Wiltshire based, Chantelle Symonds is one of our Senior dressage rider and is 21 years old. Having ridden since she was five she started dressage in the summer of 2012 with her horse Stadmorslow Coffee ‘n’ Cream (aka Harvey) whom she bought as a rising four year old back in 2010. Harvey is a 15.1hh Appaloosa x Welsh Sec D gelding. Within two months they had qualified and taken home double gold medals from the Cricklands Champs of GB in the Prelim 4/7 and Prelim 15/19 classes and won their first Novice class. From that, they then went on to win a further three gold, one silver and one bronze medal at the following Winter League Finals and Championships at Prelim to Elementary. In February 2013 they also won the overall young riders Preliminary championship at the UK U21s Dressage Championships when they decided to join British Dressage. Having qualified for the PetPlan Area Festivals in 2013 at Prelim, they went on to come second on 69% and qualify for the Area Festival Finals in April 2014 however their qualification was overridden when they were awarded a wildcard for the NAF 5* Winter Championships in the Preliminary class after coming 4th at the Winter Regionals on 71.22%, they went on to finish 8th at the Championships. Since then they have qualified for the Summer Regional Championships at Novice Restricted as well as PetPlan Area Festivals at Novice as well. The PetPlan Area Festival for this year was another success, finishing 2nd again on 71.21% and qualifying for the second year to the PetPlan Area Festival Championships. They have also represented the Southern Region at the BYRDS Inter-Regionals where they finished 8th in the C Squad competition and the BYRDS Home International where they finished 5th & 10th with scores up to 72%. Chantelle’s aims for the next twelve months are to continue progressing and working on the transition to Elementary and Medium levels. Having already qualified for the Winter Regional Championships 2015 at Novice Restricted and the Novice Restricted Music classes, they are aiming for a top ten placing within these and hopefully two qualification spots as well!
Posted on: Mon, 13 Oct 2014 15:02:41 +0000