The breeding of Jagerbomb has resulted in one of the most popular dressage horses of recent times.

Jagerbomb was born at Julie Lockey’s Bramley Stud, where he spent his first three years living out, first with his dam Udysee – known as Dolly – and after weaning in a herd of youngsters who came and went from the field as they pleased.

“They liked their creature comforts and being pampered,” Julie says. “But I don’t think putting them in a stable before they’re three is a nice thing for them, so they were all just free spirits.”

“Bomb” wasn’t a head-turner to start with.

“He wasn’t your cute little foal,” says rider Becky Moody, who bred him. “A bit plain, a bit leg-at-each-corner. You certainly wouldn’t have picked him out as a future superstar.”

What he had instead was temperament. Julie remembers him as first to the gate for a stroke, inquisitive and never any trouble.

“He was one of my favourites,” she says. “He had such a niceness about him.”

The day Becky came to collect him in a 3.5t lorry, Julie was certain he’d refuse to load. “I was adamant, ‘Oh, you’ll never get him in that.’ And then he walked straight in. I thought, ‘Well, I’ll shut up now!’

The backing process was also uneventful, says Becky: “He was, honestly, the most straightforward. You could pretty much have just got on without doing any groundwork. He really did take everything in his stride.”

Meet the parents

Becky bought Udysee from the Equine Elite Auction in the Netherlands, where she’d been bred by a Dutch farming family who keep pigs alongside their horses. Becky retired Udysee to the paddocks due to a field injury when on the brink of grand prix.

Becky had originally planned to use Dante Weltino’s sire, Danone.

“He wasn’t available at the time, so we went with his son,” she says. “He really stamps his stock with excellent trainability and a natural ability for collected work.”

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The British dressage team heading to the 2026 World Championships in Aachen, Germany (11–23 August) has been announced.

The core of the team remains unchanged from last summer’s Europeans and the Paris Olympics before that. Carl Hester returns on Fame – 36 years after appearing at his first World Championships – and is joined by defending double-individual world champions Lottie Fry and Glamourdale, and World Cup winners Becky Moody and Jagerbomb.

Those three combinations were never in doubt – the fourth spot has been the season's real subplot. Over winter, the final place looked to belong to Charlotte Dujardin and Alive And Kicking – until the mare was sold in April, throwing the door wide open.

What followed was a crowded field: national champions Sadie Smith and Swanmore Dantina were early favourites, with Gareth Hughes and Susan Pape also in the mix. But two names pulled clear.

Fiona Bigwood’s homebred mare Donna Bella announced herself with a Hartpury grand prix win in March, then held her own on a Fontainebleau Nations Cup debut alongside Carl and Lottie.

Charlotte, meanwhile, switched her attentions to Ellie McCarthy’s Brave Heart, and the pair went head-to-head with Fiona and Donna Bella twice: Fiona edged it at Hickstead in May (73.13% to 72.8%), then again at Wellington in June (74.6% to 71.87%), by which point she'd emerged as the clear favourite.

Going into nominated entries, Fiona’s more extensively tested form – four international grands prix to Charlotte’s two – had her average ahead on 72.90% to 72.34%. But Charlotte had one shot left, at Hartpury, the last domestic international before the team was due to be confirmed. She took it: a stunning grand prix and special double, personal bests of 74.8% and 74.7%, that lifted her average to 73.16% – above Fiona’s, with just 0.26 points separating them.

That swing reopened a contest that had looked settled, leaving selectors Judy Harvey, Jenny Ward and Anne Keen with a genuinely tight call between two relatively inexperienced horses.

In the end, it's Fiona Bigwood and Donna Bella who complete the team. Although Charlotte edged it on the raw grand prix average – the mark selectors weight most heavily – it came from three starts against Fiona’s four, all three on the subdued domestic CDI3* circuit rather than the championship-like atmosphere of Fontainebleau CDIO5*, where Fiona scored 71.36% in the grand prix and 72.28% in the special.

