Charlotte Dujardin and her national small tour champion Mount St John Freestyle spearhead an exciting line-up for Thursday’s (5 October) Future Elite class at Horse of the Year Show (HOYS).
Eight pairs will contest the class, which is aimed at grand prix prospects aged between eight and 10 who are currently working at small tour level. Each will perform an inter I freestyle.
Charlotte will defend the 2016 title she won with Hawtins Delicato, this time riding Emma Blundell’s eight-year-old Fidermark daughter Freestyle, the youngest horse in the class, with whom she posted a record score of 81.5% in the inter I kur at the British Dressage national championships last month.
Giving Charlotte a run for her money at HOYS will be Maria Eilberg with the talented 10-year-old Sarotti 57. Maria and the Sir Donnerhall son have had a fantastic season, following up strong placings at the nationals with inter I victory at the Saumur CDI3* in September.
Sophie Wells will ride her European para dressage gold medallist C Fatal Attraction. Sophie and the 10-year-old Fidertanz son finished 10th in the inter I freestyle at the nationals, with a routine very much adapted from their grade V para freestyle. Sophie will be debuting an exciting new inter I floorplan, set to her existing Tom Hunt music, at HOYS.
Vicki Thompson Winfield will partner her striking nine-year-old Artist, who finished sixth in the inter I freestyle at Stoneleigh, while Sadie Smith will compete with her own Keystone Dynamite, winners of the inter I at this year’s Midway Championships.
Dan Greenwood will be in action on Juliet Leighton’s 10-year-old Lord Leatherdale gelding Chevalier O, while Owen Cooper will ride the 10-year-old Dancier stallion Don Dante. Rebecca Cowderoy completes the line-up riding another 10-year-old, her own Florencio mare Celicia.
Don’t miss the full report in the 12 October issue of H&H.
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