAGE // Issue 7 2021 // 3
BRITISH DRESSAGE
NEWS SAVE THE DATES
YPP AWARDS
Got a 2022 diary or keen to log important dressage dates for next year on your phone? The British Dressage Major Dates page on the website has been updated, with everything from internationals to area festivals and Quest listed with dates and venues. International dressage championships return to the UK next year, with the European Junior and Young Rider Championships scheduled for 25-31 July at Hartpury University, while the World Equestrian Games takes place in Herning, Denmark from 6-14 August, so there’s plenty to plan for as a spectator as well as for competitors.
The 2021 British Dressage Young Professionals Programme (YPP) bursary has been awarded to three talented professionals to further their development and career. Candidates from the 2020-21 YPP dressage cohort were invited to present their ideas for the future of BD Youth to a panel comprising Penny Pollard, Stephen Arnett and BD Youth Director Claire Moir. The panel were impressed by the standard of all three presentations and the professionalism of the candidates who delivered their ideas for
potential developments in the BD Youth pathway over the next five years, which influenced them to split the £5000 bursary between all three. Based on their business and career plans, first place candidates Molly SmockumOwen (21) and Louise Gallavan (23) were awarded £2000 each to complete BDCC coaching qualifications or HGV licences and runner-up Holly Lucas (25) also made an impression on the panel and was awarded £1000 toward completing her BDCC Level 2 qualification.
SHEEPGATE U25S RETURNS The highlight of the year for many BD Youth members, the Sheepgate British Dressage Under 25 Championships made a welcome return to this popular Lincolnshire venue after last year’s COVID-19 enforced break. Betsy Smetham and Gursonne scooped both the Advanced Medium 98 Championship and the FEI Pick Your Own Championship, while Georgina Nicholls scored a 1-2 in the Novice 23 Under 25s Championships with Briarwood Notorious and Woodcroft Kika Quina, before winning the Elementary 53 Under 25s Championship with Woodcroft Kika Quina. 4 // Issue 7 2021 // BRITISH DRESSAGE
FAREWELL TO BAYFORD HALL DALLAGLIO Daniel Sherriff’s Grand Prix horse Bayford Hall Dallaglio has passed away at the age of 23. Daniel had owned ‘Lawrence’ since he was a three-year-old, winning the Shearwater six-year-old championship, and going on to be shortlisted for the 2012 London Olympics. He was later ridden by Litta Soheila Sohi from Iran. Daniel says: “For me he will always be the high kicking ‘big spender’ from our musical mash-up of Sweet Charity and Mack & Mabel that took us to so many memorable GP Freestyle wins across Europe. Not to mention the line of 57 single tempi changes across the area, round a circle and back within the routine – happy skipping in horse heaven, my pal.”
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ALL PHOTOS: KEVIN SPARROW EXCEPT WHERE STATED.
LEMIEUX NATIONAL DRESSAGE CHAMPIONSHIPS
2021
LeMieux National Champion
“IT’S AMAZING TO WIN – HE DELIVERED A GREAT PERFORMANCE AND IT’S A HUGE HONOUR”
LeMieux National Champion
Emile Faurie
ABOVE: EMILE FAURIE RECEIVES THE NATIONAL CHAMPION TROPHY FROM ROBERT LEMIEUX. IT’S THE THIRD TIME THE OXFORDSHIRE RIDER HAS TAKEN THE TITLE – ALBEIT HE’S HAD TO WAIT 26 YEARS FOR THIS RECENT ONE!
8 // Issue 7 2021 // BRITISH DRESSAGE
Arika Grand Prix Freestyle
WINNER Emile Faurie with Dono Di Maggio
LEFT: GIRL POWER: BECKY MOODY AND FAMKE PF BLEW EVERYONE AWAY WITH A MADONNA MEDLEY TO SCORE 74.73% AND GAVE THEM THE RUNNERS UP SPOT.
ABOVE: EMILE FAURIE AND THEODORA LIVANOS’S DONO DIMAGGIO TOOK THE FREESTYLE WIN WITH A TOM HUNT ORIGINAL SCORE WHICH HE SAYS ‘IS SPECIAL TO ME’. LEFT: LONG TIME LEADERS ANNA ROSS AND THE BRITISH-BRED NEWTON DOMINO, OWNED BY LORNA WILSON, END UP AN EVENTUAL FOURTH ON 72.03%.
ARIKA GRAND PRIX FREESTYLE
4 5
Emile Faurie with Theodora Livanos’s Dono Di Maggio
75.95%
Becky Moody with her own Famke PF
74.73%
Gareth Hughes with Claudine Kroll’s KK Dominant
72.63%
Anna Ross with Lorna Wilson’s Newton Domino
72.03%
Jessica Dunn with Jennifer Whittaker’s LG Alicante Valley
71.63%
Amy Woodhead with Emma Blundell’s Mount St John Kom Fairy Tale
71.20%
Louise Bell with her own, Tonya Wood, John and Alison Walton and William Wood’s Into the Blue
71.08%
8
Sarah Higgins with Sarah Rao’s Alfranco
70.83%
9
Lisa Marriott with her own Valucio
69.98%
6 7
10 Becky Moody with her own and Julie Lockey’s Carinsio
69.53%
BRITISH DRESSAGE // Issue 7 2021 // 9
Outstanding Results #FedonTopSpec
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Photograph by Petra Kerschbaum
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LeMieux Grand Prix Championship LEMIEUX GRAND PRIX CHAMPIONSHIP Gareth Hughes with Claudine Kroll’s KK Dominant
73.34%
Emilie Faurie with Theodora Livanos’s Dono Di Maggio 71.32% Becky Moody with her own Famke PF
70.62%
Amy Woodhead with Emma Blundell’s Mount St John Kom Fairy Tale
69.68%
5
Emma Hindle with her own Diesel XIII
69.60%
6
Louise Bell with her own, Tonya Wood, John and Alison Walton and William Wood’s Into the Blue 68.64%
4
7 8 9
Becky Moody with her own and Julie Lockey’s Carinsio
LEFT: INTO THE BLUE WAS BACK INTO THE RIBBONS WITH LOUISE BELL FOR HER OWNERS WITH A SIXTH IN THE GP AND A VERY CHEEKY SEVENTH IN
68.34%
THE FREESTYLE. BELOW: IT WAS GREAT
Anna Ross with Lorna Wilson’s Newton Domino
67.96%
TO SEE EMMA HINDLE
Sarah Higgins with Sarah Rao’s Alfranco
67.10%
CHAMPIONSHIPS WITH
10 Jessica Dunn with Jennifer Whittaker’s LG Alicante Valley
AT THE NEW LOOK DIESEL XIII – THEY TOOK
66.76%
FIFTH SPOT.
WINNER
Gareth Hughes with
KK Dominant
LEFT: CENTRE STAGE: GARETH HUGHES TAKES THE LEMIEUX GP TITLE WITH CLAUDINE KROLL’S STALLION KK DOMINANT (DIAMOND HIT X RUBIN ROYAL).
BRITISH DRESSAGE // Issue 7 2021 // 11
Haygain Intermediate II Gold
RIGHT: ABIGAIL LYLE CLAIMED TWO TOP SIX PLACINGS IN THE CLASS – PICTURED HERE WITH HER OWN SUSPENSION GIRALDO WHO WAS BEST IN FIFTH WHILE FENELLA QUINN’S FARRELL WAS JUST 1.13% BEHIND.
“THERE’S STILL ROOM FOR IMPROVEMENT AS THERE ALWAYS IS FOR DRESSAGE, BUT I WAS REALLY PLEASED WITH HER. IT FELT NICE AND EASY, AND APPARENTLY IT WAS REALLY EASY TO WATCH!” Amy Woodhead
WINNER
ABOVE: AFTER A TOP 12 FINISH AT THE U25 EUROPEANS, LEWIS
Amy Woodhead
CARRIER AND DIEGO V CONTINUE A GREAT SUMMER TOGETHER
with Mount
St John Kom Fairy Tale
WITH A PODIUM FINISH ON 70.74%.
HAYGAIN INTERMEDIATE II GOLD
4
Amy Woodhead with Emma Blundell’s Mount St John Kom Fairy Tale
71.87%
Anna Ross with Lorna Wilson’s Newton Domino
71.82%
Lewis Carrier with his own Diego V
70.74%
Amy Woodhead with Emma Blundell’s Mount St John Valencia
70.50%
5
Abigail Lyle with her own Suspension Giraldo 70.24%
6
Abigail Lyle with Fenella Quinn’s Farrell
69.11%
7
Jess Bennett with her own JB Dukaat
68.18%
8
Robyn Smith with her own Francesco 77
67.71%
9
Amy Stovold with her own Bobo L
67.53%
10 Anne Marie Bork Eppers with her own Zeilinger Firfod
67.21%
12 // Issue 7 2021 // BRITISH DRESSAGE
ABOVE: ONE OF THE CHAMPIONSHIPS’ BUSIEST RIDERS, AMY WOODHEAD CLAIMED THE HAYGAIN TITLE FOR EMMA BLUNDELL ABOARD MOUNT ST JOHN KOM FAIRY TALE.
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Saracen Horse Feeds Intermediate I Freestyle Gold SARACEN HORSE FEEDS INTERMEDIATE FREESTYLE GOLD Charlotte Dujardin with Carl Hester and Coral Ingham’s Imhotep
78.63%
Lucinda Elliott with Judith Davis’s Hawtins Duchessa
76.53%
Andrew Gould with Tatiana Milne-Skillman’s Genie III
75.43%
Sarah Rogers with Laura Tomlinson and Ursula Bechtolsheimer’s Viva Lotta
75.43%
Lucinda Elliott with Judith Davis’s Hawtins Soave
74.55%
Daniel Sherriff with his own I’m Bayford Hall Incognito
74.18%
7
Kate Lister with her own Fiskus
73.65%
8
Alice Oppenheimer with Amanda Radford’s Headmore Dionysus 72.98%
9
Matt Frost with his own and Nicola Keenan’s Helga 71.83%
4 5 6
“I’M JUST ABSOLUTELY THRILLED WITH HIM, TO BE HONEST. I’M SO EXCITED FOR NEXT YEAR. HE DOESN’T STRUGGLE WITH ANYTHING [FOR GRAND PRIX] BUT HE’S GOT SUCH BIG CHANGES AND TRYING TO COMPRESS THEM TO FIT THEM IN HAS BEEN A CHALLENGE!” Charlotte Dujardin on Imhotep
10 Beth Bainbridge with Anna Ross’s Habouche 71.15% BELOW: CHARLOTTE DUJARDIN AND IMHOTEP, OWNED BY CARL HESTER AND CORAL INGHAM, CROWNED THEIR COMPLETE DOMINATION OF THE SMALL TOUR CLASSES WITH THE SARACEN HORSE FEEDS INTER I SUPREME CHAMPION TITLE.
WINNER
Charlotte Dujardin with
Imhotep
ABOVE: EMMA JABLONSKI AND HER OWN HIGGENS VAN DE UILENHOEK GO ONE BETTER THAN THEIR PSG PLACING TO FINISH AS RUNNERS UP IN THE INAUGURAL INTER II SILVER CHAMPIONSHIP. LEFT: GENIE III (ZHIVAGO X SANDRO HIT), TATIANA MILNESKILLMAN’S STALLION, AND ANDREW GOULD RACK UP ANOTHER PODIUM PLACING IN A YEAR WHERE THEY’VE NEVER BEEN OUT OF THE TOP FOUR IN ANY COMPETITION.
14 // Issue 7 2021 // BRITISH DRESSAGE
and Intermediate I Gold BELOW: LUCINDA ELLIOTT AND JUDITH DAVIS’S BRITISH-BRED HAWTINS DUCHESSA ENJOYED A GREAT SMALL TOUR QUEST AT THE NATIONALS WITH THREE PODIUM FINISHES,
SARACEN HORSE FEEDS INTERMEDIATE I GOLD
FINISHING RUNNERS UP TO CHARLOTTE AND IMHOTEP IN BOTH INTER I GOLD CLASSES.
Charlotte Dujardin with Carl Hester and Coral Ingham’s Imhotep
74.03%
Lucinda Elliott with Judith Davis’s Hawtins Duchessa 71.32% Sarah Rogers with Laura Tomlinson and Ursula Bechtolsheimer’s Viva Lotta
70.95%
4
Andrew Gould with Tatiana Milne-Skillman’s Genie I 70.32%
5
Daniel Sherriff with his own I’m Bayford Hall Incognito 70.13%
6
Kate Lister with her own Fiskus
70.03%
7
Alice Oppenheimer with Amanda Radford’s Headmore Dionysus
69.76%
8
Michael Eilberg with Ferdi Eilberg’s Figlio
69.39%
9
Nikolas Kröncke with K&N Stables’ Flanell
69.11%
10 Henry Boswell with Margaret Lister’s Folt
69.05%
RIGHT: GEORGINA HOWARD CAPITALISED ON THE FIRST EVER INTER II SILVER CHAMPIONSHIP AT THE NATIONALS WITH THREE RIDES TO FINISH THIRD, SEVENTH AND 11TH. HERE SHE’S PICTURED WITH HOWARD’S MYSTERY.
SARACEN HORSE FEEDS INTERMEDIATE I SILVER Nick Lawson with Gloria Price’s IceBlue Valentino
67.76%
Emma Jablonski with Higgens Van De Uilenhoek
67.58%
Georgina Howard with her own Lovely Illusion
67.08%
4
Nicola Adams with her own Royal Troy
66.37%
5
Sharon Lindop with her own Speilbanker
65.39%
6
Kathryn Marsh with her own Sapphire Ramall
65.05%
7
Georgina Howard with her own Howard’s Mystery
64.58%
8
Rachel Lade with her own Royal Diamont
64.32%
9
Georgina Howard with her own Capri
64.26%
10 Amanda Petts with Luisa Collins’ Curioso
63.92%
RIGHT: SHROPSHIRE RIDER NICK LAWSON TAKES THE FIRST EVER INTER I SILVER TITLE WITH GLORIA PRICE’S ICEBLUE VALENTINO – IT WAS JUST THEIR FIFTH TEST AT THE LEVEL FOR THE DUO! SARACEN HORSE FEEDS’ AREA MANAGER SARAH RUSHBY PRESENTS NICK WITH HIS PRIZES.
BRITISH DRESSAGE // Issue 7 2021 // 15
Fairfax Saddles Prix St Georges “HE’S JUST NOT HAD THE EASIEST RUN UP TO THIS LEVEL OVER THE LAST FEW YEARS SO TO COME AND DO A CLEAR ROUND AND DO THIS TODAY IS AMAZING. I’M VERY SURPRISED, I WASN’T EXPECTING THIS AT ALL!” Jo Barry on Goofy La Perle
ABOVE: FOUR TESTS, FOUR TOP EIGHT FINISHES ACROSS THE SMALL TOUR SECTIONS FOR ALICE OPPENHEIMER AND AMANDA RADFORD’S HEADMORE DIONYSUS – A PODIUM PLACE IN THE PSG FREESTYLE GOLD WAS THEIR BEST PLACING.
FAIRFAX SADDLES PRIX ST GEORGES FREESTYLE GOLD Charlotte Dujardin with Carl Hester and Coral Ingham’s Imhotep
78.68%
Becky Moody with her own Jagerbomb
76.13%
Alice Oppenheimer with Amanda Radford’s Headmore Dionysus 74.43%
ABOVE: MATT FROST AND PINT-SIZED POWERHOUSE HELGA, WHO HE JOINTLY OWNS WITH
4
Matt Frost with his own and Nicola Keenan’s Helga 73.03%
5
Alice Oppenheimer with Sarah Oppenheimer’s Headmore Bella Ruby 72.08%
6
Nicola Buchanan with Countess of Shaftesbury’s St Giles Bon Bon
71.53%
Lucinda Elliott with Judith Davis’s Hawtins Bellegra
71.50%
Gareth Hughes with Georgina Wilkinson’s Happiness
71.48%
Tyler Bradshaw with her own Gijsbert
71.45%
NICOLA KEENAN, HAD A BUSY FEW DAYS – FOURTH SPOT IN THE PSG FREESTYLE GOLD WAS THEIR BEST FINISH.
7
WINNER
Charlotte Dujardin with
Imhotep
8 9
10 Andrew Gould with Amanda Towle’s Rockwood Virtue
70.53%
LEFT: CHARLOTTE DUJARDIN AND IMHOTEP PROVE UNBEATABLE AND ARE CONGRATULATED BY VANESSA FAIRFAX ON THEIR VICTORIES ALONGSIDE EVER-LOYAL GROOM ALAN DAVIES.
