“If I’m truthful I assumed he will have to come domestic with the sash; he wows me each unmarried day,” mentioned Ashley Jenkins after profitable the four-year-old phase of the KBIS younger horse finals with Nicola Mahoney’s home-bred Sport On on the 2023 LeMieux Nationwide Dressage Championships.
“I like the entirety about him,” added Ashley. “He’s now not the tallest, however then neither am I. However he fills the world. He’s my easiest horse.”
Judges Christine Prip, Erik Thielgaard and Lewis Provider had been all in whole settlement over their winner, grand prix rider Lewis having the enviable process of driving the 4 finalists this 12 months.
“They had been very other horses and every pretty in their very own approach however Sport On used to be the transparent winner, his high quality shone thru,” Lewis mentioned.
Sport On is a 2d era home-bred for Nicola: “In concept I’ve given up breeding as it’s simply too laborious. I’ve simply were given this horse and his more youthful half-sister however then one thing like this occurs and also you begin to assume,” Nicola mentioned. “Sarcastically this one is not anything like his siblings, his dam, grand dam or sire however he’s been superb for the reason that day he used to be born – it’s why he’s referred to as Sport On!”
‘We got here with top expectancies lately’
The five-and six-year-old champions on the Nationwide Dressage Championships had been a re-run of closing 12 months as each MSJ Viva Dannebrog and Iceland Woman PS, 4 and five-year-old winners respectively three hundred and sixty five days in the past, took the 5 and six-year-olds this 12 months. The one distinction used to be that this 12 months it used to be Amy Woodhead driving the previous, after her sister Holly stood in for her closing 12 months.
Viva Dannebrog, owned and bred by way of Emma Blundell, is a daughter of Diva Dannebrog, ridden to grade III para International Championship silver by way of Natasha Baker.
“Diva Dannebrog is Don Schufro x Brentano II – just right outdated German bloodlines,” mentioned Emma. “We put her to Vitalis to get a bit extra blood and to get the shoulder thru extra, and what a mare she is proving to be.
“Viva Dannebrog had her first embryo switch foal at the flooring closing 12 months, which crowned our on-line public sale,” added Emma. “We got here with top expectancies lately, and we was hoping she’d win – she’s an excessively particular horse.
“What a wonderful mare,” used to be pass judgement on Christine Prip’s tackle six-year-old winner Iceland Woman PS, ridden by way of Tom Goode for Deborah Cunningham. “She has a good looking comfortable canter, and the trot nonetheless must broaden however the substances are all there.”
Lewis Provider, 3rd within the earlier day’s grand prix with Diego V, used to be tasked with driving the highest 4 in every magnificence, and he used to be fulsome in his reward.
“I would like to take any of the 12 horses ahead domestic with me – and I’ve room on my lorry,” he quipped.
“If I had to make a choice one it will be an excessively difficult resolution between the 4 and 5 year-old winner. I believe the four-year-old Sport On would simply take it.”
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Credit score: Nico Morgan Media Credit score: Long run 
Credit score: Kevin Sparrow 
Credit score: Kevin Sparrow 
Credit score: Kevin Sparrow 
Credit score: Kevin Sparrow 
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