Charlote Dujardin and Florentina at the British Dressage Championships.
© British Dressage
The LeMieux National Championships (British Dressage Championships) took place over four days of competition from the 20th to the 23rd of September. Fresh from Team and Individual bronze medals with Mount St John Freestyle at the World Equestrian Games, Charlotte Dujardin has had a very successful National Championships.
Charlotte was first, second and fourth in the Prix St Georges Gold Championship; first in the Inter I Gold Championship and Inter I Freestyle Gold Championship; second in the first round of the Young Horse 6 year old class and first in the Final; first in the Medium Gold Championship; and first, second, third and fifth in the Advanced Medium Gold Championship!
British Dressage reported the following on Charlotte’s success:
DAY ONE
Fairfax Saddles Prix St Georges Gold
On her return from Tryon, Charlotte Dujardin produced her usual magic in the Fairfax Saddles Prix St Georges Gold class filling not one, but two of the top spots.
Her winning ride, Floretina, impressed once again in the LeMieux arena to add another title to a growing collection. The striking grey by Vivaldi scored 76.18% to finish two percent ahead of stable mate River Rise Nisa, co-owned by breeder Sarah Tyler-Evans. Charlotte also grabbed the fourth place ribbon with Carl Hester’s Brioso II to complete a great first day at the Championships.
Speaking about her return to British soil and British competition Charlotte said, “I just got back on Sunday, I’m really lucky that Sadie Smith and Katie Bailey have kept them ticking over while I was away. It’s been a very quick turnaround! It was certainly not my normal Championship preparation but I’m so happy with them having not ridden for ten days.
“I’ve trained them and I know them all really well but the fine tuning was missing a little today, a couple of mistakes happened that wouldn’t normally happen but I’m still really happy overall. The weather definitely had an affect too – I’ve gone from hot and humid to gale force winds… hurricane Florence has come to find me here!”
The multi-medalled starlet was full of applause for Florentina, who hasn’t cantered up the centre line since Bolesworth due to a flat out calendar and World Equestrian Games preparations. “She’s a lovely horse who really tries, she’s really reliable,” Charlotte enthused.
A WEG takeover saw fellow team medallist Emile Faurie claim third place with rising star Café’s Caletta (Café au Lait x Calato). The nine-year-old bay mare displayed all the signs for a successful future at Grand Prix level and her potential was reflected in the score – 73.71%.
DAY TWO
Saracen Horse Feeds Inter I
Charlotte Dujardin completed the Small Tour double today with her stunning grey mare, Florentina, when they topped a highly competitive Saracen Horse Feeds Inter I Championship. They were of course victors in yesterday’s Fairfax Saddles Prix St Georges Championship.
Despite ‘Flora’ being out of the show ring since June with Charlotte’s busy summer calendar, the pair have quickly found their competition stride and no one would bet against them taking tomorrow’s Freestyle and the Saracen Horse Feeds Supreme Champion title.
Charlotte was clearly delighted with her mare’s work today’s challenging conditions; “There was lots of blowing and flapping in there but she wasn’t bothered and was incredibly brave. Today she was more consistent but we did have an issue in the halt and rein back but otherwise, I’m really pleased with her. There’s not another show in the world that gives an atmosphere like this one and if you go well here, you know you have a good horse.
“I’ve had her since she was two and in the early days, it felt like a long wait until she’d be competing but it’s scary how quickly the time has gone; she’s been incredible and has such a fantastic temperament,” the Gloucestershire rider said.
Charlotte bought Flora from a Brightwells sale and for the first time, Brightwells will be hosting a sale on Saturday night of around twenty foals selected by the Anglo European Studbook so it could be a chance for someone to pick up a future Stoneleigh champion at Stoneleigh!
In a close battle for the remaining podium places, it was two further Carl Hester pupils who won through. Runners up place went to Hannah Biggs with her own Britsh-bred Don Caledonia on 71.44% and Katie Bailey, riding Leslie Forlee’s Bocelli IV completed the top three on a score of 71.21%.
DAY THREE
Saracen Horse Feeds Intermediate I Freestyle
For the second consecutive year Charlotte Dujardin was crowned champion in the Saracen Horse Feeds Intermediate I Freestyle. Her win with her own Florentina, taking the tally to three over two days, also added the Saracen Horse Feeds Intermediate I Supreme Champion title to her immense National Championships collection.
Today’s freestyle test saw the combination earn 76.67% from the experienced panel consisting of Sandy Phillips, Jenny Ward, Sarah Pidgley, Penelope Lang and David Trott.
Speaking about her Supreme Champion wonder horse Charlotte said, “Flora was a bit tired today but I was still pleased. We had no real mistakes and just the fact that she goes in there and she delivers every time is special. She’s very consistent and has also dealt very well with me being away which proves her consistency.”
Known for her ability to ‘wing it’ in a freestyle, today Charlotte proved her talent once again, “It was actually designed for En Vogue!” she said about her music created by talented composer Tom Hunt. “I just pinched it! I don’t have freestyles for all these horses and I’m never organised enough to get anything done, I just borrow what I can.”
Looking ahead to the final day of competition, Charlotte concluded “I’m looking forward to tomorrow. I’ve got four in the Equine Construction Advanced Medium so it’s going to be a busy day!”
