Tayside Dressage Group recently crowned its annual trophy winners and leaders after the culmination of its summer league.
The prelim league win was tied four ways between Courtney Steel, Georgina Chalmers-Grey, Kirsty Williams and Kayleigh Moran.
Kayleigh, who works as a dental nurse in Blairgowrie, took the win on her 17-year-old Highland Pony Strathmore Euan.
She has owned ‘Woody’for the last 18 months.
“We have been to lots of events and shows in this time but I have only been a member of the Tayside Dressage Group for the past year,” she said.
Kayleigh said she’s had a “great time” atTDG and the grass roots training from Rebecca Chalmers had improved her flatwork with Woody.
“I felt very shocked and overwhelmed when I found out I had won this year’s summer league,” she added.
Over the next year she plans to continue mixing dressage with showing and showjumping, which Woody “loves”.
In the novice league, the outright win went to Lizzie Foote, who also expressed surprise at her win.
She took the win on 12-year-old grey mare Cheeko, which she has owned now since 2005.
“We have previously competed at showing and working hunter competitions, but we now mainly concentrate on dressage,” said Lizzie, who recently joined BD and has achieved placings on each of her outings so far.
Lizzie, a member of Strathmore and District RC, recently finished second in their league also.
“This year we been training with Anne Maclennan at Maclennan Dressage Horses, at Wester Deanhead,” she said.
“It was a surprise winning the league,” she added. “My aim now is to continue competing over the winter and try to achieve a higher percentage in our tests.”
Taking a double of wins across both the elementary and medium leagues for the second year in succession was newly elected group chairman Hannah Burns.
She topped the leagues on her ever consistent veteran horse Tugboat, which had matched this achievement early this year by scooping the winter leagues at the same levels.
Hannah, who runs the Alyth Garage alongside husband Kevin, has had Rodger since she was 17.
She said the support of Kevin and her mother Rowena, helping her with her daughter Mia, enables her to compete.
Hannah also says Rowena is the reason she became so heavily involved in Tayside Dressage Group as an active member of the committee before recently making the step-up to stand as chairman.
“The dressage bug took hold as Rodger doesn’t ‘do ditches’ so that put a stop to eventing,” said Hannah.
Hannah and Rodger, who represented Scotland at this year’s home internationals, have previously won the winter league at the North East Riding Club for their elementary section, were the highest overall points scorers of TDG during 2011 and 2012, won the club’s veteran horse championship last year, and won the elementary and medium leagues last summer.
Annual trophy results
Pam Hunter memorial (highest overall points): Hannah Burns, Tugboat.
Veteran horse (15yr and over): Tugboat, owned by Hannah Burns.
Goldie oldie (50 and over): Rebecca Chalmers.
Young rider (18 and under): Abbie Clark.
Summer league final results
Prelim: 1 (equal), Courtney Steel, Grey Glory Lady and Georgina Chalmers-Grey, Eduardo and Kayleigh Moran, Strathmore Euan and Kirsty Williams McPherson of Craigieloch (6).
Novice: 1 Lizzie Foote, Chico (19); 2 Liz Veitch, Ricky May (16); 3 Sarah Griffiths, Ralph (10).
Elementary: 1 Hannah Burns, Tugboat (19); 2 Rebecca Chalmers, Prince Lochnagar of Moulzie (18); 3 (equal) Courtney Steel, Zivolda; Abbie Clark, Golly Gosh and Anne Johnston, Bo (5).
Medium: 1 Hannah Burns, Tugboat (20); 2 Rebecca Chalmers, Prince Lochnagar of Moulzie (18); 3 Eleanor Lothian, Portia (9).