March is a busy month, as we ‘Spring Into Action’ with two events on offer! Riders could choose between our pure dressage ‘Spring Rabbit’ tests, or our Spring Prix Caprilli if they fancied a little jumping action. Some took on both!
We were delighted to have the Spring Rabbit Dressage sponsored by Tots Tackroom this month – they kindly offered a discount voucher to the winner of each class as well as sponsoring our Highest Placed Newcomer rosettes. Off the back of that: Welcome to all our new riders this month – we hope you will compete with us again soon!
For 2022 we introduced our *new* Harmony Awards: the ethos of Demi Dressage has always been to encourage kind and correct riding. Many riders will be rewarded for this simply in their placings: a harmonious test is more likely to score higher. However, there are times where we see a particularly pleasing test that might not necessarily be the highest scoring, but pony and rider are working well in partnership together, and that is what our new Harmony Awards are about.
This month we awarded two Harmony Awards - congratulations to Zoe and Star (Violet class) for their harmonious Prix Caprilli, and to Mia and Badger for a sensitively ridden Green test.
Results are published on the Demi Dressage Facebook page as they come in, but are posted here in class order for easy reference :)
"Spring Rabbit" Dressage Results - GREEN
From the toughest class all the way back to the beginning - it's our Green classes! These 'starter' walk-only classes can be ridden on or off the lead rein - and if those coming off the lead need a little moral support, we allow an adult in the arena (at a reasonable distance so as not to count as lead rein) to keep them company at this pivotal stage of their riding journey
GREEN:
1st - Mia and Badger - 74.4%
2nd - Millie and Bliss - 70.6%
3rd - Phillipa and Lilly - 70%
=4th - Tabitha and Wind Willow Starburst - 68.8% (Highest Placed Newcomer)
=4th - Jasmine and Charlie - 68.8%
5th - Sophie and Dolly - 68.1%
6th - Jessica and Jethro - 65.6%
7th - Lucy and Penny - 61.3%
GREEN (Lead Rein):
1st - Amelie and Sky - 64.7% (Highest Placed Newcomer)
2nd - Aveline and Kara - 64.4%
3rd - Alyss and Skye - 62.5%
"Spring Rabbit" Dressage Results - YELLOW
Last but not least is another Demi Dressage 'special' class - our beginner's 'walk/trot' Yellow tests. We know that being able to trot and steer is tough when you're starting out, and so these tests were created with very simple trot movements. Within this class, we also have our special 'Yellow Assisted' section, designed to bridge the gap between lead rein and riding solo! (And it's been very successful - with many previously Yellow Lead Rein riders now competently competing at Yellow off the lead - to the point that now Yellow off the lead is the bigger class, where is used to be Yellow Lead Rein )
YELLOW:
1st - Erin and Chockey - 80.6% (Highest Placed Newcomer)
2nd - Hermione and Harvey - 73.2%
3rd - Florence and Peppa - 70.9%
4th - Molly and Maisie - 69.4%
5th - Brooke and Just Charlie - 67.6%
6th - Tabitha and Spot - 67.1%
7th - Talia-Rae and Goldie - 66.8%
8th - Georgia and Hamish - 63.2%
9th - Millie and Salt - 62.6%
YELLOW (Lead Rein and Assisted combined due to lower entries!):
1st - Allegra and Hunney (LR) - 69.4%
2nd - Sophie and Teelings Little Legs (A) - 69.1%
3rd - Lily-Mae and Major (LR) - 66.2% (Highest Placed Newcomer)
4th - Summer and Bob (A) - 64.7%
5th - Quinn and Peppa (LR) - 63.2%
"Spring Rabbit" Dressage Results - YELLOW-PLUS
Yellow-Plus is often the most popular class - and also usually the most competitive - but I think this month is the strongest we've seen for a while! With an *average* score across the class of a whopping 70.8% - I think all you Yellow-Plus riders should be very proud of yourselves this month!
