Dressage coaches inducted into Hall of Fame
Nine dressage coaches were inducted into the Coaching Hall of Fame on 20 November.
The coaches — all of whom instructed London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games gold medallists — received medals from Minister for sport and tourism Hugh Robertson at the UK Coaching Awards 2012 at the Lancaster Hotel, London.
The coaches were:
Michel Assouline (the UK para-equestrian dressage squad coach)
Klaus Balkenhol (who trains Laura Bechtolsheimer)
Dr Wilfred Bechtolsheimer (trainer of his daughter Laura)
Emile Faurie (who trains Natasha Baker — pictured)
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Sacha Hamilton (Natasha Baker)
Carl Hester (Charlotte Dujardin)
Clive Milkins (Sophie Christiansen)
Nina Venables (Debbie Criddle)
Angela Weiss (Sophie Wells)
Mr Robertson said: “Congratulations to all those coaches who helped deliver victory for our British athletes at the London 2012 Games. It is entirely fitting that we should recognise their efforts and achievements by enrolling them into the Coaching Hall of Fame.”
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A self-confessed newshound, farmer’s daughter and journalist of many years' experience, Charlotte worked on regional papers before joining H&H in 2007. A regular rider, she visited Ireland in 2010 to investigate the fate of Irish horses through the recession, to much acclaim, and reported from the FEI General Assembly in Rio de Janeiro in 2011. She left Horse & Hound in March 2013.