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Laura Bechtolsheimer, British dressage rider

4 June, 2009

Date of birth: 31 January 1985

Lives: Ampney St Peter, Gloucestershire

Born: Mainz, Germany

Nationality: British

Laura, daughter of former British Dressage director and international dressage rider Dr Wilfried Bechtolsheimer, began riding at the age of three.

She initially focused on eventing, winning the national schools one-day event at Stonar aged 12. By the age of 13, Laura had redirected her attentions towards dressage. She won a silver medal at the Pony European championships the following season.

Laura graduated from Bristol University in 2007, where she read philosophy and politics.

She has recently returned to eventing as a sideline to her dressage, riding New Zealand eventer Dan Jocelyn's former four-star horse, Silence. Laura also has a young eventer of her own named Billy.

Major achievements:

• Pony European championships

1999 — team silver medal (Foresters Gold)

2000 — team silver medal (Golden Dancer)

• Young rider European championships

2004 — team bronze medal (Douglas Dorsey)

2005 — team bronze medal (Mistral Hojris)

• Became the youngest British Dressage national champion in 2005, aged 20, riding Douglas Dorsey

• Won the B final in the 2006 World Cup final

• Represented Britain at the 2006 World Equestrian Games

• Part of the British team at the 2007 European championships with Mistral Hojris

• Achieved the best score for a British rider in an international grand prix when she scored 75.33% at Olympia in 2007

• British Dressage rider of the year in 2008

• Part of the British Olympic team in 2008

Laura Bechtolsheimer video

Laura Bechtolsheimer's top horses

• Mistral Hojris — 17hh Danish-bred chestnut gelding, born in 1995. He is by Michellino out of Virginia and is owned by Laura and her father and trainer Dr Wilfried Bechtolsheimer

• Don Davidoff — 17.2hh black Oldenburg gelding, born in 1997. He is by Don Gregory out of Toska R and is owned by Dr Wilfried Bechtolsheimer

• Andretti H — 17hh bay Hanoverian gelding, born in 1995. He is by Aarking and is owned by Dr Wilfried Bechtolsheimer

Pictures of Laura Bechtolsheimer

Laura at home with Mistral Hojris

Laura & Andretti H at the 2008 national championships

Related articles:

• Britain’s eventers in silver at young rider Europeans
• Laura Bechtolsheimer now third in world dressage rankings
• Emily Llewellyn chosen for young rider squad with four horses
• Top dressage riders at Royal Festival of the Horse on Friday
• Laura Bechtolsheimer brings Mistral Hojris back with a bang
• Eventer Laura Collett sponsored by Mark Todd brand
• Pippa Funnell leads after dressage at Bramham Horse Trials
• Laura Shears joins Equifest elite rider squad
• Pony Club signs up to raise £100,000 for Animal Health Trust
• Racehorse trainer restricted horse's water for more than two days

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