THE winter British Dressage regional finals were held at Bishop Burton College, near Beverley, early last week with several wellknown local riders taking top spots and qualifying for the championships to be held at Hartpury College in April this year, which will also host the Petplan finals alongside the British Dressage finals.

The second day of the regionals saw Jack Wainwright on the chestnut Dark Bacardi win the novice restricted freestyle to music by a massive eight per cent to his nearest contender, to qualify for Hartpury finals. Bethany Shipley, from Sheriff Hutton, managed a very worthy fourth place in the novice open freestyle music, riding Port Patrick.

The third day was a busy day for Sneatonthorpe rider Cara Shardlow, who is flying the flag as one of the six ambassadors for the Horslyx company, and her horse, Detonator II, where they did two test to finish fifth in the open music freestyle and a very close third in the medium open with less than one per cent between the top three slots and giving them a ticket to go to the championships.

The final day, Tuesday, saw Roxanne Shipley, elder sister of Bethany, and Headmore Dream On take sixth position in the advanced medium music freestyle Roxanne was a little disappointed with one of the scores of the three judges, but says “there’s always another day.”

They had another sixth place in the advanced medium restricted class, which had less than six marks separating the top six places.

Natalie Widdowson and the chestnut, Gorgeous George IV entered in the medium open freestyle music where they had a ride that only happens in your dreams.

The class had many good names participating but the duo managed to pull off a perfect test, scoring a nine for one of their half-passes with a music theme of cartoons, including Top Cat, Flintstones and the classic, That’s All Folks, finishing on a total score of 72.61 per cent. Natalie has already qualified for one of the Petplan classes, which will also be run at Hartpury, making her trip doubly worthwhile. Natalie and Cara will travel down to Hartpury together, offering each other moral support with Cara hoping that she can keep a lid on Detonator’s exuberance in the ring.

Natalie said: “I was absolutely thrilled to win our first regional championship, but I was soon brought back down to earth travelling home in the snow”.

Cara had to be rescued by her father to make the last leg of her trip on the Scarborough to Whitby road which was treacherous in places.

Results as follows: Medium restricted music freestyle – 1 Amanda Barrett & Fine & Dandy, 2 Sandra Hall & Divine Expression, 3 Jane Stephenson & Blue Chip Forever.

Medium open – 1 Beth Logan & Sebastiaan, 2 Laura Woodcock & Whispers, 3 Cara Shardlow & Detonator II.

Elementary open music freestyle – 1 Tom Graham & Rubio, 2 Jane Critchley & Lothario, 3 Tom Graham & Breichio, 4 Samantha Fish & Gunstones Little Gem, 5 Cara Shardlow & Detonator II, 6 Sarah Smith & Beckhouse The Wizard.

Elementary restricted music freestyle – 1 Sarah Bosomworth & QD Esquire, 2 Lindsay Thornborough & Tubalt, 3 Andrea Peel & Maateus, 4 Alistair Gibbs & Wilfret, 5 Maria McDiarmid & DHI Vidius, 6 Cath Copeland & Anegido.

Elementary open – 1 Laura Newton & Zebrano, 2 Tom Graham & Breichio, 3 Tom Graham & Rubio.

Novice open music freestyle – 1 Jane Critchely & Lothario, 2 Zoe Rymer & Daisy Blue, 3 Lindsay Thornborough & Horatio ABG Stables, 4 Bethany Shipley & Port Patrick 5 Maria McDiarmid & DHI Vidius, 6 Joyce Fearn & Cirrus.

Novice restricted music freestyle – 1 Jack Wainwright & Dark Bacardi, 2 Charlotte Sutton & Elmwood, 3 Kate Whitehead & Rollover Diamond.

Advanced medium freestyle – 1 Charlotte Fry & Z Flammenco, 2 Samantha Fish & Gunstones If Only, 3 Erin Williams & Waverley, 4 Lara Dyson & Cydens Cadans M, 5 Ann Staines & Royal Standard, 6 Roxanne Shipley & Headmore Dream On.

Prix St George’s music freestyle – 1 Charlotte Fry & Remming, 2 Ryan Todd & Charlex Eskebjerg, 3 Jane Chatterton & Cranswick Monopoly.

Advanced medium restricted – 1 Lara Dyson & Cyden Cadans M, 2 Laura Woodcock & Whispers, 3 Beth Logan & Sebastiaan, 4 Caroline Kitching & Mystic Mind, 5 Lara Dyson & Cyden Bodyguard Moorland, 6 Roxanne Shipley & Headmore Dream On.

Medium open freestyle music – 1 Natalie Widdowson & Gorgeous George IV, 2 Lara Dyson & Cyden Cadans M, 3 Harry Payne & Divine Intervention.