Princess Bella claims her crown
Horse & Hound|July 08, 2021
Alice Oppenheimer and her delightful home-bred mare dance their way to a freestyle double, while two other riders end a run of near misses to reach the top of the podium
POLLY BRYAN, CATHERINE AUSTEN, LUCY ELDER & GEMMA REDRUP
Princess Bella claims her crown

ALICE OPPENHEIMER landed the sought-after Superflex inter I freestyle, riding her beloved mare Headmore Bella Ruby, who upgraded from her advanced medium music title in 2020.

The pair produced a brilliant, faultless routine to an emotive Les Misérables soundtrack to score 74.17% and add the inter I freestyle title to their Magic Prix st georges (PSG) music title from earlier in the week.

Bella was home-bred by Alice’s mother Sarah out of their outstanding Headmore Stud foundation mare Rubinsteena and is by Belissimo M.

“Bella is, as everyone knows, the apple of my eye – she’s Princess Bella,” said Alice, who also claimed a pair of small tour titles at these championships in 2019 on Headmore Davina.

“From the first moment I sat on Bella when she was first backed as a four-year-old, I said to Mum that there was something really special about her. She has an amazing work ethic.”

While a couple of errors in the canter work pulled down the pair’s score in the straight inter I, they were back to full strength by the freestyle.

This story is from the July 08, 2021 edition of Horse & Hound.

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This story is from the July 08, 2021 edition of Horse & Hound.

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