Ruth Edge has set a new record for the best one-day dressage mark at a British Eventing (BE) event — scoring an extraordinary 10 in a five-year-old class at Skipton on 3 August.
Her mark — the equivalent of 90% in pure dressage — was achieved on one of her most promising youngsters, Pauline Fletcher’s Larkshill Sovereign.
It is the best one day mark recorded by BE since 1998, when they began digitising their records.
“Everything just flowed really easily,” Ruth told H&H.
“He’s rhythmical in his trot and has a lovely walk. It’s not a case of having to kick and shove; you put him in his balance and he just stays there.
“He got four 10s [from the judges]. Two of them were for his walk,” she added.
The Trakehener gelding, who stands nearly 17hh, has been campaigned lightly due to his size. His win at Skipton means he has qualified for the KBIS Young Horse Championships at Osberton at the end of the season (3-6 October).
“We’re really excited about him,” said Ruth.
“He’s easy to ride to a fence, he’s brave and nothing seems to phase him.”
Ruth is well-known for her prowess in dressage and competes separately in the pure discipline. She has won four national titles and plans to bring Shadowfax out at grand prix later this year.
A spokesman for BE said the closest anyone had come to Ruth’s score of 10 was Tim Cheffings on a 10.5 in 2010.
“There were quite a few people in the last decade with scores of 11 and 12 as well,” she added.
And Estelle Eccleston, 18, posted a score of 13.5 in a BE100 section at Eland Lodge (29 June) on the mare Top It’s Ambitious.
