Northern dressage riders dominated the British Dressage Scottish Winter Regional Championships at the Morris Equestrian Centre.
The show provided a direct qualifier for the BD Winter Championships at Hartpury in Gloucestershire.
Freelance instructor Jennifer Johnston BHSII won three classes with MFS Caliana, and a fourth qualifying class with Donnergott.
Jennifer, from Kintore, owns Newton of Fintray Livery and Training Yard, a small family-run yard.
Her preparations for the competition were almost scuppered after being bucked off a young horse three weeks before and breaking some ribs.
MFS Caliana was bred in Aberdeenshire by the Moray Firth Stud, based at Damside of Melrose, Gamrie, Banff.
The seven-year-old chestnut mare by MFS Vision arrived at Jennifer’s training yard two years ago for schooling with a view to be sold.
“Despite being very tricky I decided to keep her. She’s been brought on slowly and carefully.
“I needed to keep her happy as she’s very anxious,” explained Jennifer, who is sponsored by Blue Chip Feed and Childeric Saddles.
“She’s athletic and hot and sharp and she couldn’t be bullied. She needs her confidence built.”
In 2012 MFS Caliana was runner-up at the BD Summer Championships at Stoneleigh, ridden by Emma Murray.
Last year Jennifer spent time training Caliana, with limited competition outings.
“I think it’s paid off,” added Jennifer.
“She’s very spooky at new venues. I went to Morris EC last month to let her see the arena as she can be nervous and retreat into herself.”
At the regional competition, Jennifer first won the Blue Chip novice 39 open class on a score of 70.17%.
They then won the Equitop Myoplast elementary 59 open qualifier, judged by Penelope Lang, Heather Ashley and Helen Bradley, with 69.9%.
“I went wrong in that test and the judge rang the bell, just as I was passing the judges’ box; she bolted up the arena.
“I was incredibly pleased that she came back round and carried on with the test,” said Jennifer.
MFS Caliana’s final win came in the Baileys Horse Feeds novice open music freestyle test, where the pair scored 75.37%. The music was put together with help from Jennifer’s husband Sam and is a mixture of classical with a beat.
“She kept her rhythm and is very impressive. She’s working at advanced medium level at home and will find advanced easy,” added Jennifer.
Jennifer’s fourth win came with her consistent Donnergott, winning the NAF Magic Prix St Georges music freestyle test.
“He’s not been out for a while, although he’s so consistent these days. He’s a joy to ride.
“He’s been at the championships every year since a five-year-old,” said Jennifer, of the 14-year-old black gelding by Donnersohn, bred in Wales by the Morgan Equine Stud.
“He loves the dressage to music at Hartpury. It’s done at night with lots of people watching. He’s a bit of a diva and thinks he’s important. I’d changed the music slightly for the tempi changes and I got ahead so I put in a 10-metre loop and managed to time coming on to the centre line just as the music stopped.”
Jennifer’s pupils were also in form, with Debbie Murray and Fancy Man MFS winning the prelim qualifier with 75.38% and Kerri Wright qualifying in the novice restricted class with Ultimate.
The seven-year-old mare was third in the prelim final at the BD summer championships in 2012.
Debbie Murray’s six-year-old Fancy Man MFS was also bred by Caroline and Gordon Ironside of the Moray Firth Stud, and was purchased as a weanling.
Sired by Fidtertanz and out of a De Niro mare, Debbie has broken and produced Fancy Man, qualifying for the Shearwater five-year-old class at the Summer Championships.
“I was pleased with his test. It was nice and relaxed,” said Debbie, who runs Millpond Livery, at Newmachar.
“I’ll keep trying to advance our training and hope to get summer qualifying points and fit in technical work,” added Debbie, who trains with Jennifer and Harry Payne.
Lea Gray and Tiger Feet II won the Charles Owen advanced medium restricted class.
The 17hh skewbald gelding was bought to event nine years ago. Lea was looking for a ready-made horse but could see he had potential.
“We are now at PSG, but this level is all new to me and we are learning as we go along.
“I’m aiming for Inter 1 later this year,” said Lea, an external publishing and design manager for BT.
The Spillers medium restricted freestyle class was won by Westhill rider Sam Turpitt and her eight-year-old Lingh-sired mare Busilus with 71.33%.
Sam and her mum purchased Busilus at the Tullynessle Stud disperal sale at Thainstone as a three-year-old.
This is the sixth time Sam has qualified Busilus for the national championships. Their best result was last year when they finished fifth in the elementary freestyle. They won the Scottish elementary championships last year.
