Scott Williams won his first national title on his NAF Five Star Winter Dressage Championships debut after winning the trust and confidence of Judy Peploe’s mare Sapphire Blue.
Scott and the 10-year-old Hannoverain headed the competitive Baileys Horse Feeds novice freestyle silver championship on 74.54% – with the top three all posting plus-74% scores.
“I find that I gel with mares quite well,” Scott told H&H. “I think it’s got to be a partnership and we’ve both got to work together, whether that’s on the ground or under saddle.
“She just kind of needed someone to trust. I guess it took a little while to get the bond together and because I groom on the yard for Judy, we already had that on the ground. Then I just started a bit of lunging and went from there.
“I thought I was just going for a groom’s job [at Judy’s] and to get the ride on her as well has been amazing.”
Scott is another rider this week to show the value of Britain’s riding schools as a launchpad for success. He hails from a non-horsey background and cut his teeth early in his career at Downs-Side Riding and Livery Centre.
“They got me started and I rode all the horses there, so got to learn the feel of the sharper, calmer ones, and learn how to ride all different types of horse. Then I helped with some of the liveries and started freelance grooming,” said Scott.
“I think riding schools are very important because there’s a lot you can learn from there. You can learn a lot on the ground with the horses, grooming, building the bond with them that you then take through to your riding.
“Because of the number of horses they have, professionals such as farriers and vets are often there, so you can ask questions. It’s about just trying to be a sponge and absorb everything.”
Winter Dressage Championships: ‘He was perfect’
Mary and her own Speilrencio.
Mary Pearson was another to make her Winter Dressage Championships debut a winning one.
Mary and her own Speilrencio will head back to Edinburgh with a coveted winner’s rug and sash after their “foot perfect” performance in the Petplan Equine novice silver Area Festival final.
“I couldn’t have asked him to be any better,” said Mary, who scored 71.11% aboard the five-year-old gelding. “He was perfect. He’s such a nice person. We got him from Woodcroft Stud as a three-year-old and he’s been easy ever since – really willing to work and very level-headed.
“My other horse is quite grumpy, so it’s like night and day with him. He just wants you to cuddle him and be his friend.”
Homebred talent
Brendan Tagg and Foxcourt Solar Eclipse.
Foxcourt Solar Eclipse gave connections cause to celebrate with his advanced medium silver Area Festival final victory.
The British-bred eight-year-old is a second-generation homebred for owner/breeder Sarah Davies of Foxcourt Stud. He is by the stud’s stallion, Sunset Boulevard, and out of their homebred mare Foxcourt Alisha.
“I’d say it’s the first time he really breathed through a test, so it was really nice to be able to just relax and enjoy it and when normally you’re managing it,” said rider Brendan Tegg, who piloted the gelding to a winning score of 70.21%.
“He’s just brilliant. He’s an absolute pleasure at home – a bit of a clown, in that he wants attention and fuss all the time! He’s lovely.”
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