news Success for the RoR Regional Welsh Dressage Championships

On Wednesday 11^th May 2022, 56 former racehorses headed to David Broome Centre, to compete in the RoR Regional Welsh Dressage Horse Championships.

This year, to boost RoR’s regional activity, saw the introduction of four Regional Championships, held in Scotland, the North, the South and Wales, each of which is a qualifier for the new National Dressage Championships at Aintree International Equestrian Centre, in August.

The Championships kicked off with the Prelim, followed by the Novice and it was the combination of Amy Huxtable and Flou Artsistique, who were the star turn, winning both the Prelim and Novice classes.

The seven-year-old gelding Flou Artsistique had a short-lived racing career, running in a total of eight races, being placed on one occasion. However, two years on from retiring from racing, Flou Artsistique has been crowned the RoR Regional Welsh Dressage Horse Champion at both Prelim and Novice level.

Runners up in the Prelim Championship were Bethan Williams and No Doubt Amie and in the Novice Championship it was Emma-Jane Brown and Lord Red who fell short of first place with a score of 70.19%.

The strongly contested Elementary Championship was won by Danielle Davies and Port, a 10-year-old gelding by Hurricane Run. The bay gelding started his racing career with top flat trainer Richard Hannon before moving to Jimmy Fox where he retired in 2016.

Finishing in a close second was Claire McCarthy and The Big Guy with a score of 68.68% and third was Christina Butler and Romeo Desbois.

RoR Chief Executive, Di Arbuthnot said: “Huge thanks to Debbie Miller for kindly organising this event and to the judges, stewards and the rest of team. All of our competitors enjoyed themselves and the standard of competition has been very high. It is a wonderful regional championship and makes for a great target for members to aim for.”

The next Regional Championship is the Northern and is hosted by Myerscough College in Lancashire on 18^th/19^th June, entries are open via https://horsemonkey.com/results/28200

For details of how to qualify: https://www.ror.org.uk/series/522

Full placings below:

INTRO (Judge – Liz Vann Pointing)

1^st. Laura Tylor and Reality Bites 73.04%
2^nd. Lily Clarke and Jack Morgan 71.96%
3^rd. Annabel McCourt and Wenceslaus 63.04%

PRELIM (Judge – Anne Whaley)

1^st. Amy Huxtable and Flou Artsistique 71.21%
2^nd. Bethan Williams and No Doubt Mon Amie 70.34%
3^rd. Lily Clarke and Jack Morgan 69.83%

NOVICE (Judge – Jo Davis)

1^st. Amy Huxtable and Flou Artsistique 70.56%
2^nd. Emma-Jane Brown and Lord In Red 70.19%
3^rd. Louise Robson and Saint Gregoire 68.33%

ELEMENTARY (Judge – Shari Wilson)

1^st. Danielle Davies and Port 68.97%
2^nd. Claire McCarthy and The Big Guy 68.68%
3^rd. Christina Butler and Romeo Desbois 67.21%

MEDIUM (Judge – Shari Wilson)

1^st. Hayley Ford and Crimson Gold 72.65%
2^nd. Claire McCarthy and The Big Guy 67.50%
3^rd. Jeanette Male and Space Telescope 64.71%