‘She’s the epitome of what we’re trying to do’: exciting young mare proves one to watch at National Dressage Championships

Delighted doesn’t even come near describing the look on the faces of Tom Carter and Beth Bainbridge after Newton Despina’s win in the Centrelines Prelim silver at the National Dressage Championships.

Newton Despina, Despy to her friends, was bought by Beth as a two-year-old, and was ridden by Tom to win on 72.184%.

“I rode her mother Newton Galactica to elementary level before she was sold, loved riding her and when the opportunity came I bought her fluffy daughter and now she’s a national champion!” said Beth who has competed the Danone x Grand Galaxy Win mare herself this year in the four-year-old age classes.

“She’s the epitome of what we’re trying to do at Elite Dressage,” said Beth, who has ridden for Anna Ross, owner of Elite Dressage, for over a decade. “She’s an embryo transfer who was made, born and bred at Newton Stud. She then came to be backed and produced by the Elite team and is such a happy athlete, what we want to be.”

Tom has is a relative newcomer to the team and started riding the mare last winter, he made his British Dressage debut in May last year and this year has competed at his first regional and national championships and has won at both.

“I got into horses at school,” said Tom. “A friend’s family had racehorses and my brother Henry and I ended up with a loan pony that we kept there. He’s gone down the eventing route but I’ve always been a bit of a perfectionist so dressage suits me perfectly. Despy is a lovely mare and that test felt really good. She lost a bit of balance in one of the canters but she’s just a pleasure to ride and I can’t thank Beth enough for trusting me with her.”

National Dressage Championships: ‘He’s a one-person horse’

Holly Kerslake topped the 70% barrier on the way to winning the Bret Willson advanced medium silver at the National Dressage Championships with Louise Davies’s home-bred Totilas son Totil Platinum.

“My aim was a nice happy clear round and apart from a frustrating mistake in a change he coped like a pro,” said Holly, a regular on the British youth teams.

“He’s been with me for a couple of years now and it’s just been a case of building up his confidence. He’s definitely a one-person horse and he’s really onside now.”

Louise bought ‘William’s dam as a five-year-old and he is the first she bred from her.

“She’s also the dam of Platinum Cabouchon who is competing advanced medium, Platinum Gossip Girl who I’ve kept as a broodmare and the plan for next year is to get her back in foal to Totilas. I’d love a full brother or sister to William – and to freeze some eggs for the future. She’s an outstanding mare, they don’t come around that often.” she said.

Don’t miss the 21 September issue of H&H for 14 pages of reports from the National Dressage Championships, covering all sections and levels. 

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