FAIRFAX SADDLES PRIX ST GEORGES GOLD Charlotte Dujardin with Carl Hester and Coral Ingham’s Imhotep 77.82% Becky Moody with her own Jagerbomb
74.71%
Andrew Gould with Tatiana Milne-Skillman’s Genie III 74.16% 4
Alice Oppenheimer with Amanda Radford’s Headmore Dionysus 72.29%
6
Gareth Hughes with Georgina Wilkinson’s Happiness
71.71%
Eilidh Grant with Lorraine Grant’s Mount St John Doornroos
71.66%
Lucinda Elliott with Judith Davis’s Hawtins Soave
71.58%
RIDERS FROM NORTH OF THE BORDER WITH A
7
WIN IN THE FIRST EVER PRIX ST GEORGES SILVER CHAMPIONSHIP. SHE AND
8
GORDON GRAINGER’S GOOFY LA PERLE HAVE
9
HAD A ROCKY ROAD TO GET TO SOMERFORD
Emma Blundell with her own Mount StJohn VIP 71.47%
10 Michael Eilberg with Geri Eilberg and Nichola Hannam’s MSJ Dante VX
BUT THEIR HARD WORK PAID OFF.
72.97%
5 ABOVE: JO BARRY ADDS TO THE SUCCESS OF
Lucinda Elliott with Judith Davis’s Hawtins Duchessa
71.13%
RIGHTT: SHELLY REEVE-SMITH AND HER
BELOW: OWNER-RIDER SARAH COLBORN AND FÜRST LOVE I, OR DARCY TO HIS
HOMEBRED SINDERELLA
FRIENDS, HAVE HAD A FANTASTIC TWO YEARS TOGETHER – FOURTH SPOT IN
MAKE A GREAT STEP UP
THE SILVER SECTION CAPPED OFF A GREAT SUMMER.
FROM AREA FESTIVALS TO TAKE SECOND SPOT IN THE SILVER.
FAIRFAX SADDLES PRIX ST GEORGES SILVER Jo Barry with Gordon Grainger’s Goofy La Perle 70.68% Shelley Reeve-Smith with her own Sinderella 69.76% Emma Jablonski with her own Higgens Van De Uilenhoek
69.26%
4
Sarah Colborn with her own Fürst Love I
68.45%
5
Georgina Howard with her own Lovely Illusion 68.18%
6
Scarlett Scott with her own Cum Laude
67.92%
7
Rachel Lade with her own Royal Diamont
67.18%
8
Sharon Lindop with her own Spielbanker
66.92%
9
Victoria Gladwyn with her own Sonnersted 66.66%
10 Christine Cockerton with her own Evaldo
66.21%
18 // Issue 7 2021 // BRITISH DRESSAGE
Andrews Bowen Advanced Medium Gold “I’VE NEVER REALLY EXPERIENCED AN ATMOSPHERE LIKE IT – IT WAS REALLY NICE TO HAVE A HOME CROWD AND LOOKING AROUND, KNOWING SO MANY PEOPLE AND FEELING SO MUCH SUPPORT.” Annabella Pidgley on Somerford
LEFT: A PERFECT ENDING TO A FANTASTIC TEST TO BREAK THE 70% BARRIER FROM ANTONIA BROWN ABOARD SARA LUCAS’S SJL DUUK GAVE THEM THE RUNNERS UP SPOT IN THE ADVANCED MEDIUM SILVER.
ABOVE: ANOTHER CHAMPIONSHIP, THREE MORE ROSETTES FOR SARA-JANE LANNING AND HAWTINS LIRICA, OWNED BY NICOLA SEALE - THE DUO TOOK FOURTH IN THREE CLASSES. BELOW: NO LAZY SUNDAY FOR ANNABELLA PIDGLEY! TWO HORSES, FOUR TESTS, TWO TITLES, FOUR PODIUM PLACINGS. SARAH PIDGELY’S SULTAN DES PALUDS WAS THE STAR WITH A BRACE OF CHAMPIONSHIP RUGS AND SASHES.
ANDREWS BOWEN ADVANCED MEDIUM GOLD
4 5
WINNER
Annabella Pidgley
Annabella Pidgley with Sarah Pidgley’s Sultan Des Paluds
73.76%
Becky Moody with her own Jagerbomb
73.32%
Annabella Pidgley with Sarah Pidgley’s Dibert L
72.92%
Sara-Jane Lanning with Nicola Seale’s Hawtins Lirica
72.76%
Michael Eilberg with Geri Eilberg’s MSJ Distinction
70.34%
6
Jo Barry with Gordon Grainger’s Goofy La Perle 70.00%
7
Lisa Hopkins with Christian Landolt’s Liss La Belle
69.82%
8
Katie Bailey with Elissa Bucher’s DJoe Di Maggio 69.71%
9
Charlotte McDowall with Charlotte Dujardin’s Alive and Kicking
10 Ashley Jenkins with Cherry Elvin and Jamie Reynolds’ His Highness
with
Sultan Des Paluds
69.24% 69.03%
BRITISH DRESSAGE // Issue 7 2021 // 19
Andrews Bowen Advanced Medium Silver ANDREWS BOWEN ADVANCED MEDIUM SILVER Rachel Taylor with Chris Thorne’s Faloya
71.05%
Antonia Brown with Sara Lucas’s SJL Duuk
70.11%
Betsy Smetham with her own Gursonne
69.39%
Samantha Dawn Turpitt with her own Bali Dancer
69.11%
5
Nicola Claxton with her own Falcon II
69.03%
6
Charlotte Cundall with her own LJT Simply Red 68.26%
7
Rhiannon Hinton with her own Quaikin Horatio 67.47%
8
Marcin Stachurski with his own Invito
9
Sarah Fitton with Lesley Fitton’s Florenciana 4 67.32%
4
ABOVE: RISING YOUNG STARS BETSY SMETHAM AND GURSONNE ARE ENJOYING
10 Lynn Perry with her own My Samber Rose
67.37%
67.26%
A STELLAR FIRST FULL YEAR TOGETHER AND ADDED A PODIUM NATIONALS FINISH TO THE TWO VICTORIES SHE CLAIMED AT THE SHEEPGATE U25 CHAMPIONSHIPS. BELOW: ONE FOR THE FUTURE: MICHAEL EILBERG AND THE EIGHTYEAR-OLD BRITISH-BRED MSJ DISTINCTION TAKE FIFTH SPOT IN THE GOLD SECTION – THE DUO HAVE YET TO SCORE UNDER 70% THIS YEAR.
WINNER
Rachel Taylor with
Faloya
LEFT: ALL SMILES: RACHEL TAYLOR KNEW IT WAS A GREAT TEST AS SHE HEADED DOWN THE FINAL CENTRELINE WITH CHRIS THORNE’S FALOYA – THE JUDGES AGREED AND AWARDED 71.05% TO TAKE THE SILVER TITLE.
20 // Issue 7 2021 // BRITISH DRESSAGE
Equitex BD advert.pdf
3
06/09/2021
20:26
BRITISH DRESSAGE // Issue 7 2021 // 21
TopSpec Medium Gold RIGHT: DAVY HARVEY EDGED INTO FIFTH WITH SERENA WHITE’S HERCULES III IN A TIGHT CONTEST – THE NATIONALS WAS JUST THE DUO’S FIFTH OUTING TOGETHER.
ABOVE LEFT: THE TRIP DOWN FROM ABERDEEN WAS A WORTHWHILE ONE FOR JENNIFER JOHNSTONHARMAN AND HER SIX YEAR OLD DANCE WITH ME FÜRST MFS WITH TWO TOP FOUR PLACINGS. SHE
“BEING HONEST, FOR TWO YEARS I COULDN’T GET HIM ON THE BIT, I REALLY STRUGGLED WITH HIM AND SIX MONTHS AGO, I WAS READY TO GIVE UP AND ADMIT IT WASN’T WORKING!” Becky Moody on Jack Diamond
BOUGHT ‘DAISY’ FROM BREEDERS MFS STUD FARM IN SCOTLAND AS A FOAL. BELOW: PERSISTENCE PAYS OFF FOR BECKY MOODY AND JO COOPER’S ELECTRON-SIRED JACK DIAMOND AS TOPSPEC’S BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT MANAGER LAURA COOPER PRESENTS THE VICTOR’S SPOILS – THEY HAD TWO MORE PODIUM PLACINGS OVER THE FOUR DAYS.
WINNER
Becky Moody with
TOPSPEC MEDIUM GOLD
Jack Diamond
Becky Moody with Jo Cooper’s Jack Diamond 73.03%
4
Sarah Wilkinson with her own Koko II
71.81%
Jennifer Johnston-Harman with her own Dance With Me Fürst MFS
71.68%
Sara-Jane Lanning with Nicola Seale’s Hawtins Lirica
71.43%
5
Davy Harvey with Serena White’s Hercules III 71.41%
6
Nikki Barker with her own Dan Icarus
71.08%
7
Spencer Wilton with Samantha Britton’s Woodcroft Django Mon Ami
70.59%
Lisa Hopkins with Christian Landolt’s Liss La Belle
70.41%
8 9
Olivia Oakley with Caroline Bell’s Full House 70.24%
10 Judy Harvey with Jocelyn Rosenberg’s SP Bento 70.00%
22 // Issue 7 2021 // BRITISH DRESSAGE
TopSpec Medium Silver RIGHT: ‘GOOD BOY BOB!’ WORKING RIDER AND MUM OF TWO RHIANNON HINTON RIGHTLY PRAISES THE BRITISH-BRED QUAIKIN HORATIO – 69.57% MADE THEM RESERVE MEDIUM SILVER CHAMPIONS!
TOPSPEC MEDIUM SILVER
4
Jade Clark with her own and Sue Brennan’s Jemimah HH
69.76%
Rhiannon Hinton with her own Quaikin Horatio
69.57%
Sara Squires with her own Laetitius C
68.95%
Linsay Coleridge-Smith with Elaine Coleridge-Smith’s Active Fangio
68.59%
5
Danielle Baldson with her own Lord Lennox 68.16%
6
Helen Askey with her own Rockoko
68.03%
7
Jennifer Harkness with her own Inouk
67.78%
8
Debbie Haltstead with her own Illadorijke
67.62%
9
Gracie Catling with Julia Catling’s Tsjebe Fan ‘e Vesta Hoeve
67.54%
10 Chloe Nixon with Dawn Grundy’s Rough Lee So Schufro
67.46%
BELOW: MULTI-DISCIPLINE RIDER SARA SQUIRES REAPS THE REWARDS OF FOUR YEARS’ HARD WORK WITH HER OWN LAETITIUS C FOR A TOPSPEC PODIUM PLACE.
WINNER Jade Clark with
Jemimah HH
LEFT: CARL HESTER PUPIL JADE CLARK AND JEMIMAH HH, SUE BRENNAN’S HOME BRED WHO SHE JOINTLY OWNS, PUT A WILD WARM UP BEHIND THEM TO PULL OFF A TITLEWINNING PERFORMANCE WHEN IT MATTERS MOST. JUST FOURTH TO GO, THEY HAD AN AGONISING ALL-DAY WAIT BUT IT WAS CERTAINLY WORTH IT!
BRITISH DRESSAGE // Issue 7 2021 // 23
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01300 348997 24 // Issue 7 2021 // BRITISH DRESSAGE
Equitop Elementary Gold
EQUITOP ELEMENTARY GOLD Sarah Wilkinson with her own Koko II
74.81%
Becky Moody with Jo Cooper’s Jack Diamond 74.38%
WINNER
Sarah Wilkinson
Spencer Wilton with Samantha Britton’s Woodcroft Django Mon Ami
74.28%
Jennifer Johnston-Harman with her own Dance With Me Fürst MFS
72.59%
5
Jezz Palmer with Richard Burge’s King IV
72.00%
6
Elijah Lovell with David Pincus’s Hawtins Don Cardinal
71.34%
7
Sara Gallop with her own Kupido-Tetti
71.19%
8
Claire Abel with her own GF Sezuki
70.84%
9
Lucy Straker with her own Didjeridu
70.66%
4
with
Koko II
10 Claire Ballantyne with her own Dvorak
69.88%
LEFT: UK-BASED KIWI SARAH WILKINSON ENJOYED A FABULOUS FEW DAYS IN CHESHIRE WITH HER DESPERADO X JOHNSON SIX-YEAR-OLD KOKO II, RUNNER UP SPOT IN THE MEDIUM GOLD WAS THEN TOPPED ON THE FINAL DAY WITH VICTORY IN THE ELEMENTARY GOLD.
“SHE’S EXCEEDED ALL MY EXPECTATIONS! HER ATTITUDE IS AMAZING AND SHE PICKS EVERYTHING UP SO FAST – I’M HOPING SHE COULD ALSO BE A PARIS 2024 HOPEFUL.” Sarah Wilkinson on Koko II BELOW: JEZZ PALMER CONTINUES HIS SUCCESSFUL CHAMPIONSHIP RUN WITH RICHARD BURGE’S STALLION KING IV (GOVERNOR X JOHNSON) WITH FIFTH SPOT IN A TRULY HOT ELEMENTARY GOLD CLASS.
ABOVE: WEEKEND MASTERCLASS HOST SPENCER WILTON PUT HIS WORDS OF WISDOM INTO PRACTICE TO TAKE THIRD WITH SAMANTHA BRITTON’S WOODCROFT DJANGO MON AMI.
BRITISH DRESSAGE // Issue 7 2021 // 25
Equitop Elementary Silver
RIGHT: THIS GIRL IS ON FIRE! 19 YEAR OLD HEADMORE STUD STABLE JOCKEY GEORGIE NICHOLLS HIT THE HEADLINES AT THIS YEAR’S WINTER CHAMPIONSHIPS AND SHE’S CARRIED THAT FORM ON TO HER NATIONALS DEBUT. RIDING KATIE HAIGH’S SIX-YEAR-OLD WOODCROFT KIKI QUINA, SHE TOOK TWO TITLES AT SOMERFORD WITH SUPER SCORES OF 73%+. SHE WAS ALSO SECOND HERE WITH SARAH OPPENHEIMER’S HEADMORE FIGARO. BELOW: KEEPING IT IN THE FAMILY: JADE STRUTHERS TAKES A FANTASTIC FOURTH
INTS HOOF PR
PLACE ROSETTE BACK TO HER KELSO BASE RIDING DEBBIE STRUTHERS’ SUAREZ.
EQUITOP ELEMENTARY SILVER Georgie Nicholls with Katie Haigh’s Woodcroft Kika Quina
73.85%
Georgie Nicholls with Sarah Oppenheimer’s Headmore Figaro 71.67% Jonathan Sutton with his own Ferrera Torres 71.30%
RIGHT: IN JUST OVER A YEAR TOGETHER, WARWICKSHIRE
4
Jade Struthers with Debbie Struthers’ Suarez 71.04%
5
Georgina Day with Mandy Day’s Princess Florina
70.47%
6
Jessica Ely with her own Formidable I
70.26%
7
Debbie Halstead with her own Illadorijke
69.64%
8
Jessica Parr with her own Gabber D
69.58%
9
Matt Jenkins with his own Branston II
69.11%
=10 Francesca Segalov with her own Nigrasine Rain
69.11%
=10 Musa Hussain with Claire Thomas’s D Grand Spiel
69.11%
RIDER JONATHAN SUTTON AND
“LUNA WAS ORIGINALLY BOUGHT FOR OWNER KATIE HAIGH WHO’S A PARA DRESSAGE RIDER, AND WE’RE JUST GETTING HER OUT AND GETTING A BIT OF EXPERIENCE BEFORE SHE GOES ON AND EVENTUALLY WORKS WITH KATIE.”
FERRERA TORRES HAVE FORMED QUITE THE PARTNERSHIP – TOP FIVE AT THE WINTERS AT NOVICE LEVEL HAS BEEN CROWNED WITH A PODIUM PLACE AT THE NATIONALS.
Georgie Nicholls on Woodcroft Kika Quina HOOF PRINTS
26 // Issue 7 2021 // BRITISH DRESSAGE
ADVERTORIAL.