Charlotte’s Hartpury score also carried a notable spread across the judging panel – more than five points between the highest and lowest marks – a factor selectors will have weighed alongside the numbers. But it was likely their head-to-head record – the only occasion the same judges saw both combinations, and one Fiona won twice – that was the deciding factor.

Where Britain stands against the rivals

Set against the field, Britain’s core trio total 232.80 on this season’s international grand prix averages, just 0.67 points off Germany's dressage team projected 233.47 (their best three of Isabell Werth, Katharina Hemmer and Frederic Wandres, with Raphael Netz's score dropped) and 1.80 points clear of reigning champions Denmark’s dressage team 231 (their best three of Cathrine Laudrup-Dufour, Carina Cassøe Krüth and Daniel Bachmann Andersen).

That figure hasn't moved with the fourth-spot news – best three of four counts for the team total, and Lottie, Carl and Becky were never in doubt. What Fiona’s selection changes is the insurance policy: a fourth combination capable of stepping into a top-three score if any of the trio falter.

A neat footnote: Donna Bella is out of Atterupgaards Orthilia, Fiona’s former ride on the British team that took silver at both the 2015 Europeans – held in this same Aachen arena – and the Rio Olympics the following year.

The individual medals look just as open. Lottie and Glamourdale are among the favourites, alongside Cathrine and Freestyle, Justin Verboomen and Zonik Plus, and home favourites Isabell and Wendy De Fontaine – with Justin and Cathrine perhaps the stronger picks on this year’s form. If any of the favourites falter, Becky and Jagerbomb – fresh off a personal-best 88.33% freestyle in Texas – have the form to make their own tilt at an individual medal.

Most nations have now confirmed their teams ahead of the FEI’s 27 July deadline for definite entries – follow our Aachen dressage teams page as the rest come in.

British dressage team for the 2026 Aachen World Championships

Fiona Bigwood with 10-year-old mare Donna Bella

Owner: rider

Breeder: rider

Breeding: by Don Juan de Hus, out of a mare by Gribaldi

Lottie Fry with 15-year-old stallion Glamourdale

Owners: Van Olst Horses and rider

Breeder: J Rodenburg

Breeding: by Lord Leatherdale, out of a mare by Negro

Carl Hester with 16-year-old stallion Fame

Owners: Fiona Bigwood, Mette Dahl and rider

Breeder: VOF G and M Gerritsen

Breeding: by Bordeaux, out of a mare by Rhodium

Becky Moody with 12-year-old gelding Jagerbomb

Owners: Jo Cooper and rider

Breeder: rider

Breeding: by Dante Weltino, out of a mare by Jazz

Reserves in alphabetical order

Charlotte Dujardin with 12-year-old gelding Brave Heart

Owners: Elllie McCarthy, Spencer McCarthy and Bridget McCarthy

Breeders: Shirley and Titian Wilaras

Breeding: by Bordeaux, out of a mare by Blue Hors Zack

Susan Pape with 15-year-old mare Harmony’s Giulilanta

Owners: Harmony Sporthorses and rider

Breeders: A Vogelaar and J Knol

Breeding: by Jazz, out of a mare by Flemmingh

Sadie Smith with 11-year-old mare Swanmore Dantina

Owner: rider

Breeder: Ben St John James

Breeding: by Dante Weltino, out of a mare by Charatan W

The entries are announced in collaboration with the British Dressage selectors and World Class Programme principal partner Agria.

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What goes into training a World Cup Dressage Finals champion? Becky Moody talks us through how she primes Jagerbomb to perform at his peak while enjoying the balance of turnout, hacking, fitness with perfecting his grand prix moves.

Becky doesn’t drill Jagerbomb (Bomb) in the school. He typically works specifically on dressage training two to three times a week.

These sessions are usually 40–45min, always starting with “an easy warm-up”.

“It’s less than I used to do because it’s not about how much I want to do, it’s about the horse,” she says.