YELLOW-PLUS:
1st - India and Fliss - 79.8%
2nd - Edward and Tiger - 76.5%
3rd - Eve and Alfie - 75.8%
4th - Neve and Milly - 74.8% (Highest Placed Newcomer)
5th - Izzy and Maisie - 71.3%
6th - Megan and Paddy - 70%
7th - Missy and Larry - 69.3%
8th - Isaac and Robbie - 68%
9th - Lilly and Sunny - 65.5%
10th - Eloise and Fudge - 63.5%
11th - Laura and Bluebell - 63.3%
"Spring Rabbit" Dressage Results - BLUE
Blue is possibly my favourite class, because it fills a child-focussed niche you won't find in the mainstream competition arena - that of kids getting to grips with canter 'Third gear' is a huge deal! But more importantly, a lot of young riders really enjoy cantering once they've started, and I didn't want it to be demoralising that they had to wait a long time/work very hard to get their canter work to the stage required for a 'normal' dressage test (circles in canter generally being the biggie!) So Blue tests just have the canter on the track - starting with the transition in an easy place, and remaining child-friendly in that the movement is never more than half the arena, so a child and pony can remain in control and balanced - and enjoy it!
Our winners this month have epitomised all the above - when I saw they had submitted a Blue test for the first time I just had to watch it in full, and I grinned like a Cheshire cat when I saw their canter Really proud of you Isaac!
So here we have it...
BLUE:
1st - Isaac and Robbie - 72.7%
2nd - Immi and Millie - 70.7%
3rd - Ruby and Micky - 65.5%
4th - Seren and Blue - 64.8% (Highest Placed Newcomer)
5th - Eve and Alfie - 68.9%
6th - Lucy and Autumn - 65.9%
"Spring Rabbit" Dressage Results - RED
The size of this class goes up and down like a yo-yo I'd love to see it consistently bigger - if you know any young riders who are reasonably established in their canter work but perhaps looking for something a little bit friendlier than a BD Prelim - send them our way!
RED:
1st - Jed and Songbird - 63.5%
2nd - Ffion and Rocky The Rockstar - 61%
3rd - Harriet and Daisy-Pony - 60.1% (Highest Placed Newcomer)
"Spring Into Action" Prix Caprilli Results - TEAL
The Teal class is our walk/trot 'off the lead' Prix Caprilli class, aimed at those competing at Yellow-Plus or still a bit wobbly at Blue, with the fence jumped from trot.
TEAL:
1st - Rhianna and Bonita - 74.2%
2nd - Charlie and Pepper - 73.8%
3rd - Lilly and Sunny - 71.2%
4th - Isaac and Robbie - 68.8%
5th - Poppy and Pippa - 68.6%
6th - Hermione and Harvey - 65.9%
7th - Florence and Peppa - 60.4%
Well done everyone! And a big well done to Florence and Peppa, who have only competed at our normal Yellow level before, so this test with the majority in trot instead of walk was a big step up - but they gave it a good go with pretty consistent marks throughout to build on!
"Spring Into Action" Prix Caprilli Results - VIOLET
This is the first of our Spring Prix Caprilli results, and it's the Violet class (re-branded from Red last year) Violet is a walk/trot/canter test with the fence jumped in canter - it is aimed at riders competing at Red, or confident/competent Blue level.
VIOLET:
1st - Daisy and Diesel - 75%
2nd - Zoe and Star - 74.4%
3rd - Ffion and Rocky The Rockstar - 66.7%
4th - Abigail and Dennis - 66.2%
5th - Lily-May and Henry - 65.4%
6th - Avril and Pandora's Secret - 63.8%
A big well done to everyone who competed this month!
Don’t forget to join us for our Smarties Easter Circles tests in April – these are fantastic tests and we’re delighted to have #BoysRideTooMagazine sponsoring our Highest Placed Boy Rider special awards, so please do share with any young lads who ride! :D The tests can be downloaded from the Current Event page, and the closing date is Sunday 1st May 2022