PURTON Stoke 17-year-old Danielle Dunn has made a cracking start to the new eventing season with two wins on the opening weekend of this popular outdoor sport.

She travelled down to Moreton in Dorset for one of two affiliated British Eventing (BE) competitions that got the new season underway.

There, Dunn headed a Novice section, with Olympian Andrew Nicholson among those behind her, on the eight year old chestnut horse Romantik.

“I hadn’t been to this venue before and I really liked it – it was an inviting first run that was testing enough but gave the horses confidence,” she said.

“There was a double of corners cross country, which jumped well, and the most testing fence was a downhill run to a ‘skinny’ coffin that was set on a turn, so it was easy to miss your line.”

The teenager completed on her dressage score of 30.5 to win by 2½ marks and will now run Romantik in a Junior Open Novice section at Poplar Park in Suffolk this weekend.

“Then he’ll have an Intermediate run at Gatcombe, before moving onto Junior Trials and hopefully British Junior teams,” she added.

“I have lessons from Jane Kidd - we’ve been working really hard on the dressage - and my mum Jacquie is a great help too.”

Dunn then won a ‘Pre-Intro’ section at the unaffiliated Washbrook Farm one day event in Northants, a venue that also runs regular BE dates and is owned by international eventers Nigel and Ann Taylor. Her partner was the rising six year old grey mare R Trixie May Finn, who she bought from the breeder and who is better known as ‘Tricky’.

“Washbrook is another lovely venue and we’ve previously bought two horses from the Taylors,” said Danielle.

“Tricky is awesome – still a bit giddy but good fun – and I was very pleased with her.

"In the dressage out warm-up was eventful though, as horses on the cross country course were galloping past, but she calmed down in the arena.

"The cross country course was very varied, with a bit of everything, so it was a really good experience for her.”

This horse will have a first BE run at Swacliffe Park in Oxfordshire later this month and Danielle also has another young horse she is bringing on this season.

ANOTHER local 17 year old, Swindon based Sarah Hutchings, was among the winners at the Isleham BE one day event, the other affiliated opening date of the year.

Hutchings, who won the British Junior title at the Houghton International three-day event last year on Horus De Ligniere, led a BE100 section by just over two marks at the well known Cambridgeshire venue.

This was on Park Florianda – ‘Flo’ – the 15.3hh ex-racehorse, who was bought three years ago to help Hutchings make the transition from ponies to horses.

“Sarah was chuffed to win – it was a great result for her first run and top names like Oliver Townend and Piggy French were in the section,” said dad Kevin.

“We like starting at Isleham, as they have good peaty ground which means they hardly ever have to cancel, and the going was on the soft side of perfect.

"I was glad Sarah rode on the first day as the take offs and landings did get a bit deep cross country, as they always have a lot of runners.”

Hutchings also has dressage training with Jane Kidd and jump coaching from locally based instructor Rhian Jones, and had been working very hard to get Flo fit after the horse enjoyed a long spell out at grass.

She also picked up a 10th on her big chestnut mare Madame Butterfly in the BE100 Open section, where one show jump down cost the pair second spot.

“This horse, who had been ridden by Portuguese international Carlos Paro in the past, was again bought for Sarah to learn on,” Mr Hutchings added.

“She also went very well – shame about the pole down.”

Hutchings, who has now left school and is concentrating on her eventing career, will again have Horus De Ligniere as her top ride this year.

The 15 year old gelding, who competed at three star level with Abi Walters and Francesca Ludlam, will once more be aimed at the British Junior Championships.

The pair’s British title win in 2009 brought them some deserved attention and sponsorship from Albion Saddles and Joules Clothing, and the teenager is ‘looking forward to seeing how this season goes’.

THE VWH (Vale of the White Horse) Hunt Pony Club was in top form at a competition where the emphasis was on style.

