Everything Horse magazine Everything Horse UK Magazine, November 2014 | Page 6

BRITISH DRESSAGE REPORT
have had the ride on her since she came to
us, that is 10 months ago now so this was
our first season. She was placed third and
fourth in the Hickstead Dressage Masters
Championships at Novice and Elementary
and hasn’t had a score under 70%, often
gaining 9’s for her walk (super news as she
is going to be a para horse). My job with her
was of course furthering her training but

also getting her out to competition venues
so she could get used to the environment
and be de-sensitised but she has always
been so cool at every venue we have visited
she has made my job very easy... and
enjoyable!
The yard is sponsored by Allen and Page
Feeds, and luckily I was wearing their

numnah in the winning test! We were also
placed 3rd in the Novice Open on the Friday.
So Athene really was on good form I have
been overwhelmed by the support I have
been given from the Assouline dressage
home team, the owners and my trainers
Mette and Michel, as this has been my
busiest season so far. Athene will soon be
ridden more frequently by Sophie to start
her para equestrian career and I hope to
carry on competing and training the horses
at Assouline dressage. With (I hope) just
as much success! I will be reporting on my
twitter @JessyT90 all my dressage updates.”
One of the most talked about wins of the
entire championship was Dan Greenwood
and the very talented Exige M. Exige and
Dan won the Supreme Champion Shearwater
Young Horse International Potential and
was compared by one judge to previous
winner Woodlander Farouche. This class is
a chance to find the next super star and is
very competitive with top riders taking part
including Charlotte Dujardin and Michael
Eilberg.

Daisy Jackson’s

Image above: Owen celebrating in the prize giving, photo by Classic Dressage

British Dressage Report
T

he 2014 LeMieux National
Dressage Championships put on
quite a show this year with wins
from Michael Eilberg with the
phenomenal Woodlander Farouche, Dan
Greenwood and the super talented Exige
M and Carl Hester taking yet another
national title with Dances With Wolves.
The riders, horses and percentages seem
to be improving across the nation at a rate
of knots and that was very evident at this
year’s Nationals.

He continues “He’s a lovely horse and I am
very lucky to ride him. He had his first 4
foals this year and they are beautiful. We
have one of them, he’s really smart.” The
Dancier stallion is owned by Wendy Mckay,
who was obviously delighted with their
performance.

After winning the Dressage Deluxe Medium
Restricted Championship I caught up with
Owen Cooper who has been bringing on
Don Dante since the horse was 4 years old.
“I did all the young horse classes with him
and he’s come out this year at Medium
level. He was a very good boy at the
Nationals, he loves showing off and thinks
everyone’s there to see him! He loves big
occasions.”

Another successful combination at the
Championships was Lara Griffith and
the 12 year old gelding by Rubin Royal,
Rubin Al Asad (Rufus). Lara was given the
ride on him nearly 4 years ago when she
began working for his owners Dr and Mrs
Bechtolsheimer. Lara said, after claiming a
National title with him, “He was recovering
from a back injury; he got cast in his stable
and tore a muscle when I took on the ride
so it has taken some time to build up the
strength needed for this level. I competed
him at small tour level last year and we
hope to do our first Grand Prix in spring
next year.”

Owen plans to take out the 7 year old black
stallion at Advanced Medium next month.

Lara is a very talented rider who happens
to also be a member of the World

6

Class Development. The programme
provides human and equine support
from physiotherapists, farriers, sports
psychologists and nutritionists as well as
access to training. With this team of world
class specialists, competitors selected for
the programme can prepare and compete
to the best of their abilities and raise the
standards of our GB athletes.

Jess and
Athene after
their win,
photo b