Oxfordshire Rider Captures First Prize at Winter Dressage Championships
07 September 2006
Gareth Hughes won the Speedi-Beet Advanced Medium at this year’s Winter Dressage Championships, riding Rebecca Patmore’s talented Sandman.
The combination from South Newington, Oxon, were on top form at the championships and delighted the audience with their performance.
Sandman is a Dutch bred horse by Jazz and Gareth has been riding him for Rebecca for two years.
With a score of 70%, Gareth was delighted with the result: “He’s a very talented horse; he has lots of confidence and can be quite strong willed, he was quite a handful as a young horse.”
Gareth and Rebecca have high hopes for Sandman as he has already qualified for the Advanced Medium at the Nationals in the summer.
“We hope to progress him up to Prix St Georges level, as he is more than capable of competing at that level and beyond,” added Gareth.
Gareth enjoys competing with Sandman and said: “I think he is one of the best horses I have produced. He is very good with the atmosphere and enjoys performing in front of people.
“He was the only horse I rode at the championship’s and it was good to concentrate on him and help my pupils who were competing there.”