1st Mar 2007

Sparkling Performance by Local Dressage Horse

(Blue Waters National Dressage Championships)

Local dressage trainer and rider Becky Whitcombe is celebrating after her mare, Desiderata, won the Easibed Intermediaire I Freestyle Championship at the Blue Waters National Dressage Championships held last week between the 14th and 17th September 2006. Based in Warwickshire, the week long event brought about the conclusion to the glamorous but demanding summer dressage season.

After a very wet start to the week Becky Whitcombe’s Desiderata, who is ridden by the international rider Peter Storr, was placed third in Thursday’s Derby House Prix St Georges Championship and on Friday went on to take second place in the closely fought Quatro Intermediaire I Championship. In a campaign which saw 38 of the country’s leading dressage stars competing for a place in Saturday’s Easibed Intermediaire I Freestyle Championship, Desiderata beat off strong competition from some of the up and coming dressage horses of the future to secure only one of fifteen places in the Freestyle Championship.

Riding to several light instrumental pieces, Desiderata and Peter gained the highest technical marks in the Championship for their test which included some fabulous canter pirouettes. Becky said after the competition “I am absolutely thrilled this is a dream come true for me, Desiderata was correct and relaxed, the music suited her and the relationship that Peter has built with Desiderata in such a short space of time is fantastic”. Judy Harvey took second place and in third place was Carl Hester who has worked with Becky in the training of Desiderata.

Widely recognised throughout the area, Becky and the advanced dressage mare are often seen competing at the British Dressage Premier League shows. Desiderata who is by the stallion Don Primero was bought as a three year old by Becky from Christian Heinrich and, with the help of her trainers Carl Hester and Kalman de Jurenak, has been brought on to successfully compete at a consistently high level.

However, since becoming a saddle fitter for bespoke saddle manufacturer Sue Carson Saddles, Becky has had very little time for competing and handed over the reins to the Sue Carson Saddles sponsored rider, Peter Storr in July.

Peter and the Hanoverian mare, Desiderata had a superb start to the season winning the Prix St Georges qualifier and the National Advanced 100 class at the Hartpury Festival of Dressage in Gloucestershire and the Intermediaire I Freestyle class at Frys CDI** in August.

Although finished for the season Desiderata will carry on with her training, said Becky “We have no plans as of yet but I think Desiderata has the capability to begin working towards Grand Prix level next season”.