Sophie Wells ends young riders career on a high in Frankfurt
Para dressage rider Sophie Wells ended her young riders career on a high last weekend (16-18 December) at the FEI World Cup Dressage Finale for Young Riders in Frankfurt.
The 21-year-old finished sixth and seventh in the first round and freestyle respectively riding Dr Jackie Walker’s Pinocchio.
She told H&H: “It was the most amazing experience going to Frankfurt and competing in such a competition – it was a real honour.
“When [our] music came on ‘Noki’ went up about three gears and was quite on edge which caused a fair few mistakes.
“But it was such an awesome opportunity and I’m so grateful to have been given it.”
At the Para Equestrian Dressage European Championships in September Sophie won three gold medals on Valerius.
But her performance in Frankfurt proves that she can succeed in both para and able bodied competition.
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“It has given us a massive boost and was great preparation in the run up to the Paralympics next year,” Sophie added.
“I must say a massive thank you to my trainer Angela Weiss for making it possible and also ‘Noki’s’ owners Jackie and Neil Walker and to Jon Walker Timber Products for helping to fund the trip.”
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A graduate from Durham University, Madeleine joined H&H in 2011 and became Features Editor — producing content across the magazine and website, including the popular inside back cover article ‘The horse that made me’ and the weekly ‘The best of my fun…’ interview. She has written on topics as diverse as hay making and headcams, to hot totty in the horse world and circus horses. Madeleine now works as a freelance feature writer for Country Life, The Telegraph, Horse & Hound, cntraveller.com, The Spectator and The Field, as well as writing obituaries for The Times.