“Music certainly seems to be our strength and at the regionals I did my freestyle to music from Mary Poppins. It really suits her elegant paces as she is a very elegant, dainty wee girlie,” said Sam, who works as an IT project manager at Subsea 7.
“I keep my horses at home and I don’t have an arena at home so have to work very hard to get the training in.
“I don’t know what I would have done without Ardmedden this winter, as being a member of their club and being able to use their indoor facility has helped me no end.
“I am just so, so pleased with my girl. She never lets me down at regionals and I cannot believe we are going to Hartpury again.”
Primary school teacher Claire Moore headed the Nupafeed advanced medium freestyle with Rendezvous on 73.22%.
“When I got him two years ago he was quite weak but I’ve been working hard with lots of lateral work,” said Claire, who trains with Hannah Moody.
Edinburgh rider Jo Hamilton won three classes with Corchapin, including the highest score of the weekend of 76.11% in the Spillers open medium freestyle to music. The seven-year-old chestnut gelding is by Negro and jointly owned by Jo and Lady Mary Hope. They are the current Scottish medium champions and the British national elementary champions.
The Charles Owen advanced medium restricted class was won by Berwickshire rider Katherine Tullie and Arctic Jazz.
Results
Prelim 17: 1 Debbie Murray, Fancy Man MFS, 75.38; 2 Eve Halliday, Lagardo, 70.58; 3 Jade Whitelaw, Dauphin III, 69.23.
Novice 39 (rest): 1 Clare Hinchliffe, Cascento, 70.69; 2 Kerri Wright, Ultimate, 68.05; 3 Catherine Garrod, Mister Zino, 67.76. Novice 39 (open): 1 Jennifer Johnston, MFS Caliana, 70.17; 2 Joanna Hamilton, Calisto V, 68.97; 3 Lee McKendry, Hi Fidelity, 68.56.
Elementary 59 (rest): 1 Sarah Duncan, Zander X, 71.51; 2 Scott McLennan, Attitude, 69.64; 3 Angela Hartas, Whisper Tetti, 69.48. Elementary 59 (open): 1 Jennifer Johnston, MFS Caliana, 69.9;
2 Vicki Wilson, Serge Van De Hallsewe, 69.06; 3 Susan Dunlop, Bliss, 65.99.
Medium 75 (rest): 1 Emma Wooley, Warda Petronella, 68.56; 2 Helen Dutton, Rowangarth Rhyian, 68.06; 3 Rebecca Stephen, Fortria Express, 66.94. Medium 75 (open): 1 Joanna Hamilton, Corchapin, 71.85; 2 Hannah Guild, Corienta, 67.84; 3 Vicki Wilson, Serge Van De Hallsewe, 67.25.
Advanced medium 98 (rest): 1 Katherin Tuille, Arctic Jazz, 65.44; 2 Gillian Parker, Zaphira, 65.22; 3 Elaine Taylor, Brahan JC, 60.04. Advanced medium 98 (open): 1 Lea Gray, Tiger Feet II, 62.24.
Novice (rest) music freestyle: 1 Jill King, AD Hoc Ribbeck, 70.93; 2 Kerri Wright, Ultimate, 70.74; 3 Fiona Stryjewski, Just A Little Bit, 67.41.
Novice (open) music freestyle: 1 Jennifer Johnston, MFS Caliana, 75.37; 2 Joanna Hamilton, Calisto V, 74.07; 3 Elizabeth Gammie, Champagne Bubbles, 72.04.
Elementary (rest) music freestyle: 1 Sarah Bosomworth, D’Artagnan IV, 71.79; 2 Heather Rostron, Burning Sienna, 65.45; 3 Angela Hartas, Whisper Tetti, 65.0.
Elementary (open) music freestyle: 1 Joanna Hamilton, Corchapin, 74.68; 2 Emma Wooley, Warda Petonella, 74.17; 3 Hannah Guild, Corienta, 73.91.
Medium (rest) music freestyle: 1 Sam Turpitt, Busilus, 71.33; 2 Carla Bolam, Agfa Click, 67.39; 3 Kirsteen Macleod, Resarie Romeo, 67.22.
Medium (open) music freestyle: 1 Joanna Hamilton, Corchapin, 76.11; 2 Hannah Guild, Corienta, 73.0; 3 Chrissie Havis, Breithla Capali, 68.56.
Advanced Medium music freestyle: 1 Clare Moore, Rendezvous, 73.22; 2 Katherin Tullie, Arctic Jazz, 71.94; 3 Niki Leyton, Rose, 69.72.
Prix St Georges music freestyle: 1 Jennifer Johnston, Donnergott, 71.75; 2 Clare Moore, Rendezvous, 69.46; 3 Niki Leyton, Rose, 67.04.