CHILDWALL’S Sandra Greig and her own nine-year-old gelding Valstar were victorious in the recent NAF Five Star Winter Dressage Championships at Hartpury college.

Greig took the title of KBIS Preliminary Winter Champion 2011, with their well-deserved score of 70.61%.

Greig was part of three northern based riders that made sure their trip down to Gloucestershire to compete in the NAF Five Star Winter Dressage Championships at Hartpury college was worthwhile when they took the top three spots in the KBIS British Equestrian Insurance Preliminary Championship.

Greig, together with Christine Parry and Cheryl Booth all qualified for the Winter Championships at the British Dressage regional final held at Myerscough Equestrian Centre back in February.

This time round however the placings were altered and it was Greig, and Valstar who emerged as champions.

Having had her second child just ten weeks before the Championship, Sandra doubted that they would even get their qualification to the regionals let alone dream of going on to win the Championship.

Said Sandra: “It still hasn’t sunk in I am so pleased with him; he couldn’t have gone any better.

“I was quite emotional after my test and I said to my friend that whatever my score turned out to be it was immaterial, I’m just delighted with him and how he went.”

Her score however didn’t prove to be immaterial to the other competitors in the class, as it set the standard that proved to be too high to beat.

Sandra and Dante, as he is called at home, were all too familiar with the atmosphere that comes with competing in a Championship arena as they competed in the same class at last years Winter Championships. On that occasion it wasn’t quite the same success story.

Drawn first to go in the class they were heading down the centre line when the roller blind of the café, which overlooks the arena, was pulled up, distracting Dante and unsettling him for the rest of his test. Having gained a wild card for the Championships, they finished sixth at their regional final, Sandra said: “I have been telling myself not to be intimidated by the other riders and the marks scored at the regional finals, I was determined to go in and do our best.”

Still drawn fairly early in the class, sixth to go out of the twenty-two competitors it was an anxious wait for Sandra as the remaining competitors performed their test. On hearing that she had claimed the title Sandra was quick to thank her good friend Becky Whalley who has been riding Dante during her pregnancy.

It was only second placed Christine Parry who also achieved a score in the seventies with 70.15%, who came close to threatening Sandra’s lead. For Christine’s ride, Blues Knight, it was his first experience in a Championship arena and so Christine was pleased with how he coped with the atmosphere and being stabled away from home. Christine rides the six-year-old chestnut gelding for his owner Sandra Hassett and is hoping that she will be able to keep the ride as they move up to Novice level this year.

Third place went to the regional winners at Myerscough Cheryl Booth and the seven year old gelding Dettori F with a score of 69.39%. Owned by John McKenna the combination are used to competing against the Championship winner but on this occasion although they produced a polish performance it wasn’t quite enough to take the title but at a Championship such as this third is a remarkable achievement and the smiles on the faces of the top three riders as they were presented with their prizes said it all.