Three from three: Sadie Smith completes a flawless week at Winter Dressage Championships

Sadie Smith completed a clean sweep of all the classes she’s competed in at the NAF Five Star Winter Dressage Championships (15–19 April), winning the Black Country Saddles advanced medium gold with Times Oddjob (Vitalis x Damon Hill), scoring 71.34%.

Sadie had taken both the Baileys Horse Feeds novice freestyle gold and the Prestige novice gold with Times Rococo.

“We started off a little bit wobbly in this one,” Sadie said. “When I first halted, the tension shot through him a bit – he was looking at the [judge’s] tables. The first half of the trot was a bit wobbly, so I had to give him a get-together of, ‘Come on, you’re all right.’ And then it was much better.”

The seven-year-old’s canter work was the highlight. “I was really pleased with the canter,” Sadie said. “The changes are still a bit green, but he did some lovely changes. They’re all on the aid, all in the right place.”

Sadie added that the mediums, by contrast, remain a work in progress. “The medium trots are still a bit like Road Runner, to be honest,” Sadie laughed. “He’s getting the lift in the working trot now, but the mediums still need a bit more.”

Oddjob has form at these championships: last year he won both the elementary and elementary freestyle here, and this advanced medium gold makes it three national titles.

Consistent and correct

“He’s not a big, flashy horse, but he just does a really nice, consistent, correct test,” Sadie said. “The trot’s starting to get more expression, and the canter’s got more balance. He’s always well behaved and gets on with his job. He’s a sweet horse.”

The win was made more meaningful by the presence of owner and breeder Peter Belshaw in the crowd. “It’s nice because Peter came and watched me today, and that’s the first time he’s actually watched me win anything with him.”

Looking ahead, Sadie is taking the usual measured approach. “Just to keep training, really. He does some tempi changes now – he’s very clever – so I’ll keep going towards prix st georges. I’m always the same: I go at the rate they’re ready for. If they’re ready to move up a level, I will, and if not, I just wait. But the aim is to keep training towards grand prix and see where he goes.”

Sadie withdrew from her final class of the week – the Nupafeed advanced medium freestyle gold – as she has an international commitment in Hagen, Germany, next week.

“Otherwise, I would’ve been getting home, packing the lorry and leaving again at 3am. It gives me a day off tomorrow to try and organise my life – because I just live in the lorry at the moment.”

Sadie filled first and third in the advanced medium gold; her second ride – Laetitia van der Wyck’s seven-year-old mare Fürsten Vera (Fürstenball x Dancier) – scored 70.69%. Jessica Wade and Nicario L split the pair in second on 71.3%.

“She’s quite green – first championships for her, we haven’t had her very long,” Sadie said. “She’s a completely different horse – she’s got a really flashy, short canter, so it’s quite interesting with the two of them. They’re very different, but I’m really pleased with both of them.”

Winter Dressage Championships: Three horses, three podium finishes

Isabel White crowned a successful day by winning the 37-strong Prestige novice silver with her own seven-year-old gelding Quatango, scoring 71.94%. She was also third on Deoso I (70.59%), having earlier finished third in the HorseHage prelim silver on Sir Quattrohall with 71.07%.

All three are Isabel’s own horses, produced and backed by her, and Quatango and Deoso I have grown up together. “We bred Quatango, and bought Desoso as a foal to be his companion,” Isabel said. “They’ve grown up together.”

The winning ride was Quatango’s first real outing on a big stage. “This was his first big show. He’s done a little bit of everything – some young event horse classes, some dressage. He’s sort of seen the world, but this would be his first big experience.”

Isabel’s day job is eventing – dressage is a winter pursuit. “I’ve got a few event horses, and I joined British Dressage in the winter on their trial membership. Then I qualified for the regionals, so I thought I’d better join properly. And here we are.”

She is, by her own account, getting a taste for the discipline. “It’s very different – just as stressful, but in a different way. Really enjoyable, and everyone’s been really friendly. I’m tempted to come back and do more of it now.”

Looking at her three horses lined up at the championships, Isabel said the day had taken some adjustment. “I still see them as babies, but actually they’re big boys now.” All three, she said, will continue across both disciplines. “I think they’ll probably do a bit of both – but we’ll definitely be doing a bit more dressage now.”

Desoso, for his part, has a nickname. “He’s called Donkey – because when we bought him, he had such big ears and was the colour of a donkey. He’s definitely grown into them – he’s actually very handsome now.”

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