Sadie Smith and her nine-year-old Dante Weltino mare Swanmore Dantina left the opposition of their wake as they gained the Superflex Intermediate I Gold Winter Championship on the 2024 NAF Winter Dressage Championships – following up on their success within the Magic Prix St Georges (PSG) final yr.

The mixture scored 75% to complete slightly below 5% forward of Jezz Palmer and Emily Ivins’ nine-year-old stallion Ketcher B – who gained the PSG on the opening day (10 April) of this yr’s Winter Dressage Championships.

It was a harmonious and fluent experience from Sadie, with the choose at C, Nick Burton, awarding them 80.29% and a number of other nines for the mixture’s canter work and the collective mark for basic impression.

“I used to be actually happy with my take a look at, she felt assured in there and recent,” mentioned Sadie. “I haven’t accomplished many reveals via the winter as a result of I needed to work on the coaching and getting her stronger, and at present I felt that actually helped – every thing has come on quite a bit.”

“She’s at all times received her ears ahead, she has a good looking body, and she or he’s discovered the step as much as inter I comparatively simple and to be sincere I feel it fits her extra as a result of she has such looseness within the trot and I can present that off extra – I like her to bits, she’s my primary.”

A former rider for Carl Hester and Charlotte Dujardin, Sadie has produced “Dia” via the degrees after shopping for her as a three-year-old however admits she didn’t anticipate to be right here along with her.

“I had been planning to promote her as a result of on the time I had one other horse who was at the next stage and she or he was going to fund that one, however for no matter cause she’s ended up staying with me and it’s the very best factor I’ve ever accomplished. Charlotte at all times winds me up as a result of she’s like ‘Oh you simply needed to eliminate her, however I mentioned no’ – so she was proper once more!”

Sadie has now arrange by herself and says she’s having fun with the expertise: “It’s good being my very own boss, however I do miss having the safety blanket of Carl and Charlotte there. Nevertheless it’s good as a result of you need to discover your individual approach sooner or later, and I’m actually fortunate that I’ve a pleasant string of horses now – Carl nonetheless owns one and among the others belong to Charlotte’s most important proprietor – so I’m nonetheless fairly closely concerned which is good as a result of I can choose up the telephone and ask for assist if I would like it.

“It’s a troublesome sport and everybody’s attempting arduous to do their greatest, and when you have got days like this it lets you preserve going.”

Sadie and Dia will probably be trying to make it back-to-back titles once they contest the Superflex Intermediate I Freestyle Gold Winter Championship later at present (13 April).

2024 Winter Dressage Championships: “She is a little bit of a Disney princess”

Superior eventer Katie Warner gained the final class of the day – the Baileys Horse Feeds Novice Freestyle Silver Championship – aboard the seven-year-old mare Lively Nuvolari on 73.79%.

The mixture’s Disney-themed music impressed the judges with the choose at H, Andrea Smith giving them 77.22% for his or her inventive mark. “It fits her as a result of she has such an expressive face, and such lengthy legs, she actually is a little bit of a Disney princess,” mentioned Katie.

“I used to be so happy along with her at present, we haven’t run via our freestyle in competitors earlier than and she or he’s by no means been to a giant present like this, however she was with me the entire approach via – I’m so pleased with her. I’m 21 weeks pregnant at present, so this was the child’s first nationals, so it’s very thrilling.”

Katie credit her coach and “greatest pal” Charlotte Smithwhite with holding her hand and inspiring her: “She gave me the assumption that I can actually come right here and do it.”

A-level scholar Sophia Marston and her 12-year-old mare Solitaire II gained the hotly contested Petplan Superior Medium Silver Space Competition Championship with 68.76%.

“A lot of the take a look at was good,” mentioned Sophia, “I received on her and she or he simply felt insanely good. The spotlight was most likely the trot, she’s nonetheless inexperienced to the extent however she’s beginning to acquire confidence in her modifications as properly.”

Sophia has owned Solitaire since she was a yearling, and the mixture began their respective dressage careers collectively – and it’s been a rocky highway to get to the place they’re now.

“Final yr she had an accident within the area and fractured her P1 [proximal phalanx] however she’s again up and operating now and robust as ever, so no matter occurs sooner or later is a bonus – there’s no stress along with her as a result of I’m already so pleased with what she’s achieved.”

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Oscar graduated from York St John College with a grasp’s diploma in Literature in 2021 and joined Horse & Hound in October 2023. Oscar labored for prime dressage rider Emile Faurie for 4 years after ending an equine administration course in school. Underneath Emile’s tutelage, Oscar competed on the 2015 Nationwide Dressage Championships and travelled with Emile’s horses to CDIs at Aachen, Vidauban, Saumur and Achlieiten. Oscar continues to compete in dressage, alongside his day job.