Second place in the competitive Saracen Horse Feeds Intermediate I final went to Hannah Biggs with her own Don Caledonia (Don Schufro x What a Lark), whilst Alice Oppenheimer continued to build on her great form to claim the third spot with her mother Sarah’s eight-year-old Headmore Davina (Dimaggio x Rubinsteena).
TopSpec Medium Gold
The start list for this morning’s TopSpec Medium Gold featured a wealth of highly talented combinations, the class providing a big draw for spectators at the Stoneleigh Showground. With no fewer than 13 combinations breaching the 70% barrier, the class was a super competitive affair, with the top two still achieving a clear lead.
One of the hot favourites going into the competition was Charlotte Dujardin who already has two titles under her belt this week. With her own and Carl Hester’s Hawtins San Floriana, a San Amour x Florestan six-year-old, she certainly delivered, scoring a fantastic 78.45% for first with Michael Eilberg and Mount St John Valencia second on 77.18%.
About her tests Charlotte commented: “Well… I did the six-year-old test first today and she was very hot, a bit lit up with all the atmosphere! I worked her a bit more for the medium and if anything I did a bit too much. It was a good test but a little under-powered. She’s six-years-old doing only her third or fourth medium so again for a six-year-old to come here and do it all in this atmosphere – which is quite difficult – is amazing.”
When asked how Hawtins San Floriana stacks up against the rest of her incredible string she added, “She’s probably right at the top, she’s really special to ride. She’s so smooth through her body, everything moves, everything is so elastic and loose. It’s all so easy to her and she makes you smile every time you ride her.”
Michael Eilberg, who was not only second with Mount St John Valencia, but also seventh with Atterupgaards 02 (71.27%) commented; “It was a very competitive class, but then, I think all the classes here are quite competitive, in all the levels – it’s really good news for the sport.
“[In the TopSpec Medium Gold] Charlotte and I were a little bit out there with those two. The horse I rode in there today, Mount St John Valencia, she’s a real special one. She gives you a great feeling and she’s such a fun horse to ride. She’s a little bit sensitive, you have to ride her with a bit of feel and it’s taken a little while to gain the partnership and confidence,” he said.
Talking about his test, Michael said; “What I loved about today is that from start to finish she [Valencia] kept breathing, she was more relaxed through the whole test. In the past she’s had moments of brilliance then spoilt it with a spook, or a moment of overdoing something. To be fair, the last few tests I’ve done with her, I’ve had really nice rides. To carry it out at a show like this, with this atmosphere, it was great to know.”
DAY FOUR
Equine Construction Advanced Medium Gold
It was a Charlotte Dujardin whitewash in the Equine Construction Advanced Medium Gold on the final day. Four rides, four top five placings, quite the strike rate. The victor of the quartet was her final ride in the class, the Vivaldi sired seven year old mare Mount St John VIP, owned by Emma Blundell with an astonishing score of 81.21%.
She set the early pace with Gio, her Apache x Tango seven year old with a 79.34% and Michael Eilberg gave it a good shot with another of Mount St John Stud’s talented seven year olds, Valencia with 75.5%. However the third of Charlotte’s rides, then slotted into third, Brioso II, owned by Carl Hester while River Rise Nisa, whom Charlotte owns jointly with Sarah Tyler Evans who also bred the mare, finished fifth behind Michael.
VIP certainly impressed the judge at B, Debbie Jones who awarded 13 marks more than any of her fellow panel.
Charlotte said; “I’m really pleased with her. I think she got a similar score at Somerford Regionals. This level for her at seven is pretty easy, she just went in there and did it; everything felt so smooth and easy. Her extensions are amazing, her canter work has improved from last year, the flying changes are super; she’s just a feisty, go-ey little number! I just love her and she shows incredible talent for Grand Prix. I was very happy when I came out as I couldn’t have asked for any more.”
She was also full of praise for her runner up, Gio; “I love my little pumpkin pie! Warming him up, he just puts a smile on my face. Everyone that sees him says that horse is so amazing and I just say ‘yup!’ He probably would have won if his medium and extended trot was better. There’s more to come there. He has so much more power there and he’s so talented for the Grand Prix work. The piaffe and passage is just out of this world and he’s brave as an ox. His little ears are always forward and he feels so happy when you ride him; I just love him to bits.”
Source: British Dressage
Grand Prix Championship
While there was no Charlotte or Carl in the Grand Prix classes this year, they were still hotly contested.
In the GP, Gareth Hughes took the title with Rebecca Hughes’s Classic Briolinca on a score of 74.3%. Lara Butler and Rubin Al Asad were second on 72.58%.
In the GP Freestyle, seven of the nine competitors achieved scores over 70%. WEG team reserve Lara Butler capitalised on her time in the ring and rode a supreme test on board Dr Wilfried Bechtolsheimer’s Rubin Al Asad. Their thrilling freestyle earned them a total score of 77.07%, giving them the Horse Health Grand Prix Freestyle Champion title and the overall LeMieux Grand Prix National Champion title to boot. Unfortunately the atmosphere got the better of the Gareth Hughes’ horse in the Freestyle and they had to retire.
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