KEMPSEY-based dressage rider Lucy Farrer looks to have two promising prospects for 2006.
Farrer, who runs a small training yard at Stonehill Common, was in action at the three-day Addington Manor dressage meeting in Buckinghamshire.
The competition drew several international riders and Farrer finished second in the two Prix St Georges tests on offer, one of the highest levels in dressage and just two steps below the top Grand Prix category used in Olympic competition.
Her partner was the 16hh bay Trakenher horse Highlander V, who she has been riding for more than four years now.
"Highlander was a bargain buy as he was quite tricky. I've taken a long time getting him right and we are now starting to move up the levels," said Farrer. "At Addington, he performed two nice consistent tests and was fairly level throughout."
Farrer, who is trained by Beoley-based World Championship dressage rider and Fellow of the BHS Ferdi Eilberg, has qualified Highlander V for the British Dressage winter regional finals.
These get under way at five arenas across Britain later this month and the top riders go on to the National Winter Championships, again at Addington, in April. Farrer also won a Medium test at Addington on black eight-year-old mare Rossgold Rubina, who scored an impressive 73.45%.
She has been riding the big 17.1hh horse since last September for Welsh owner Karen Williams.
"The mare had undergone an embryo transfer last year -- she has three foals in waiting -- and Karen was then looking for a new rider for her," Farrer said. "She has a naturally good walk, which is an important mark earner in dressage, and also scored well at Addington for her extended work."
She is planning to qualify the mare for the winter regional finals in the near future and is already mid-way to gaining a place at the 2006 summer regional finals.
"I'll now crack on with training over the next few weeks and the plan then is to move the mare up to Advanced level," Farrer added.
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