PHOTOS: KEVIN SPARROW
MIDDLE TOUR FESTIVAL.
Steph and Clare PROSPER AT MIDDLE TOUR THE BRITISH DRESSAGE MIDDLE TOUR FESTIVAL AT KEYSOE LAST DECEMBER PROVED TO BE A CELEBRATORY WAY TO END A UNIQUE YEAR FOR COMBINATIONS AT INTER A, INTER B AND INTER II LEVELS. RIDERS COULD OPT FOR WHICH TWO TESTS TO RIDE, THE COMBINED SCORE DETERMINING THE CHAMPIONSHIP RESULTS. CONGRATULATIONS TO STEPH CROXFORD WITH MR BENN II AND CLARE HOLE WITH PRO-MOTION WHO CLAIMED THE GOLD AND SILVER TITLES RESPECTIVELY AT THIS INAUGURAL EVENT.
ABOVE: STEPH CROXFORD ABOARD HER BOISTEROUS YET TALENTED IRISH COB X HACKNEY X KWPN DANCE PARTNER, MR BENN II. STEPH HAD PLANNED THE OUTING AS AN OPPORTUNITY TO GIVE MR BENN SOME EXPOSURE TO A HIGH PROFILE SHOW, SO THE WIN WAS AN UNEXPECTED BONUS. THE PAIR TOPPED THE LEADER BOARD IN BOTH THE INTER B GOLD AND INTER A-B MUSIC FREESTYLE GOLD TO TAKE THE OVERALL GOLD VICTORY. “HE’S ARROGANT AND SINGLE-MINDED,” SAYS STEPH, “BUT IF YOU GET HIM ON SIDE, YOU’RE AWAY.”
RESULTS FRIDAY 4 DECEMBER Inter B – Silver 1. Mark Walters and Iceblue Valentino, 64.88%
LEFT: MARK WALTERS WITH GLORIA PRICE’S ICEBLUE VALENTINO (BY HARLEM). MARK AND THE DELIGHTFUL 18 YEAR OLD GELDING, KNOWN AT HOME AS APOLLO, ACHIEVED
Inter B Gold 1. Steph Croxford and Mr Benn II, 68.21% 2. Sara-Jane Lanning and Try Me Once, 67.22% 3. Sara-Jane Lanning and Sigurd, 67.14% 4. Tamsin Vaughan and Casse-Cou, 66.11% 5. Sally Bell and State Secret, 65.79% 6. Rebecca Tilton and Valliant, 63.57% 7. Sammy Page and Ronaldo IV, 58.13%
RUNNERS-UP POSITION IN THE SILVER CHAMPIONSHIP.
BRITISH DRESSAGE // Issue 2 2021 // 35
