It's been a busy week for sponsored rider Maddie O'Carroll and the gorgeous Rooney.
Not only did Maddie turn 21 on the 1st November, she also qualified for the Winter Regional finals taking place at the end of February 2018 with her beautiful test to music. In a big class, the pair were third, less than 2% behind second place - so huge congratulations.
What is so lovely to watch is how this partnership puts movements to music, seemingly effortlessly matching the pace with the chosen musical composition. Within the remit of compulsory movements, the test can be choreographed to show Rooney off at his best. Once again they worked in absolute harmony finishing in a beautiful square halt as the last note played.
And qualifying isn't just one score at one competition. To get to the Winter Regionals the pair have to have achieved two scores higher than 66%, so achieving 68.85% was more than good enough on top their previous 68% in another tough competition at Hartpury in August - and that came after scoring a brilliant 73% in their dressage to music the previous day!
Credit too to Rooney, who at 19 shows little sign of slowing down. He's also had a busy few days, travelling down from Cirencester to home in Farnham to prepare for this week's competition and then back again immediately afterwards. But he's a seasoned traveller and very chilled. So long as he's rewarded with lots of sugar lumps, a Polo or two, haylage and lots of love and attention from all his human handlers, he takes travelling in his stride and is now settled back at his university home for a few more weeks before the end of term.
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