Whitworth accrues second national title

Whitworth, 25, from Rawmarsh, excelled at Hartpury’s NAF Five-Star Winter National Dressage Championships on board Ramazotti III – an nine-year-old Hanoverian stallion by Rubin Royal.

The pair scored 69.91 per cent to finish more than two per cent ahead of their closest rivals to land the Charles Owen Advanced Medium Restricted Championship.

This was the second championship victory in 12 months for Whitworth and his exciting nine-year-old bay, who also won the medium restricted at the summer national championships at Stoneleigh last September.

“I’m really proud of him,” said Whitworth. “He took it on and enjoyed himself. He’s such a good horse, he makes it easy for me.”

Whitworth is based with 
international rider Peter Storr in Broadway, Gloucester, and bought Ramazotti two years ago from his former employer, Caroline Saynor of Wakefield.

The Yorkshireman has ridden the hot prospect since he was a four-year-old and is now aiming to complete a hat-trick of national wins at this year’s Summer Finals.

Whitworth added: “He’s a strong character, but I know him inside out.

“He’s established at the level now so I can steer him and don’t have to work so hard. He’s progressing well and ready for Prix St Georges.

“We’ll do a PSG in a month or so, consolidate at that level, then push on from there. He’s a great long-term hope for me.”

Whitworth’s proud father David beamed: “Calum has had to move around the UK many times to get to where he is today to progress in his passion for dressage.

“He’s achieved this with no sponsorship, just hard graft, commitment and a fair dose of talent.

“It’s not a Billy Elliot tale, but when did as lad from a pit village in South Yorkshire make it ‘on his own’ in the select world of dressage?”

Two more Yorkshire stars heading for Hartpury are Rebecca Howe and Izzy Scott who have qualified for the British Universities and Colleges Sport national finals on Wednesday, June 12.

Both riders shone at the recent regional finals alongside Bishop Burton team-mates and students Jack Anderson and Dean Shaw.

The quartet were mentored by Equine Academy Coach Monica Zetterquist and Four Star event rider Ginnie Turnbull with Bishop Burton finishing second as a team on the day behind the Universities of Leeds, but ahead of the University of Lancaster.

Scott finished fifth individually with Howe sixth as both booked summer trips to Hartpury.

“I didn’t expect to qualify individually, this is amazing,” said Scott.

“It’s a shame the team didn’t get through, but we did our best. I’ll be carrying on with my training now and looking forward to the finals.”