‘He is my dream horse’

Dannie Morgan and Davy Harvey proved kings of Hartpury, claiming seven titles between them, while young horses provide plenty of names to watch

- Dannie Morgan and Davy Harvey

THE 2023 NAF Five Star Winter Dressage Championships well and truly belonged to Dannie Morgan and his partner Davy Harvey, who between them racked up seven titles from novice to inter I.

It was Dannie who stamped his name on four of this year’s winter accolades, beginning his blistering run with victory in both the Prestige novice and Baileys Horse Feeds novice freestyle riding his own hugely exciting five-year-old Fever Tree, a Foundation x Dayano son whom he says is “the best horse I’ve ever sat on”.

“He was bred by a friend of mine, and he is my dream horse – I love everything about him,” said Dannie, who scored 78.7% with “Gordon” in the freestyle and a whopping 80.49% in the straight class.

“From the day he was born I thought, ‘Oh my god, I need that horse’, and then I backed him at three and just had to have him, so I bought him. I still have to pinch myself – it’s not every day you find a horse like this and I feel very lucky. He’s the best horse I’ve ever sat on, and I think he has the potential to be a top horse.”

Dannie also doubled up at elementary, winning both the PDS Saddles elementary freestyle and the Equi-Trek straight class riding Kristina Rausing’s six-year-old Vive La Reinne VH (Delilah).

“Delilah is a beautiful mare. I’ve had her since she was rising three – I backed her myself and I’ve done everything with her,” he said.