CARA Shardlow, who runs a livery and competition yard near Whitby, has completed a massive couple of weeks, culminating in the British Dressage Regional finals at Port Royal.

And, of course, with the competition calendar still as busy as ever with her four horses, it doesn’t end there.

Cara said: “I have just about recovered from the regionals last week, I always get a little stressed out about them, but shouldn’t have worried as Detonator and Sandonista whom I took went brilliantly.

“Detonator competed on the Friday in the advanced medium restricted. He won his warm up class with more than 69 per cent gaining his winter qualifications and it was not the best test he has ever done, so I was fairly hopeful he would behave going into the championship class.

“He was very well behaved, no silliness, there were a couple of minor mistakes, but I was very pleased with the test generally, I was then a little disappointed with our score of just over 66 per cent.

“This did put us into the lead, but we were pipped to the post just at the end of the class and finished in second place, unfortunately only the winner of the class gets to go to the nationals this year so again for the second year in a row we miss out by one place.

“Having said this I’m thrilled that he is becoming very consistent having not been out of the top three at his last three regionals, my best results ever."

Cara had qualified Detonator for the Prix St George also, but has opted to take him to the Petplan areas instead this year.

“Even though he scored an amazing 68 per cent at this level last time out, I just felt we were not consistent at that level yet. Sandonista went to his first regionals at novice open level, where he gained more than 72 per cent completing his winter regional qualification as well. He was in a very competitive class with 45 combinations taking part and one is much more established than him. He was so grown up with the flowers and produced a lovely mistake-free test to gain 69 per cent leaving them in second place for a long time, but eventually finishing in sixth. “I’m very exited about his future, but wish he would stop growing.”

Cara had also qualified Rhythmic Times at advanced medium level, but has decided to semi-retire him and will be looking for a rider to take him on and have a bit of fun for his last few ridden years.

Measure for Measure, who Cara also events, has recently been lame, and missed out on getting his last few regional points unfortunately. He is just back in work again but will miss the BE events this month that Cara had planned for him.

Cara said: “I’m determined to get him to some by the end if the season I just hope he behaves himself and has no more injuries.”

The icing on the cake for Cara is that she has been selected for the Home International team to ride for the north and England for the fifth year in a row on Detonator, this time at PSG level. They first rode for the team in Wales at novice level and have been placed twice and won twice for them and gone all through the levels. The Home Internationals takes place at Hartpury College at the end of the month.

Cara really enjoys competing as part of team. Sandonista has also been selected as reserve at novice level. He actually had a high enough average per cent to get on the team, but unfortunately could not go forward on two horses.

Cara has also been busy at home running her sponsors, Horslyx, unaffiliated dressage series which came to a nail biting finish with five championships been competed for at the final of five competitions. The competitors have been collecting points over the series and the combination with the most points won the championship and the prizes Horslyx kindly donated.

There is lots coming up in the next few weeks for Cara, apart from the Home International. The Petplan areas are at the beginning of next month where Detonator will compete in the PSG. Sandonista and Detonator will be getting some new music and floor plans done by the brilliant Equivisions, so they will be dusting off their dancing shoes and trying to qualify for the winter regionals.

Cara has a superb sponsorship package from Horslyx, but is also on the lookout for another sponsorship to help keep the dream alive.