‘I’ve nearly got a stronger set of horses than ever’: Gareth Hughes returns to winter championships after 20 years with stunning victory

Gareth Hughes marked his return to the NAF Five Star Winter Dressage Championships in style, blowing the competition out of the water in Magic prix st georges (PSG) gold riding the talented 10-year-old stallion Morricone III to score 75.51%.

He and the Millennium son were almost four per cent clear of Claire Abel and her own GF Sezuki with 70.59%, while Bryony Goodwin and David and Serena Pincus’ Sheepcote Just Daisy earned third place with 70.54%.

Morricone III, owned by Flamboyant Dressage Stud, is relatively new to the level but produced a mistake-free test to see off the competition.

“This is a particularly difficult arena to ride in; everything is so close,” Gareth said. “He was quite nervous going in, but he tried hard not to make a mistake. And he didn’t.

“He really stayed with me and has that good balance of high-quality collection and extension. So, with a mistake-free test, we got some great marks.”

This is still a relatively new partnership, and Gareth said there’s much more to come from Morricone.

“I see no reason why he’s not going to be a star of the future. I’m hoping next year we’ll be ready for grand prix. He shows all the attributes we want, and when they look like he does, it helps.”

Having spent a couple of years “regrouping”, Gareth has a string full of talent and promise.

“I had Mowgli-Olympia MC come out at grand prix at Hartpury a couple of weeks ago – he’s only nine,” he said.

“I have Lufada MVL at grand prix too, and Morricone now, who’s snapping at their heels.

“We were trying to work out how long it’s been since I last competed at the winters. I remember it was at Solihull, so it must have been about 20 years.

“So, here’s me thinking I was going to slow down and I’ve nearly got a stronger set of horses than ever.”

Equi-Trek Elementary silver: “We’ve evolved together”

Sophie Lee-Amies rode a clear round on the D’Avie daughter River Rise Ooo LaLa in the Equi-Trek elementary silver to top the podium with 72.68%.

Next in line was Imogen Swann on Podrick Van Den Overwinning with 71.16%, while Ellen Glover and Morricone’s Love MFS came third with 70.25%.

“I’ve never won anything like this before,” an overjoyed Sophie told H&H. “We came third at the summer nationals at novice but this is our biggest achievement so far.”

Sophie works for Sadie Smith, based at the yard of Sarah-Tyler Evans, who bred “Ola”.

“I never thought I’d be lucky enough to have a horse like her,” Sophie said. “But, due to the kindness of Sarah and my parents, we managed to get the funds together, and we were able to buy her.”

Sophie added that that when the partnership began around two years ago, she and Ola were “quite green”.

“We’ve evolved together,” she said. “We’ve both been nervous, and she does get a bit scared coming into big arenas like this, but today she was much more confident.

“Every time we go out, we gain confidence as a partnership.”

Sophie trains with Sadie, who won the Baileys Horse Feeds novice freestyle gold earlier in the day, and said she is “really lucky” to have Sadie’s support.

“She comes to all the shows with me and helps me warm up; she was there at the warm-up today, even though she had to get on a horse straight after.

“She’s always incredibly supportive. I’m really lucky to have her as a mentor.”

Winter Petplan Area Festival Championships: “He’s a show horse who got too good at dressage”

Freya Baldwin and nine-year-old gelding Hoghton Maverick are new to PSG, but took on the challenge to win their first championship sash.

Freya and “William” scored 68.48%, followed by Jenna Roddy and 14-year-old Tim with 67.5%. Jennifer Harkness and her mare Inouk came third with 66.96%.

“He only did his first PSG in December, so we didn’t expect this,” Freya said.

“I’ve had him since he was three and backed him myself. He was a show horse as a four- and five-year-old, but then he got a bit good at dressage.”

Freya said that before she owned William, she had ridden up to medium level, and the pair had moved up the levels together in a snaffle.

“He’s quite sensitive in his mouth and never strong,” she explained. “He’s in the softest, rubber snaffle you could possibly imagine.”

Although she didn’t feel the test was perfect, Freya, who trains with Hayley Colwell and Becky Moody, was “over the moon” with the result.

“Obviously, there are still things to work on; we’re still a bit green,” she said. “But I’m so pleased. He’s a good boy who works hard, and we have grand prix as our long-term aim.”

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