The top three finished within 0.4% of each other in the Spillers medium gold at the NAF Five Star Winter Dressage Championships 2020, but it was Calum Whitworth who edged in front.
Calum rode a mistake-free test in pouring rain on Hawtins Barolo to score 72.88%, adding to his advanced medium gold second from earlier in the week.
Hawtins Barolo is a nine-year-old gelding by Belissimo M out of the French Kiss mare Hawtins Fiorenza. Calum is producing him for owner Viveka Rathore, who aims to ride for India at the 2022 Asian Games.
“Today he was a bit more tentative in the ring, so I had to ride more quietly, but he kept it together,” said the Hereford-based rider who has partnered Barolo for 12 months.
“He has such a beautiful, gorgeous character – a real gentleman. He did young horse classes as a six-year-old, but has only been lightly competed really. But he finds everything easy. He is already doing most of the grand prix work at home.
“It’s so nice to be back at a championship,” added Calum. “Despite the rain it’s been good to have it outside – the indoor arena without spectators might have felt like a church!”
Harvey returns to the podium
International judge Judy Harvey added to her Winter Dressage Championships 2020 tally with the seven-year-old Benicio son, SP Bento. She finished just behind Calum on 72.56% , having taken the elementary gold title on Tuesday.
Even closer behind was Hannah Biggs riding the 2019 six-year-old champion, Freeman (Foundation x Ehrentanz), owned by David and Sarah Johnson. Some blips marred an otherwise lovely test and they posted 72.52%.
Keep up with all of the action from the NAF Five Star Winter Dressage Championships on the Horse & Hound website via our H&H Plus service with full reports from each winter championship class, plus a gallery of winners from the Petplan Equine Area Festival Championships.
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