competition news Meet Cara Shardlow...
My name is Cara Shardlow, I live near Whitby and have been competing in affiliated dressage seriously for the last six years, having previously evented. My main horse now is Detonator, a 10-year-old part bred Hanoverian by Demonstrator and he is my first pure dressage horse. I bought him as a just backed three-year-old and have had some interesting times on him - he has not been easy but has taught me never to give up; hard work really does pay off! We have learnt together and come up through the grades to now compete at Intermediate 1 level. Having just won the Petplan Intermediate 1 Championship at Hartpury, we are contesting the Premier Leagues at small tour level with the aim of competing abroad later in the year. I put so much of our progress down to competing on the British Dressage Northern teams at the Inter Regionals and Home Internationals. I first found out about the teams when having a lesson with my trainer Becky Moody. I always enjoyed competing on a team at Pony Club and Riding Club level and though it would be a great opportunity to do it again. I first put myself forward for the teams on my old eventer Primitive Touch, but only
managed to be a reserve. The following year Detonator was only five but I put myself forward for them again and to my surprise got on the Home International team to compete down in Wales at Novice level. It was his first big show but with the support of other team members we had a fantastic time, finishing in ninth place overall. I was hooked and have competed every year
since on the regional teams with another horse as well. Detonator has gone from novice to Prix-St- Georges last year at the Home Internationals and has won for each of three years and never been out of the top ten - and we’ve even been on a winning Inter Regionals team. I would not have got where I am now without doing the British Dressage Regional team
competitions; they have given me a goal every year to get up to the next level and given the horses the experience of a big show and stabling away. We have a fantastic time when away with the teams and I have made lifelong friends through it. I find going to ‘everyday’ competitions much nicer now that I know a lot more faces.
Cara Shardlow and Detonator after winning the Intermediate 1
Championship at the Petplan Area Festivals Championships. Image courtesy of Kevin Sparrow
Derbyshire rider Natasha Dolman and her own MacKenzie qualified for the Horse of the Year Show in the Cob class at the SEIB Insurance Brokers’ Search for a Star HOYS qualifier at Houghton Hall
Bred by Natasha’s mother, Nichola Smith, MacKenzie is a striking bay by the Dutch warmblood stallion, Parkhall Seymour, out of a half Suffolk Punch mare that Nichola has owned for twenty-five years. For 17-year-old Natasha, showing MacKenzie is a family matter. “Natasha saw him being born and backed him herself. This is a work of love,” said Nichola. “This is a dream come true,” enthuses Natasha, who is supported at shows by her mother and father, Mark Dolman. “I have always wanted to do Search for a Star, and I can honestly say this is the best day of my life!”
The pair haslessons with Beth Cheatham and they have just started jumping. Natasha hopes to aim MacKenzie at working show horse classes this year. Natasha will compete at Search for a Star Championship finals at the Horse of the Year Show, 5th – 9th October 2016, at the Birmingham NEC.
Equine Page 38
Natasha Dolman and Mackenzie head for HOYS More about
Natasha Dolman and Mackenzie took second place in the Cob class at Houghton
Hall Search for a Star. Image courtesy of SMR Photos
Search for a Star...
The SEIB Search for a Star series has been created by SEIB to encourage amateur riders to produce their horses to a high standard in the show ring and giving them the opportunity to compete at the prestigious finals at the Horse of the Year Show. Each qualifying competition follows the same format, with classes for Working Hunters, Riding Club Show Horses, Show Hunters, Show Ponies & Show Hunter Ponies, Riding Horse/ Hacks and Cobs. “The Search for A Star Championship series is a way to give amateur riders the chance to achieve their dream of riding at The Horse of the Year Show. The standard increases every year and we are delighted to give so many riders this opportunity”, said Nicolina MacKenzie, Marketing Manager at SEIB Insurance Brokers. More information on the Search for a Star series is online at
www.search4astar.org.uk, and regular updates on the series can be found on social media at
www.facebook.com/SEIB. Search4AStar.
www.theequinesite.co.uk
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