news Owner breeder’s pride in RoR Blenheim winner Barrison

• RoR Southern Dressage Championships at Blenheim deliver high class results

Set against the stunning backdrop of Blenheim Palace, the RoR Southern Dressage Championships took place on Thursday 16^th and Friday 17^th September as part of the Blenheim Palace International Horse Trials. Two days of high-quality dressage were capped by a double victory for the 14-year-old gelding, Barrison, ridden by Jessica Davies, in the Medium and Elementary classes.

Throughout his racing career and now his dressage career, Barrison has been owned by Margaret Cuff. On the track he ran ten times, including winning twice for Dan Skelton before retiring in 2014. Margaret also bred the son of Baryshnikov and she was present on both days to see Barrison win the Medium class on Thursday before returning to repeat the feat in the Elementary class on Friday.

Afterwards, Margaret said: “I’ve wanted to come to Blenheim many times and with Jess onboard we’ve got here. To have the opportunity for Barrison to compete on such a fantastic stage is wonderful, but it is a very special feeling to have bred and owned the winner.”

Barrison has been based with Jessica Davies at her ‘Equestrian Heights’ operation in Wiltshire for eight months and Jessica added: “I am very passionate about getting the best out of every horse no matter their story. For Barrison, the bigger the stage, the better he seems to go.”

Event rider Roberto Scalisi and Alamein, who raced 24 times during his racing career, were second in the Elementary class. The pair are currently aiming for their first CCI-S 4* at Little Downham International at the end of September and in third was Danielle Davies and Port.

Heading East and Cheryl Bezants took second in the Medium, whilst Sirius Chestnut and Katie Ferrari finished in third place.

As the winners of the Novice championship Angela Rowberry and The Jigger earned the praise of the judges, who described combination as “poetry in motion to watch.” The Jigger is a seven-year-old gelding previously owned by John P McManus and in training with Alan King. The son of Jeremy has made rapid progress in his second career as he was only retired from racing in June 2019 after two outings in National Hunt Flat races.

The son of Aussie Rules, Yojimbo, and Fay Bryant, the 2019 Prelim champions, finished second in the Novice and Tikketoride and Octavia Walters finished third.

A strongly contested Prelim championship was won by Jo Bearcroft aboard Double Silver, a 14-old mare by Silver Patriarch. The grey mare was previously trained by Fergal O’Brien, winning three times in a 21 race career before retiring in 2016.

Second was Clouded Thoughts and Laura Rolph, with third place going to Rachel Ovens and Skysurfers, owned by Claire Anderson.

RoR chief executive Di Arbuthnot said: “All of our competitors have enjoyed themselves and the standard of competition has been very high. It is a wonderful venue on which to hold this event and makes for a great target for connections to aim at.”

Full placings below:

Prelim

1^st. Double Silver & Jo Bearcroft
2^nd. Clouded Thoughts & Laura Rolph
3^rd. Skysurfers & Rachel Ovens
4^th. Blue Battalion & Jess Hooley=
5^th. Reality Bites & Laura Tylor
6^th. Silk Path & Emma Wilesmith

Novice

1^st. The Jigger & Angela Rowberry
2nd. Yojimbo & Fay Bryant
3rd. Tikketoride & Octavia Walters
4th. Astral Boy & Victoria Chamlet
5th. Promise Of Peace & Jodie Stokes
6th. Back On Time & Emily Pope

Medium

1^st. Barrison & Jessica Davies
2^nd. Heading East & Cheryl Bezants
3^rd. Sirius Chestnut & Katy Ferrari
4^th. Newport Arch & Kathryn Pickering
5^th. Follow The Facts & Steph Potter
6^th. Quickbeam & Bethan Eckley

Elementary

1^st. Barrison & Jessica Davies
2nd. Alamein & Robert Scalisi
3rd. Port & Danielle Davies
4th. Nodachi & Karolina Nichols
5th. Willow’s Saviour & Jessica Davies
6th. Que Sera & Jo Hales