ADVERTORIAL FEATURE
FUELLING THE DRESSAGE HORSE
with Dengie Performance Fibres WHATEVER LEVEL YOU COMPETE AT, AND NO MATTER HOW HARD YOU ARE WORKING YOUR HORSE, FIBRE SHOULD BE THE FOUNDATION OF THE RATION. FIBRE FOR ENERGY Often undervalued, fibre can provide a significant amount of energy for the working horse. The amount of energy supplied depends on the digestibility of the fibre source which is influenced by plant type, environmental conditions and, most significantly, maturity at harvest. The more mature a plant, the less digestible it will be and therefore the less energy it will provide. Straw is a particularly low energy fibre for this reason making it fantastic for good do-ers, but not as useful for the performance horse that has a higher energy requirement. Dengie Alfa-A Oil combines pure alfalfa with a rapeseed oil coating. Providing 12.5MJ/ kg digestible energy, Alfa-A Oil provides as much energy as a competition mix/cube, but without the starch. Based on entirely slow-release energy sources, Alfa-A Oil is particularly useful for stamina and condition without the fizz, both of which are fundamental to the dressage horse’s performance. "DENGIE PERFORMANCE FIBRE IS THE PERFECT BLEND OF ALFALFA WITH TASTY GRASS; IT’S IDEAL FOR THE FIT AND FUSSY HORSES ON THE YARD. I’VE BEEN ABLE TO REMOVE THE HIGH STARCH FEEDS FROM THEIR DIETS AND FEEDING A FIBREBASED RATION HAS HELPED KEEP THEM MORE FOCUSED WHILST TRAINING AND COMPETING. " ANNA MILLER, DRESSAGE RIDER & TRAINER
FIBRE FOR DIGESTIVE HEALTH
ALICE OPPENHEIMER, INTERNATIONAL GRAND PRIX RIDER
"DENGIE ALFA-A ORIGINAL IS ESSENTIAL Low fibre diets combined with higher starch FOR ALL MY HORSES. IT FUELS THEIR rations are linked to loose droppings, an TRAINING AND COMPETITION REGIMES, increased risk of colic and gastric ulcers. PROVIDING CONTROLLED ENERGY WHILST When it comes to ulcers not all fibre is the MAINTAINING CONDITION AND TOPLINE." same and research has shown that alfalfa as a fibre source is a superior buffer to acidity in bucket feed. Some ingredients such as alfalfa the digestive tract. Feeding a double handful are particularly abundant sources of protein. of a chopped alfalfa based fibre feed Alfalfa typically supplies 1.8x more in the 20-25 minutes before you lysine than average hay making ride is recommended to help it a valuable addition to the prevent ‘acid splash’ in the ration to help promote PERFORMANCE FEEDS non-glandular region of muscle development. All your horse’s stomach. of Dengie’s Alfa-A range The fibre makes sure the of fibre feeds are based on stomach isn’t empty and pure alfalfa and up to 500g suppresses the movement of per 100kg bodyweight can the acidic contents when the be fed daily. horse moves. Dengie Healthy Tummy FIBRE AND combines chopped and pelleted RESPIRATORY HEALTH alfalfa with a rapeseed oil coating, added Stabling and travelling horses in confined herbs, vitamins and minerals, and ADM spaces potentially increases their exposure to Protexin In-Feed Formula which provides respirable particles which can be detrimental to live yeast and a prebiotic. When fed at respiratory health. Respirable particles include the recommended quantity, no additional mould, amongst other things, and even hay vitamins and minerals are required for horses and straw that look and smell ok to us can still working up to a moderate level. contain a significant mould count and have the potential to do harm. Dengie Performance Fibre combines FIBRE TO SUPPLY PROTEIN precision-dried grasses and alfalfa with a light Everyone knows that protein is vital for molasses and oil coating with added spearmint growth, renewal and repair. When it comes oil. As both the grasses and alfalfa are to the dressage horse this translates to precision-dried, Performance Fibre provides strength and top line muscle condition. an exceptionally clean fibre source for the Having sufficient protein in the diet performance horse and can also be used as a is important for building muscle and partial forage replacer. Performance Fibre is a it’s not just the amount of protein, highly palatable fibre feed which is really useful but the quality as well, that matters. for helping to tempt the fussy feeder which Your horse will obtain protein can be a particular problem in the fit horse, from a variety of sources in the regularly travelling away from home. diet including grass, forage and the
FOR FEEDING ADVICE contact the Dengie Feedline on 01621 841188 or dengie.com 24
BRITISH DRESSAGE // Issue 7 2021 // 27
BETTALIFE Novice Gold & Silver
WINNER Sarah Rogers with
Full Moon II
“I’M DELIGHTED WITH HIM TODAY. HE WAS A LITTLE UNSURE AT TIMES BUT I FEEL LIKE IN THE END HE JUST TRUSTED ME – HE’S SO TALENTED. HE’S LOVELY TO WORK WITH AND REALLY SWEET.” Sarah Rogers on Full Moon LEFT: SARAH ROGERS AND FULL MOON TOTALLY ECLIPSED THE COMPETITION IN THE NOVICE GOLD! BRED BY URSULA BECHTOLSHEIMER, ‘MOONY’ HAS BEEN RIDDEN AND PRODUCED BY SARAH AT LAURA TOMLINSON’S YARD WHERE SHE’S A TEAM MEMBER. RIGHT: HAMPSHIRE FREELANCE RIDER AND TRAINER ROB TROBRIDGE AND HIS MILLENNIUM-SIRED MATTEO COMPLETED THE HIGH SCORING PODIUM.
BETTALIFE NOVICE GOLD Sarah Rogers with Ursula Bechtolsheimer and Laura Tomlinson’s Full Moon II
77.85%
Alex Baker with Elite Dressage’s Newton Tiger 73.70% Rob Trobridge with his own Matteo
73.11%
4
Claire Abel with her own GF Sezuki
71.41%
5
Kate Cowell with Suzie Farnon’s Final Reign 106
70.67%
6
Antonia Brown with Sara Lucas’s SJL Liberty 70.30%
7
Amy Woodhead with Katherine Bateson’s Kasanova III
70.07% (284)
Matthew Burnett with his own Mackintosh I
70.07% (282)
8 9
Katie Bailey with Matilda Carnegie’s Rouletta K
70.00%
10 Bryony Goodwin with Sue Chaplin’s Sparkle II
69.81%
RIGHT: NEWTON TIGER WAS A BUSY GIRL OVER THE CHAMPIONSHIPS – TWO TITLES WITH TWO RIDERS, AND JUST FIVE YEARS OLD! BUT THIS MARE TAKES IT ALL IN HER STRIDE – DEFINITELY ONE TO WATCH FROM ELITE DRESSAGE.
28 // Issue 7 2021 // BRITISH DRESSAGE
BETTALIFE NOVICE SILVER Georgie Nicholls with Katie Haigh’s Woodcroft Kika Quina
4
73.83%
TWICE: GEORGIE
Lucyanna Westaway with Sarah-Jane Cox’s Keystone Rocketman
72.35%
Matthew Procter with Astrid Bolton’s AB Kensington
72.04%
George Harrison with his own Britain’s Got Talent
70.43%
NICHOLLS AND WOODCROFT KIKA QUINA SCORE THE DOUBLE IN THE NOVICE AND ELEMENTARY SILVER RANKS FOR OWNER KATIE HAIGH WHO
=5 Alexandra Ratcliffe with her own Heaven v/h Trichelhof
70.12%
=5 Tia Owen with Nicola Owen’s Wasserfallen
70.12%
7
LEFT: CHAMPIONS
Hilary Cowie with Emma Cowie’s Shall We Dance II
69.94%
8
Olivia Commins with her own Scuderarri
69.57%
9
Martina Lella with Kathrine Carter’s Akira Euphoria
69.20%
10 Musa Husssain with Claire Thomas’s D Grand Spiel
69.14%
WILL TAKE OVER THE RIDE FOR A CAREER IN PARA DRESSAGE.
RIGHT: BRITISH BRED KEYSTONE ROCKETMAN AND LUCYANNA WESTAWAY SEIZED THEIR WILDCARD TICKET OPPORTUNITY TO THE MAXIMUM WITH A STELLAR PERFORMANCE TO FINISH AS RESERVE CHAMPIONS FOR OWNER SARAH-JANE COX.
HOOF PRINTS
“AS ALWAYS SHE GIVES ME 100% - IT’S SUCH AN AMAZING FEELING WHEN A HORSE DOES THAT! SHE JUST LOVES HER JOB.” Georgie Nicholls on Woodcroft Kika Quina LEFT: MATTHEW PROCTER AND AB KENSINGTON, AKA MOOSE, OWNED BY ASTRID BOLTON, CONTINUE THEIR JOURNEY UP THE LADDER OF SUCCESS WITH THIRD SPOT ON THEIR NATIONALS DEBUT. HOOF PRINTS
BRITISH DRESSAGE // Issue 7 2021 // 29
tried & trusted
low starch
CONDITION
ulcers fussy stressy poor Low starch & sugar, high fibre, high oil, with superfibres Promote outstanding condition, top line & shine For your sample contact Baileys Horse Feeds
Tel: 01371 850 247 (option 3) www.baileyshorsefeeds.co.uk
MADE IN OUR OWN
UK MILL
Mobiliser Preliminary Gold WINNER
Freya Metters
with Heathersedge
Just a Vision
MOBILISER PRELIMINARY GOLD Freya Metters with Raine Harthern’s Heathersedge Just a Vision
75.00%
Lucy Goodman with David Pincus’s Sheepcote Big Deal
73.22%
Georgie Wheeler with her own Luxe PB
72.18%
4
Bridget Tate with her own Dancing Magic
71.90%
5
Kirsty Imm with her own Dancini T
71.09%
6
Emma Jablonski with her own Multivision
70.86%
7
Jess Ralton with Elite Dressage’s Newton Freezeframe
69.71%
Carmen Gammie with her own Let’s Make an Opera M
69.60%
Kerry Mackin with Lucy Mansfield’s First Dancer
69.54%
8 9
10 Lucy Baker with her own Last Dancer
69.37%
ABOVE: A POST-LOCKDOWN CHANGE FROM SHOWING TO DRESSAGE FOR HEATHERSEDGE JUST A VISION, AKA JACK, BY RIDER FREYA METTERS HAS REAPED DIVIDENDS AS THE DUO MADE HISTORY AS THE FIRST EVER PRELIM GOLD CHAMPIONS.
“HE’S QUITE HARD WORK IN THE STABLE! HE’S A SECRET STRESSER SO HE LIVES OUT, BUT TO RIDE, HE’S A DREAM!” Freya Metters on Heathersedge Just a Vision BELOW: LUCY GOODMAN PILOTS FIVE-YEAR-OLD SHEEPCOTE BIG DEAL TO RUNNERS UP SPOT FOR OWNER AND BREEDER DAVID PINCUS.
ABOVE: IN HER ROLE SUPPORTING THE WORLD CLASS PROGRAMME, SHE HELPS ELITE RIDERS WIN MEDALS BUT ON THIS OCCASION, IT WAS A PODIUM FINISH OF HER OWN FOR GEORGIE WHEELER AND LUXE PB.
BRITISH DRESSAGE // Issue 7 2021 // 31
Mobiliser Preliminary Silver LEFT: IN A MAMMOTH 45-STRONG CLASS, IT WAS NATIONALS DEBUTANT ANNA BURNS WHO SHONE THROUGH WITH BECKY MOODY’S ATTRACTIVE FOUR-YEAROLD, MAGIC DREAM.
MOBILISER PRELIMINARY SILVER Anna Burns with Becky Moody’s Magic Dream 72.82% Virginie De Senneville with her own Eastwood V
72.24%
Ella Horner with her own Valencia II
71.55%
4
Sasha Good with Jade Deter’s L’Sierra
71.55%
5
Matthew Procter with Astrid Bolton’s AB Milton D
70.69%
Alicia Roberts with Katie Roberts’ Godin Linda
70.23%
Matthew Procter with Astrid Bolton’s AB Kensington
70.00%
Natasha Worsick with Lisa Worsick’s Shannondale Shagosha
69.31%
6 7 8 9
Emma Tytherleigh with her own Hirstcount 69.20%
10 Katie Stephens-Grandy with her own Rathcline Kestrel
68.97%
“WE JUST WANTED TO HAVE A GOOD TIME! SHE [MAGIC DREAM] KEPT REALLY CALM, AND IT WAS STRESS-FREE WHICH WAS ALL I REALLY WANTED FOR A FOUR-YEAR-OLD.” Anna Burns on her ride with Magic Dream. RIGHT: ORIGINALLY FROM MAURITIUS BUT CURRENTLY BASED IN WARWICKSHIRE, VIRGINIE DE SENNEVILLE PRODUCED A CONFIDENT PERFORMANCE FROM EASTWOOD V DESPITE HIM BEING JUST FOUR. BELOW: ELLA HORNER EDGES A PODIUM PLACE ON COLLECTIVES WITH HER OWN FOUR-YEAR-OLD VALENCIA II (VIVALDI X DETROIT).
32 // Issue 7 2021 // BRITISH DRESSAGE
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Shearwater British Dressage Young Horse Championships SHEARWATER YOUNG HORSE CHAMPIONSHIPS FOUR YEAR OLDS Charlotte Dujardin with her own and Peter Belshaw’s Mon Amour Michael Eilberg with Ferdi Eilberg’s Franklin Hit Anna Burns with Becky Moody’s Magic Dream 4
Melissa Chapman with Michael Chapman’s Majesteit TCE
RIGHT: CHALROTTE DUJARDIN RECEIVES THE SHEARWATER INSURANCE TROPHY FROM JEREMY LAWTON FOR VICTORY WITH PETER BELSHAW’S ONE TO WATCH, MON AMOUR (S. MARTINEZ). LEFT: BETH BAINBRIDGE AND ELITE DRESSAGE’S NEWTON TIGER (BLUE HORS FIRST CHOICE X SANDRO HIT) FLY THE BRITISH-BRED FLAG PROUDLY WITH A WIN IN THE FIVE YEAR OLDS.
SHEARWATER YOUNG HORSE CHAMPIONSHIPS FIVE YEAR OLDS Beth Bainbridge with Elite Dressage’s Newton Tiger Jenny Martell with Emma Blundell’s MSJ Gold Standard Luis Vilhena with his own Loves Black STH 4
Amy Woodhead with Emma Blundell’s Mount St John Forever
LEFT: SADIE SMITH AND SWANMORE DANTINA (DANTE WELTINO X CHARATIN), TOP AN ALL BRITISH-BRED LINE UP IN THE SIX YEAR OLD DIVISION.
“SHE’S BEAUTIFUL, ELASTIC, SUPPLE, LIGHT, ELEGANT AND POWERFUL – WHAT WE DREAM OF FINDING IN A DRESSAGE HORSE.” Judge David Hunt on Swanmore Dantina
SHEARWATER YOUNG HORSE CHAMPIONSHIPS SIX YEAR OLDS Sadie Smith with her own Swanmore Dantina Michael Eilberg with Nichola Hannam’s MSJ Encore Greg Sims with Stena Hoerner’s Waverley Fellini 4
34 // Issue 7 2021 // BRITISH DRESSAGE
Charlotte Dicker with Charlotte Nash’s Keystone Divino
7 year olds
WINNER
Becky Moody with
LEFT: MSJ ENCORE (S. ESCOLAR) IS
Jagerbomb
SIX-YEAR-OLD RESERVE CHAMPION FOR OWNER NICHOLA HANNAM WITH RIDER MICHAEL ELBERG.
“JAGERBOMB HAS HAD A BUSY SHOW AND HE’S SURPASSED ALL EXPECTATIONS – I REALLY THINK HE’S A LEGEND.”
ABOVE: BECKY MOODY AND JAGERBOMB WERE BUSY BEES AT SOMERFORD. THEY NEVER FINISHED OUTSIDE THE TOP TWO IN FOUR TESTS. THEIR EMPHATIC WIN IN THE 7YO WAS THE ICING ON THE CAKE. LEFT: SHANNON EQUESTRIAN’S DAMARIS S IS THE 2021 7YO RESERVE CHAMPION UNDER CALUM WHITWORTH.
BRITISH DRESSAGE 7YO YOUNG HORSE CHAMPIONSHIP Becky Moody with her own Jagerbomb
76.21%
Calum Whitworth with Shannon Equestrian’s Damaris S
73.06%
Becky Moody with Jo Cooper’s Jack Diamond
71.43%
Sara-Jane Lanning with Nicola Seale’s Hawtins Lirica
70.80%
5
Sara Gallop with her own Jovano
69.71%
6
Andrew Gould with Jo and Terry Barnett-Knott’s Active Solaris
69.70%
7
Jane Morris with her own Silverstar Z
69.03%
8
Abbie Newbury with Keith Taylor’s Seagry Firstamour
68.62%
Ashley Jenkins with Jo Handman’s SS Aphrodite
68.35%
Becky Moody
4
9
ABOVE: RIDE JUDGE TOM GOODE ABOARD LUIS VALHENA’S LOVES BLACK STH, THIRD IN THE FIVE-YEAR-OLD SECTION.
