Horse_amp_amp_Hound__06_February_2018

DRESSAGE
HIGHLIGHTS
22-28 January
WALES & WEST
Burrows Court Farm, Glos | Coleg Cambria, Flintshire
Girl power ruled at Burrows Court.
“I’ve only ever had geldings, but
I’d go with mares all the way now,”
said Tamsin Hembrough, double
novice winner with Sancerre.
Tamsin has owned the sevenyear-old
Scolari daughter for
three years after she was found
in Germany by Darren Mattia.
She stamped her authority with
two scores topping 72%, which
followed the 80.18% she achieved
at Summerhouse EC last autumn.
“We’re quietly climbing up the
levels,” said Tamsin, who trains
every few weeks with Darren and
Mark Forrest in Herefordshire,
despite living four hours away
near Cambridge.
Hazel Coombes won the novice
30 silver at Coleg Cambria with
her six-year-old CDS Oreo Jazz.
“He takes things in his stride,
but I don’t like to rush him,” said
Hazel of the 17hh gelding, who is
Hazel Coombes on CDS Oreo Jazz
By ANDREA OAKES
a grandson of Glock’s Johnson on
one side and Goshka Ringo VII
on the other. The pair train with
Stephen Clarke and occasionally
with German coach Jörgen Rask.
Stena Hoerner won both
novices outright with the homebred
gelding Fidalgo T, before
taking a medium with Serafina T.
SCOTLAND
Cabin EC, Aberdeen
An exciting Welsh section D mare
achieved 75.85% in a qualifying
novice with Nicky Heale.
By MELANIE SCOTT
Owned by Nicky and her fiancé
Nick Veitch, the talented rising
six-year-old Balhagarty Royal
Dhu has qualified for the novice
under-18 Area Festival final with
Zoe Florence.
“Dhu can be quite hot, so I
wanted to get her out before the
regionals,” said Nicky. “It’s almost
a year since I last competed her as
Zoe has been riding her.”
“I first saw her as a two-dayold
foal, and thought she was just
beautiful. She’s been incredibly
easy with a huge character. She has
a good temperament and doesn’t
need to be ridden every day.”
Medium silver winner Sam
Turpitt was pleased to be out
competing with her seven-yearold
Bali Dancer (Barclay x Del
Piero) after an icy winter.
“I haven’t been out competing
since November and we’ve had
nothing but ice and snow,” said
Sam. “Up until about 10 days ago,
I thought I wouldn’t be entering
the winter regionals as I haven’t
been able to ride enough, however,
we seem to have a small break in
the weather, so I thought I’d test
the water.
“Bali was great and, although
the tests felt a bit rusty, I was
pleased with how she felt, given
the amount of time off she’s had
over the past few months.”
ONLY IN HORSE & HOUND
‘Motivate yourself through training’
Dan Sherriff on beating the blues and the gap between ponies and juniors
EVERYONE suffers with winter
blues, including the horses. We
all just want to hibernate until
spring. But if you can’t afford to
get away to the sunshine — and
let’s face it, it’s unrealistic when
we’re all busy with horses — try
to motivate yourself through the
winter months by putting more
effort into your training.
Choose a trainer who is
not only inspirational, but
also somebody who is honest;
someone who can lift you up
when you need it and also bring
you back down to earth.
I’ve trained with some of the
best in the world, and the thing
they all have in common is that
they make me come away from
their sessions feeling inspired
and excited. Training can often
provoke that feeling, even more
than winning at a show.
Talk to other riders as well.
It’s difficult when you usually
ride at home alone, but we can
all help each other along.
Dan Sherriff is an international
grand prix rider and well-respected
trainer, who has multiple national
titles to his name. He also works
closely with British Dressage as
trainer to the pony progress squad.
OPINION
CHILDREN ON HORSES
BRITISH dressage is still
lagging behind other countries
and disciplines when it comes to
the children-on-horses division
for 12- to 14-year-olds. There’s
a lack of awareness about it
and, as the pony progress squad
trainer, this is something I’m
keen to change, and started
talking about three years ago.
The pony section is
competitive as we have many
children who are talented
riders, which is great. But there
are only four places on a team,
meaning most won’t have that
opportunity. However, there
is another option — for those
talented young riders to move
on to horses sooner.
There’s always a big drop-off
in numbers after ponies, and
we’re thin on the ground when it
comes to quality riders at junior
and young rider levels. But if
we had children riding horses
earlier, not only does it give
them a chance to gain valuable
international experience, but
it also gives them more time
to train themselves, and their
horses, to be ready for juniors
by the time they’re 16.
If you want to know more,
please get in touch with British
Dressage (BD).
TEAMWORK
I’M delighted the pony progress
squad now works much more
closely with the prime squad.
The riders from both squads
work together in training, with
each coach at either end of the
same arena. It means I have the
chance to show my younger,
less-experienced riders those
combinations they are aspiring
to be like. How often would they
get the chance to share an arena
with a gold medal-winning pony
such as SL Lucci? For those
children who learn visually, it’s
invaluable when I can stop for
a moment and show them what
they should be working towards.
It also helps keep the
costs down — it’s using one
venue rather than two — and
we’re working with the same
nutritionists, physios and
advisors for both squads. It
makes so much sense—Idon’t
know why the other groups
aren’t doing it.
TIME TO SUPPORT BD
BD has had a lot of stick in
recent months. Many people
have been disgruntled, and
seemingly out for blood. But it’s
time we let BD have a chance to
see if all the changes are going
to work. BD has made a lot of
effort to listen to reviews and
complaints, and is trying hard
to take them on board.
It saddens me to see the
sport I love so passionately
being ripped apart by, in some
cases, bitter members. People
need to quieten down and get
behind BD in its efforts. H&H
NEXT
WEEK
International rider
and trainer
Anna Ross
Pictures by Jon Stroud Media. emmpix.co.uk and Shaz Stanley Photography
52 Horse & Hound 8 February 2018