“One of the most important things I do is transitions, hundreds of transitions. It doesn’t matter whether you’re riding a baby or a grand prix horse, transitions are key to good training, for adjustability and rideability.

“That fancy trot Bomb can do comes from a good walk–halt transition.”

It’s rare that Becky would ride all the grand prix moves in training; it’s more about working on the adjustability, suppleness and straightness.

“For instance, rather than riding my test pirouettes, I’d do a lot more working pirouettes, training the adjustability within it, on a bigger shape,” she explains.

“So I would make him more collected, then more forward – and ride only a couple of test ones. I also practise zig-zags a lot as they’re our weak point.”

To hone the flying changes, Becky has another tip.

“I do a lot of changes up the wall to really help me to be aware of my straightness – I wouldn’t so often do them across the school on the diagonal,” she says.

Becky estimates she’d put all the moves together to ride the full test every other week in the six-week run-up to an event.

Becky Moody on Jagerbomb’s non-schooling days

Other days are spent hacking, doing fitness work and stretching.

“Sometimes in the school, he would be in a snaffle, doing basic stretching and transitions,” says Becky, who says Bomb wears a snaffle “half the time”.

“He loves hacking so he does a lot of that. The girls hack him, but I also love hacking him, so sometimes I go off on a wander because he’s such a good boy.”

Although Bomb’s hacks involve hillwork, stomping up and down the Yorkshire hills, their location means they are limited to roadwork so he does additional fitness sessions in the outdoor school.

“He’s so big and he has to watch his weight, so we have to be really conscious of the fitness side to keep him at a good weight, fit and strong enough,” Becky says.

“There’s nowhere we can go fast on a hack, so he does his fast work in the outdoor school. We do interval training round our 20x60m.”

Becky uses her voice as a training aid, and welcomes the change in British Dressage ruling that riders can use their voice within reason.

“With young horses I always use my voice,” she says. “Especially in my downward transitions, saying ‘woah’, anything that makes it easier for them to understand without having to use as much rein. It’s a useful tool.”

“My bad habit is that I click,” she adds. “I train with Carl Hester and he says, ‘you’re not training b****y dolphins’, in his terrible Yorkshire accent!”

Stable management

In summertime, Bomb enjoy time in the field every day.

“In winter, as we live on clay it’s horrific ground so we don’t turn out on the grass,” Becky explains. “We have four sand paddocks and a horse walker, so all the horses are out of their stable three times a day.”

At over 17.3hh, Bomb is entitled to the biggest stable in the yard.

Feeding-wise, Bomb’s diet is quite simple. He’s on Saracen’s Competition Fit Mix, with alfalfa. He also has a basic joint supplement and electrolytes when he’s in work, plus salt.

At shows, Bomb “goes on hunger strike” – “it’s quite tricky when you’re away for two weeks,” says Becky.

“He likes a veteran mash – more than a recovery mash – and so has that to help him eat up,” she adds. “He’s getting better the more he does.”

And not just in terms of appetite, because when it comes to results in the ring, Becky Moody and Jagerbomb are still on an upward trajectory.

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‘I was very nervous – you don’t get to ride that kind of horse every day’: the day Jack Whitaker rode dressage star Jagerbomb

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What happens when you pair a world-class showjumper with a top-flight dressage horse? Martha Terry finds out as Jack Whitaker picks up the reins on Jagerbomb

The Whitakers have ice in their veins. They’ll gallop at a 7ft wall, jump-off for their country in front of a 50,000-strong crowd and shimmy down the Hickstead bank. But when it came to the coveted offer of riding on Olympic dressage bronze medallist and reigning World Cup Final winner Jagerbomb – arguably the sweetest, kindest horse in the world – Jack Whitaker admits he was “nervous, very nervous”.

He was given the opportunity to “have a sit” on Jagerbomb as part of a demo at Sheffield Equine Clinic’s opening day. Jack was doing a showjumping session, Becky Moody a dressage display.

