Hickstead Premier League: Grand prix belongs to Lara | ||
Lara Griffith and Rubin Al Asad impressed with a comfortable grand prix victory at Hickstead Premier League Show, West Sussex (23 – 27 June 2015). The pair (pictured last September) earned a grand prix personal best of 72.12% to finish at the top of a large field of 31 entries, ahead of runner-up Jacky Stolper with Der Schufro and third-placed Gareth Hughes aboard Classic Briolinca. Earlier this year, Lara and Rubin Al Asad (Rubin Royal x Wanderbursch II), an attractive bay gelding owned by Wilfried Bechtolsheimer, cemented their partnership with a hugely successful spell overseas in the sunshine state of Florida, where they secured their first international win in the grand prix special at Wellington CDI4*. Lara (26), assistant rider to Laura Tomlinson, has been selected with ‘Rufus’ for the British team at Hagen CDIO next month. She is a member of the World Class Development Programme, as is Olivia Oakeley who also made an impression at the show in the small tour divisions.
Olivia rode Anne Keen’s talent Don Carissimo to a thrilling double by winning a prix st georges and the intermediate I. The budding partnership earned 71.58% for their PSG performance and 74.39% for the inter I. Olivia expressed her delight on her Facebook page: “Absolutely over the moon with Darcy today, won the inter I with a new personal best of 74.39%! He was a star and really starting to see the improvements we are making at home, in the tests.” Another rider to make his mark was Matt Frost, partnered by Dedi Leech’s towering son of Dr Doolittle, AMD Don Rosso II. Matt and ‘Donald’ not only enjoyed a decisive prix st georges victory with 75.35%, they were also hot on the heels of Olivia in Friday’s inter I with an outstanding score of 74.21%. Thursday’s inter I was won in fine style by seasoned international competitor, Emile Faurie, and Ramses XII. Ramses is a grey, 11-year-old Estonian stallion, recently acquired by Emile. The pair’s performance was awarded with 72.28%. On the final day of the five-day show, it was the youngsters who took to the stage. The superstar pony SL Lucci, superbly ridden as ever by 16-year-old Phoebe Peters, ran away with the Pony team test. The pair scored 79.44%, more the seven percent ahead of the rest of the field. Phoebe also went on to head the Junior team test riding Denford Surprise, a 16-year-old gelding owned by Debbie Brookes. Her performance on the lofty son of Concord showed all the signs of her making a seamless transition to Juniors in 2016. Hickstead Dressage Masters The Hickstead Dressage Masters grows in popularity each year, and this year was no exception. Pioneered by Dane Rawlins, the series provides a competitive league for riders of all levels, with the championship final taking place each year at this show. Suzanne Lavandera and Keystone Daganay were on top form to win not one, but two titles – the Dressage Masters Elementary and the Dressage Masters Medium scoring 76.38% and 75.43% respectively. Suzanne and Keystone Daganay, a sporty seven-year-old stallion by Dimaggio, produced two powerful tests to take both by a considerable margin.
Winners Tuesday 23 June Hickstead Dressage Masters Preliminary Hickstead Dressage Masters Novice Hickstead Dressage Masters Elementary Hickstead Dressage Masters Medium
Wednesday 24 June Hickstead Dressage Masters Advanced Medium Prix St Georges Intermediate I 5YO National British Young Dressage Horse qualifier 5YO FEI British Young Dressage Horse qualifier
Thursday 25 June Intermediate I Prix St Georges Prix St Georges Intermediate II 6YO National British Young Dressage Horse qualifier 6YO FEI British Young Dressage Horse qualifier
Friday 26 June Intermediate A Prix St Georges Intermediate I Grand Prix
Saturday 27 June Young Rider Team Test Junior Team Test Pony Team Test Dressage Masters Small Tour (PSG Freestyle) Dressage Masters Big Tour (GP Freestyle) Grand Prix Special Intermediate B
For full results see the show website Source: media release by British dressage |
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© copyright. Equestrian Life. Sunday, 5 May 2024 https://www.equestrianlife.com.au/articles/Hickstead-Premier-League-Grand-prix-belongs-to-Lara |
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