Dannie Morgan received 4 titles ultimately yr’s Winter Dressage Championships, and he’s already off to a superb begin within the 2024 version, profitable the Spillers Medium Freestyle Gold Winter Championship aboard Kristina Rausing’s seven-year-old mare Vive La Reinne VH (Delilah) by a snug margin on 75%.
Delilah additionally received the elementary gold and the elementary freestyle in 2023.
“She’s an excellent mare,” stated Dannie, “she’s gained numerous energy over time and she or he’s now so dependable within the enviornment – which is good as a result of it meant I might go in there and take some dangers with the floorplan.”
The mix did certainly take some dangers, with one line going from counter-canter to medium-canter, to a easy change on the centre line.
“She’s obtained a stunning stroll and a super-expressive trot as properly,” added Dannie. “However she’s obtained such a giant body, so we’re at all times engaged on strengthening and growing the self-carriage – she will go all the best way.
“She’s tremendous laid again and unbothered, we do all the world walks however we don’t actually need to as a result of she doesn’t care and is so easygoing.
“Our music was made by Tony [Hobden] and his spouse Kelly at Equidance and it was sensible. I at all times go to them as a result of they suppose exterior the field. I’m fortunate sufficient to have fairly a superb report with championship wins in freestyle courses and I’ve to say numerous that’s all the way down to their music.”
Dannie now holds a exceptional 15 nationwide titles and he and Delilah will look so as to add one other title to their assortment once they contest the Horselight Medium Gold Winter Championship on Sunday (14 April).
2024 Winter Dressage Championships: “She brings a lot happiness to us all”
Former worldwide showjumper Ben James received the 31-strong Petplan Medium Bronze Space Pageant Championship aboard the 11-year-old mare Clapton Banks Primadonna (Diva) on 71.37%. The mix are additionally former winners, having received the elementary bronze on the 2023 Winter Dressage Championships.
Including to that, the pair additionally contested the Equi-Trek Elementary Silver Winter Championship earlier within the day, coming third on 70.05% – simply 0.25% off the win.
“She’s beautiful, she’s been so good for me,” stated James, who speaks with such apparent and infectious pleasure about Diva. “We’ve had a implausible day, she brings a lot happiness to us all.”
Diva has come from considerably unlikely beginnings to say, what’s now, two nationwide titles. “We obtained her by way of phrase of mouth, we have been on the lookout for a broodmare and she or he was a companion to an aged horse within the New Forest,” explains Ben.
“We obtained her at 9 years outdated, she’d performed some gentle work as a four-year-old, however from that time on she’d be turned away within the discipline. She was fairly energetic, however we’ve had lots of enjoyable together with her.
“I made a decision to not put her in foal, the plan in the future is perhaps to get some embryos from her however in the intervening time issues are going so properly that I’m not trying to do this any time quickly.
“I undoubtedly suppose she will make grand prix, the gathering within the canter is so pure for her, she’s at all times forward of me!”
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Credit score: Kevin Sparrow Pictures
Credit score: Kevin Sparrow Pictures
Credit score: KEVIN SPARROW
Credit score: Future
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