10 Lisa Marriott with her own Junos Whispering Angel
68.05%
BRITISH DRESSAGE // Issue 7 2021 // 35
British Dressage Under 21 Championship RIGHT: ANNABELLA PIDGLEY AND SULTAN
HO
OF
PR
DES PALUDS HAD A BUSY
IN
TS
SUNDAY – TWO TESTS, TWO NATIONAL TITLES. THEY REPLICATED THE FORM WHICH EARNED THEM TWO INDIVIDUAL EUROPEAN SILVER MEDALS TO WIN THE OVERALL U21 CHAMPIONSHIP IN
WINNER Annabella Pidgley with Sultan Des Paluds
EMPHATIC STYLE.
BRITISH DRESSAGE UNDER 21 CHAMPIONSHIP Annabella Pidgley with Sarah Pidgley’s Sultan Des Paluds 75.66% (Junior) Annabella Oidgley with Sarah Pidgley’s Dibert L
ABOVE: BEST PLACED YOUNG RIDER COMBINATION CHARLOTTE LUTENER AND FULL FUSION BS FINISH SIXTH OVERALL. BELOW: METTE DAHL AND FIONA BIGWOOD’S GEORGE CLOONEY BS FINISH THIRD AND BEST PONY DUO. METTE WAS ALSO FIFTH WITH HER JUNIOR RIDE, FLORINA 146.
72.93% (Junior)
Mette Dahl with Fiona Bigwood’s George Clooney BS
72.10% (Pony)
4
Ruby Hughes with Shirley Rixon’s Hilkens Showgirl
70.76% (Pony)
5
Mette Dahl with Fiona Bigwood’s Florina 146
6
Charlotte Lutener with her own Full Fusion BS
7
Myles Graham with Caron Roberts’ Dresscode Cocktail
8
Gemma Owen with her own Sirius Black III
9
Beatrice Butterworth with Sharon Butterworth’s Carlsson
68.48% (Junior) 68.28% (Young Rider) 68.05% (Pony)
67.99% (Young Rider) 67.71% (Pony)
10 Isobel Lickley with Van Olst Horses’ Lord Leatherdale
67.58% (Junior)
BELOW: IT WAS RUNNERS UP SPOT TOO FOR ANNABELLA PIDGLEY WITH HER OTHER RIDE, DIBERT L, OWNED BY SARAH PIDGLEY.
HOOF PRINTS
HOOF PRINTS
BRITISH DRESSAGE // Issue 7 2021 // 37
Equissage Pulse Gold Para Dressage Championships
EQUISSAGE PULSE PARA DRESSAGE GOLD GRADE I Gabriella Blake with her own Strong Beau
74.17%
Jamie Winduss with Jane Howard’s Day and Night
73.10%
GRADE II Julie Payne with Cornelia Cook’s Divinity
67.01%
Jemima Green with her own Elrite
66.23%
Natasha Adkinson with Yvonne Bennett’s Sweet Caledonia
65.88%
GRADE III Erin Orford with Henrietta Cheetham’s LJT Diamond Crusador
69.51%
GRADE IV
ABOVE: CHARLOTTE CUNDALL TOPS AN AMAZING SEASON IN THE GRADE V WITH FIRST AND SECOND – PICTURED WITH THE VEYRON PARTNERSHIP’S FJ
Nicola Naylor with her own Humberto L
70.89%
Izzy Palmer with Cat Austin’s Je Suis Adiva
70.00%
Nicola Naylor with her own Del Piero
69.67%
VEYRON, AKA DUKE.
4
Katie Radzik with her own Showkia
68.66%
BELOW: NICOLA NAYLOR HAD TWO IN THE TOP THREE
5
Sara Bates with her own Tango VII
67.85%
6
Laura Scott with Catherine Witt’s Koko Pop
67.68%
7
Rachel Collins with her own Fine-time
66.87%
8
Laura Gulliver with Woodcroft Stud’s Woodcroft Garuda K
66.26%
IN THE GRADE IV AND IT WAS HUMBERTO L WHO TOOK THE TITLE.
9
Alicia Griffiths with her own Aegrus Ophelia 65.93%
10 Marcelle Ward with her own Ivanho II
63.62%
GRADE V ABOVE: BACK ON FORM: CORNELIA COOK’S DIVINITY COMES BACK FROM ILLNESS UNDER JULIE PAYNE TO TAKE THE GRADE II SPOILS.
4
LEFT: ERIN ORFORD IS ALL SMILES AS SHE GETS HER PRIZES FROM EQUISSAGE PULSE’S CHARLOTTE WALKER FOR HER GRADE III WIN WITH HENRIETTA CHEETHAM’S LJT DIAMOND CRUSADOR.
RIGHT: GABRIELLA BLAKE AND STRONG BEAU STORM TO THE BEST SCORE OVER THE GRADES TO TAKE GRADE I HONOURS.
Charlotte Cundall with The Veyron Partnership’s FJ Veyron
70.32%
Charlotte Cundall with Lady Joseph Trust’s LJT Simply Red
69.25%
Joanne Dagley-Cleworth with her own Uptimistic
66.11%
Hope Hayward with Sean Reynolds’ Et L’Amour
64.64%
“I wouldn’t feed anything else”
Hannah Esberger-Hancock International Dressage Rider & Trainer
“Dengie Alfa-A Oil is perfect for my dressage horses. The quality fibre supports gastric health and I’m confident that they are getting all the energy they need to perform at the top level. I wouldn’t feed anything else.” Hannah Esberger-Hancock | International Dressage Rider & Trainer
High Calorie | Low Starch | Straw & Molasses Free For the answer to ALL your equine feeding queries talk to a Dengie nutritionist today:
01621 841 188
Discover more at www.dengie.com
BELOW: Young stars of the future Ruby Hughes, Annabella Pidgley and Izzy Lickley discuss their experiences at international events with Jenny Rudall and Bobby Hayler in the Fan Zone, a new feature of this year which proved highly popular.
RIGHT: When your coach is less than impressed... Alice Oppenheimer clearly has a different comment for Georgie Nicholls.
&
ABOVE: Anna Ross and Beth Bainbridge presented the masterclass on Thursday and Friday.
LEFT: Georgia Wilson, Alex Thomas and Sophie Wells enjoy an ice cream at sunny Somerford!
ABOVE: A return to the much missed shopping, eating and chatting tradition of the Nationals!
OUT ABOUT LEFT: Olympic and Europeans heroes Charlotte Dujardin, Gareth Hughes and Carl Hester parade in the main arena, accompanied by Annabella Pidgley, double silver medallist at the Junior European Championships in July.
RIGHT: Georgia Wilson with her Paralympic medals – on her debut in Tokyo she scooped team gold, and Grade II individual and freestyle bronze.
LEFT: Cheers! Robyn Smith, Gail Smith, Reay Campbell and Judy Douglas-Miller all raise a glass.
40 // Issue 7 2021 // BRITISH DRESSAGE
LEFT: Star of stage and screen, Carl Hester drew the crowds in the Fan Zone.
ABOVE: The hard-working LeMieux arena crew from Reaseheath College pose. LEFT: British Dressage CEO Jason Brautigam presents Jeremy Lawton with a Shearwater bird as a thank you for his many years of loyal sponsorship under the Shearwater Insurance banner.
RIGHT: Darren Hicks rides through an exercise in one of Spencer Wilton’s popular masterclasses.
RIGHT: Sophie Wells, Lee Pearson and Georgia Wilson in the hot seats to reveal what really went on in that ‘Last Leg’ scene.
LEFT: Robert Lemieux and Jason Brautigam discuss the new look LeMieux nationals. ABOVE: BD Board Director Judy Harvey is joined by Jos Rosenberg, Robyn Bateman, Nicky Heale, Dan Sherriff, Verity Jenner and Elizabeth and Carmen Gammie.
BELOW: Lorna Wilson, Anna Ross and Beth Bainbridge celebrate Tiger’s win in the Shearwater five-year-old championship.
RIGHT: Crowds enjoy the action in the main arena.
RIGHT: Lee Pearson, Georgia Wilson and Sophie Wells fly the flag in the parade, celebrating their success at the Paralympics.
LEFT: Members of the hard-working steward team kick their heels up at the LeMieux welcome party (L to R): Mel Bailey, Rita YoungJones, Lynne Campbell, Louise McCarthey, Pat Layton and Tessa Clarke.
BRITISH DRESSAGE // Issue 7 2021 // 41
42 // Issue 7 2021 // BRITISH DRESSAGE
EUROPEAN S UCC E SS
HOT ON THE HEELS OF SUCCESS IN TOKYO, OUR SENIOR QUARTET DELIVERED ONCE AGAIN WITH A TEAM SILVER AND INDIVIDUAL BRONZE AT THE FEI EUROPEAN CHAMPIONSHIPS IN HAGEN, GERMANY. THE U25 FOURSOME MADE A GREAT SHOWING AND WERE INSPIRED BY COMPETING ALONGSIDE THE SENIORS.
ABOVE: CELEBRATORY HIGH JINKS ON THE FREESTYLE PODIUM. LEFT: CHARLOTTE AND GIO: THIRD IN THE GRAND PRIX
PHOTOS: KEVIN SPARROW
AND FOURTH IN THE SPECIAL BEFORE CLAIMING FREESTYLE BRONZE ON 87.25% - THE PAIR’S FOURTH CHAMPIONSHIP MEDAL, AND CHARLOTTE’S 20TH!
ABOVE: LOTTIE FRY AND EVERDALE CONTINUE TO CAPTIVATE. THREE MASTERFUL PB RIDES PUT THEM TOP-FIVE ON ALL THREE DAYS.
LEFT: CARL HESTER, CHARLOTTE DUJARDIN, LOTTIE FRY AND GARETH HUGHES ARE JOINED ON THE PODIUM BY PERFORMANCE MANAGER CAROLINE GRIFFITH.
BRITISH DRESSAGE // Issue 7 2021 // 43
EUROPEAN CHAMPIONSHIPS.
ABOVE: THE PODIUM AFTER A SENSATIONAL FREESTYLE FINALE: GERMANY’S JESSICA VON BREDOW-WERNDL FLANKED BY CATHRINE DUFOUR FOR DENMARK AND CHARLOTTE DUJARDIN.
ABOVE: XXXXX
ABOVE: “I GOT THE TEST I WANTED TONIGHT” - CARL HESTER AND EN VOGUE, OWNED BY CHARLOTTE DUJARDIN, LADY EVANS AND SANDRA BIDDLECOMBE, SHOWED THEIR IMMENSE CLASS UNDER THE FLOODLIGHTS OF HOF KASSELMANN TO SCORE 77.31% IN THE SPECIAL. LEFT: AN INTEGRAL PART OF THE TEAM: ALAN DAVIES WITH HIS CHARGE, GIO.
ABOVE: JESSICA VON BREDOW-WERNDL AND TSF DALERA BB FOR GERMANY, ALREADY WITH TEAM AND GRAND PRIX SPECIAL GOLDS TO THEIR NAME, RODE A PHENOMENAL FREESTYLE TO PROPEL THEM TO GOLD ON 91.02%. RIGHT: TRAVELLING RESERVES FOR TOKYO, GARETH HUGHES AND SINTANO VAN HOF OLYMPIA. THE 11-YEAR-OLD, WHO GARETH CO-OWNS WITH JUDY FIRMSTON-WILLIAMS, HAS LITTLE EXPERIENCE AT THIS LEVEL BUT APPLIED HIMSELF WELL TO FINISH HIGH UP THE RANKS IN BOTH THE GRAND PRIX AND SPECIAL.
44 // Issue 7 2021 // BRITISH DRESSAGE
EUROPEAN CHAMPIONSHIPS.
U25 s
RIGHT: SOME UNCHARACTERISTIC TENSION WAS COSTLY IN BOTH THEIR INTER II AND GRAND PRIX; HOWEVER, SOME SUPER HIGHLIGHTS INDICATE A BRIGHT FUTURE FOR ELLEN MCCARTHY AND THE BEAUTIFUL GB LONDERO VON WORRENBERG. BELOW: ALEX HARRISON AND 10-YEAR-OLD DIAMOND HILL SHOWED THEIR POTENTIAL, HELPING THE BRITS FINISH FIFTH IN THE CLOSE-FOUGHT TEAM COMPETITION WITH AN INTER II JUST SHY OF 68%.
RIGHT: CHAMPIONSHIP FIRSTTIMER LUCY AMY DID A STERLING JOB WITH RICHARD AMY’S RUDY TO POST 66.91% IN THE INTER II AND 64.67% IN THE GRAND PRIX.
RIGHT: RIDING TO MUSIC FROM THE DISNEY FILM TRON, LEWIS CARRIER AND DIEGO V CONCLUDED GREAT BRITAIN’S U25 CAMPAIGN IN HAGEN WITH A STRONG FREESTYLE TO FINISH 12TH. “COMPETING AT THIS VENUE ALONGSIDE THE SENIORS HAS BEEN ABSOLUTELY AMAZING.”
RIGHT: GERMANY’S RAPHAEL NETZ ADDED INDIVIDUAL GOLD TO HIS TEAM TITLE ABOARD THE 12-YEAR-OLD STALLION ELASTICO (JOHNSON X CONCORDE) WITH A PB OF 76.30%. FREESTYLE GOLD ALSO WENT TO THE HOME NATION COURTESY OF SEMMIEKE ROTHENBERGER AND FLANELL.
BRITISH DRESSAGE // Issue 7 2021 // 45
FEEDING.
KEEPING OUR HORSE’S AIRWAYS CLEAN AND HEALTHY IS A VITAL STEP IN ENSURING A GOOD LEVEL OF HEALTH, WELLBEING AND PERFORMANCE. STEPHANIE BATEMAN DISCOVERS WHAT MANAGEMENT AND FEEDING ROUTINES OWNERS CAN FOLLOW TO ENSURE OPTIMUM RESPIRATORY ROBUSTNESS.
O
feeding
BREATHING-FRIENDLY
ur horses are exposed to a variety of respiratory irritants including dust and mould spores, but what damage can they do and why is it important to limit exposure? “Dust and moulds contained within feed, forages and bedding can cause hypersensitivity within the lungs,” explains Lucy Woods of Saracen Horse Feeds. “Providing dampened or steamed forage, as well as using dust-extracted bedding are simple management techniques that will help to reduce exposure to particles that could increase the risk of respiratory disease.” Providing as much turn out as possible is also recommended, as is avoiding mucking out or sweeping yards when the horse is in t e stable and feeding fro t e floor if possible, to encourage natural respiratory drainage. “In addition, feeding pelleted feeds which can be dampened or soaked, as well as using a ig uality c a ill el to furt er reduce the dust level,” adds Lucy. Feed manufacturers have a responsibility to provide good, quality ingredients that are free from dusts and moulds. “At Saracen Horse Feeds, quality control is ta en ery seriously fro eld to feed bag,” Lucy tells. “This starts with suppliers being selected to a required standard, with raw materials being screened to ensure that t ey eet s eci ed re uire ents suc as for moisture and dust. When processed, further measures are used such as storage bins being regularly dust extracted, as well as continuous screening for mycotoxins and other contaminants.” LEFT: EATING AT GROUND LEVEL HELPS TO DRAIN IRRITANTS FROM THE HORSE’S UPPER RESPIRATORY TRACT, AIDING BREATHING.
FEEDING.
LEFT: HAYGAIN’S FORAGER SLOW FEEDER ENCOURAGES A LOWER HEAD POSITION WHEN EATING WHILE PREVENTING HAY FROM GETTING MIXED UP WITH BEDDING, MANURE OR URINE. BELOW: FEEDING PELLETED CONCENTRATE FEEDS WHICH CAN BE DAMPENED OR SOAKED HELPS REDUCE DUST.
infl a
atory scores irsc in et al Most forti ed feeds a e good le els of antioxidants present, however additional supplementation of natural sources of vitamin E that has a rapid absorption rate will provide further support.” Studies have also shown that supplementation of Omega 3 fatty acids can help to further improve clinical signs of the disease and lung function. “One study showed that Omega 3 fatty acid supplementation over a two-month period showed a 60% improvement in cough scores, as well as a 50% decrease in res iratory e ort ogradi et al says ucy ood sources of ega fatty acids can be found in both vegetable and marine based sources suc as in linseed s oil or algae.”
