Barrollo

The Royal Windsor Dressage competitions held over 2 days may well prove to be a vital stepping stone in the career of Diane Hogg's Barrollo. This is a most distinctive combination - Barrollo being a roan Irish bred gelding. Now 13 years old and no stranger to success at Windsor when competing in the Small Tour his name has not been frequently in the headlines since frying up to the Grand Tour and he has evidently found the transition quite a challenge. Diane Hogg has owned and trained this horse since he was a youngster but realised that he needed time devoted to intensive training to make the improvements required of him to be able to consistently perform well at Grand Prix level.

All the hard work hare fruit at Windsor where Barrollo won the Grand Prix with a good score of 67.13% and to prove that this was no fluke the same combination triumphed in the Grand Prix Kur with an even higher mark of 68.52% a four point lead over Fiona Craig on Marcus. These results were achieved by being consistent and producing flowing tests with no obvious errors. Their changes were very good, with even elevation and a good lowering of the quarters into passage and piaffe with well defined steps.

In the Grand Prix Liz Diegutis took second place with HCI Giorgio despite not having the best of preparations for the test. She was just about to commence her test when the competitors in the private driving classes streamed past and then there followed the worst deluge of the whole show! Altogether Liz had a delay of approximately 20 minutes between the warm up and going into the arena so she did exceptionally well to finish 2nd with a score of 64.87% ahead of Nominee Redwood ridden by Jill Day. Emile Faurie as usual supported this show and finished in fourth place on Woodman, who is in his first season performing in Grand Prix.

Elaine Seely & Raphael

In the Young Rider classes Charlotte Fdnonds (daughter of TV personality Noel Edmonds) continued her recent run of success by winning the FEI Individual Test. Riding her mother's Torque O'The Devil she beat Jody Lister on Woodlands Symphony who had won the EEl Young Rider Team Test. Charlotte also entered Thrgue o' The Devil in the GI and Prix - another horse to commence at this level this year. Elaine Seely and Raphael continued their recent good form and won the Intermediaire I with a score of 66.92% beating, amongst others, the imposing black Hanoverian Freuden Tanzer ridden by Peter Starr who ere the winning cornbination in the Prix St. Georges with a high score of 68.89%.

Unfortunately the weather did its best to spoil the garden party atmosphere of this event, so much so that the arena had to be re-sited to offer a centre line with secure footing. Given the poor underfoot conditions some of the results were more creditable. It is a pity that this event doesn't attract rather acre support in depth from our top ride It comes at an ideal tine of year to enable them to bring out new or young horses, or to move them up a grade, so it is something of a mystery why there not more entries. Perhaps the grass surface is factor, but most of the time the going is good and it is noticeable that the best combinations win whatever the surface! Given slightly more clement conditions this is a delightful spot to watch Dressage as the arena is tucked away in the grounds of the castle near the river. It is very secluded and usually -carriage driving excepted - very peaceful!

WWP's Willoby

The show had opened with the WWP Training Centres International Potential Dressage Championship which was initially divided into two classes for 4 and 5 year olds. The winners drew a lot of favourable comment from the grandstand and many people had already heard about Suzanne Davies s ride, Keystone Dimaggio, the winner of the 4 year old section. Frankly if this lovely chestnut cart be this good at 4 years one wonders what will be the limit for him. He was well shown by Suzanne and his paces were absolutely superb. Definitely a horse for the notebook! He went on to be Champion with the reserve being the 2nd in the 4 year old section WWP's Daninus ridden by Matthew Flowers. No doubt on many other occasions he would have won but cane up against an exceptional horse in prospect in Dimaggio. Nevertheless it was still an encouraging result for the sponsors who are managed by Susan Foran. A passionate supporter of dressage, Susan is investing in horses for the future. Her judgement is obviously very sound since the winner of the 5 year old section was WWP's Willoby, a big chestnut gelding with considerable potential.

These classes were judged by Jenny Loriston-Clarke and David Hunt. No doubt we will be hearing much more of the horses that they had before them at Windsor.