Riders through to the tenth Petplan Equine Area Festival Finals at Hartpury next week have an added incentive to do well. AM Dressage and Petplan Equine have teamed up to offer a fantastic prize to the highest achiever over the five days of competition, H&C has learned.

The winner of the new initiative will be the combination who achieves the highest score from among those competing at this year’s Petplan Equine Area Festival Finals. The lucky winner will receive a five day intensive training course with Adam Kemp FBHS.

More than 2000 amateur riders from all over the UK competed at Area Festivals from August to November 2009. From here 400 combinations will go forward to compete in these prestigious finals, each vying to win one of ten classes from prelim to Prix St Georges.

Commenting on this new prize, Alison Andrew, Marketing Manager of Petplan Equine, said: “The Petplan Equine Area Festivals are going from strength to strength with the standard of riding improving every year and we wanted to find a way of rewarding this year’s highest achiever and provide inspiration for the future.”

Adam Kemp FBHS and partner Matt Frost run AM Dressage at their Gloucestershire yard where the lucky winner will receive a tailored course to suit their needs. The clinic will include accommodation and meals, initial assessment, shared and individual lessons, test riding, lectures in sports psychology and a gala evening. In addition, the lucky rider will be given a Petplan Equine numnah and jacket.

Adam Kemp said: “All riders need training at every level. This type of intensive course is a great way for serious amateurs to polish up and work on that winning edge to help them move onto the next level.”

The Petplan Equine Area Festivals Finals take place from 7 to 11 April at Gloucestershire’s Hartpury College alongside the NAF Five Star Winter Dressage Championships.