Northern riders dominated the championship final of the Rowallan/The Scottish Farmer winter dressage series with two titles heading north to Seaforth Riding centre, at Dingwall.

First of these was Toni Phiprs-Bell with Jenuine Silver Scania who headed the prelim final with 70%.

Jenuine Silver Scania, a nine-year-old grey gelding by the TB x Welsh stallion Scots Calders Farmer, was bought by Toni seven years ago from breeder June Campbell.

“I mostly do dressage with him but I’ve started jumping as well,” explained Toni. “I’m from Dingwall and came down on Friday with my trainer, Elaine Taylor and yesterday we were sixth in the prelim. In the final, he went really well and he listened to me, he improved so much from the warm-up ... yesterday he was a bit full of himself,” added Toni.

Runner up, just one mark adrift, was Kerry McCready with Jack Sparrow. The five-year-old Dutch warmblood is by Prestige and is owned by Cathy Ogilvie.

“I’m over the moon with him – he went really well and I’m hoping to qualify for the summer regionals,” said Kerry, who is studying agriculture at Oatridge College. “I’m on the Scottish Byrds training squad and planning on lots of dressage competitions this year.”

Third was Carenza Dickens (10) with the part-bred Welsh pony, Cedarfarm Top Man. More usually seen in the show hunter ring, this was Carenza’s second time in the dressage ring having qualified at Kingsbarn.

In the novice section it was showjumper turned eventer, Kathleen McArthur, which came out top with Andrew Hamilton’s Umbro. By Nairobi, this nine-year-old gelding was ridden last year by Martyn Johnston, who was deputising for a pregnant Kathleen. That partnership was successful, winning at Hendersyde Park and being second at Turnberry and Witton Castle.

“I qualified for this final the week before at Jumps and he went well but I wasn’t so good so I did practice this week riding in a long arena – I’ve not done that for a long time,” said Kathleen.

“He’s for sale and is a lovely allrounder, which tries hard, he won a discovery at SNEC last time out and is careful showjumping. I’d like to register him with British Dressage and try to qualify for the summer regionals as he’s a bit of poser and enjoys the dressage,” she added.

Reserve was Kirsty Aird, with Euan Snowie’s Nouvella Gold, on 67.35%. Kirsty had a succesful day riding Jill and Charlie Wilson’s pure-bred Clydesdale, Fiddlehall Sunset, into fourth place in the prelim final.

Nouvella Gold, a seven-year-old bay mare by Langold was bred in Germany by Paul Schokemohle. “She’ll stay with me and I’ll ride her in showjumping and working hunter classes and Euan’s daughter, Louise, will ride in intermediate show hunter classes – they’ve already qualified for two classes at the BSPS winter championships,” said Kirsty.

Taking time off from the family sheep farm in Perthshire was third placed Jane Gilchrist, with Desander. A BHSII, Jane had two horses qualified for the prelim and novice finals – both are full brothers by Abergwify and out of a Secundus mare, and Desander will come out at BE novice level this year.

Joy Maclean was the winner of the elementary final. Another rider with two horses qualified, it was Donnercresendo which filled the top spot with stable mate, Fruelingsstrum, fourth. Both are eight years old, Donnercresendo is by Donnersong and out of a Stonegrove Ace mare.

“He got a bit upset in the warm-up test and got his tongue over the bit, but he was much more happier in the final – more relaxed and softer in his way of going,” explained Joy.

Runners up were Kirsteen Macleod and Resauvie Romeo, but they went one better in the following class to head the medium final.

“I’ve owned him for four and a half years and he’s a very laid back straightforward horse,” explained Kirsteen, who also travelled down from Inverness.

The nine-year-old Clydesdale cross TB gelding was fifth in the elementary freestyle at the BD winter championships last year and just missed qualifying at the regionals two weeks previously.

Kirsteen and Toni’s trainer Elaine Taylor was runner up with Braham JC.

“He was bred in the north of Scotland and came to me for breaking as a five-year-old. I fell in love with him and I bought him. I also do some jumping but it’s mainly dressage I concentrate on and he’s got about 250 BD points. He’s working at advanced medium which is a learning curve for both of us,” added Elaine, who runs Seaforth Riding Centre.

Sarah Fox and Don Dante were third in the elementary, picking up an elementary wildcard qualifier at the regionals at Rowallan for the winter championships.

Sheona McNeill and Santa’s Ghost were third in the medium final. This chestnut gelding has given Sheona lots of fun by working up through the grades since he was purchased from Lady Rowallan.

LEADINGawards:

Prelim 15 (Judges: J Maclean and I Mackie) – 1, Jenuine Silver Scania, T Phiprs-Bell, 70; 2, Jack’s Sparrow, K McCready, 69.78; 3, Cedarfarm Top Man, C Dickens, 69.13; 4, Fiddlehall Sunset, K Aird, 67.61; 5, Handtoheart, A Waugh-Harkness, 66.3; 6, Jed, E Fenwick, 65.87. Novice 35 (Judges: M Hope and P Beattie) – 1, Umbro, K McArthur, 68.46; 2, Novella Gold, K Aird, 67.5; 3, Desander, J Gilchrist, 66.35; 4, Pic O’Day, E Muirhead, 66.15; 5, Little Comet, S Mackie, 65.77; 6, The Burning Issue, E Shaw, 65.58. Elem 58 (Judges: G McKee and A Fergusson) – 1, Donnercresendo, J Maclean, 70.46; 2, Resauvie Romeo, K Macleod, 69.37; 3, Don Dante, S Fox, 68.43; 4, Fruelingsstrum, J Maclean, 66.87; 5, Pinkersterbloem B, L Bryce, 66.72; 6, Pic O’Day, 63.75. Medium (Judges: P Beattie and M Hope) – 1, Resauvie Romeo, 67.12; 2, Braham JC, E Taylor, 65.61; 3, Santa’s Ghost, S McNeill, 61.06; 4, Deepwell Cadenza, C Paterson, 56.67.