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Ten amateur dressage riders competing at novice through to Prix St George have qualified for next year's prestigious Petplan Equine Area festivals Championships after a great performance in the Petplan Equine Area Festival that took place at Vale View Equestrian, Melton Mowbray in Leicestershire, 29th to 30th October, 2011.

The following horse and rider combinations won their respective classes with each posting scores high enough to earn them the chance to compete in the Championships, which takes place at Hartpury Arena in Gloucestershire in April next year.

Level	Percentage	Horse and Rider	Town	Country
Preliminary	68.18%	Laura Humphrey (28) riding her own 6 year old, 16.2hh bay gelding, Jivetime Rules of Engagement	Lichfield	Staffordshire
Preliminary	67.50%	Beverley Alger (32) riding Wumatin	Burton on Trent	Staffordshire
Novice Restricted	69.23%	Kimberley Goodall (23) riding her own 8 year old, 16.2hh bay gelding, Master Dee	Ashbourne	Derbyshire
Novice Restricted	71.35%	Jenny Briddon riding Black MacGregor, a 7 year old 16.2hh brown gelding, owned by Mrs S Carson	Alfreton	Derbyshire
Novice Open	70.96%	Shelley Reeve-Smith riding her own 6 year old, 16hh bay gelding, Lord Nevis	Ware	Herefordshire
Elementary Restricted	66.62%	Lorraine Sattin (59) riding her own 6 year old, 16.1hh liver chestnut gelding, Roario Royale	Chipperfield	Hertfordshire
Elementary Restricted	65.44%	Louise Jenkinson-Dix (23) riding her own 11 year old, 16.2hh bay gelding, Cadifor Harry	Uttoxeter	Staffordshire
Elementary Open	66.91%	Rose Hugh Smith (12) riding her own 14 year old, 14.1hh liver chestnut gelding, Campari W	Henley on Thames	Oxfordshire
Medium Restricted	66.21%	Zoe Olivia Gullet (28) riding her own 9 year old, 16.2hh dark brown stallion, Challon Z	High Wycombe	Buckinghamshire
Medium Open	65.45%	Sue Staines (64) riding Comte D'orsini, an 11year old 16.1hh black gelding, owned by Mrs M Holmes	Peatling Magna	Leicestershire
Advanced Medium Restricted	68.97%	Elenor Dimant (38) riding her own 9 year old, 16.1hh bay gelding, Mr Kobayashi	Ayot St Lawrence	Hertfordshire
Advanced Medium Open	67.21%	Tahley Reeve Smith (43) riding Rio Star, an 11 year old 16.3hh black gelding, owned by Ms E Dimant	Ware	Hertfordshire
Prix St Georges	65.00%	Paula Cooke (42) riding Rosenthald, a 13 year old 16hh bay gelding, owned by Miss A C Parker	Middleton Cheney	Banbury

The Petplan Equine Area festivals, or 'The Petplans' as they have become known, is a series of 15 dressage competitions that runs from August to October. Held at top dressage venues across the UK these events give riders the chance to compete in top class arenas and experience true championship conditions.

Isabella Von Mesterhazy, Petplan Equine's Head of Marketing said: "This is the 12th year in which Petplan Equine has been sponsoring this competition and over the years we have seen the standard improve significantly. It is vital in any sport to support the grass roots and never is this more important than in the UK's fastest growing equestrian discipline, dressage. Our aim with the Area festivals is to give riders the chance to compete on the 'big stage' and I would like to wish all those who have qualified here at Vale View the very best of luck in the Petplan Equine Area festivals Championship next April."

Further information about the Area festivals is available from the Petplan Equine website at www.petplanequine.co.uk/events.

Photo Caption: Novice Restricted winner Jenny Briddon, riding Black MacGregor

Source: Photograph with kind permission of Mark in Time Photography, www.markintimephotography.co.uk

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For more information please contact the Petplan press office on:

Name	Telephone	Email
Tolu Akisanya	0208 580 8194	[email protected]
Carl Stephens	0208 707 8335	[email protected]

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Established more than 20 years ago, Petplan Equine is part of Allianz Insurance, one of the largest general insurers in the world.

For more information about a Petplan Equine horse insurance policy, please visit:
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Note to editors:

• Petplan Equine was founded in 1988
• It is part of Allianz Animal Health, the largest provider of animal health insurance in the world and part of Allianz – one of the largest general insurers in the UK
• In addition to horse and pony insurance options, Petplan Equine provides dedicated products for veteran horses and rider only insurance cover
• It is the sister brand of Petplan, the largest provider of small animal insurance in the UK
• Petplan Equine believes in supporting the equine community and provides more financial support to equestrian sports and activities than any equine insurance provider in the UK
• The Pet Plan Charitable Trust was founded in 1994 to raise much needed funds for animal welfare and veterinary projects. Money is raised by Petplan and Petplan Equine customers giving an optional £1.50 to the Trust when they take out or renew their policy. To date, almost £5 million has been awarded by the Trust
• Petplan and Petplan Equine are specialist insurers. As such, the company employs more horse riders and owners than any other and more former veterinary practice staff than any other to ensure the provision of specialist knowledge
• Petplan Equine is the only insurer to offer illness and accident cover for older horses, up to the age of 25 as long as the policy is taken before your horse reaches the age of 20.