When Becky finishes showing off “Bomb’s” moves, she calls over to Jack: “Let’s do this!”

“I didn’t know I was going to be riding him until just before,” says Jack. “He’s such a famous dressage horse, he’s just won the World Cup Finals and suddenly I’m stood next to him and he’s so big! So impressive.

“I was very nervous,” Jack adds. “You don’t get to ride that kind of horse every day and it’s a completely different way of riding and feeling to what I’m used to – so I just didn’t want to mess him up. Luckily, Becky is so laid-back – I couldn’t believe it.”

Jack Whitaker riding Jagerbomb: “It’s a really cool feeling”

Jack is legged up into Becky’s Childéric dressage saddle, a very different sitting position to his usual CWD jump saddle. This proves the least of his concerns.

“The saddle actually felt a lot comfier – it’s a lot bigger,” he says. “Apart from when you set off and you’re doing sitting trot and then everything’s uncomfortable!”

Jack’s day-to-day training involves plenty of sitting trot, but Bomb’s movement presents an unfamiliar challenge.

“We’d do a lot of riding without stirrups as it’s just good training for everything,” he says. “But when I tried to sit to Bomb’s trot and then his extended trot, it was like riding a different animal – he gave a completely different feeling. Even though I’m used to doing sitting trot, I was feeling it after one lap round.”

Once Jack has trotted through a few changes of rein and checked out Bomb’s extended trot – with a big smile – Becky suggests he try passage, a movement that would not feature in a showjumper’s regular vocabulary. Within five minutes of being legged up, Jack is performing a pretty impressive passage.

“That thing where you go up and down on the spot?” Jack laughs. “That was the easiest! Bomb just did it. I kept half-halting with my leg on and he trotted on the spot and it felt seriously cool. That’s not something my horses can do.

“It feels like you’re floating, but hopping and floating. You don’t move, but everything happens underneath you – it’s a really cool feeling.”

Becky is impressed, too.

“Cracking passage, brilliant, way better than I was riding him,” she laughs. “I love watching other people ride Bomb. It does make me really proud of him – he’s such a diamond, such a legend and it’s good for people to see that.

“All my girls hack him out at home and if I want someone to feel a change or passage, it’s Bomb they get on because he’s very good for people to learn on.

“I try not to be too precious about my horses, which some people would say is mad, but it’s good for them. And sometimes I learn things about what I need to make better. It tells me how good my training is. If other people can get on and it’s easy, that tells me I’m doing a good job. If they can’t get that easy feeling, that tells me there’s still a missing link in that horse’s education and I need to keep working on it.”

Jack Whitaker: “It’s a different kind of power”

Passage nailed, Becky tells Jack to “play with the canter”.

“This is where you really see the crossover,” she says. “In dressage, we want the same adjustability in our horses as a showjumper does. Yes, you’re in a slightly different frame and balance, but when training any horse, it comes back to transitions, adjustability and rideability.

“It doesn’t matter whether Jack’s shortening or lengthening the pace to come into a jump, or I’m shortening for a pirouette, you still need your horse on the aid and listening. That’s cool.”

Bomb looks to be having a lovely time cantering freely down the long side and Becky shouts out, “shorten your reins! No chance of you ever being done for rollkur!”

Says Jack: “The canter actually didn’t feel very different to what I’m used to. We ride very powerful animals, but it’s a different kind of power.

“The dressage horses have to be so strong in their core and body to move and hold themselves in the way they do, whereas our horses are probably lighter and more agile to be able to turn so quickly on the spot – less pure muscle and power.”

Jack’s next challenge is to tackle flying changes. This would be his bread-and-butter as a showjumper, but Bomb’s mighty movement complicates matters. It takes a few goes until they click into place.

“The hardest thing was the flying changes,” Jack says. “I felt like an idiot not to be able to do a flying change on a horse who’s a total professional, known for his changes! I didn’t think that would feel so different. If it’s not actually a different language, maybe it’s a different accent.”

