Spencer Wilton and Super Nova II, pictured here at Rio 2016.

© Arnd Bronkhorst

The team competition got underway on Saturday with the CDIO5* Grand Prix which belonged to Berkshire-based Olympian Spencer Wilton (44) with his Rio silver medal partner, Super Nova II. In the final quarter of the start list, Spencer and ‘Neville’, Jen Goodman’s De Niro x Weltmeyer 14-year-old, took the class with 75.32% ahead of Germany’s Helen Langehanenberg with the 15-year-old stallion, Damsey (Dressage Royal x Ritual).

Spencer Wilton will present his first Australian masterclass, at the 2017 Australian Dressage Championships at Boneo Park!

Hayley Watson-Greaves and her long term partner Rubins Nite placed eighth with 71.52%, and the relatively new combination of Gareth Hughes and Anne Keen’s Don Carissimo earned 70.40% for 13th. Daniel Watson and Amadeus, Nicola Naylor’s Olivi x Sandro Hit gelding, also did a great job. They pair were awarded a creditable 68.06% for 22nd.

In pole position overnight, the team pulled out all the stops on Sunday to maintain the advantage. Spencer and Neville just get better and better. Again, they performed with great conviction, this time winning the Grand Prix Special by a 5% margin with a new PB of 78.35%. And Gareth Hughes and ‘Darcy’ finished seventh in line with a solid 70.07%.

On to Sunday afternoon’s freestyle, the conclusion of the team competition. Dan and Amadeus posted a solid 71.17% for 13th, and last to go, Hayley and ‘Squeaks’, were justly awarded 75.32% for an expressive performance to their Chris Lever composition. Hayley finished an impressive third behind Helen Langehanenberg and Patrik Kittel. And so, our four riders did themselves proud, taking their place at the top of the podium ahead of runners-up, the Netherlands, and Sweden in third.

The British quartet (pictured with Chef d'Equipe Caroline Griffith) reigned supreme in the Nations Cup at Compiègne CDIO5* in France (18 – 21 May 2017).

© British Dressage

Gareth also competed in the CDI3* big tour classes with his wife Rebecca’s Classic Briolinca. The Trento B 11-year-old is back in the competition arena following an injury she sustained at Rotterdam CDIO last year. The mare is super expressive and did some amazing work for 69.46% and ninth in the Grand Prix, though tension got the better of her in the Special. She may be a little ring rusty, but she’s bursting with talent and will be one top watch as the season progresses. Henriette Andersen and Warlocks Charm posted 67.92% for 15th in the Grand Prix before riding a fabulous freestyle for fifth on 73.40%.

Our Under-21 riders showed exciting form. Pony rider Anya Kolleth (16), and her star ride SL Lucci impressed. They achieved second place in Friday’s Pony Team Test with 71.75%, breathing down the necks of the winners, Kiki Romney and Reedborder Amazing for the Netherlands. The British pair then nailed their Freestyle on Sunday to win with 73.32%. Anya, a team silver-medallist at the 2016 Pony European Eventing Championships has formed a super partnership with Phoebe Peters’ gold medal star ‘Lucci’ and will be on the selectors’ radar as the Europeans in Kaposvar approach. Anya’s compatriots Megan Barratt (15) with Valido’s Starlight and Isobel Lickley (12) with Valido’s Sunshine also made an impression with top placings between them.

In the Junior divisions Alexandra Hellings (17) and Uvender V, Rose Hugh-Smith (18) and Dutch Discovery, and Jade Ellery (18) with Porsche’s Eloy all made the top ten in the Individual to secure a place in Sunday’s Freestyle where they were placed fourth, tenth and eleventh respectively.

Alexandra, who competed at last year’s Junior Europeans with Sonia Baines’ Krack C 16-year-old took to her Facebook page to say; “After a fantastic week in Compiègne we arrived safely home this morning and Uvi (Uvender V) has had a well-deserved day in the field. I could not be prouder of how Uvi has grown in confidence day by day this week starting with a tenth place in the team test and then finishing fourth yesterday in the music. We have learnt so much, and I can't thank everyone enough for all their help and support this week. To my wonderful trainer Sonia Baines and her husband Philip, to the selectors for the opportunity, Cara [Hayward, Chef d’Equipe] for her help and guidance. Also a massive thank you to my parents for taking me and their ongoing support. It has been such a fun week catching up with friends old and new, and I am now looking forward to going to Somerford Premier League this weekend.”

Netherlands based Brit, Charlotte Fry, did a super job in the Young Rider divisions with her grandmother Rosemary Shewen’s, Z Flemmenco. The 21-year-old who works for the illustrious stud and sport horse centre, van Olst Horses, achieved seventh in the Team Test, building to fourth in the Individual and fifth in the Freestyle. She also successfully contested the young horse classes with her employers’ six-year-old Graaf Leatherdale T (Lord Leatherdale x Kennedy) and seven-year-old Fendi T (Negro x Lester). The horses reached fourth and third in their respective finals.

Results:

CDIO5* Grand Prix

1st Spencer Wilton with Super Nova II, 75.32%

CDIO5* Nations Cup

1st Great Britain, 440.99

2nd Sweden, 432.95

3rd Netherlands, 430.13

4th Denmark, 427.62?

5th USA, 417.87

6th Belgium, 355.99

7th France, 342.12

Full results here.

Source: British Dressage

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