Mick Pritchard CDI3* Grand Prix CDI
Emma Flavelle-Watts and Scarlatti Mio VSR made a clean sweep of the CDI3* classes, winning today’s CDI3* Grand Prix Freestyle with a fantastic score of 73.590%. They went through the test with consummate ease, and fluency was the name of the game –especially in the trot work and the passage again still has plenty of room for more power and more expression, but Emma is just feeling her way around this horse and feeling her way around her Freestyle. It was a pleasure to watch and I’m sure all the judges were very pleased to have the chance to put down some beautiful scores. This is a horse that is well and truly on the road to international status. In fact, already is international status with outstanding work.
In second place was Caroline Wagner on Ibicus on a 69.2%. Caroline will be kicking herself about mistakes in the tempi changes, as the rest of the work was smooth and consistent and really looking easy and effortless. She would otherwise be very pleased with her performance.
Closely behind in third place from South Australia was Fiona Guthrie and Bluefields Denoir on 68.365%. What a great rider and what a great little horse. Denoir is fabulous. The canter pirouettes were fluent in all the work, unfortunately again a little hiccup in the ones – not that there was a mistake, but not quite enough in number. There is supposed to be nine and only eight were done. But a fabulous, fabulous test and well done to all of them.
Pauline Carnovale CDI-U25 Freestyle
What a treat the Under 25 Freestyle was! Fan Fan 20 for Jasmine Haynes came out on top with 71.250%. The whole weekend this horse look absolutely fantastic, just with a few mistakes losing marks in previous tests; today the Freestyle was superb. No mistakes in the pirouettes, and some very good marks in the trot. A very, very impressive combination with Jasmine looking every inch the international rider. This is a horse that we really have to keep our eyes on for the future, there’s no question about it. They are now training with Mary Hanna.
In second place was SWS Debutante for Amy Bachmann, winner of the Individual and the Team tests with good percentages. Today they were just a little flat, with perhaps not quite the collection and energy that we’ve seen. A score of 68.717% to be second. In third place with a great test was Dana Krause and Taittinger VDS for 65.833%. A big, black, elegant horse showing more impulsion and forward desire today in the Freestyle with a really lovely moments in passage and great changes.
They were really interesting Freestyles with great music and all very well ridden to the music and choreographed really well. We do look forward to seeing a lot more of Fan Fan 20!
Equestrian Life CDI-J Freestyle
Millie Fletcher and a beautiful Amsterdam made a clean sweep of the CDI Junior classes, today winning the Freestyle on 72.7%. Amsterdam, a beautiful uphill horse imported from Holland, floated around the Freestyle with ease. Millie rode in such an empathetic way and the harmony between this horse and rider is amazing. A highlight was the flying changes: so uphill and balanced. The extended canter showed amazing uphill balance and transitions. Mille rode a very beautiful test with quite a good degree of difficulty, but made it all look easy. This is a really amazing combination for the future. Maybe another one heading towards the Grand Prix ranks!
In second place was Tia Rose McKenzie on Phenomenon on 70.4%. A really bright and breezy, forward Freestyle showing lots of expression enthusiasm. Perhaps the difference was that Phenomenon was maybe a little more forward for collected trot; forward is great but it still needs to be a collected, with not too much over-track, and a little bit more energy and bounce. Tia rode with great confidence as always and attacked the test in a very imposing way; this certainly makes you stop and look. A fantastic competition for Tia, winning the CDI-Y Freestyle this morning with her horse Franzisco RW. Another combination to watch for the future.
In third place was Zali Mills and Royal Diamond Jubilee on a strong score of 70.067%. Shiva Wiedemann was fourth on 66.808%, close behind but unfortunately today regularity letting them down a little and the flying changes became a little excitable resulting in a few late changes and a few very expressive changes! All the same, Shiva did very well getting him back on track.
A super, super group of horses and great congratulations to Millie on such a fantastic CDI, only her second one ever.
Horseland CDI-Y Freestyle
It’s always fun to watch the Freestyles and what evolves in such tight competition and there was no question it was interesting here in the CDI Young Rider. Jessica Dertell was first to go with Kilimanjaro. A couple of spooky moments and a couple of little mistakes spoiled a clean test, so opening the door a little bit for the rest of the field – but still a very good percentage on 69.808%.
Second into the arena was to Tia Rose McKenzie on the beautiful Franzisco RW, and she did a super job, riding fluently with great forward and elastic strides – especially in the trot work. There’s still room for improvement, such as a little bit more suppleness in the lateral work to the right, and then the marks will even be higher. But 72.025%, what a great percentage an every one of those marks was well deserved.