For Becky, this is important insight.

“Jack’s incredibly experienced and monumentally skilled at what he does – but he found the changes one way much easier than the other, so that made me think, ‘OK, I need to work more on that alignment and straightness,’ even if I can get them both ways,” she says.

“There’s obviously something there that made it harder for him. It’s a learning curve for me as well.”

True horsemanship

The session is short albeit sweet, with Jack needing to wrap up before his showjumping demo, leaving us wondering how much more Bomb could teach him.

It highlights true horsemanship – both on Becky’s part in training her world-class champion to perform with a totally new rider, and Jack’s soft hands and natural seat translating instantly to whatever discipline he turns to.

Will more dressage be on the cards?

“Probably should do, after that performance!” he jokes. “Though at home we are mainly doing flatwork training at home; we don’t jump much at all. But although you’d call it dressage, it’s not that kind of dressage – it’s ‘showjumping dressage’.

“Bomb felt like riding a completely different animal to what I’m used to,” he adds. “You can feel the muscle he has. Even when he first set off in walk, I could feel every movement – right from that first step from behind, the power was incredible. It was an amazing feeling and I’m very thankful I got to have a go.”

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Jagerbomb – Becky Moody’s home-bred ‘total legend’ who stole the spotlight on the world stage

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When Becky Moody and Jagerbomb flew home from their FEI Dressage World Cup final win in Fort Worth, Texas, the celebrated gelding looked, by every outward measure, completely fine. He had a week off in the field, a fortnight of gentle hacking, and was – as she told The Horse & Hound Podcast – “bright as a button and happy”. But the data picked up something his demeanour didn’t.

How does monitoring horse sleep work?

At home, Becky works with EquiConnect, a vet-built AI stable-camera system installed in 12 stables in one of her barns. The cameras monitor sleep patterns – distinguishing between sternal lying, where a horse rests upright, and lateral lying, when they are “flat out and actually getting proper sleep” – as well as how long each horse spends eating and how active they are through the night.

Horses sleep only a few hours a day, most of it standing, thanks to the stay apparatus – a system of tendons and ligaments that lets them doze upright without tiring.

But they can only reach REM (rapid eye-movement) sleep, the deep restorative stage, when lying fully flat in lateral recumbency, because that phase involves a complete loss of muscle tone.

Vets generally cite a need for around 30-60 minutes of lying down a day to get enough REM sleep, and horses that can’t, or won’t, lie down – whether through pain, stress or an unfamiliar environment – can become REM-sleep deprived.

For Jagerbomb, that data proved illuminating. “He only ever sleeps at night – he never lies down during the day,” Becky explains. “So you can’t really know what his sleeping is like unless you’re looking at the camera information.”

And what the information showed, once he was home from the States, was a horse working hard to recover from his travels across the Atlantic.

“It took him about 16 or 17 days to get back to his normal sleeping patterns at home,” Becky says. Across that recovery period, the cameras logged him catching up dramatically: “He was sometimes sleeping five times what he would normally have slept.”

It is the kind of insight that would be invisible to even the most attentive horseperson. Jagerbomb was away for close to two weeks in total – the same long journey out reversed on the way back, with overnight stops at Liège and Dover – and the after-effects on his rest ran far longer than his outward demeanour suggested.

Why over-competing concerns Becky Moody

For Becky, the data underlines something she already felt strongly about: the hidden toll of travel and competition, and the importance of not asking too much of a horse.

“When we talk about horse welfare, this is one of the things that I think is really relevant,” she says.

Even a relatively standard trip carries a significant load. Travelling to an international show such as Rotterdam – where Becky is speaking to us from – can mean a horse spending well over eight hours on the lorry in a single day, she points out, once ferry queues and French customs (“anything between 50 minutes and three hours”) are factored in.

“I can pretty much, even without the data, know that he doesn’t sleep at a show like he sleeps at home,” she says.