DUST AND MOULDS CONTAINED WITHIN FEED, FORAGE AND BEDDING CAN CAUSE HYPERSENSITIVITY Feed should then be stored in a cool, dry place that is rodent-proof and used before the best before date. When looking for feed that has been produced to minimise the risk of irritants, selecting manufacturers that are members of the Universal Feed Assurance Scheme (UFAS) will show that quality systems are in place to minimise nutritional, microbial or physical hazards in the feed. “Consumers can see if a manufacturer is registered with an organisation such as UFAS, by looking for the assurance mark as well as the company UFAS number on the bag itself o ers ucy s ell as uality ingredients, feeding a balanced diet will provide optimum levels of vitamins and minerals required for health and well-being, as well as good quality protein to support cell
renewal, tissue, and muscle repair.” Research has shown that external irritants can cause the release of free radicals, which can attack cell membranes, causing cell da age and infl a ation “Impaired antioxidant capacity has been found to play a role in the de elo ent of conditions a ecting t e res iratory tract says ucy “Research has shown that when dietary antioxidants such as Vitamin E, C and selenium are administered, there is signi cantly i ro ed exercise tolerance and signi cantly reduced endoscopic
DOES WETTING FEED HELP? “When it comes to bucket feed, there is less researc on t e bene ts of da ening it but it is a widely held practice, and with good reason says ate ore utr ni al ni ec nol ert ead utritionist at ate er t e feed adding so e water is advised for most horses.
FEEDING.
MINIMISING THE AMOUNT OF RESPIRABLE PARTICLES IN THE HORSE’S ENVIRONMENT IS CRITICAL TO PROTECTING RESPIRATORY HEALTH, AND FEEDING CLEAN HAY IS A BIG PART OF THAT.
Water is really important to the horse, and when grazing fresh pasture, horses can get all of their requirement from grass; by comparison, an ad-lib hay diet may only provide a tenth of the water of fresh grass, and well below their daily requirement. While horses should always have clean, fresh water available to drink, it can be useful to also wet feed, as horses are naturally adapted to ta e in a signi cant a ount of t eir ater requirement through eating.” Dampening a feed can also help with palatability, particularly if, perhaps, there are a couple of powdered supplements being added. t does no ar to t e e cacy of t e supplement to wet them, though we would advise wetting the feed just before feeding, and not allowing it to sit over time,” adds Kate. “Lastly, particularly for horses who tend to eat quickly, wetting feed can be useful in reducing the risk of choke.”
FEEDING HAY Minimising the amount of respirable particles in the horse’s environment is critical to protecting respiratory health, and feeding clean hay is a big part of that. “There is a lot of confusion about what ‘good quality hay’ means,” says Kim Miller of Haygain. “Nutrients are often the emphasis of ‘hay quality’ conversations, but we should think of hygiene, too. Forage is grown in dirt, harvested with heavy 48 // Issue 7 2021 // BRITISH DRESSAGE
machinery, often transported long distances, then stored for long periods. Having a great nutritional ro le does not correlate to forage that is ‘clean’ when it comes to respiratory irritants.” Shaking a handful of forage reveals tiny dust particles that can contain mould, a wide range of allergens and bacteria. “And the ‘dust’ we can’t see is even worse,” adds Kim. “Particles smaller than 5 microns in size can get past a healthy horse’s respiratory defences to settle deep in the lungs and cause irritation and infl a ation Haygain high temperature steaming reduces up to 99% of these particles. Unlike soaking hay to reduce respirable particles, Haygain stea ing does not signi cantly reduce nutrients.”
EAT AS NATURE INTENDED “Mother Nature intended for horses to eat food on the ground, with their heads in a lowered position,” Kim explains. “This allows irritants to drain naturally out of the upper respiratory tract while they eat. Hay nets are a common way to slow a orse s feeding ace and ee forage o t e floor but t eir osition does not allo t e respiratory drainage that happens when the horse eats with its head lowered. The Forager slow feeder, by Haygain, enables the lowered head position, while preventing waste of forage that gets mashed into bedding, urine or manure.”
SUPPLEMENTS FOR RESPIRATORY HEALTH Owners often turn to supplements to help support their horse’s respiratory systems, but is there any research to support their use? “Using targeted nutrition through supplements to enhance respiratory health is well-known, with established research across species,” says Kate Hore. “In horses, the benefits of supplementing for respiratory health have been known for decades. An independent clinical trial on NAF Five Star Respirator at the, now sadly closed, Animal Health Trust further supported the use of antioxidants in respiratory-sensitive horses. Research certainly shows that, alongside good management, including a low dust regime and plenty of turnout, using the right evidence-based nutritional support of the respiratory system can be really useful in the management of the respiratorysensitive dressage horse.”
BRITISH DRESSAGE // Issue 7 2021 // 49
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50 // Issue 7 2021 // BRITISH DRESSAGE Solarium Advert_92.5x54mm_OCT2018.indd 1
Complete Water Arm Kit £198.00 Ex VAT
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PRODUCT WATCH.
RESPIRATORY HEALTH
PRODUC T
WATCH
FIVE STAR RESPIRATOR BOOST provides nutritional support to the respiratory mucosal immune system and the delicate capillary blood vessels that surround the lungs. Research shows that by supplementing the diet with naturally sourced anti-oxidants, the horse's lungs can be given valuable support. Respirator contains a concentrated solution of natural anti-oxidants, alongside herbs such as ginger, rosehip and blueberries, chosen for their targeted support of healthy lung function. Echinacea is also included for immune system support. Respirator is also recommended where close contact with other horses showing respiratory stress may be cause for concern. Essential oils in Respirator Boost help maintain clear airways. RRP: FROM £19.99 FOR 500ML | naf-equine.eu/uk
BAILEYS GARLIC SUPPLEMENT
contains human-grade natural garlic oil, which provides a higher proportion of allicin – the component responsible for many of garlic’s properties – than some powdered garlic supplements. The potent garlic oil is combined with a nutritious base to create an easy-to-use powder that mixes and keeps well all year round.
high temperature hay steaming that reduces up to 99% of the dust, mould, bacteria and other allergens found even in forage of good nutritional quality. Reducing respiratory and allergy risks are key benefits, along with boosting hydration and appetite. RRP: £3,189 haygain.co.uk
HAYGAIN FORAGER SLOW FEEDER extends meal
RRP: £9.99 FOR 1KG OR £25 FOR 5KG | baileyshorsefeeds.co.uk
HORSEHAGE HIGH FIBRE is a bagged forage containing no chemical additives, mould inhibitors, flavourings, molasses or inoculants. It is dust-free which is vital for maintaining a healthy respiratory system. Made from a selected mix of grasses that have been grown specifically for this purpose, High Fibre HorseHage has Feed Materials Assurance Scheme (FEMAS) and the British Equestrian Trade Association (BETA) Naturally Occurring Prohibited Substances (NOPS) certification. Both these feed marks mean that the product is manufactured from premium ingredients which are fully traceable and that it has been produced under the highest industry standards. RRP: FROM £7.99 | horsehage.co.uk
HAYGAIN HAY STEAMERS provide
consumption time to better align with Mother Nature’s design for equine digestive function – and without frustrating the horse. Horses were also meant to eat in a lowered-head position. The Forager facilitates that while preventing hay waste and contamination. RRP: £290 haygain.co.uk
BRITISH DRESSAGE // Issue 7 2021 // 51
PRODUCT WATCH.
GET CHRISTMAS WRAPPED UP EARLY LOOKING TO BEAT THE CROWDS THIS CHRISTMAS? WE'VE GOT SOME GREAT FESTIVE GIFT IDEAS TO GET YOU AHEAD OF THE REST.
STABLE DOOR SIGN from Sportsmark allows you to design the perfect stable door sign which can be totally personalised online, including your favourite photo. The high quality, weatherproof print not only looks good but can detail ICE contact numbers too. RRP £24.99 • sportsmark.co.uk
PIKEUR ENNIE LONGSLEEVED TOP is ideal as a baselayer on a cold winter morning or on its own for milder Autumn and Spring days. With its striking Pikeur lettering, the turtle-necked Ennie looks superb in all colours. Available in sizes 6-18 in dark grey, dark coffee, chilli and antique green. RRP £79.99 • shawsequestrian.com
EQUITEX CLASSIC DRESSAGE SADDLE PAD is handmade in Italy. All components are hand cut and layered together to give a high-performance pad that can endure hours of contact with the horse. Hidden inside is 30mm of highly technical, shock absorbing foam which cushions and protects. A straight cut front, elongated panel and 50mm wither clearance keep the spine free from pressure. Available in multiple colours and sizes. RRP from £229 • equitex.co
52 // Issue 7 2021 // BRITISH DRESSAGE
MIRRORS FOR TRAINING arena mirrors reflect your performance. Mirrors are an invaluable way of checking rider posture and alignment whilst helping you to earn more points for accuracy. Each mirror is 8ft x 4ft, backed and framed in galvanised steel with installation brackets, and is suitable for indoor and outdoor use. BD Christmas offer – get five arena mirrors delivered for £1,295. RRP £1,295 • arenamirrors.com
KONIGS PALMERO DRESSAGE is a beautiful boot with a sculpted top and an elegant tapered ankle made of side leather, mild stiffener, fully leather-lined, high dressage bow with Königs-crown. As standard this boot comes with a contoured form, with a slimmer ankle line as well as a slightly higher sculpt giving that extra elegant finish. RRP FROM £769 • zebraproducts.co.uk
MAURIZIA LADIES LACE FRONT TALL LEATHER RIDING BOOTS have been designed with your performance and comfort in mind. These boots have been hand crafted with a superior cut and sculpted fit to provide you with contoured support. The full-front lace up system allows for custom fitting adjustments and demands attention in the training arena or show ring. RRP £155 • premierequine.co.uk
DIAMANTE CLICK & CONNECT NECK STRAP is not just for Christmas – and it's not just for emergencies either! In connecting to your saddle, the neck strap becomes a versatile training aid for horse and rider, enhancing balance, improving connection, controlling lost shoulders and improving contact. RRP £139.95 • saluteequestrian.com
CAPELLA CLOSE CONTACT MERINO WOOL DRESSAGE SQUARE is crafted with a luxe quilted satin outer fabric that elegantly sheens in the light. This dressage saddle pad boasts signature styling for a supreme finish. Half lined with grade 1 Merino wool which can absorb up to 30% of its own weight in moisture, keeping your horse dry and comfortable under the saddle. RRP £90 • premierequine.co.uk
BOMBER BITS MCHARDY is an amalgamation of a jointed happy tongue with a central roller. It allows space for the tongue, relieving pressure. It is ideal if your horse has a large and/or sensitive tongue or if he leans. Available in various dressage-legal cheekpieces – eggbutt pictured. RRP from £91 • bombers.co.za
CAVALLERIA TOSCANA
SHINY MATTE NYLON PUFFER VEST is a sporty style padded zip vest made of technical material, keeping the body warm thanks to its padding while still being light for maximum freedom of movement. It helps to protect from the wind without impeding movement. It features a practical front zip and CT logo. Available in brown and blue in sizes XXS-XL. RRP £425.50 • zebraproducts.co.uk
ROECKL WISMAR GLOVE is a beautifully warm, windproof and highly water-resistant softshell glove which still gives an excellent feel on the reins. It features a long knitted cuff for warmth retention and is machine-washable at 30 degrees. Available in sizes 6-11 including half sizes, in colours black, hi-vis yellow plus black with purple, all with reflective elements. RRP £59.95 • shawsequestrian.com
TOKYO 2020.
prevails
PARA POWER
THEY TRAVELLED TO TOKYO THROUGH UNCHARTED WATERS… YOUNG HORSES, A DEBUTANT RIDER, PROBLEMATIC PREPARATION AND ALMOST UNBEARABLE PRESSURE TO PERFORM. HOWEVER, THE FOUR RIDERS FOUND INSPIRATION AND BELIEF IN EACH OTHER AND THEIR TEAM WHICH BROUGHT EIGHT MEDALS AND, AGAINST THE ODDS, A PLACE IN HISTORY.
ABOVE: GEORGIA WILSON MADE A STUNNING PARALYMPIC DEBUT, WINNING BRONZE IN THE GRADE II INDIVIDUAL AND GRADE II FREESTYLE WITH THE SEVENYEAR-OLD SAKURA.
LEFT: LEE PEARSON, SOPHIE WELLS AND NATASHA BAKER TOOK GOLD IN THE TEAM COMPETITION, THE SEVENTH PARALYMPIC TITLE FOR GREAT BRITAIN AND RETAINING OUR UNBEATEN RECORD.
ABOVE: LEE PEARSON SCORED A PERSONAL BEST OF 77.636% WITH BREEZER IN THE TEAM TEST TO HELP SECURE GOLD. THE TEN-YEAROLD GELDING BY BACARDI WAS BRED AND PRODUCED BY LEE, WHO CREDITS HACKING OUT IN STOKE ON TRENT WITH HELPING THIS SENSITIVE HORSE TO BE BRAVE IN THE ATMOSPHERE OF THE TOKYO STADIUM.
LEFT: ALTHOUGH THERE WAS SADNESS THAT THE RIDERS COULD NOT TO BE JOINED BY THEIR FAMILIES IN TOKYO, THEY PAID TRIBUTE TO THE INCREDIBLE SUPPORT FROM THE ‘BACK ROOM ‘ TEAM WHO WERE WITH THEM EVERY STEP OF THE WAY.
54 // Issue 7 2021 // BRITISH DRESSAGE
TOKYO 2020.
RIGHT: LEE PEARSON’S BREEZER, LED BY GROOM JANE LEESE, PASSES THE TROT-UP WITH FLYING COLOURS.
RIGHT: SOPHIE WELLS SAVOURS THE MOMENT ON THE PODIUM, LANDING AN EMOTIONAL SILVER IN THE GRADE V.
RIGHT: SUBSTITUTED AT THE LAST MINUTE FOR CHARLOTTE HOGG’S C FATAL ATTRACTION, ROLAND KINCH’S DON CARA M HAD BIG BOOTS TO FILL. SOPHIE WELLS USED ALL HER EXPERIENCE TO PRODUCE IMPRESSIVE TESTS FROM THE SENSITIVE DONNIE. “WE START PREPPING FOR PARIS NOW,” SAID ABOVE: A HUG FOR GEORGIA WILSON FROM HER MENTOR SOPHIE WELLS,
SOPHIE.
OF WHOM SHE SAYS: “I COULDN’T DO IT WITHOUT SOPHIE. SHE CALMS ME DOWN A LOT AND THE TRAINING IS JUST INVALUABLE.”
RIGHT: ON THE GRADE II PODIUM TOGETHER, LEE PEARSON WHO NOW HAS 14 PARALYMPIC MEDALS, AND GEORGIA WILSON, WHO SCOOPED THREE AT HER FIRST PARALYMPICS.
ABOVE: LEE PEARSON COMPLETED A HAT-TRICK OF MEDALS WITH GOLD IN THE FREESTYLE, RIDING BREEZER TO MUSIC FROM KUNG FU PANDA TO SCORE 82.447%. LEE SAID: “I’M TWICE OVER THE MOON – I ACTUALLY DIDN’T CARE IF I WON A MEDAL, THAT HORSE GAVE ME HIS HEART IN THERE. HE WAS BRAVER THAN THE TEAM TEST, BRAVER EVEN THAN THE INDIVIDUAL TEST A FEW DAYS AGO.”
BRITISH DRESSAGE // Issue 7 2021 // 55
TOKYO 2020.
LEFT: DON CARA M INSPECTS THE MEDAL WINNER’S BOUQUET WITH SOPHIE WELLS AND GROOM JADE LOCKWOOD.
RIGHT: DON CARA M FOUND THE FREESTYLE A LITTLE OVERWHELMING AND DIDN’T SHOW HIS HUGE POTENTIAL BUT SOPHIE SAID: IT’S BEEN AN AMAZING EXPERIENCE HAVING DONNIE HERE. I’M THRILLED WITH HIM, I COULDN’T HAVE BELIEVED A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO THAT WE’D COME AWAY WITH A GOLD AND A SILVER, NOT AT ALL.”
