Manhal’s Diamond - Lizi Hamilton (Class 1), Silver Wisp - Jane McBean (Class 2), Aoife - Denise Small (Class 3), Lady Grey - Karen Whenmouth (Class 4)
Image: Winning team
Red House Jackanory - Liz Mackay (Class 1), Warrior - Rebecca Friend (Class 2), Oakdale the Last - Sarah Thomas (Class 3), French Connection - Rachel Bragg (Class 4)
Toby - Linda Sammons (Class 1), Belle Star Oregon - Patrick Sear (Class 2), Miss Marple - Jill Smith (Class 3), Blakes Thicket - Sally-Anne Barton (Class 4)
Image:
Oakdale the Last - Helen Scourfield (Class 1), Sir Flagmount Star - Katie Tomlin (Class 2), Beechgrove Barcardi - Harriet Nice (Class 3), Marbon Musk - Helen Turner (Class 4)
Class 1 - Prelim 10 (Sponsored by Strada Saddles)
Judge: Mrs C Wynn (Writer: Helen Bodmer)
Restricted
1st Manhal's Diamond - Lizi Hamilton (72.73%)
2nd Toby - Linda Sammons (71.36%)
3rd Mockbeggar Snippet II - Becky Champion (65.45%)
4th Indiena - Chris Potts (61.36%)
5th Miss Marple - Jill Smith (59.55%)
6th Private Ryan II - Sarah Scourfield (59.09%)
Open
1st Redhouse Jackanory - Liz Mackay (72.27%)
2nd Haddon Red Card - Nicola King (62.27%)
3rd Sir Flagmount Star - Katie Tomlin (62.73%)
Class 2 - Prelim 16 (Sponsored by Crown Farm)
Judge: Mrs J Gilbey (Writer: Leigh Edgeler)
Restricted
1st Aoife - Denise Small (62.50%)
2nd Mockbeggar Snippet II - Becky Champion (60.50%)
3rd Manhal's Diamond - Lizi Hamilton (59.50%)
4th Warrior - Rebecca Friend (59.50%)
5th Toby - Linda Sammons (59.00%)
6th Miss Marple - Jill Smith (57.50%)
Open
1st Beechgrove Barcardi - Harriet Nice (62.50%)
2nd Independence Day - Mary Smith (61.00%)
3rd Haddon Red Card - Nicola King (60.00%)
Class 3 - Novice 25 (Sponsored by Nupafeed)
Judge: Mrs J Hurl (Writer: Mr R Hurl)
Restricted
1st Blakes Thicket - Sally-Anne Barton (80.40%)
2nd Aoife -Denise Small (70.80%)
3rd Altogether Murphy - Colin Hawkins (70.40%)
4th Private Ryan II - Sarah Scourfield (69.60%)
5th Lady Grey - Karen Whenmouth (68.40%)
6th Miss Marple - Jill Smith (59.60%)
Open
1st Frankie - Louise Stroud (81.20%)
2nd Independence Day - Mary Smith (74.80%)
3rd Mr Rafferty - Jackie Barker (67.60%)
4th Oakdale the Last - Sarah Thomas (64.40%)
5th Kingsclere Spot On - Nicki Fear (64.40%)
6th Beechgrove Barcardi - Harriet Nice (64.00%)
Class 4 - Novice 37 (Sponsored by Beltyne Music)
Judge: Mrs S Jones (Writer: Dorothy Maundrell)
Restricted
1st Blakes Thicket - Sally-Anne Barton (70.36%)
2nd French Connection - Rachel Bragg (62.14%)
3rd Kendlestone Park - Anna Wheel (60.00%)
4th Silver Wisp - Jane McBean (55.00%)
Open
1st Lady Grey - Karen Whenmouth (67.50%)
2nd Marbon Musk - Helen Turner (67.50%)
3rd Abelard - Catherine Tristram (63.21%)
4th Ben - Deborah Dobson (58.93%)
5th Dragon - Diana Cobley (57.86%)
6th Liberty Bell II - Jackie Edwards (54.64%)
Class 5 - Elementary 41/Medium 63 (Sponsored by Barber Equestrian)
Judge: Mrs S Jones (Writer: Dorothy Maundrell)
1st Beltyne Wilfred Owen - Tiggi Bentley E41 (81.20%)
2nd Blakes Thicket - Sally-Anne Barton E41 (62.40%)
3rd= Duc d'Anjou - Anna Risius E41 (62.00%)
3rd= Marbon Musk - Helen Turner E41 (62.00%)
3rd= Mr Rafferty - Jackie Barker E41 (62.00%)
6th Abelard - Catherine Tristram E41 (54.80%)
Class 6 - E48/M73/PYO (Sponsored by Oxford Pipework Services)
Judge: Mrs S Jones (Writer: Dorothy Maundrell)
1st Beltyne Wilfred Owen - Tiggi Bentley M73 (77.98%)
