The first running of the TopSpec NPS Dressage Championships was a huge success and saw Riding Pony Hindleap Choir Boy take the championship with Welsh Section B Wortley Grenadier capturing reserve.

During its inaugural year the series has been run in the South of England but thanks to its popularity it is now set to become a national competition.

The series was devised to encourage the correct schooling of British bred ponies and culminated in the TopSpec Southern Counties Dressage Trial Gala at Addington Manor Equestrian Centre.

Seventy ponies took part in the final which saw competitors riding Prelim 7 and Novice 27 Tests under British Dressage rules.

Throughout the day the competition was divided into four sections including Mountain & Moorland breeds not exceeding 138cm, Mountain & Moorland breeds exceeding 138cm, Registered British Riding Ponies and Part Bred Horses/Ponies registered with their appropriate Native Breed/Part Bred Stud Book.

Hindleap Choir Boy and Beckie Edwards set out their stall by winning both Riding Pony tests.

Based at Henley in Oxfordshire, Beckie produces Timmy, as he is known at home, herself and has lessons and help at shows from Carol and Simone Gilbert-Scott who live nearby.

Now 11-years-old, Beckie has ridden Hindleap Choir Boy for three years. He was bred by Hazel Watkins and is by Whinfell Tom Kitten out of Starlite White Mischief.

Taking the reserve champion award was Hampshire-based Sam Roberts riding Emma Boyles’ Wortley Grenadier.

The Welsh Section B won the Prelim 7 Test and then went on to take second in Novice Test 27 which was headed by Sarah Gorman and her Dartmoor.

The Large Mountain and Moorland tests went to the New Forest, Willoway Shogun ridden by Jessie Myott from Lymington, Hampshire and Welsh Section D, Wadard Dobson ridden and owned by Vicky White from Wantage in Oxon.

The winners of each category went forward to perform a freestyle Kur to music judged by British Dressage Byrds trainer Carol Hogg, new NPS Chief Executive Caroline Noakes and TopSpec Sales Director Michael Bacon.

Photographs:

Top - Michael Bacon and Caroline Noakes congratulate champion Beckie Edwards and Hindleap Choir Boy. Photo courtesy of www.equinational.co.uk

Bottom - Michael Bacon and Caroline Noakes with Sam Roberts and Wortley Grenadier. Photo courtesy of www.equinational.co.uk

Results

Class 1. Riding Pony Prelim 7 Test
1st Hindleap Choir Boy, Rider B Edwards, owned by Mrs L Edwards.

Class 2. Riding Pony Novice 27 Test
1st Hindleap Choir Boy, Rider B Edwards, owned by Mrs. L. Edwards.


Class 3. Part-bred horse/ponies Prelim 7 Test
1st Pentaran Special Edition, Part-bred Welsh, Rider Jane Weller, owned by Lady Forwood.

2nd Missile Express, Part-bred Welsh, Rider Becky Gibbs, owned by Becky Gibbs.

Class 4. Part-bred horse/ponies Novice 27 Test.
1st, Missile Express, Part-bred Welsh, Rider Becky Gibbs, owned by Becky Gibbs.

2nd Pentaran Special Edition, Part-bred Welsh, Rider Jane Weller, owned by Lady Forwood.

Class 5. Small Mountain and Moorland Prelim 7 Test.
1st. - Wortley Grenadier, Welsh Section B. Rider, Samantha Roberts, owned by Mrs. N.E. Boyles

2nd Bushmere Eclipse, Welsh Section B, Rider, Emily Proud, owned by Lucy Corney

3rd, Blacknest Prince Hal, Dartmoor, Rider Freddie Plumb, owned by Mr. D. Plumb

Class 6. Small Mountain and Moorland. Novice Test 27
1st - Mr Murfti, Dartmoor, Rider Sarah Gorman, owned by Mrs. A.J. Ryan

2nd - Wortley Grenadier, Welsh Section B, Rider Samantha Roberts, owned by Mrs. N.E. Boyles.

3rd - Trenley Tabatha, New Forest, Rider A. Etheridge, owned by Trudy Nineham.

Class 7. Large Mountain and Moorland Prelim 7 Test.
1st. Willoway Shogun, New Forest, Jessie Myott, owned by Miss. S. Chipchase

2nd Wadard Dobson, Welsh D, Rider V. White, owned by Vicky White.

3rd. Furzley Serenade, New Forest, Rider Jane Haskell, owned by Jane Haskell

Class 8. Large Mountain and Moorland Novice Test 27.
1st. Wadard Dobson, Welsh D, Rider, V. White, Owned by V. White.

2nd. Canal Village Poacher, Connemara, Rider, Pam Clingan, owned by Mr. R. Blackburn

= 3rd. Sharpham Chime, New Forest, Rider, A. Andrustko, owned by A. Andrustko

= 3rd Burley Branston, New Forest, Rider Wendy Adams, owned by John Adams.

CHAMPION – HINDLEAP CHOIR BOY
Reserve Champion - Wortley Grenadier