LEFT: NATASHA BAKER CELEBRATES HER SILVER MEDAL IN THE GRADE III INDIVIDUAL WITH MUM LORRAINE. RIGHT: NATASHA ON THE PODIUM WITH THE TOKYO PARALYMPIC MASCOT ON BOARD.
BELOW: THE EXCITEMENT WAS PALPABLE AMONG THE SUPPORT TEAM – DESPITE THE BRITISH TEAM’S DOMINANCE OF THE PARALYMPICS, THE GRADES ARE HIGHLY COMPETITIVE AND RESULTS OFTEN WENT TO THE WIRE IN TOKYO. BELOW: ALTHOUGH THE EDGE WAS TAKEN OFF KEYSTONE DAWN CHORUS’S PERFORMANCE IN THE FREESTYLE BY THE HEAT AND THE EXERTION OF THE TEAM AND INDIVIDUAL TESTS, NATASHA BAKER WAS DELIGHTED WITH THE WAY LOTTIE, BY DIMAGGIO, HAD PROGRESSED THROUGH THE WEEK. “I’M OVERJOYED WITH THE OUTCOME, IT’S BEEN SUCH AN INCREDIBLE GAMES. I THINK JUST THE WAY THAT SHE WENT IN THERE AND HANDLED IT – SHE’S GROWN IN CONFIDENCE EACH DAY.”
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BRITISH DRESSAGE // Issue 7 2021 // 57
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58 // Issue 7 2021 // BRITISH DRESSAGE
DISEASE AWAR STABLING,
LIGHT UP THEIR LIFE LIKE US, HORSES CAN GET ‘THE BLUES’ AS THE NIGHTS DRAW IN. HORSELIGHT EXPLAINS HOW SUPPLEMENTARY
T
LIGHTING CAN HELP.
he horse’s body prefers the summer months. They naturally put and keep on body condition, their coat and skin improve and they have the high amounts of Vitamin D required to help the body’s internal processes. It’s also the most natural time for foaling. The advantages of light therapy for the performance horse include reduced coat shedding, improved food conversion, faster recovery rates and anecdotal reports of happier horses. It is widely recognised t at any u ans su er it SAD during the short winter days, and owners indicate that their horses seem to be much happier and alert when stabled under HorseLight.
CIRCADIAN RHYTHM In the northern hemisphere the daylight hours vary greatly between the summer months and the winter. In December we have eight hours of daylight and 16 hours of darkness. March to September there is equal day and night (Equinox). June has the longest day (Summer Solstice).
By providing daylight-strength arti cial lig t in t e stable e can strengthen the circadian rhythm which has many positive ealt bene ts for t e orse Research over the last decade as identi ed t at s eci c lig t can a ect and regulate t e circadian rhythm. Strong blue lig t s itc es o t e roduction of melatonin (the sleep hormone) and the daytime decrease of melatonin results in a more active horse. The increased activity and improved feed intake improves body condition and accounts for any ot er bene ts Blue light within the shortwavelength blue light spectrum n is t e ost e ecti e at inhibiting melatonin secretion, as production of its precursor, melanopsin, is particularly sensitive to it. Normal white LED or fluorescent lig ts do not deli er blue light at the strength required to a e any real e ect on melatonin secretion.
COAT CONDITION The relationship between coat shedding, day length and light intensity has been documented in several studies. One of the
earlier ones was A&M University in Texas in the 1980s where they compared extended versus traditional day lengths for controlling coat lengths. In this study 16 yearlings and two year-old mares and geldings were randomly assigned to natural day length or extended day length groups, the latter group receiving 16 hours of daylight per day. The study found that the coats of those horses exposed to extended daylight did not grow nearly as fast as those receiving normal daylight. We know that the coat maintenance is best achieved when light therapy is combined with using rugs to compensate for the winter coat. Light therapy should begin before mid-July to maintain the summer coat into autumn. Similarly, eight weeks of light therapy is required to initiate shedding the coat earlier in the spring.
six horses were maintained for consecutive 48 hour periods under a Light: Red (LR) and a Light: Dark (LD) photo-schedule. Transitions from light (>200 lux, polychromatic white light) to red (5 lux, peak wavelength 625nm) or dark (<0.5 lux), and vice versa, coincided with ambient sunset and sunrise times. Low intensity red light at night did not impact the pattern of melatonin secretion in this study and is, therefore, unlikely to impact the physiology of circadian or seasonal regulation. A red light is useful for allo ing su cient obser ational light at night such as for foaling or not disturbing other horses when arriving home late from competition. Changing from white light to red observational lig t at nig t as a cal ing e ect on a yard as horses appear to be ‘more asleep’.
RED LIGHT AT NIGHT
BELOW: EN VOGUE AND GROOM LUCY SCUDAMORE WITH HORSELIGHT.
Switching to red light at night further strengthens the circadian rhythm. Red light has no e ect on elatonin secretion and therefore allows full melatonin release at night which encourages recovery and deep sleep. This is useful to allow for human interaction with horses without ‘waking them up’ which can occur at late-night checks. Studies have shown that dim red light does not suppress the nightly rise in serum melatonin levels in horses. In one study,
EARNING THE MARKS.
In this series Jane Kidd will look at points that could earn or at least not lose marks for competitors. Fundamental to all the points are the basics. The majority of the marks are given for the rhythm, suppleness, contact, impulsion, straightness and at the more advanced levels, collection (the training scales).
WALK
THIS WAY
M
any marks are lost in the walk through lack of understanding of what the horse does. Riders damage or even destroy it largely through poor knowledge of the use of the hands. The horse needs freedom to use its neck, shoulders and back to produce those unrestricted regular strides. Some horses by nature may take short tight steps or very rarely pacing two-time walks, but in the main it is the riders who are responsible for the loss of the natural freedom and regularity of the walk. The important additional factor is that once lost these are hard to restore. Riders - take note that the FEI states: “It is at the walk that the imperfections of dressage are most evident.”
“THE BASIC PRINCIPLES MUST ALWAYS PREVAIL AND THESE ARE TO FULFIL THE REQUIREMENTS OF THE TRAINING SCALE” RIGHT: THE WALK CAN BE A PACE FOR RELAXATION AND REWARD BUT EVEN THEN IT IS WISE TO KEEP THE ACTIVITY AND THAT VITAL TENDENCY OF STEPPING FORWARD TOWARDS THE BIT.
60 // Issue 7 2021 // BRITISH DRESSAGE
EARNING THE MARKS.
WHAT THE JUDGES ARE LOOKING FOR To avoid these imperfections, riders need to be conscious of the goals for a good walk. The essential is a regular walk when the horse marches in a well marked four time beat with equal intervals between each beat. An indication of regularity is that the legs on one side for a moment form a ‘V’. The biggest mark loser is when these two legs become parallel and the beats two-time as then the horse is pacing. This is a serious deterioration and the closer to the parallel the two legs become the greater the loss in marks. The second essential is freedom of the strides which is best achieved when the horse is relaxed, supple and t e o e ent fl o s t roug its ole body articularly the back. Purposeful steps are important and according to the FEI’s Directive in the walk it is ‘activity’ and the desire to move forward that are sought, but not impulsion as, unlike the trot and canter there is no moment of suspension. The judges also look for the front legs and of the hind legs to take steps of equal length, ie is not unlevel.
ABOVE: THE ‘V’ THAT IS PART OF THE SEQUENCE IN A REGULAR WALK.
VARIATIONS OF THE WALK In each of the four variations of the walk the above aims are sought alongside the particular goals below: Free walk: The rider eases the contact encouraging the horse to stretch forward and down towards the bit. The horse marches positively forward with t e o e ent flo ing t roug a relaxed and supple body. Medium walk: The steps are of moderate length with the hind feet touching the ground in front of the hoof prints of the forelegs. The horse walks positively forward towards the bit with a light consistent contact. Extended walk: The horse covers as much ground as possible without hurrying. The hind feet touch the ground clearly in front the hoof prints of the forelegs. The rider encourages the horse to stretch its head and neck forward without losing contact and control of the poll. Collected walk: The steps are shortened at the same time as the activity and tempo are maintained. It is important that the shortening results in higher ste s ore engage ent and not a s u e or a slowing down. LEFT: TWO PICTURES OF THE SAME HORSE IN THE SAME TEST SHOWING THE CLEAR DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE EXTENDED AND COLLECTED WALK.
BRITISH DRESSAGE // Issue 7 2021 // 61
EARNING THE MARKS.
RIGHT: THESE TWO PICTURES SHOW HOW MUCH THE HANDS MUST MOVE TO KEEP THE SAME CONTACT ON A HORSE THAT STEPS FORWARD THROUGH A SUPPLE BACK AND NECK TO THE HANDS. A HORSE THAT HAS BEEN ALLOWED TO KEEP ITS NATURAL HEAD MOVEMENT AND SO NURTURE REGULARITY AND FREEDOM WILL EARN THE MARKS.
TIPS Free rein walk The walk on a free rein gives the judge a clear indication of the quality of the training of the horse so it is important to maximise this opportunity. • Keep the walk active and purposeful without hurrying. • Allow the horse to stretch by pushing the reins forward without letting them become loose. • Make sure to follow the nod of the head by alternate forward movement with the hands. • ncourage t e flo of t e o e ent o er t e bac and nec by good preparation in the corner before free rein walk. Any tightness of the neck and back may be helped by calming the orse and by su ling it t roug little flexions and barely perceptible leg yield steps. Medium walk • o any riders focus on s o ing a di erence fro t e free or extended walk by too much containment with a resulting slowing down. All that is necessary is the collection of the reins to nd a lig t for ard feeling contact and t e orse s weight tending more onto the hindquarters to bring the head and neck a little higher. This is enough to show that di erence in t e ste s e ediu al is li e a free rein al on a contact ile encouraging t e inds to ste beyond the hoof prints of the forefeet. • The other important point is without hurrying to keep riding for ard and not allo any reduction in t e te o or any slowing down. Extended walk • e s ill of t e rider is to ride for ard su ciently to get the horse to lengthen the steps as much as possible without breaking or creating tightness by speeding up. • n t e re aration around t e corner a e t e orse as relaxed and supple as possible. • Ride with a forward tension in the reins using alternate easing to follow the head movement and as light a contact is possible without losing it. Collected walk • trong or une en contact or any tig tness of t e orse s back develops irregularity in the collected walk. Keep irregularity uppermost in the mind and with any shortening of t e ste s loosen t e nec and bac and or ta e so e lateral steps. The less experienced may have to rely on a person on the ground to tell them if there is irregularity. • Collected walk should be in the same tempo (speed of r yt as t e ot er al s so ride for ard into it ee up the activity but without any hurrying or tensing. 62 // Issue 7 2021 // BRITISH DRESSAGE
TRAINING The FEI states: “A horse should not be asked to walk on t e bit at t e early stages of training ollection too early ill not only s oil t e collected al but t e ediu and extended walks as well.” ere is a case for not al ing on a contact until ell into a orse s training Most de ending on t e orse in uestion ould incline to ards gradually rogressing fro only ta ing a contact if in trouble to a lig t contact to a ore ositi e contact i e ti e for t e orse to beco e stronger ore su le in t e bac and nec and for t e rider to be able to follo t e o e ent of t e orse s ead Developing the scales of training particularly suppleness of the back will help to nurture the regularity and freedom of the pace. lt oug sc ools ary as to t e alue of training t e al t e does advocate any training is best reserved for the more advanced le els ro t e earliest stages o e er it is i ortant ene er t e horse walks it is asked to do so in an active but relaxed way and even when it is a rest time it is not allowed to become sloppy or lazy. Maintaining the nod: The head movement in the walk is vital because it allows the alternate relaxation of the two longissimus muscles that lie either side of the spine and connect the pelvic area with the cervical spine in the neck. Their free movement is key to keeping the regularity and freedom of the walk. It is vital for riders to move their hands back and forth in the al in order to ee t e sa e tension in t e reins and not bloc t e muscle movement that inhibits the suppleness of the back. Develop this in training and not only does it help the quality of the al but it is also good for t e rider by unbloc ing sti ness t roug gentle rhythmical movement of the arms. Even on a long rein the rider can see and feel the nodding of the ead if t at orse s bac as not already been tig tened
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BRITISH DRESSAGE // Issue 7 2021 // 63
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NORTHERN BRANCH Phone: 01904 373 013 Mobile: 07720 845 857 Email: sales@foxyhorseboxes.co.uk 64 // Issue 7 2021 // BRITISH DRESSAGE
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HORSEBOXES.
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WHEN IS BETTER
WE’VE ALL ENVIED THE HORSEBOX PALACES PARKED AT SHOWS AND LONGED FOR ALL THE LUXURIES THAT OUR LOWLY LORRIES CAN’T PROVIDE. HOWEVER, THERE MAY COME A TIME WHEN HAVING A FEW MORE AMENITIES BECOMES A NECESSITY. HELEN TRIGGS LOOKS AT WHAT’S INVOLVED IN TRADING UP.
O
ver the last 10 years or so, there has been a trend towards choosing a 3.5 tonne horsebox. However, these smaller lorries don’t suit everyone’s needs and some riders are examining their options among the bigger classes of horsebox. There is one fundamental consideration when choosing a horsebox – payload. This is the amount of weight you can legally add to the weight of the lorry itself. A typical payload for a 3.5 tonne lorry is 750-1100 kg, depending on how much weight has been added with items like tack lockers or living. A typical 16.2hh horse weighs around 680kg, a saddle 6-7 kg, two 10-stone passengers 126kg – and that’s before hay, shavings, water and any other essential items are added. Some people think that because the horsebox is stalled for two, it’s OK to put two large horses up, but exceeding the payload is breaking the law.
750-1100kg 680kg 6-7kg 63kg x2
RIGHT: HORSES, TACK, DRIVER, PASSENGERS – THE WEIGHT ALL ADDS UP. CHECK YOU ARE NOT EXCEEDING YOUR LORRY’S PAYLOAD.
BRITISH DRESSAGE // Issue 7 2021 // 65
“THE BIGGEST WEIGHT SAVINGS ARE THROUGH CLEVER DESIGN; THERE ARE NO NEW REVOLUTIONARY MATERIALS” is is an i ortant consideration e en en considering trading u to tonnes or ore if you ant ig s ec li ing and lan to carry u to t ree orses orsebox anufacturers are ret in ing design and anufacture to ta e t is into account fe accidents in ol ing o er eig t tonne e icles broug t o e t e conse uences including in alidating insurance and so it s de nitely no at t e forefront of inds t as t is t at dro e t e de elo ent of t e ui 66 // Issue 7 2021 // BRITISH DRESSAGE
re olution tonne orseboxes o ering a tonne ayload and full luxury li ing acco odation said o anion Managing irector of ui re e biggest sa ings are t roug cle er design t ere are no ne and re olutionary aterials Manufacturing t e odern orsebox is about getting t e best out of t e co onents a ailable e e loy a tea of engineers to get t e design rig t considering detail rig t do n to scre lengt so reducing eig t ilst aintaining strengt and structural integrity in order to guarantee ayload nce you o e abo e a tonne e icle you ay need to get a di erent licence f you assed your car test after anuary you ill need a category license to dri e u to tonnes e icles bo e t at you ill need category licence regardless of en you assed your test ou can c ec your entitle ent on go u ie dri ing license Most eo le enrol on an course of bet een to ours osts ary fro to lus de ending on t e ele ents selected ese can include edical re ort dri er and a ard erce tion tests
HORSEBOXES.
BESPOKE SOLUTIONS Irish Paralympian Tamsin Addison who runs Radnage House Stables in Buckinghamshire recently upgraded from a 7.5 tonne to a coachbuilt 12 tonne lorry. “I needed more payload for travelling abroad with two big horses and a lot of kit, food and forage. I needed living for stayaway shows that’s practical rather than ultra-luxurious. I decided to have a bespoke lorry from Cooke Coachbuilders so that I could get two rear-facing stalls for the horses.”
TIPS FOR CHOOSING A NEW LORRY
Lucy Scudamore was encouraged to take her HGV test as a condition of her job as groom to Carl Hester. “I can drive rigid-sided lorries up to 28 tonnes,” she explained. “I took instruction on four consecutive mornings and the ft day too y test assed rst ti e a a ing as it took me three attempts to get my car licence! My biggest challenge is getting the lorry through our gateway!” “Your horsebox will need to be shown to be of a roadworthy condition if you were to have an insurance claim,” says Lisa Arnold of insurance brokers, KBIS. “Horseboxes over 3.5 tonnes require plating by a VOSA authorised centre on an annual basis. As horseboxes tend to only be used occasionally it’s good practice to form the habit of basic checks prior to using your horsebox. Good vehicle maintenance will ensure conformance to legal requirements and the improved safety of your horse.” at si e larger e icle you c oose ill de end on at your need is to carry ore orses or a e better li ing accommodation or both. Whatever you chose, take into account the licensing and plating regulations and do your homework!
