Double delight from Durable

Combinations demonstrate lockdown training has worked with improved scores and personal bests

- HELEN TRIGGS

Bury Farm High Profile Show, Bucks

NIKKI BARKER’S two grand prix performances with the 12-year-old Spielberg x Tango stallion Durable were a highlight of the show. The stunning 17.2hh bay was solid in the work and impressive in its execution. Durable has rhythmic, elevated paces and is light on his feet for such a substantial horse. Nikki’s sympathetic and accurate riding was rewarded with scores of 73.33% and 72.17%.

Despite his powerful movement, “Danny” has the ability to collect, and his piaffe and passage were in a class of their own.

“He really sits in the piaffe but sometimes he doesn’t quite have the balance and strength to come out of it,” said Nikki, who owns him with Viv Gleave. This was only his third competition at the level and Nikki believes there is still more to come. “He’s able to perform the difficult things and stay elastic and relaxed.”

Matt Frost headed back to Gloucestershire with four red rosettes. Summerhouse Delano (Dayano x Jazz) won an inter I, inter I freestyle and prix st georges (PSG). Matt bought “Del” last year from Sara Gallop, who trained him up to PSG.

“He’s a nervy horse but we got to know each quite quickly,” commented Matt. “He’s a very classy horse. Initially he struggled with collection and the canter pirouette, but in lockdown we focused on the training.

“The freestyle [which scored 75.18%] was probably the best test he’s done. He was nicely in front of the leg and into the contact so he was easy to steer around the test. He becomes more confident with each test.”