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The upcoming 2024 NAF 5 Star Winter Dressage Championships and Petplan Space Pageant Winter Championships (10–14 April) signify a end result of months and even years of arduous work, coaching and dedication.
For some, the journey to the championships has been bumpier than others, and using down the centre line at Addington Equestrian will maintain further significance. We’ve rounded up a few of our favorite tales from mixtures who’ve battled in opposition to the chances to earn their well-deserved qualification.
Winter Dressage Championships 2024 against the chances: Amy Wray and Miners Gold
Amy Wray and the 11-year-old gelding Miners Gold – generally known as “Alfie” at house – took second within the Baileys Novice Freestyle Silver at Bishop Burton School Winter Regionals (13–17 February 2024) on 70.09% to qualify for the winter championships. The pair additionally secured a wildcard for the Status Novice Silver.
Nevertheless, as Amy tells Horse & Hound, it’s been an extended journey to get up to now. In early 2021, she broke each her collarbone and her pelvis within the house of three weeks after critical falls.
“I spent many of the summer time recovering till I used to be match to have the ability to journey once more to discover a new horse,” she says. “Besides when it got here to simply with the ability to get on, I used to be completely terrified.
“I hadn’t simply misplaced some confidence, I puzzled if I’d ever dare to get on one other horse once more, not to mention purchase a brand new warmblood and exit and compete. I’d ridden for 20 years and I truthfully thought it may need been time to name it a day – I used to be out and out petrified.”
By way of a pal, Amy was capable of finding a brand new companion with a implausible temperament. “I spent a minimum of 10 months standing on the mounting block bodily shaking earlier than I obtained on,” Amy provides. “I’ve even been sick at the back of the lorry at a present simply on the considered getting on.
“However I lastly began to regain some confidence and really started to love using once more after about 12 months.”
Nevertheless, misfortune was to strike as soon as extra as her new horse sustained a career-ending damage within the discipline, a month earlier than the 2023 summer time regionals.
“I used to be then confronted with having to seek out one other horse, one that may be ok to place up with me nonetheless being frightened – I felt prefer it was an virtually unimaginable job and I wasn’t positive whether or not I might get on an ‘unknown’ horse from a stranger.”
However then Amy met Alfie, and was taken by his simple going persona.
“He had solely ever been ridden by his breeder all his life, it was pouring down rain and so windy after we went to see him and their area didn’t also have a fence round it, and he’d simply had per week off with a lacking shoe.
“However he by no means put a hoof misplaced your complete viewing. He wasn’t sharp or contemporary, he didn’t spook, he didn’t attempt to reap the benefits of me being nervous – so he ended up coming house with us in August.
“Nevertheless, any confidence I’d gained again had gone. I felt like I used to be again at sq. one and by now I’d missed two competitors seasons so the race was on to qualify for the winter regionals, whereas being fully petrified each time I obtained on.”
Amy remembers Alfie throwing a “couple of tense personalities into the combo” at regionals which heightened her nerves.
“At one level I believe I stated ‘I can’t get on’,” she remembers. “Nevertheless it had taken too lengthy to get again up to now after a lot concern and disappointment that I didn’t need to let this illogical panic that was at all times happening in my head damage the prospect we had.
“Ultimately, I don’t know what I used to be fearful about as we got here away with a direct qualification.
“I’m nonetheless a bit frightened each time I get on –I in all probability at all times will probably be – however qualifying makes all of it look like it’s price it, even on the darkest days.”
In opposition to the chances: Bex Woolf and Hillgrounds Woleena
Bex Woolf and her 12-year-old mare Hillgrounds Woleena – generally known as “Spice” – are skilled campaigners having competed collectively at 4 Space Pageant championships previously few years.
“I’ve owned Spice since she was an unbacked three-year-old,” says Bex. “I purchased her from Clare Skinner, who’s a stunning British breeder primarily based in Devon.
“The previous few years have been a bit stop-start for us whereas I had my two youngsters, now 4 and two, however Spice has come again stronger after every break.”
Nevertheless, in 2023 Spice suffered a sequence of great setbacks, that appeared to cease her file of coming again stronger in its tracks.
“We’ve had a disturbing 12 months together with her,” explains Bex. “She had a critical abdomen impaction final Could and we got here fairly near shedding her. Then the week earlier than the summer time Space Pageant championships she got here down with a virus and needed to spend per week within the vets.
“She has additionally been identified with EMS [Equine Metabolic Syndrome] so we had been additionally battling that with a mix of food plan modifications and elevated train.”
Bex credit the “superb” B&W Equine Vets for serving to get Spice again into well being.
“In spite of everything that stress, I wished to have some enjoyable with the music courses over the winter and entered Onley Winter Regionals within the medium straight and music. We’ve at all times stated her blissful place is between the white boards
“She’s an absolute sweetheart in each method and she or he’s been that method because the day we obtained her. My daughter has developed an actual love for her, and now says Spice each time she sees a horse anyplace.”
The mix got here eighth within the HorseLight Medium Silver however managed to take second within the Spillers Medium Freestyle Silver on 69.91% – incomes “that fantastic golden ticket” to the winter nationwide championships.
“I’d practised using our closing centre line in prolonged trot one-handed and I hadn’t determined till I turned down within the check whether or not I’d or not, however I figured go arduous or go house proper? And it definitely paid off –the judges appeared to adore it!
“She appears to be going higher than ever and I’m so excited to attend our first winter championships and simply take pleasure in each second dancing together with her whereas I can.
“She means absolutely the world to me – she’s the definition of a coronary heart horse and she or he’s made all my goals come true.”
In opposition to the chances: Emma Preston and With out A License
Emma Preston and With out A License – generally known as “Harvey” – have certified for the Petplan Space Pageant Winter Championships after coming second within the novice silver on the rescheduled Highfield at Howe Equestrian Winter Space Pageant on 66.46%.
And it wasn’t simply the unrelenting Scottish winter that made their qualification unlikely.
Dressage is simply the newest in an extended line of careers the now 24-year-old Harvey has turned his hooves to.
“He was a profitable eventer and showjumper, he additionally confirmed on the flat and was a country-level working hunter,” Emma tells Horse & Hound.
“He was identified with arthritis again in 2020 which meant he needed to drop down from the county degree for a quieter life. He continued to leap as a lower-level working hunter, till a verify ligament damage in 2022.”
Sensing that Harvey wasn’t fairly able to retire although, the mixture resumed their dressage coaching after a prolonged restoration course of.
“I’m a agency believer within the horse coming first, sport second,” Emma stated, “so if the vet had stated he needed to retire then I’d have been blissful for him to be a discipline decoration. However the vets stated there was no cause why he ought to cease so we picked the dressage again up, which has helped preserve him lively.
“We’ve been a staff for the previous 15 years. I purchased him from a using faculty the place he was deemed a head shaker and unsuitable. However that using faculty was as a consequence of shut in order that they needed to make do with the horses that they had.
“Harvey needed to work for one more six months till he got here up on the market. He’s been an unimaginable horse and teammate and I can’t consider one other horse I’d moderately take to the championships and proceed to make goals a actuality – even in his golden years.
“I’m so happy with him – we name him the comeback king.”
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Credit score: Kevin Sparrow Images and Blissful Hoof Images.
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