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Mistake-free test leads to decisive victory at Winter Dressage Championships for a horse who came back from the brink

Bethany Stone Bethany Stone

    • A horse who bounced back from illness to become better than ever sealed victory with a mistake-free test at the NAF Five Star Winter Dressage Championships (15–19 April) at Addington Equestrian.

    Gracie Catling won the Magic prix st georges freestyle (PSG) gold with her own Qwinton; she and the 18-year-old Quarterback son netted 74.83%, an impressive 3.13% ahead of Jade Clark and Jemimah HH in second place with 71.71%. Sara-Jane Lanning and Hawtins Lirica completed the podium with 70.25%.

    “I’m so pleased with him,” Gracie said. “He’s a hot horse to ride in a test, and it was one of the first times I’ve had a PSG freestyle with no mistakes, so I was delighted.”

    Gracie’s floor plan launched straight into the tempi changes from the first halt, accompanied by music from Aladdin.

    “It’s really hard, but we did it because that’s when he’s at his calmest. I love it when he pulls them off, and then his extended trot is always his party piece at the end,” Gracie said. “Mum and I do all the music and floor plans together, so it makes it extra special and personal.”

    “Twix” is a gentleman at home, but it hasn’t always been plain sailing with him.

    “He came to us from a lady we know in Germany about four and a half years ago,” explained Gracie.

    “He was a laminitic with glue-on shoes; you name it, he had it. We kind of brought him back from the brink and thought he’d hit medium as he had before, but we didn’t expect anything like this from him.”

    Lauren Burrows and High Hoes Esquisse on their way to winning PDS Saddles elementary freestyle silver at the NAF Five Star Winter Dressage Championships. Credit: Kevin Sparrow

    “I’ve never had a horse like her”: PDS Saddles elementary freestyle silver

    Lauren Burrows and her own High Hoes Esquisse, a seven-year-old Escalito daughter, won the PDS Saddles elementary freestyle silver with 72.56%.

    “I know she’s a very capable horse, and I know if I can get it right on the day with the relaxation, which is the trickiest thing, she can produce a brilliant test,” Lauren said.

    “I love riding her. I bought her unbacked as a three-year-old, and I know her so well.”

    Lauren reclaimed her music for this class, which her boss Dannie Morgan pinched for his victory in the PDS Saddles elementary freestyle gold yesterday (15 April).

    “He did the same floor plan yesterday. We always say our horses are best friends, so they’ve done matching tests and won matching rugs,” she joked.

    “Dannie gives me a lot of opportunities, and I’ve gained so much experience from riding all his top horses. It’s really cool to put that into my horse, and I’m very grateful for that.”

    Lauren said she’d love “Kizzy” to be the horse “who takes me to grand prix”.

    “I’ve never had a horse like her, and one that I feel like could take me to the top. That would be the ultimate dream.”

    Bethany Edginton and Lakeview Buddy came second, scoring 72.18%. Ellen Glover, with her own eight-year-old Morricone’s Love MFS, came third with 71.28%.

    Woman wearing a winners sash cantering on a horse who wears a navy winners rug at the winter dressage championships

    Zoe Rymer and JSR Joie de Vivre in their lap of honour after winning the inter I silver at the Petplan Winter Area Festival Championships. Credit: Kevin Sparrow

    Winter Petplan Area Festival Championships: “He’s such a delight”

    Zoe Rymer sailed to the top of the podium in the inter I silver at the Petplan Winter Area Festival Championships on her homebred 12-year-old JSR Joie de Vivre with a score of 68.58%.

    “I’ve done everything with him myself, and he’s a joy,” said Zoe. “His stable name is Jolly, because he’s such a delight.

    “I don’t think you can ever expect to win, but he’s super easy to ride if I ride correctly. He responds very well, and very rarely lets me down. Any mistakes are mine.”

    Bred to event, Jolly has a sister who competes up to advanced level. “But he doesn’t like jumps,” said his owner.

    “I used to event, but at 59 I thought it might be time to stop. I have a lovely young rider who events my horses for me now. So I’m just enjoying the journey.”

    Based in East Yorkshire, Zoe runs a yard for competition horses and a small-scale breeding operation.

    “I’m not very good at parting with them, but we make them into as good a horse as they can be, and if they suit someone else better, they go,” she explained.

    Jessica Whitehead and The Amazing Spiderman, her own 19-year-old gelding by Samarant, came second, on 67.11%. Amelia Vanhegan-Harris and her own Holme Grove Prokofiev son Holme Grove Bernini came third with 66.08%.

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