Dressage riders from March and Upwell among top scorers at national championship show

Dressage riders from the Fenland area finished up there among the best of them at a major national championship last week.

Teenager Lily Brackenbury, from Upwell. and March livery yard owner Evelyn Little both had top ten finishes in their classes at the Pet Plan Equine Area Festival Championships at Atena UK, near Grantham.

Lily and Captain Oats (Surf to his friends at home) finished fourth overall in a massive and hotly contested novice section on Saturday as well as taking prizes for the best under-21 rider and best senior horse. On the Sunday they finished tenth in the preliminary class.

It was a memorable weekend for the pair and sealed a spectacular first year competing in British Dressage affiliated events (on top of the horse trials, showing and show jumping classes in which they also excel).

Surf, a 17-year-old Connemara, is owned by Caroline Ward, from Tilney St Lawrence, and came to Lily a little over a year ago when her other pony was off work due to injury and left Lily with nothing to ride.

The championships were amazing,” said Lily's mum Hayley. “We went there thinking it would be wonderful to be able to squeeze into the top ten so to do so twice and finish fourth in the novice was something of a dream come true. We are all so proud of them.”

At the opposite end of the levels – up at Intermediare 1 – Evelyn was just as delighted with her bay gelding Bindro T.

"I've owned him since he was an unbacked three year old, so we've made the journey from prelim to inter 1 together,” she said.

“I was really pleased with the test as he's not been to many larger events lately and although he felt the occasion, he stayed with me.

“We are hoping to do inter 2 soon, then GP next year. He's got a fabulous temperament, and can turn his hoof to anything, he's one of a kind”.

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