Laura Tomlinson’s latest grand prix star, Soegaards Bon Royal (Bon Bravour x De Noir) took her back to the London International Horse Show for the first time in eight years and looks set for a bright future.
“I was so pleased with Bonnie in London – it was a huge milestone for him to get under his belt,” Laura said after the freestyle in which the then 10-year-old gelding scored 73.46% to finish 11th on his World Cup debut.
“It’s his first year at grand prix, and he’d never experienced anything like that atmosphere before so it was a big ask. But he tried so hard, and while he sometimes looked like Bambi on ice, that’s more about strength and confidence, which will come with time.”
Laura has ridden the elegant Danish-bred warmblood since September 2021. Prior to that, he was ridden by Danish rider Camilla Ahlers Pedersen, where his standout result was seventh in the five-year-old consolation final at the 2019 World Championships for Young Dressage Horses in Ermelo.
Laura and Soegaards Bon Royal debuted together in 2022 at Wellington where they won the advanced medium with an impressive 75.79%. However, the pair only competed once more prior to last year, winning a prix st georges at Prestige Equestrian on 77.35% in February 2023.
“With an injury and my pregnancy during the time I’ve had him, he’s still very inexperienced,” Laura explained “So, we’re still at the moment laying positive foundations for him, but he’s got three correct paces and a lovely outline – always nice and open in the frame, very classical-looking.
“With more strength, he’ll have a lot of potential for piaffe and passage, which can be his weakest parts in the test right now. At home, though you’d never know that – he’s fantastic. It’s just a matter of figuring it all out.”
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The combination caught the eye early in 2024 with a brace of Premier League wins. He was then placed third at the national championships and made his international debut at Leeuwarden in October.
However, London was a significant step up, and despite a few green mistakes in the grand prix, he managed to impress Stephen Clarke, president of the ground jury.
“That was the first time I’d had the opportunity to judge Laura on this horse,” he said. “It was fascinating to see how consistent his scores were across the panel. We all shared the same impression – we liked him. He’s a beautiful type, very correct in his way of going, and left a fantastic impression overall.
“To me, he’s clearly a horse still in development, but he already has three very nice paces. His training looks solid, and he shows obvious talent for the more challenging exercises. The piaffe, particularly the transitions, could be more established, but that’s something that will come with time.
“What impressed me most was his talent for the pirouettes. Of course, it helps that Laura is the queen of pirouettes – her precision and feel for those movements are exceptional. Overall, I believe this horse has all the ingredients of something truly special.”
For now, the talented gelding is enjoying a “chill winter”, but expect him to continue improving in 2025. The pair could even be an outside contender for a spot at this summer’s European Championships.
“He’s so willing, which makes me feel like when I can piece it all together with a bit more finesse, there’s a lot more to come,” Laura added. “For now, the scores don’t matter, this is just the beginning – but I think I’m going to have a lot of fun with him in the future!”
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Oscar joined Horse & Hound in October 2023 and is the magazine’s dressage editor and sports manager, overseeing coverage of equestrian sport. After studying equine science at Myerscough College, he spent four years working for leading dressage rider Emile Faurie, competing at the 2015 National Dressage Championships and travelling with the yard to CDIs including Aachen and Saumur. He holds a master’s degree in Literature from York St John University (2021).
