Dean Close Equestrian Triumphs at 2024 NSEA National Finals

The Dean Close Foundation’s Equestrian squad displayed exceptional skill and determination at the NSEA National Finals, held at Addington Equestrian from 18th-21st October. Competing over four days, the team, featuring riders from both Dean Close School (DCS) and Dean Close Preparatory School (DCPS), qualified to represent the Foundation in nearly every discipline, including Jumping with Style (JWS), Show Jumping, Dressage, and the Regional Points League (RPL).

The talented squad members, competing as a unified Foundation team, included:

DCPS Riders

• Joseph W.: Show Jumping (SJ), JWS, RPL 70-75 and 80-85 SJ Team
• Aoife C.: SJ, JWS 70-75 Team and 80-85 RPL
• William G.: 70-75 SJ Team & Individual

DCS Riders

• Lucinda F.: 70-75 SJ, JWS & RPL Team and Individual
• Fenella C.: 70-75 JWS Team and Individual, 80-85 SJ, JWS, RPL Teams and Dressage Team
• Rose W.: 80-85 SJ, JWS Team and Individual, 90 SJ Team, JWS Individual, 1m RPL, and Dressage Team
• Arthur C.: 90 SJ, RPL Team
• Maddie M-S.: 80-85 SJ, JWS Team, 90 SJ, 1m RPL Teams, Dressage Team, and Prelim & Novice Individual
• Corinna C.: 80-85 JWS Team, 90 SJ and RPL Team, Dressage Team

To qualify for the Nationals, school teams had to secure first or second place in regional qualifiers, with individuals finishing in the top four. This year, over 231 schools competed for national titles, and Dean Close teams reached the top eight in every event entered—a remarkable achievement showcasing the squad’s strength and unity.

Show Jumping Highlights

For the first time, Dean Close qualified three Show Jumping teams across different height sections (70-75, 80-85, and 90-95). After an impressive first round, each team advanced to the jump-off.

• 70-75 SJ Team: Lucinda F., William G., Aoife C., and Joseph W. finished third overall, securing a podium spot.
• 80-85 SJ Team: Maddie M-S., Rose W., Fenella C., and Joseph W. placed fifth, achieving this despite Joseph’s pony needing rest, leaving the team to jump with just three riders.
• 90-95 SJ Team: The team of Corinna C., Arthur C., Maddie M-S., and Rose W. clinched the National Championship with a flawless zero-score round, marking Dean Close as the 2024 National Champions in this division.

Jumping with Style (JWS)

JWS combines show jumps and cross-country obstacles, judged on timing and style. Dean Close’s 70-75 JWS team, featuring Lucinda F., Fenella C., Aoife C., and Joseph W., finished fifth among 21 teams, with Fenella taking an impressive individual fifth place out of 48 riders. The 80-85 JWS team (Fenella C., Rose W., Maddie M-S., and Corinna C.) performed strongly against a challenging course, finishing sixth.

Regional Points League (RPL) National Final

Dean Close’s combined team of eight riders from both DCS and DCPS achieved an impressive sixth place in the RPL Final.

Team Dressage

Competing in less-than-ideal weather, the dressage team—led by Rose W. and Fenella C. in the prelim round—earned a final standing of fifth after excellent performances from Maddie M-S. and Corinna C. Maddie achieved a standout score of 70.71%.

Individual Dressage

Year 11 rider Maddie M-S., riding Conclusive and Hokus Pokus GR, excelled individually in both Prelim and Novice events. She secured the title of 2024 Prelim National Champion with a remarkable score of 74.14% and finished fifth in Novice.

Final Results:

• 70-75 JWS: Team 5th; Individual 5th (Fenella C.)
• 80-85 JWS: Team 6th
• 70-75 SJ: Team 3rd
• 80-85 SJ: Team 5th
• 90-95 SJ: Team 1st – National Champions
• RPL National Final: Team 6th
• Dressage Team: Team 5th
• Prelim Dressage: Individual 1st – National Champion (Maddie M-S.)
• Novice Dressage: Individual 5th (Maddie M-S.)

Congratulations to all the Dean Close riders and their exceptional horses for representing the school with such courage and skill. A special thanks to the National Schools Equestrian Association for hosting a fantastic 2024 National Finals.