The UK record for the highest ever dressage score at a BE competition was smashed at Drumclog Horse Trials.
Scoring a remarkable 92.5% for a penalty score of just 7.5 Jade Struthers shaved 2.5 penalties off the previous record of 10, achieved by international rider Ruth Edge riding Pauline Fletcher’s Larkshill Sovereign earlier this year.
Previously the best score since records began in 1998 was held by Tim Cheffings with a 10.5 in 2010.
There have also been a number of scores between 11 and 12, according to BE, including John White’s 12.1 on Lochrannus, at Oatridge in 2008.
“I didn’t know what my score was until the end of the day, when my friend Jo Luton who eventually won the class on her great dressage of 19.5 told me my score was obscene!” said Jade.
Jade has owned her nine-year-old Broudein Roxanne (Roxy) alongside her mother Debbie for the last year and a half.
She credited her great score on coaching with John Hill, who has helped her take Roxy from advanced medium up to Prix St George level in affiliated BD.
Their test at Drumclog, judged by Heather Carstairs, was awarded an 8 for their entrance movement, with the remainder of the movements given scores of nine. Their last three movements each achieved the perfect score of 10.
“We also got three 10s for our collectives,” explained Jade, “For paces, impulsion and rider.”
According to Jade, Roxy was originally bought by one of her friends but it didn’t work out so they took her on: “We felt she needed a change of scene.”
Jade and Roxy ultimately completed in second place on a score of 21.1: “She’s still working out how to gallop cross country it’s been a really new concept for her!”
Jade, who has previously competed at Scottish team level dressage, said she hopes to get back to that with Roxy and her next outing will be to the young rider viewing at Vale View.
Second to Jade in BE90C after dressage and also achieving a remarkable score was Fife rider Elaine McDonald and Wizzard V with just 12.5 penalties.
“I was totally thrilled with my test I felt it did go very well, though I was astonished by the mark,” said Elaine.
“Wizzard’s breeding is dressage orientated, being linked to Florestan so he’s very capable in the arena. I’ve been working on his straightness and a recent change of bit has helped too with his submission.”
Given the sticky ground, Elaine said she slid down the leaderboard after a “steady” confidence building cross country: “I want to save him for the regional finals at Hutton.”
Across the whole of BE90 section C the average dressage score of all the riders to finish in the final top 10 at the end of all three phases was only 22.
Having progressed successfully through the season following her win in the BE100 under-18 class at Scotsburn, Stirling rider Eva Sheppard and her horse Karabah topped the BE100 section E, double clear on 29.5.
With seven top 10 finishes to their credit this summer the pair, who are based with Kirsty Matheson outside Callendar, head south shortly to represent Scotland in the under-18 team at Weston Park.
Remarkably this year, Eva, 15, is one of three current and former Balfron High School pupils who will take part in the team.
Eva has owned 12-year-old Arrow for the last two years or so and their successes also include top six finishes at both Floors and Hendersyde.