Julie Brougham and Vom Feinsten.

Words and photos by Roger Fitzhardinge

The final day’s competition at the 2017 Martin Collin Australian Dressage Championships at Boneo Park on the Mornington Peninsula saw yet again some seriously competent and outstanding rides.

The Grand Prix Special CDN saw a great win to the New Zealand Rio Olympic combination of Julie Brougham and Vom Feinsten; the pair handed in a super performance to gain 69.530%. This little chestnut pocket rocket is a real dancer and after such a super showing in the Freestyle the previous day, he came out with good positive energy to show again some super piaffe and passage — taking the win from the newest combination on the block.

Bluefields Floreno and Alexis Hellyer.

The chestnut stallion Bluefields Floreno and Alexis Hellyer in their first ever Special scored a gallant 69.373% to be a mere 0.2% off the lead. They handed in an amazing Freestyle on Saturday that was better framed than the Grand Prix, but the tiniest speck of blood in a frothy mouth saw, on close examination, elimination. By the time they had left the main arena there was nothing to see. The rules are the rules and what can be said… unfortunate indeed and so no score in the Freestyle despite completing the test.

In the Special all was good and for such a young and inexperienced horse, he handled the work and atmosphere as if it was another day at the office. Quiet an amazing attitude! A horse for the future for sure as there is no weak link in the Grand Prix repertoire that time, confidence and strength won’t develop. They were in fact placed first with two of the five judges! 

In third was Abbie Deken and KH Ambrose (66.941%), another New Zealand visitor, who has simply improved at every start and if there were another class tomorrow it would have maybe meant a win! With coach Vanessa Way fresh back from training with Carl Hester, her input and positivity kept Abbie on track and each start she’s growing in confidence.

Brett Parbery and PPH Zeppelin.

Fourth went to Brett Parbery and PPH Zeppelin and fifth to the fancy Amicelli Gold and Lesley Anne Taylor. A good class and with its completion the National Grand Prix Champion was decided from each horse taking their best two scores from the three tests: the Grand Prix CDI-W, the Freestyle CDI-W and the Special CDN.

It was the Weltmeyer black gelding, DP Weltmieser, owned by Susan Duddy and ridden by Brett Parbery, who took their score from the Grand Prix CDI-W and the Freestyle CDI-W to gain the national title.

When you are hot, you are hot… and the young gun Mi Sirtainly Sir, owned by the Farrell family and ridden by Brett, won the FEI Prix St Georges Stars of the Future class with a fabulous score of 71.921%. What a great horse and now starting to show confidence at this Small Tour level and really put his heart in two his work. He can be a horse to be easily distracted, but with some serious competitions under him in the last few months it is showing in his focus to his work now.

Solo Feliz, ridden by Daniella Dierks.

In second (one judge having them in the lead) was the unstoppably successful black stallion Solo Feliz, ridden by Daniella Dierks. This combination had three tests for three wins and all big scores. Being a stallion and relatively young and a big trip away from home, he was feeling the stress of the big days and lacked a little of the expression and forwardness that we had seen. Mi Sirtainly Sir had only one start in the FEI PSG where he was second to Solo two days prior, and it showed that he was a little more energetic and enthusiastic and fresh.

Bradgate Park Delilah for Sharon Potter.

In third was Bradgate Park Delilah for Sharon Potter and actually one judge had them in the lead. Fourth went to the very uphill and scopey mare Sugarloaf Rubinell for Hayley Gilbert, and this mare is really something and young at this level… but what an amazingly talented horse. One to watch for the future, as is the bay gelding by Prestige, in fifth — Bradgate Park Puccini who had won both the Advanced tests with scores in the mid 70s.

Quite a class and full of very well trained horses ready to step up to the Big Tour ranks in the not so distant future and this is so positive and exciting for the sport!

In the Medium tests it was a class also full of promise and fabulous horses. Above all, horses in this class were well trained and showing positive strength and energy all along the right way for a bright future. It was Elliot Patterson on the young stallion Bluefields Berlin who stole the show to win both tests with a 73.198% and 73.590%. A seriously good, solid performance in both classes and a very forward and well prepared test. There is still plenty of room for improvement when he shows more suppleness in his lateral work. The scores will become even higher and this stallion shows plenty of promise and enthusiasm for his work and wants to do it.

In second place in both tests was Brett Parbery on the West Australian-owned stallion Sky Diamond. This horse has powerful and expansive paces and is really starting to show a better balance over the hinglegs. As always Brett makes it look harmonious and easy, whether it is or not, and what a great impression. In third was Woodside Lady Loxley owned by Mark Dowling and ridden by Dave McKinnon. This is a smaller chestnut mare but with plenty of pizzazz and David sits so well on a horse — another rider who makes it all look so easy. Lady Loxley was bred and is owned by Mark Dowling and is really a very well balanced mare with lots of cadence in the paces and a look of making it all easy. In fourth place was Ashwoods Chocolate Fondue for Sheridan Ashwood; a very well proportioned horse in good balance.

These four placings were the same in both tests. That’s what you call consistent and all scores above 69%. The two brothers (same age and embryo transfers out of the wonderful mare Kudu) in Neversfelde Kenya and Neversfelde Kipling were fifth and sixth in one and sixth and seventh in the other, with Ceasy for Sharon Jarvis (who won both the Grade IV Para tests) edging in between them and Chocolate Fondue finishing fifth in one test. Again, pretty amazing in terms of consistency and the horses in this class were certainly of a high quality and also ridden very well with great attention from the riders to accuracy, positioning and preparation for all the movements. The riders are all seriously competitive behind the scenes and they push each other to strive to win the class, but it was Elliot Patterson who shone at the end of the two classes and the fabulous stallion Berlin.

The Medium Tour Freestyle went to First Famous with a great score of 71.575%. Ridden by Lisa Martin, and what a fancy mare she rides. Just starting her career in Medium Tour and what a beautiful balance and cadence this mare shows in all her work, with some real flashes of brilliance and what another great horse to swell the talent heading towards Grand Prix. Second was CJP Winchester for Rachelle Wilson, while Denise Rogan and Virtuel I were third after an earlier win in the Intermediate A.

And so ended the first nationals at the great venue of Boneo Park and what a success it was. There is no question that the horses in the top ten in all the classes at these Nationals have been the best ever. The judges are getting a little braver, but for sure with easy good reason as the standard is higher than ever and the way the tests are constructed by the riders is fabulous! These championships must have produced some of the best tests and scores yet. Above all there is a lot of good horses well ridden in the top order. The depth of good horses that are also well ridden has never been as strong and this is exciting for the sport in Australia with many horses looking very promising for Grand Prix in the future — go Aussie dressage!

FULL RESULTS

GALLERY

READ THE LATEST NEWS ARTICLES HERE