A brief panic on the day before the show, when we discovered that parking arrangements were no longer as delineated in the schedule, was resolved by phoning the first few competitors and assuming that people arriving later would notice lorries and trailers in a different field! We were lucky with the weather, which, wonderfully, stayed dry all day, very important in this beautiful but exposed venue, while the wind, though gusty, saved its full force till the next morning. Dust clouds hovered over the warm-up arena in the afternoon, but, as one competitor remarked, ‘Better a little dust than a lot of rain!’ Very sadly, a few people had been forced to pull out as they kept horses in the foot-and-mouth protection zone, but amazingly all seven teams entered in the Novice Challenge managed to bring at least three of their members.
In terms of good humour, mutual support and friendly rivalry, this show hit the jackpot, and there was real excitement as we waited for the final scores in the team competition, since most of the teams were still in a position to win – all hinged on that final rider! Isis Windrush were the lucky winners, with Wokingham and Bearwood Blue very close behind. Isis Cherwell and the Wokingham and Bearwood White team tied for third place. Naphill R.C. and Windsor Forest R.C. were each only two points in arrears, and Chiltern R.C. were not far behind them. An impressive mounted prize-giving for the top four teams took place in the warm-up arena between classes, with Isis chair Jane McWilliam presenting trophies and rosettes to the winning teams. A pity that health and safety considerations meant that the lap of honour had to be performed at a sedate walk! Watch out for photographs in the Central Horse News.
There were some impressively high scores during the day, notably marks in the 80%s for Louise Stroud’s gorgeous ‘rescue’ horse, Frankie, Sally-Anne Barton’s Blakes Thicket (what a year this combination is having!) and Tiggi Bentley’s magnificent Beltyne Wilfred Owen, now at 7 approaching maturity and showing that British breeding can produce the goods. The range of marks reflects the nature of our club; we exist to promote dressage at all levels, encouraging the novice rider towards affiliated competition, and also allowing more experienced competitors to bring out young horses and try a higher level in a less stressful arena.
Isis club members, in teams or as individuals, had a good day; Lizi Hamilton’s super Manhal’s Diamond, having a jolly in his first test, Prelim 16, behaved impeccably when competing for Isis Windrush to win the Restricted section of Prelim 10 under judge Mrs Wynn with a high score, just pipping Linda Sammons and everyone’s favourite, Toby, who was competing for the other Isis team. This was Toby’s third successful outing of the week, having been to Thame and another showing show earlier. Jill Smith had a busy day, riding three tests on her beautiful blue-grey Miss Marple, her horse of a lifetime, collecting three individual rosettes and one for her team. Red House Jackanory and Liz Mackay took second place for Wokingham and Bearwood Blue in the team competition, with Toby and Linda third.
Prelim 16 was judged by Mrs Gilbey, charming and helpful owner of Rosehill, who had arrived back from her residence on the Isle of Man only the day before. Just before the class was due to start I realised I had not replaced the missing second bell… Fortunately, with great resourcefulness Mrs Gilbey produced a small elegant glass lampshade and a spoon which served very well. Mrs Jones, judging all the afternoon classes, had to make do with a metal mug and a knife. Necessity is indeed the mother of invention!
