Semington rider, Susan Chant, and her horse, Pascal McCoy, have won the Petplan Equine Medium Bronze Championship, in a very competitive dressage class at Hartpury College, Gloucestershire on Friday 21st August.
With some exceptional partnerships demonstrating their skills when competing for the Petplan Equine Medium Bronze title it was quite an achievement to finish top of the rankings.
Susan Chant and Pascal McCoy battled through torrential rain and strong winds to score 70.39% and finish in first place.
Susan said, “He really performed today, he was nice and forward, Perhaps a bit tense in the walk but overall, just amazing. It’s exciting to be here as we qualified for the competition in 2019 but he had a few issues and we didn’t make it. Even this year it’s been a challenge and I’m just shocked, he’s certainly my horse of a lifetime.”
The combination had to qualify through two rounds of competition last summer and won their ticket to the championship which was originally scheduled for April. Pascal McCoy a 15-year-old liver chestnut, who is 16.3hh and sired by Blue Hors Romanov, is owned by Susan and is her first affiliated competition horse. The partnership certainly impressed the judges with a powerful performance.
The Petplan Equine Area Festival series, sponsored by one of the UK’s leading horse insurance providers, gives amateur riders the opportunity to experience the thrill of competing in top competition style conditions in classes from Preliminary to Intermediate II level.
Kate Hopkins, marketing consultant at Petplan said, “We are so very proud that the Petplan Equine Area Festivals have become the most participated in series ever run by British Dressage. In 2019 an incredible 6,463 dressage tests were ridden, this is so rewarding and demonstrates that the area festivals really do have a special place in competitors’ hearts.
“We are so pleased British dressage has been able to reschedule the championships, it is testament to the riders’ dedication that even though the competition is taking place under certain limitations, they are prepared to adapt and are so keen to attend. We are often quite amazed by some of the stories we hear about the commitment shown by riders and their horses who compete at the area festivals.
“We really appreciate the effort that our grassroots dressage riders put into making the Petplan equine area festivals such a success and would especially like to congratulate Susan and Pascal McCoy on their fantastic win and wish them the very best of luck for the future,”
Further information about the Petplan equine area festivals and how to qualify for next year’s championship are available from the Petplan Equine website at: www.petplanequine.co.uk/ area-festivals/
