Georgie Nicholls made the debut of all debuts at the Lemieux National Dressage Championships, taking the top two spots in the Equitop elementary silver. The win came with Katie Haigh’s Woodcroft Kika Quina, aka Luna, with Sarah Oppenheimer’s Headmore Figaro (Jack), winner of the novice freestyle silver title in July, taking the runner-spot.
“It’s the perfect result, but certainly unexpected,” said a delighted Georgie, 19. “I can’t believe Luna ended up the winner as she has only recently gone up to the level and she is inexperienced.”
It was the Jack who Georgie rode first in the class at the National Dressage Championships.
“Jack did a really good test, but I knew it could have been better and I knew what I had to chase with Luna. She produced one of the best, if not the best, test she has ever done,” Georgie said. “She always tries hard, but she was on fire in the warm-up and she carried that through to the arena. It’s one of the things that makes her so special, as you can take what you have in the warm-up into the test. I did feel she’d done enough to beat Jack and I’m thrilled the marks reflected what I felt.”
Katie bought the six-year-old Johnson x Rohdiamant mare two years ago after she’d done a handful of young horse classes, with the ultimate aim of doing para classes with her herself once she has been classified for a grade.
“I went to try her, rode her and loved her,” said Katie. “Georgie has done the most fantastic job with her; she is unrecognisable from the horse I bought and I can’t wait to see her develop. I do get very nervous watching her but however she goes, she’s always a winner in my eyes.”
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