High standards provide a close finish at British Riding Clubs' Dressage to Music Championships & Quadrille Selection Trial Sponsored by South Essex Insurance Brokers

Last weekend (11 - 12 October) saw the British Riding Clubs' (BRC) National Dressage to Music finals at Addington Manor Equestrian Centre in Buckinghamshire, along with the annual Quadrille selection trial. The high standard of riding produced close results in each competition.

In the Quadrille Trial, sixteen teams battled it out for a place at the Final, to be held in Olympia's Grand Hall during the pre-Christmas International Show Jumping Show. New for this year in the dressage finals was the Pairs Dressage to Music, for seniors only, which ran alongside the Junior Championship and the Quadrille Selection Trial on day one of the competition.

The build up to the Senior Dressage to Music final saw over 60 individuals qualify for the chance to win the South Essex Insurance Brokers' sponsored competition. The horses entered varied greatly in type and breed, from cobs to warmbloods, with a few native breeds including a purebred Highland mare that had lived wild on the hills of Scotland until she was four. This versatile horse, Burnside Holly, owned by Deirdre Robinson from West Sussex, was placed seventh in the individual competition, and was also part of the Ardingly Riding Club Quadrille team.

Melissa Jardine-Paterson led the competition in the morning with a score of 243.5 until a confident performance by Felicity Scott and her 4 year-old Oldenburg gelding, Shining Light, took Felicity into the lead with a score of 247 which proved unbeatable, securing the Senior Dressage to Music crown for Swallowfield Riding Club. Penultimate rider Pip Bailey and Merleydown Sage performed a very good test to take second place with a score of 244

The Junior Dressage to Music competition was decided by the last rider to go, Emily Duck and Gregonne Coco Chanel, with a score of 254. Emily, a student from Wokingham and Bearwood Riding Club added this win to an excellent year that also saw the combination qualify for the British Dressage National Championships at Preliminary level. Second place went to Louise Justesen and Cranswick's Charlie from Rearsby Lodge Riding Club with a score of 243. Louise and Charlie have also had a very busy year qualifying for the Pony Club Championships and the Blarney Dressage Festival.

Darlington Riding Club were triumphant in the inaugural running of the Senior Pairs Dressage to Music competition. Angela Peacock and Caron Stokell were well matched on their attractive coloured horses and achieved a score of 326. Caron rode her 9 year-old 15hh mare, Chucky Egg, with Angela riding her 15 year-old 15.1hh gelding, Sam. Angela, a post woman by day and Caron, who is a driver for a disabled day centre, were also third in the Pairs Dressage at the BRC National Championships, held at Lincoln in September. Very close in second place with a score of 325 were Felicity Scott and Joanne Swain from Swallowfield Riding Club; Felicity rode Shining Light with Joanne on Lord of The Rings.

The 2003 Quadrille Selection Trial, also sponsored by South Essex Insurance Brokers, received an enormous entry this year. Originally with eighteen teams entered, two had to withdraw at the eleventh hour leaving the total number of teams at sixteen, which is the largest number of entries on record.

With performances that were varied and inspiring in their chosen subject, and having an incredible attention to detail on the costumes, the judges had an extremely difficult time selecting the finalists to compete at Olympia. However, they eventually selected four teams who will be vying for the silverware at Olympia on Saturday 20 December.

Ends

Results:
Junior Dressage to Music
1st Emily Duck, Gregonne Coco Chanel; Wokingham & Bearwood.
2nd Louise Justesen, Cranswick's Charlie; Rearsby Lodge.
3rd Annabel Hill, Hunkidory Henry; Swallowfield.
4th Stephanie Heron, Marina Pearl; West End.
5th Alexandra Topham, Priestwood Knight Errant; Rochdale.
6th Melissa Beer, Ernie, Mid Sussex.

Senior Dressage to Music
1st Felicity Scott, Shining Light; Swallowfield.
2nd Pip Bailey, Merleydown Sage; Shipton.
3rd Melissa Jardine-Paterson, Finbrook Ace; South Warwickshire.
4th E Lester, Marchall Mab Y Dewin, Northern Dressage Group.
5th Joanne Swain, Lord of the Rings; Swallowfield.
6th Alison Leonard, Talamaska; Cambridge.

Senior Pairs Dressage to Music
1st Darlington (Angela Peacock, Sam; Caron Stokell; Chucky Egg).
2nd Swallowfield (Felicity Scott, Shining Light; Joanne Swain, Lord of the Rings).
3rd Mid Sussex (Hilary Sawyer, Mrs Doubtfire; Sam Newman, Cookie).
4th Reigate (Michaela Butt, It's a Wicked Trick; Lee Frawley, Brodie).
5th Ardingly (Christine Hartfield, Valemount Jasper; Susannah Givons, Treverna Mirage).
6th Meon (Brenda King, By Appointment; Susan Duffin, Jocasta).

Quadrille Trials
South Oxfordshire Riding Club - Super Troupers
Faversham Riding Club - All For One
South Western Dressage Group - The Tale of Four Countrymen
Chipstead Riding Club - Aztec Gods

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