• For most of us an HGV lorry is a HUGE investment. Make sure you put a quality build to the top of the list. • If you are having one built it’s really important that your layout fits your personal circumstances. Don’t underestimate the importance of the builder really knowing horses and how they travel and behave. For example, I wanted a clear gangway from passenger cab through to the horse area built into the design. • If you use your lorry for more than an overnight stay you might be better with less flash but more practical features. A big fridge, freezer and microwave and decent size oven is very welcome to put a hot meal on the table with minimum effort after a long day in the cold and wet. • Do your homework! Check company accounts. It’s a lot of deposit money to lose if the company goes bankrupt. • Think about the little things that make a difference, for me it’s a shelf beside my bed for my phone, glass of water and tomorrow’s contact lenses. • Don’t underestimate the importance of storage. Work out what you need to carry and how you will store anything. My storage was measured to fit hay bales exactly. • If at all possible borrow an HGV before you buy. This will help you work out what you really need rather than what you think you need. I was lucky enough to borrow for a trip to Belgium and Germany. We came home with a very clear picture of what works for us.
ABOVE: PARALYMPIAN TAMSIN ADDISON ABOVE LEFT: SPECIFIED A BESPOKE LAYOUT FOR HER NEW LORRY TO MEET HER NEEDS AND THOSE OF HER HORSES.
BRITISH DRESSAGE // Issue 7 2021 // 67
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68 // Issue 7 2021 // BRITISH DRESSAGE
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BRITISH DRESSAGE // Issue 7 2021 // 69
ASK THE EXPERT.
NOT JUST AN ‘OLD PONY’ DISEASE STUDIES SHOW THAT HORSES DEVELOP EQUINE CUSHING’S DISEASE ANY TIME AFTER THE AGE OF 10, WHICH MEANS THAT MANY DRESSAGE HORSES PERFORMING TODAY COULD BE AT RISK OF THIS POTENTIALLY DEBILITATING CONDITION. DR MARCUS BENNETT MRCVS ADDRESSES THE IMPORTANCE OF SPOTTING THE SIGNS OF THE DISEASE EARLY, AND WHAT YOU CAN DO IF YOU SUSPECT YOUR HORSE MAY BE SHOWING SYMPTOMS.
Q
What causes Equine Cushing’s disease? Equine Cushing’s disease – or more correctly termed Pituitary Pars Intermedia Dysfunction (PPID) – can occur in any horse or pony. It occurs when the control mechanism for the pituitary gland fails, and the gland produces abnormally high hormone levels (see diagram below). There is no gender or breed disposition, but it does become more common with age.
PITUITARY GLAND
NORMAL DOPAMINE PRODUCED BY THE HYPOTHALMUS REGULATES THE PITUITARY GLAND
REDUCED DOPAMINE PRODUCED BY THE HYPOTHALMUS SO PITUITARY GLAND ACTIVITY IS UNCONTROLLED
NORMAL HORMONE PRODUCTION BY PITUATARY GLAND
INCREASED HORMONE PRODUCTION BY OVERACTIVE PITUATARY GLAND
CLINICALLY WELL HORSE
SIGNS OF EQUINE CUSHING’S DISEASE
70 // Issue 7 2021 // BRITISH DRESSAGE
Q
What are the tell-tale signs to look for? Gait and the appearance of the hooves Laminitis is the most life-threatening symptom caused by Cushing’s disease. Although the severe signs of laminitis are well recognised, research shows that the early and moderate signs are still under-recognised. One of the early signs of laminitis can be divergent hoof rings; this is where the hoof rings are closer together at the toe than at the heels. An easy-to-follow checklist which may help you pick up the early signs of laminitis in your horse can be downloaded from CareAboutCushings.com/how-to-spot-it Athletic performance and energy levels Equine Cushing’s disease is known to cause lethargy which can manifest itself in several ways. In dressage this symptom could be seen as a lack-lustre performance, or reduced impulsion. Appearance Equine Cushing’s disease can cause muscle wastage and changes in where fat is deposited. These changes will have a gradual onset and can include the development of a pot belly or cresty neck, loss of topline, a dimpled appearance to the muscle over the
rump, and the development of fat pads over the eye area. In addition to this, Equine Cushing’s disease can cause unusual sweat patterns and coat changes such as a late or partial shed, or the appearance of long guard hairs on the belly. Water troughs and wet bedding Increased drinking and urination can indicate the presence of Cushing’s disease, and this is most commonly noticed by owners when the amount of wet bedding increases, their horses are spotted drinking from unusual containers or their horse’s water trough is needing to be re lled ore fre uently Vet visits Struggling to get an infection under control (e.g. a high worm burden, a foot abscess, a corneal ulcer or mud fever) can be a sign of Cushing’s. This is because Equine Cushing’s disease is known to suppress the immune syste a ing it ore di cult for t e orse to g t o infections It’s also important to recognise that many of the symptoms of Cushing’s can have a slow and insidious onset and can sometimes be confused with the signs of aging. This is
ASK THE EXPERT.
INFORMATION For more information about Equine Cushing’s diesease visit CareAboutCushings.co.uk where there are helpful articles to guide you with nutrition, care and monitoring of your horse. If your horse is receiving treatment for Equine Cushing’s Disease you may be eligible for a FREE* annual monitoring test: visit careaboutcushings.co.uk to find out more. *Free basal ACTH laboratory fees only. Visit, blood sampling and interpretation fees may be applied by veterinary practices.
a particular challenge because Cushing’s disease is generally seen in horses and ponies over the age of 10, with occurrence increasing to 1 in 5 horses over the age of 15.1 If you identify any signs of Cushing’s you should ask your vet to examine your horse. If they feel that a test for Equine Cushing’s disease is appropriate they may be able to provide you with a free diagnostic test through the Care About Cushing’s programme (careaboutcushings.co.uk). In order to carry out this test your vet will take a simple blood sample to look for an increase in the levels of a hormone called e els of naturally fluctuate with a peak in autumn, making this an ideal time to have your horse tested as the test is more likely to correctly identify the presence of Equine Cushing’s disease between July and October.
Q
Is a diagnosis of Equine Cushing’s disease the end of my horse’s career? Fortunately, this diagnosis does not mean an end to your horse’s activity. If your horse is diagnosed with Equine Cushing’s disease
to then maintain an appropriate condition for their level of work. You can download a leaflet discussing t e nutritional requirements of horses with Cushing’s from the resource section of careaboutcushings .co.uk Exercise plays an important role in maintaining muscle mass and keeping your orse t s us ing s can cause c anges in condition, it is worthwhile ensuring that your orse s saddle tting is c ec ed regularly and especially after any changes in body shape. Cushing’s disease can predispose horses to dental issues, such as sinusitis or tooth root infections. Regular maintenance is vital to address any issues early.
IF YOU IDENTIFY ANY SIGNS OF CUSHING’S, YOU SHOULD ASK YOUR VET TO EXAMINE YOUR HORSE. there are two key things that you can do to minimise the impact of this disease on their quality of life. e rst is to treat t e disease it a licensed medication. This will be in the form of a daily tablet prescribed by your vet, and regular six-monthly check-ups and blood tests to check that the dose of this medication is appropriate for your horse. FEI and BD rules state that a horse cannot compete whilst receiving Pergolide, a treatment for Equine Cushing’s disease, so it is a good idea to discuss your individual situation with your vet. The second is to produce and stick to a plan to manage their nutrition, exercise and healthcare. Nutritional support and regular measurements of body condition or fat score will allow your horse to regain any condition lost as a result of Cushing’s, and
References: 1. McGowan, T.W., et al. (2013) ‘Prevalence, risk factors and clinical signs predictive for equine pituitary pars intermedia dysfunction in aged horses’. Equine Vet J 45, pp. 74–79. 2. Tatum, R.C., et al (2020) ‘A cross-sectional study of horses diagnosed with pituitary pars intermedia dysfunction in the United Kingdom: Treatment practices and factors associated with quality of life’. Global Equine Endocrine Symposium Proceedings, p. 39.
THANK YOU to Boehringer Ingelheim Animal Health UK Ltd for this feature.
BRITISH DRESSAGE // Issue 7 2021 // 71
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01992 367112 72 // Issue 7 2021 // BRITISH DRESSAGE
DISEASE AWARENESS.
EQUINE INFECTIOUS ANAEMIA IN THIS SERIES, WE’RE COVERING DISEASES THAT CAN AFFECT THE EQUINE POPULATION; HOW TO SPOT THEM, MEASURES TO TAKE TO PROTECT HORSES IN YOUR CARE, AND HOW TO PREVENT TRANSMISSION. IN PART FOUR WE TALK ABOUT EQUINE INFECTIOUS ANAEMIA (EIA).
E
quine Infectious Anaemia (EIA) is a potentially fatal blood-borne infectuious viral disease - also known as swamp fever.
OVERVIEW is a noti able disease in t e ic eans t at a et ust notify t e o ern ent if t is disease is found lt oug not necessarily fatal, recovered animals become carriers and can infect ot ers t can be trans itted by ec anical transfer of blood by biting insects usually in ol ing orse fl ies abanids and occurs ty ically in lo lying swampy areas. It can also be spread by contaminated blood products and equipment, from mare to foal ia t e lacenta or rarely ia irus contaminated colostrum or milk to newborn foals or via semen. ere are t o for s e acute for can s o out ard signs of fe er de ression increased eart rate and res iratory rate ae orr aging bloody diarr oea loss of co-ordination, poor performance, ataxia, ra id eig t loss s in s elling and aundice isease ay be fatal it in days it no sign of anaemia. e c ronic for of ay be c aracterised by recurring bouts of fe er de ression anae ia ea ness or eig t loss inters ersed it eriods of nor ality ub clinically infected orses ay not s o any clinical signs of disease e incubation eriod is usually one to t ree ee s but can range fro a fe days to a fe ont s
PREVALENCE e disease is found orld ide n uro e as been re orted in rance reland er any reece and a ears to be ende ic in o ania and increasingly co on in taly lt oug it s ery rare t ere a e been cases of in reat ritain o e er t ese cases are all t oug t to a e occurred in orses i orted to ritain after infection rat er t an t e disease being contracted ere In order for an outbreak to be successfully contained it ust be identi ed uic ly or t is reason all orse o ners s ould fa iliarise t e sel es it and its signs
PREVENTION ere s no accine a ailable
WHAT IF I THINK WE HAVE EIA IN OUR YARD? aboratory diagnosis is essential all your et it out delay etectable antibodies are usually present in blood 7-14 days after infection and re ain resent for t e rest of t e orse s life iagnosis s ould be by eans of t e oggins test t e only test recognised o cially for t e ur ose of international o e ent of orses
WHAT IF EIA IS CONFIRMED? to all o e ent of orses on and o t e re ises see eterinary ad ice isolate t e orse any directions gi en by t e ni al and lant ealt gency ust be follo ed including i le entation of insect control treat t e orse s as ad ised by et
ABOVE: SEEK VETERINARY ADVICE IF YOU THINK A HORSE ON YOUR YARD MAY HAVE BEEN INFECTED WITH EIA AS IT IS EASILY SPREAD, EVEN BY RECOVERED HORSES.
eterinary e ui ent ust be eit er destroyed after use or appropriately sterilised; inform o ners of orses at or due to arri e at t e re ises infor o ners of orses ic a e recently left t e re ises i le ent strict ygiene and biosecurity easures t e irus can survive in blood, faeces and tissue so all suc aterial ust be re o ed and destroyed orses t at a e co e into contact it an infected orse or a orse ic is sus ected of being infected ust be uarantined for a ini u of days ost ex osure lood testing ust be re eated as directed until freedo fro disease is con r ed
HORSE EXPORTS AND TRAVEL All horses travelling abroad to the EU will need an EIA blood test. For temporary exports (horses leaving the UK for less than 90 days) for international competition, this test needs to happen within 90 days of travel. For permanent export, this blood test needs to happen within 30 days of travel. All stallions will also need an EVA blood test (Equine Viral Arteritis). This needs to be completed within 21 days of travel unless the stallion is routinely vaccinated against EVA. These tests need to be completed in good time to allow for the test results to be sent by your vets to the laboratory. The EIA tests usually take seven working days from receipt of sample for the results to be returned to the vets. The EVA tests usually take 12 working days. For more information on travelling horses to the EU please visit www.gov.uk/ guidance/export-horses-and-poniesspecial-rules
BRITISH DRESSAGE // Issue 7 2021 // 73
BODYZONE.
IT’S GOT legs IN OUR TOP-TO-TOE GUIDE TO RIDER BODY TRAINING, WE’VE REACHED THE LEGS. ANDREA OAKES LOOKS AT THE ROLE THE LEGS PLAY AND HOW, WITH SOME SIMPLE TIPS AND TWEAKS, RIDERS AT ALL LEVELS CAN USE THEM TO MAXIMUM EFFECT.
T
he magic line from shoulder to hip and heel is considered the gold standard in dressage, describing the perfect positioning of the rider’s legs in relation to the body. If your reflection in t e arena irrors reveals a kink in this vertical alignment, with your lower leg creeping forwards or back, or
are meant to be, Bobby suggests adopting a standing squat while unmounted. “In a basic squat, not too low, your legs will be where they should be when you’re in the saddle,” she explains. “You cannot force the lower leg into the correct place if there are problems
THE MAGIC LINE FROM SHOULDER TO HIP AND HEEL IS CONSIDERED THE GOLD STANDARD IN DRESSAGE even rotating outwards, where might the problem lie? “Most issues with the lower leg relate to basic balance,” says Grand Prix rider and coach Bobby Hayler. “If something is awry with your leg position, look up before you look down. Investigate the upper body for clues; if you’re crooked on top, your hips and your heels will be wrong.” To understand where things
further up the body, so the aim is a balanced, neutral position, with your weight distributed equally across your seat bones and down through each leg. “Your legs are there to keep a positive contact, to link to the hand and the hand to the bit,” adds Bobby, emphasising the vital role they play in creating energy and direction. “When we think
74 // Issue 7 2021 // BRITISH DRESSAGE
ABOVE: THE ‘MAGIC’ LINE FROM SHOULDER TO HIP AND HEEL IS CONSIDERED THE GOLD STANDARD IN DRESSAGE.
BODYZONE.
what the horse has to do to collect, lifting his stomach and his core to work over his back, we realise that this is physically impossible for him to achieve without correct use of the leg. “Every part of your legs should be touching your horse’s sides,” s e says o ering a uic osition refresher. “Your thighs play a big part in your balance, so try opening your legs really wide and dropping them each side of the saddle to deepen your seat. Your thighs and knees should close without gripping and your calves should remain relaxed against your horse’s stomach, ready to s uee e and use when needed.” Signs are usually clear if something is amiss. “Sticking one foot out or both indicates tightness through t e i flexors a common problem that can also cause the upper body to tip forwards,” says Bobby. “Another tell-tale is losing a stirrup, which is usually due to a balance issue. If your weight is uneven through your seat bones you’re likely to sit more to one side, shortening the opposite leg and gripping with the knee. “If your lower leg is generally unstable, you’re probably compensating for lack of balance,” she adds. “We also commonly see the lower leg
used too far back. You will get a response from the horse, as it’s a very sensitive area, but it won’t be a positive reaction. “The best way to identify and correct these position issues is to sit on a large balance ball, in
Bobby. “A good trainer will help you understand what you’re asking of your horse at the level you’re competing at. Moving the legs to apply the aids is not al ays di cult but e can do it a lot uic er en e understand
INVESTIGATE THE UPPER BODY FOR CLUES; IF YOU’RE CROOKED ON TOP, YOUR HIPS AND YOUR HEELS WILL BE WRONG front of a mirror, as if you were in the saddle. You will instantly see where you are crooked and start to understand how to sit straight. Another out-of-saddle test is to stand on one leg with your eyes closed and your arms out to the sides; this will probably be harder on one leg than the other.” “Developing symmetry is the key to improvement,” adds Bobby. “It’s all about balance and breathing, and learning to distribute your weight evenly,” she says. “Pilates and yoga are really useful, as are any other activities that involve balance. ou ll also bene t fro nding a physiotherapist for yourself as well as your horse, whether you’re at grass roots or Grand Prix, to iron out any physical issues that can create a vicious circle of crookedness. ec ni ue is ore i ortant than strength when it comes to the legs, since a horse will learn to respond to the amount of pressure you can apply,” adds
why and when.” Competition nerves can prompt bad habits to re-emerge in the heat of the moment. What does Bobby advise? “If you’re prone to becoming tense and tight through your seat, think ‘heavy heels’ to encourage that long, loose leg position as you trot around the outside of the arena,” she suggests. “And if you tend to take your legs o en under ressure t in of s uee ing t e orse as if you want to pop him. I sometimes commentate the test under my breath, to calm my nerves, describing each movement and how I will ride it. “Work at home will help, but try not to stress about your lower leg position,” she adds. “The problem is further up the body, 99% of the time, and can always be improved by focusing on your balance.”
