‘We nearly lost him’: a victorious survivor tugs at the heartstrings in Petplan Area Festivals at Winter Dressage Championships

A win for a survivor, a family horse, and a talented mare who kept her sass under wraps to produce a stellar performance, wrapped up day one of the NAF Five Star Winter Dressage Championships (15–19 April) at Addington.

Carmen Gammie, on her own Lets Make An Opera M, made the mammoth journey from Aberdeen to reign supreme in the prix st georges silver in the Petplan Winter Area Festival Championship classes. She and the 10-year-old gelding by Guardian S scored 67.01%, a lead of almost two per cent.

Despite their greenness at the level, the pair held their own. Aside from a couple of mistakes in the trickier movements, they delivered a consistent test.

“His trot work is super, my fours were good, and bits of the canter were lovely,” said Carmen. “There were moments where we lost balance and the throughness.”

Carmen, who trains with Hannah Moody, bought the gelding when he was five and produced him herself, adding: “I did young riders about 10 years ago, but it can feel like the blind leading the partially blind!

“I didn’t expect us to do so well. He won the Spillers freestyle medium silver last year, so it’s quite a step up.

“There’s room for improvement, so we’ll consolidate, then maybe try inter I. But there’s no real rush.”

It’s a win that might never have been.

“We nearly lost him to a virus when he was seven,” Carmen explained. “He had six months off, too unwell to ride. It’s even more special now he is where he is.”

Carmen broke the journey at the Moodys’ for a short boot camp ahead of Addington, and it’s safe to say the lessons paid off.

“Hannah kicked me up the butt a bit, and put me on the straight and narrow!” she said.

Lynne Mason finished behind Carmen in the standings riding 19-year-old Donner Trois with 65.05%. Tabitha Leicester and 17-year-old mare Eires Rock came third with 65%.

Petplan Winter Area Festival Championships medium bronze: “We call him Mr Consistent”

Greg Dickens and “family horse” Brutus G sailed to the top of the podium in the medium bronze with 70%.

A former three-star eventer and resident with Piggy March, “Bruno” has turned his hoof to dressage with relish and will appear in the elementary silver with Greg’s wife, Sheryl, today (Thursday 16 April).

“Everyone jumps on him at home,” Greg told H&H. “He’s such a lovely boy. We call him Mr Consistent, but he’s been uncharacteristic since we got here. For the first time, his stablemate came with him. He’s napped and wasn’t happy being separated from him.

“But he’s managed to control himself and put the work in where it counts. If he threatened, it didn’t come to anything, and that’s what we’re most proud of.”

Greg said Bruno was a promising event horse, but an injury curtailed his career.

“It stopped him galloping,” Greg explained. “But I think this job suits him better.

“We’re not professionals, and we try very hard. Days like this make all the effort pay off.”

Sofia Mirza and Sheepcote Adios, a 10-year-old gelding bred and owned by the Pincus family, followed Greg with 69.56%.

Rachel Gallop with Sarah Gallop’s seven-year-old gelding Quantum Hit came third with 68.06%.

“An amazing mare with a little bit of sass”: PDS Saddles elementary freestyle gold

Dannie Morgan stormed to the top of the podium, almost three per cent clear in the elementary freestyle gold on a mare nicknamed Rasputia.

“It’s a strange one, but she reminds us of a character in a film called Norbit with Eddie Murphy,” said Dannie of the eight-year-old Fürst Lady. “The wife, Rasputia, has a lot of attitude, so it fits her. She’s an amazing horse with a little bit of sass.”

The mare, owned by Charlotte and Rose MacMillan, scored a perfect sea of 7s, 7.5s and 8s throughout a quality, consistent test. The final score was 78.08%.

“It’s actually my groom, Laura Burrows’ music,’ Dannie told H&H. “Lauren got a great score at regionals with it, so I said ‘We have to share around here,’ and stole her music.”

Quite established at the level and with a few mediums already under her belt, the mare rose to the challenge in the championship atmosphere.

“She won’t have seen anything like this before, so my goal today was to give her confidence,” said Dannie. “We had a little ride in the morning, and she relaxed well. I was confident she could go and do her job in the evening.

“She has a lot of highlights to show and a nice scopey trot. She’s gaining more balance all the time and makes a really nice picture.

“Now, we just want to get the changes more established and carry on. She has a lot of talent for the future.”

Alice Oppenheimer and the seven-year-old Frankin daughter Headmore Forever Ruby earned second with 75.19%. Nikki Barker on her own gelding Danoa finished third with 75.06%

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