The Avon Vale branch of the Pony Club staged a ‘Jumping and Style’ day at West Wilts Equestrian Centre at Holt, where the VWH pulled off a double in the team sections.

They began with a victory in the opening class, where they just pipped the Beaufort team by two marks. Olympia Olympitus was their star performer, finishing second in the individual rankings riding Danny, with teammate Jess McNally in third on Fionn.

Completing the winning side were Lara Sheate and Alex Norris.

The VWH completed the double when they won the day’s last class, with Alice Bibby also taking individual honours on My Last Rolo.

Caitlin Belsham was third on Silver Zed with Anna Horton and Rosie Hutchins also on the team.

VWH rider Lucy Kernon was also on the winning mixed team in Class Two, where she was joined by Tedworth Hunt’s Rosabel Crean, Cotswold Hunt’s Harriet George and Ridgeway’s Alice King.

Bibby’s sister Grace topped the individual line-up on Coconut, beating Beaufort’s Rosie Dibben by one mark.

Two more Beaufort Hunt members, Tiger Spearman and Rosie Dibble, were on the winning team in Class Three, joined by Craven duo Jess Moody and Jo Weeks.

Avon Vale’s Katie Smyth, 13, kept the home flag flying when she won the individual title on her New Forest pony Sobraine, with Alice Bibby second this time. Avon Vale’s Antonia Riley, Poppy Clifford, Ellie Webster and Mollie Manister were third in this section.

RESULTS

Class 1 teams: 1 VWHHunt - Jess McNally, Fionn; Olympia Olympitus, Danny; Alex Norris, Foxy & Lara Sheate, Cavendish; 2 Beaufort Hunt - Zoe Davison, Sambuka; Marina Jodrell, Sambo; Chloe Felton, Splashing Sensation & Georgie Howes, Baygo; 3 Wylye Valley

Individual: 1 Chelsea Pearce (Tedworth Hunt), Yellow Roly Rascal; 2 Danny; 3 Fionn.

Class 2 teams: 1 Mixed Team - Lucy Kernon, Midnight Delight; Harriet George, Harley; Rosabel Crean, Scrumpy Jack & Alice King, Little Firefly; 2 Tedworth Hunt – IssyWarner, Alice; Chelsea Pearce, Roly Rascal; India Ryder, Olek & Luke Perkins, Lawrence; 3 Minchinhampton.

Individual: 1 Grace Bibby (VWH Hunt), Coconut; 2 Rosie Dibben (Beaufort Hunt), Charlie; 3 Jazzy Jones (Craven Hunt), Magenta Minnie.

Class 3 teams: 1 Mixed Team - Jess Moody, Super Groover; Jo Weeks, Pot of Gold II; Tiger Spearman, Rex & Rosie Dibble, Charlie; 2 VWH Hunt - Ollie Hall, Lumiere; Miranda Horton, Goodness Gracious; Alice Edgedale, Smartie & Caitlin Belsham, Silver Zed; 3 Avon Vale Hunt - Antonia Riley, de Beers Darwin; Poppy Clifford, Little Miss Millie; Ellie Webster, Night Fever & Mollie Manister, Tricky.

Individual: 1 Katie Smyth, Hotchpotch Sobranie; 2 Alice Bibby (VWH Hunt), My Last Rolo; 3 Night Fever.

Class 4 teams: 1 VWH Hunt - My Last Rolo; Anna Horton, Muffin; Rosie Hutchins, Siver & Smartie; 2 Mixed Team - Jo Dunn, Who Dun It II; Louise Chamberlain, Mystic Clover; Becky Rickman, Billy & Georgia Lisi, Rough Diamond; 3 Craven Hunt - Super Groover; Izzy Hocking, Tamera Bay; Ella Guest, Aurora's Fantasy & Emily Pope, Kelson's Lottery.

Individual: 1 My Last Rolo; 2 Billy; 3 Silver Zed.

MORE SPORTS IN THURSDAY'S GAZETTE & HERALD