NOTES ON KNEES “Think of your knees as springs, which absorb impact at trot and canter,” says Bobby. “Rise to the trot with the knee, rather from from the ball of the foot, as there’s no stability in the stirrups. “The knee can also be likened to the clutch of a car during a hill start: there to allow the horse to go forwards, but also to ask him to collect,” she adds. “To understand how this works, experiment with adjustability in the trot. If you quicken your rising and release your knees, the horse can travel forwards. To rise more slowly, however, you need to squeeze with your knees to support yourself, and the horse will slow down. “It’s a bit like sitting down on a chair, but, just before your bum hits the seat, stopping mid-air. To do this, you automatically use your knees and squeeze your tummy, or core. It’s the same in the saddle – try changing the speed of your rising to see how your horse reacts.”
RIGHT: IN A BASIC SQUAT, YOUR LEGS SHOULD BE WHERE THEY ARE IN THE
ABOVE: GRAND PRIX RIDER AND COACH
SADDLE.
BOBBY HAYLER.
BRITISH DRESSAGE // Issue 7 2021 // 75
BD ACTION KEEP UP-TO-DATE WITH THE LATEST NOTICES, NEWS AND VIEWS FROM BRITISH DRESSAGE AT BRITISHDRESSAGE.CO.UK
NATIONAL CONVENTION 2021: MAKING MEDALISTS Join leading presenters Christoph Hess and FEI 5* Judge Katrina Wuest, with Philipp Hess at their sides as guest rider and trainer, for Making Medalists. This year’s British Dressage National Convention, presented by Harrison Clark Rickerbys, takes place 6-7 November 2021 at Hartpury University, Gloucestershire. With the Olympic and European titles back in the hands of a talented German team, we aim to uncover what makes this nation so good at dressage, developing horses and riders for career long success, producing not only quality, but healthy and happy athletes. Our Olympic-inspired sessions will be tied together by panel sessions with members of the Team GB support team, joining us to talk exclusively about their experience in making medalists and supporting Britain’s best riders and horses on their way to success. Whilst we look towards those representing the sport on the world’s stage, the National Convention is for everyday riders, giving all accessible tips to improve training and competition success at every level, for every individual goal. This is your chance to be back watching the National Convention in person. Taking place at Hartpury Arena, we have a limited number of tickets available this year, so please visit britishdressage.co.uk/events/ national-convention to find out more and avoid missing out.
For those unable to attend in person at Hartpury, live streaming access for coverage both days of the Convention will also be available at the same price of £45 for members.
JUDGES’ UPGRADES Congratulations to the recently upgraded judges listed below. List 1 - Helen Clark (South & West) List 2A - Maria Eilberg (North & West) List 2 - Tamsyn Cowie (South & West) and Jackie Selway (South & East) List 3 - Daniel Watson (South & East)
JUDGE RETIREMENT Hilary Purvis (List 5) from Aberdeenshire has retired from the Judges Panel. British Dressage would like to thank Hilary for all her hard work and support over the years and wishes her all the best for the future.
FIONA EDMUNDS It is with great regret that we inform you that Fiona Edmunds, a List 5 Judge from Leicestershire, has sadly passed away. We offer our sincerest condolences to Fiona’s family and many friends across the region.
REGISTRATION REMINDER This is a polite reminder that horses and riders should be registered before entering BD competitions. Organisers may take late entries at their discretion however the onus is on the competitor to ensure they are registered prior to the entry being accepted.
76 // Issue 7 2021 // BRITISH DRESSAGE
To join online, please visit www.britishdressage.co.uk/ membership. If you would rather sign up/renew manually, you can download, complete and post the forms to the BD office. Due to the high volume of registrations at peak times, we advise you allow three working days for postal registrations to be processed. Those who compete without being registered will not be covered by the BD members’ insurance and their results will be excluded. Repeat offenders may be fined.
COMPETITION ENTRIES: ARE YOU IN THE RIGHT SECTION? Please remember that horse and rider combinations must be eligible for the section entered as once the test is ridden, the section cannot be changed retrospectively. Eligibility tables can be found in Section 1 of the Members’ Handbook.
ARE YOU LISTED AS THE OWNER OF YOUR HORSE? To receive recognition in competition reports, it is imperative that a horse’s owner/s is/are registered as such with British Dressage. Visit britishdressage.co.uk/ membership/manage-yourmembership/ where you will find a change of ownership form, or email membership@ britishdressage.co.uk to add an owner. All owners of registered horses must be a Premier Club member as a minimum.
NAF FIVE STAR WINTER CHAMPIONSHIPS CORRECTION Apologies to Jacqui Campbell who with her own Machno Excalibur scored 68.56% for tenth place in the KBIS Preliminary Gold at the NAF Five Star Winter Championships, not as printed on page 38 of Issue 6.
FREE LEGAL HELPLINE: 0845 0178 601 KEY DATES 28-31 Oct
Aintree International EC High Profile Show, Merseyside
28-31 Oct
Saracen Horse Feeds Quest National Championships, Bury Farm, Buckinghamshire
11-14 Nov
Elite Equine Associated Championships, Bury Farm, Buckinghamshire
02-05 Dec
Keysoe High Profile Show, Bedfordshire
11-12 Dec
Ideal Saddles Combined Training Championships, Onley Grounds, Warwickshire
16-17 Dec
Olympia London CDIW, ExCel London
13-15 Jan
Vale View High Profile Show, Leicestershire
A comprehensive list of major dates can be found online at britishdressage.co.uk/competitions/international-and-major-dates
Is your farrier registered? Use a Registered Farrier for your peace of mind and for the welfare of your horse or pony Ask to see your farrier’s registration card or check the regulator’s register at www.farrier-reg.gov.uk www.farrier-reg.gov.uk or call 01733 319911 Farriers Registration Council
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BRITISH DRESSAGE // Issue 7 2021 // 77
Harrison Clark Rickerbys
National Convention
Whether aiming for gold at your first Quest show, or working towards Grand Prix, we're making medalists at all levels. Expect: Training and dressage basics Demonstrations from Novice to Grand Prix Test riding evaluation and tips NEW Freestyle sessions Team GB support team panel discussions With the Tokyo titles in the hands of a talented German team, we aim to uncover what makes this nation so good at dressage! Apply medal winning principles to your riding, taking theory and practical discussion into day to day training and test riding.
Book tickets to attend in person now
www.britishdressage.co.uk 78 // Issue 7 2021 // BRITISH DRESSAGE
coach
Christoph Hess rider
Philipp Hess Olympic judge
Katrina Wuest
REGIONAL ACTIVITY. SOUTH & EAST DO: Katharine Perry and Sharon Walker (job share) M: 07872 603871 (Katharine) M: 07894 232358 (Sharon) E: southandeast@britishdressage.co.uk Chairman: Lotte Olsen 01277 822525 Coaching: Tracy Wright 07951 570315 Emma Butler 07843 585504 Rider training: Nicola Preston 07984 642291 Samantha Williams 07974 225005 BD Youth: Phillippa Coles 07860 215895 Jessica Brown 07852 282983 Eve Fifer 07879 643047 Judges: Yvonne Huber 07933 133132 Jane Howard 07831 406406 Para: Joanne Dagley-Cleworth 07967 605566 Marketing: Katie Tysome 07772 571497 Caroline Gibson 07795 035581 SOUTH & WEST DO: Amanda Rodgers M: 07894 232355 E: southandwest@britishdressage.co.uk Chairman: Susie Cumine 07860 677 977 Coaching: Amy Blount 07773 228562 Nicky Du Plessis 07398 130955 Rider training: Nicky Du Plessis 07398 130955 BD Youth: Jo Lees 07709 376470 Judges: Alicia Anderson 07778 898499 Para: Mark Cunliffe 07717 727147 Marketing: Sharon Stuart 07912 225700 Paula Holland 07748 666794
NORTH & WEST DO: Alex Phillips M: 07495 013192 E: northandwest@britishdressage.co.uk
SCOTLAND
Chairman: Tim Downes 07775 797484 Coaching (South): Jane Critchley 07966 865604 Coaching (North): Alison Calvert 07980 886004 Rider training: Jackie Crombie 07816 216594 BD Youth: Kate Tomlinson 07770 803115 Judges: Denise Glanville 07966 303633 Brenda Pamplin 07415 203766 Richard Baldwin 07903 942498 Para: Alison Ramseir 07809 456296 Caroline Unwin 07842 219043 Marketing: Anna Tomlinson 07773 428176
Chairman: Caroline Paterson 07554 086211 Coaching: Jean Stephen 07718 315834 Rider training: Linda Thompson 07919 441039 BD Youth: Kerry Sutherland 07720 085248 Judges: Gillian Peters 07501 444132 Para: Johanne Picken 07507 270508 Marketing: Jade Struthers 07852 411979 Sam Turpitt 07801 428333
NORTH & EAST DO: Jo Byrne M: 07783 791191 E: northandeast@britishdressage.co.uk Chairman: Vikki Hayton 07860 276578 Coaching: Charlotte Wilson 07949 076141 Rider training: Sarah Farrand 07941 640148 Rachel Longworth 07863 970192 BD Youth: Jess Griffiths 07590 732896 Charlotte Clark 07786 344617 Judges: Helen Copeland 07877 306864 Para: Gillian Brown 07872 923456 Marketing: Sarah McClarron 07557 281360
JUDGE TRAINING Important information: Anyone NOT attending training in the preceding 18 months (March 2020-September 2021) MUST complete two Zoom sessions OR an online seminar by January if they wish to judge in 2022. Anyone not able to complete this is advised to refer to the reinstatement of judges policy on the website and if you are unable to fulfil this requirement must write to officials@britishdressage. co.uk Judges are reminded they should be up to date with CPD before they judge. We are launching online seminars with the eDressage platform from Black Horse One. These online seminars will offer an opportunity to judge a set of level-specific tests using the online platform, to then focus on areas for development regarding specific technical movements. These are available for all judges, including trainees. Please ensure that you register for the relevant seminar either at your current level or the level you are looking to upgrade to. ONLINE SEMINAR DATES • Tuesday 2 November Novice & Elementary 10am-3pm
DO: Emma Devoy M: 07584 147258 E: scotland@britishdressage.co.uk
WALES DO: Vanessa Archer M: 07398 763414 E: wales@britishdressage.co.uk Chairman: Mike Mullis 07706 940315 Coaching: Amanda Leaker 07980 309398 Rider training (North Wales): Helen Hopewell 07971 490038 Rider Training (South Wales): Bethan Powell 07545 082247 BD Youth (North Wales): Contact DO BD Youth (South Wales): Briony Cutler 07889 817609 Judges: Dianne Breeze 07491 531953 Para: Contact DO Marketing: Cethin Ravenhill 07974 900941
• Monday 8 November PSG & Inter I 10am-3pm • Tuesday 16 November Medium & Advanced Medium 10am-3pm These seminars are available to book onto through the Horse Monkey website, please filter your search to ‘British Dressage Judges’ to find the booking page. To apply to become a Trainee judge, visit britishdressage.co.uk/judging/how_to_become_a_ judge. For judge training dates and further information on upcoming seminars and induction days, please see the BD website. Please visit the Judge Horse Monkey page at: horsemonkey.com/search_events/org/90935 where you will find all judge-related booking links including trainee judge registration, system registration, music paper booking, the judge listing form and Zoom judge training sessions. PART 3 EXAM DATES All judge examinations for previous system candidates are now in the process of being rescheduled, a communication will be sent directly to candidates in the coming weeks.
REGIONAL TRAINING Please visit each region’s Bookwhen page for the latest dates and to book your place. South & West bookwhen.com/ bdsouthandwest South & East bookwhen.com/ bdsouthandeast North & West www.bookwhen.com/ bdnorthandwest North & East bookwhen.com/ bdnorthandeast Wales bookwhen.com/ bd-wales Scotland bookwhen.com/ bdscotland
All dates are subject to the status of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. Please keep an eye on the British Dressage website and social media channels for the latest updates and arrangements.
BRITISH DRESSAGE // Issue 7 2021 // 79
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BRITISH DRESSAGE // / Issue 7 2021 // 81
DRESSAGE DAYS.
DRESSAGE DAYS Q&A MEET TRACY ORMROD At the AGM in October 2021, we welcomed Tracy Ormrod to the BD Board as she took over the mantle from former Para Director, Julie Frizzell. Alongside her background as a business analyst and project manager for government and blue-chip organisations, Tracy’s life is interwoven within the sport as a para and BDCC level 2 coach, chef d’equipe for under 21’s teams, and as a successful competitor herself up to Small Tour. Tracy lives on Anglesey with her husband James, three dogs and about 10 horses of all ages! Their two daughters have flown the nest, but both still ride whenever they’re at home.
HOW AND WHEN DID YOU START RIDING AND WHAT ATTRACTED YOU TO DRESSAGE? I started my riding career on the back of an armchair at my grandmother’s! I used to ‘ride’ the races that I had watched on television. This progressed to being taken for lessons aged nine at the local riding school and the purchase of a pony. I became interested in dressage aged 12 due to my jumping pony developing anaemia and having to have a quiet time for a few months. Once I realised I could win, the interest developed. With the same pony I was selected for the British team and went to European championships in the UK, Ireland and Denmark, and Germany with another pony.
TELL US A LITTLE ABOUT YOUR PROFESSIONAL BACKGROUND I was lucky enough to be in the right place at the right time, which was the start of software development for personal computers in the late 1980s. These days it’s application development for mobile phones as well as traditional computers that I get involved in. James and I founded our current company in 2017 with the aim of developing apps for
the equestrian market. TestPro ill al ays be our rst lo e and is now the leading dressage and eventing test learning app across the world.
WHERE DOES YOUR INVOLVEMENT IN PARA DRESSAGE STEM FROM? My mum was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis and started riding as a form of physio. Once she moved to Wales we were able to nd er a orse t at s e could keep with me. I started training her and it all snowballed from there. I did the para coaches pathway and taught a number of others. Since then I’ve supported er at di erent international and national competitions.
WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO YOU TO NOW BE INVOLVED IN PARA DRESSAGE AT SUCH A CENTRAL LEVEL? I feel honoured to become Para Director, I’m also slightly nervous following on from Julie’s brilliant management! But I’m also mega excited as there are so many athletes now compared to a few years ago, this is a great time to be starting as Director.
HOW DOES YOUR EXPERIENCE AS PARA REP FOR WALES HELP
82 // Issue 7 2021 // BRITISH DRESSAGE
SHAPE YOUR VISION? Wales is a very strong para region but it su ers fro so e of the same issues you see across the UK. The region is large with a tra elling ti e of o er e ours from North to South. Bringing everyone together for team events and helping everyone to feel included was a big task.
WHAT DO HOPE TO ACHIEVE OVER THE COMING YEARS AND MONTHS? I want to improve communication with athletes and their supporters in all forms, as not everyone uses social media, and not everyone reads their emails! BD is good at collaborating with other organisations and I want to continue to expand the work with RDA, and other para organisations such as para driving and showjumping so that we can pool knowledge and learning opportunities. There are always the basics to keep
on top of like having venues and competitions for paras in the right place at the right time, and supporting the para reps with their roles at regional level. This is in addition to being a good Board member and assisting colleagues with my experience in technology which I feel will add value.
SIX FAMOUS GUESTS AT YOUR DREAM DINNER PARTY! Nuno Oliveira, Reiner Klimke, Steve Jobs, Jilly Cooper, Min Jin Lee (author of Pachinko) and Miranda Hart.
DESCRIBE YOURSELF IN THREE WORDS Supportive, determined, positive (glass half full!)
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