Last into the arena, who had time to warm up with a bit of a break between the second and third, again was Jess Dertell riding Daminia LP. This little brown mare is a real worker and not a mistake in sight. Totally confident and just riding transitions in and out of all the paces beautifully. A reasonably uncomplicated floor plan with no mistakes, but just forgot the half-pass canter left and the half-pass canter right. So that’s two zeros for those movements, and then of course nothing more than a 5.5 for your choreography mark, so a bit of disappointment. Jess may have even finished in front of Kilimanjaro without that mistake. Not as flamboyant in the paces of some of the others, but still very correct in the way of going and shows great transitions and adjustability. A horse to watch for the future.
And so a win to Tia Rose McKenzie today, handling the conditions beautifully. A very well deserved win, a great percentage, and a great way for Tia Rose to finish the CDI here at Boneo.
Pryde’s Easifeed CDI-P Freestyle
The CDI Pony Freestyle again saw some wonderful riding. Abby Weel on Reitland’s Obama came out on top with a score of 72.408%. In close second was Tess Baker on Hilkens No Kidding with 71.133%. It’s very interesting to see what appeared a little lack of generosity of marks in relation to the degree of difficulty for sure. Abby had a seriously difficult test and she pulled off all the movements with great ease, as did Tess. The two have been close the entire weekend and I think Obama put his best feet forward in the Freestyle: it was free flowing and wonderful with plenty of degrees of difficulty and good music. Good rhythm but perhaps could show a little better degree of engagement and throughness at times, but a very fluid and forward-thinking test. In third place was Morgan Cockerell on Monteith Brunton, a little Palomino, on a 66.583%, and then Zali Mills with Kizashi on 66.508%. So the third and fourth place battling it out.
The Pony class may not have had a huge number, but the quality was quite outstanding as was the riding. Great Freestyles and interesting choreography with all of them. They were all delightful to watch.
Pryde’s Easifeed CDN Intermediate I Freestyle
The final class on the main arena for the Boneo Park Winter CDI was the Inter I Freestyle, which was won by Dallas Mills on Redwood Desire on 69.842%. It was a great percentage for this very well balanced and beautifully produced Small Tour horse, with Dallas making the entire job look very easy. A highlight was the extended trot. Nice work in the lateral work and always a very good rhythm. Perhaps for the bigger technical marks there could’ve been a little more collection and activity in the collected trot, but a super way to finish a great weekend.
In second place was Michelle Baker riding RM Raspberry on 68.458%. A slight chestnut pony with a very flamboyant trot and very extravagant front legs. Perhaps a few minor contact issues along the way spoiled the technical marks, but the judges were very impressed. Good half-passes showing good bend and flexion; a really pleasing test from a lovely pony.
In third from South Australia was Fiona Guthrie and Verondina Artomous on 66.558%. A few little mistakes spoilt the technical marks, and a little bit more activity, especially in the canter, would’ve improved the marks. However, it has been a big weekend and some of the horses weren’t as bright and active as they were on the first day with the weather conditions and slightly softer going – even though the surfaces held up beautifully here at Boneo Park, despite heavy rain.
That’s a wrap for the Boneo Park Winter CDI, and as always a fantastic competition with a very friendly committee and environment. Great live streaming from Equestrian Life and we look forward to seeing all these horses next time out.
Catch up on the action
Missed the action? You can re-watch the tests from the main arena via ClipMyHorse.TV.
National test winners:
Boneo Park Grand Prix CDN Freestyle: Jackson Stern and Templeton Fursteniro, 64.883%
Pryde’s Easifeed Intermediate I CDN Freestyle: Dallas Mills and Redwood Desire, 69.842%
Pryde’s Easifeed Small Tour Champion: Michelle Baker and Rm Raspberry
Pryde’s Easifeed Small Tour Reserve Champion: Dallas Mills and Redwood Desire
Advanced Champion: Lindsey Ware and Viconia Kr
Advanced Reserve Champion: Jordan Smith and Penny Hill Park Francesca
Preliminary Champion: Tiffany Joose and Fairways Dancinira
Preliminary Reserve Champion: Taleisha Snell and Antari (owned by the Plenty family)
Pony Preliminary Champion: Rachel Cloquhoun and Miss Penny Perfect BHI
Pony Preliminary Reserve Champion: Natalie Waters and Freemans Lodge Daiya
AOR Novice Champion: Fiona Schlig and Charlotte DS
AOR Novice Reserve Champion: Weng Yi Wong and Ebl Elysium
Young Rider Novice Champion: Abbey Restall and Urodel Du Texier
Full results from the Boneo Park Winter CDI can be found via Equipe.
