Another busy day on Thursday 14 April 2022 across the three arenas at the British Winter Championships, another nine champions crowned and another great day in the history of the highlight of the winter season here at Hartpury.
The British national dressage classes are divided into gold, silver and bronze levels. The gold level is for high performance riders and professionals, of which Eurodressage features a short report. For more detailed coverage of the Winter Championships, visit British Dressage.
Oppenheimer Wins Prix St Georges Freestyle Gold
The 2022 edition of the Magic Prix St Georges Freestyle Gold Championship cast a spell on Hartpury this afternoon as 14 PSG combinations came forward for this hotly contested freestyle finale in front of judges Isobel Wessels, Kirsty Mepham and Sarah Kingwells.
As the class played out, long-time leaders Fenella Quinn and Empire B proved to be the ones to beat, having earlier performed a stunning test for 75.20%. Elder Klatzko and Dior VIII almost, but not quite, caught the leading pair with their super 75.12%. Then followed the defending title holder, Alice Oppenheimer, fresh from her win yesterday in the Novice Freestyle Gold with one of her younger rides.
Returning to the Hartpury Arena, this time with Amanda Radford’s powerful, 11-year-old ‘pocket rocket’ Headmore Dionysus (by Dimaggio x Rubinstein), Alice presented a programme full of energy and conviction, accompanied by music from ‘Cats’, to earn a fantastic PB score of 77.95% propelling them to the top of the leader board. Much praise for ‘Dillon’ at the end of their test, and a broad smile from Alice, said it all.
“Dillon was amazing today,” said Alice afterwards. “Actually, he’s been going okay at home but I didn’t quite feel like I’d managed to peak him quite how I’d like for a show like this. He warmed up really well today and I was taking him around the edge and he felt good. I stuck my hand up and the music started, I just felt him grow underneath me; I trotted out of the first halt and I just knew this was going to be banging.
“He gave me this feeling of confidence and he was literally like ‘that’s my music and I’m here to show off and I LOVE it!’ she smiled. “I loved it, he loved it. I had fun, he had fun and I was buzzing. I think we both had a big grin on our face for the whole test.
“The feeling for the second extended trot, he knows it’s coming. I was laughing at him because he was just showing off – he was having the best time of his life. It was amazing to get a ride like that - he’s a real showman and he loved it in there today.
On planning her Winters campaign with Dillon, Alice explained, “He had qualified for yesterday’s Magic Prix St Georges too but four tests at Small Tour is quite a lot and I love doing freestyles, so we chose to do this one and the Intermediate I, and today he felt fresh and ready to go. It’s the first time I think I’ve retained a title, having won this last year with Bella Ruby. To have a half-sibling out of our amazing Rubinstein mare again (she really is something else) is really special. They just keep delivering the goods. They’re really special horses with amazing temperaments that just perform when it really matters. You can’t ask for any more than that really.”
The Headmore Stud’s foundation mare, Rubinsteena (by Rubinstein), really has left a remarkable legacy as Alice explains; “We’re starting to get some grandchildren of hers now, which is really exciting. Davina has a super four-year-old and Bella’s first one is three this year. What’s super exciting is that we have lots of fillies to carry on the mare line. I get on really well with the mares and we have Dillon too. We call him ‘Uncle Dillon’ as of course he can’t have any of his own but he’s got lots of nieces and nephews at home too! It’s lovely having them all together and bringing them on.”
Dionysis in mythology is the Greek god of wine and merriment - “I’m hoping that whilst I’m doing this everyone else is buying the champagne! I’ll go for my interviews and I’m not on tomorrow so we can have a little fun tonight...but it isn’t a freestyle so I can't go the wrong way and make it up!”
Photo © Kevin Sparrow
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