Denise Small and her very smart Aoife won the restricted section of Prelim 16 as a warm-up for their team test, while Mary Smith with that superb TB x Clydesdale, Independence Day, were second in the open section to Beechgrove Barcardi and Harriet Nice, a member of Woking and Bearwood R.C. competing as an individual in this class. Mary might well have won the class, but the judge heard her clicking at the horse. It’s worth noting what the rules say: ‘The use of the voice is prohibited and will be penalised by the loss of two marks from those that would have been awarded for each movement in which this occurred.’ You may get away with it sometimes, but it’s safer to break the habit! In the team competition, Nicola King and Haddon Red Card won for Naphill R.C., with Warrior and Rebecca Friend second for W & B Blue, ahead of Katie Tomlin and Sir Flagmount Star of the W & B White team. Isis Cherwell team member Patrick Sear sensibly retired from Prelim 16 when his chunky skewbald cob, Belle Star Oregon, didn’t feel right. This seems to be Patrick’s unlucky year, as he was forced to withdraw from the BRC novice team when it turned out that Oregon was vaccinated a few days late ten years ago, and then poor Oregon cut himself badly on a gate a few months back, while Patrick’s other event horse clonked a fence and had to have time off.
Class 3 produced some outstanding tests: Frankie, competing for Windsor Forest, and Blakes Thicket, an individual in this class, each scored over 80% to win the Open and Restricted sections respectively. Both combinations received glowing comments from judge Mrs Hurl, who had very kindly stood in at short notice. In the team competition, Denise Small and Aoife placed second for Isis Windrush with Oakdale the Last and Sarah Thomas third for W & B Blue.
Mrs Jones deserves special mention for her afternoon at Rosehill: not only was she another late replacement, but she found herself judging four different tests at three different levels in two different arenas – and all done with the greatest good humour and scrupulous care. Both sections of Class 4, Novice 37, were won by Isis team members, Sally-Anne taking the Restricted and Karen Whenmouth the Open with her charming white-grey mare, Lady Grey. As both were riding for teams, Cherwell came out ahead of eventual winners, Windrush, on this occasion. It was good to see Catherine Tristram picking up third place with Abelard at her first show as an Isis member. Third place in the team competition went to junior rider Helen Turner with her exquisite grey three-quarter Arab pony, Marbon Musk, who later placed third in Elementary 41.
Mrs Jones then moved up to the short arena to judge Class 5, a mixed Elementary / Medium class, though the only Medium competitor went HC. Tiggi Bentley brought Beltyne Wilfred Owen out for the first time since their respective holidays – hers on Rhodes, his in a field – to win the class with only her second ever mark of over 80%. Coincidentally, the first time was also at an Isis show, at Blewbury some years ago, when Beltyne Jacaranda, now winning points at Inter 1, won a Prelim. Sally-Anne and Blakes Thicket performed their first Elementary test most creditably for second place, while in the last class of the day Tiggi and Owen took the opportunity to have a go at their first Medium, again with good success.
Winning competitors were thrilled to receive prizes from our kind sponsors, Barber Equestrian, Beltyne Music for Freestyle, Crown Farm Livery Yard, Nupafeed, Oxford Pipework Services and Strada Saddles, whom we thank most sincerely for their generosity. Lovely extra rosettes in Class 1, money-saving vouchers in Classes 2,3,4 and 5 and horsy prizes in Class 6, were all received with delight, though Karen Whenmouth takes the biscuit for her extreme jubilation at winning a free music CD for first place in the Open section of Class 4. She was one happy bunny!
We all know that shows can’t run without the back-up of numerous long-suffering and unpaid helpers. Judges at least get mileage-money and a bottle of wine as a small reimbursement towards the many hours they donate to our fun, but shows also need writers, stewards, test sheet collectors, scorers, tea-makers and general dogs-bodies in order to take place. So very many grateful thanks to judges Mrs Wynn, Mrs Gilbey, Mrs Hurl and Mrs Jones, to writers Helen Bodmer and Dorothy Maundrell (both co-opted at the last minute) and Leigh Edgeler, to scorers Richard Haggis (who did most other jobs also, and kept me sane while sorting out the times beforehand) and Jane McWilliam, to steward Daniel Manning, to gofers Dale Sammons and Lizi Hamilton, and to fellow-secretary and hard-working warm-up arena steward, Steph Hewett. There were a number of others who fetched test sheets so that the team competition results could be delivered on time – many thanks to you all!
Hala Bentley, show secretary
...and behind the scenes you would have found Richard - our noble scorer! Our thanks to the many helpers at the show, without whom we could not achieve such a smooth running and enjoyable event.
Image: Richard...noble scorer!
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