Her response has been to build in a more deliberate recovery. After a major effort, Jagerbomb is given an easy couple of weeks: time in the field, or a few days off, followed by gentle hacking.

Becky’s careful to say there is no single rule. Some horses benefit from a fuller calendar, gaining confidence and learning to settle in the competition environment.

But the difference between a local outing and several days of championship-level sport is, she stresses, enormous. “You have to know your horse and what you’re doing and what is best for them,” she says.

It’s a philosophy now backed by hard data – and one she sums up simply: she is “quite a big one for not over-competing”.

• For more insight from top riders and trainers, subscribe to the Horse & Hound website

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On the latest episode of The Horse & Hound Podcast, World Cup winner Becky Moody lifts the lid on what it really takes to fly a horse across the Atlantic – from crates and zip lifts to a sleepless night tracking the flight to Texas.

Becky’s World Cup win on Jagerbomb was one of the standout British performances of the season so far. But as she explains, getting Jagerbomb to the venue in Fort Worth, Texas, was an enormous undertaking in itself – and one she had never attempted before.

“It’s a really big deal to put your horse on a plane and fly it all the way over there,” Becky says. She admits she “ummed and ahhed” over whether to commit at all, weighing the cost and the stress against the experience. But with the Los Angeles Olympics on the horizon in 2028, she ultimately decided it was worth doing.

“I’ve never flown a horse before. He’s never flown before,” she says. “At least I know that he has now flown, and he flew really well. He coped with that side of it brilliantly.”

How does flying a horse abroad actually work?

The journey began with Becky’s long-time groom, Kim Masson, driving Jagerbomb in their 4.5t lorry to Dover for an overnight stop, before a transporter took them on to Liège in Belgium, where most equestrian flights depart Europe – and where the European contingent of World Cup-bound horses were travelling from.

The shipping agent Peden Bloodstock organised the flight itself, quizzing the team in advance on Jagerbomb’s size and how he likes to travel.

“Knowing that Bomb is so big, we made sure he had plenty of room in his crate – extra length compared to some, and plenty of width,” Becky says.

The crates, she adds, are effectively like trailers, taking one, two or three horses apiece: “It’s your first, business, economy kind of thing.” Jagerbomb shared his with just one other horse, and “loaded like a pro”.

Loading and unloading were the most stressful parts, with the horses lifted onto the aircraft using zip lifts. Watching from home as the videos came in from Kim, Becky says she was “biting my nails away”.

“I know showjumpers who are flying their horses all the time, and it’s just normal,” she adds. “But when you haven’t done it before, it’s this enormously big deal.”

She spent much of that first night tracking the flight: “I spent most of the night on Flightradar, just watching Bomb and Kim’s plane as it went all the way up to Greenland and back down again. I didn’t sleep a huge amount!”

At the other end, Dallas Fort Worth International Airport hadn’t received flying horses in some time, so the incoming flight had to bring the zip lift they used to load the horses with them on the aeroplane to unload.

From there it was a 40-minute drive in “huge, super-cool American trucks” to the venue, where – crucially – Jagerbomb could complete his 48 hours of quarantine on-site, with Kim still able to muck out, feed and hand-walk him.

Kim, who had never flown with horses either, made such an impression that she was asked to take charge of the dressage horses on the journey home.

To hear more from Becky on the World Cup win, the spectacle of Fort Worth and her hopes for the World Championships in Aachen, listen to episode 178 of The Horse & Hound Podcast here, or search “The Horse & Hound Podcast” in your favourite podcast app.

• To stay up to date with all the breaking equestrian news throughout the year, subscribe to the Horse & Hound website

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In this episode of the Horse & Hound podcast, which is sponsored by Saracen Horse Feeds, top British dressage rider Becky Moody talks to H&H dressage editor Oscar Williams about her success at the FEI World Cup dressage final in Texas, the pressures of Jagerbomb’s first international flight, and what she’s learnt from tracking his sleep patterns.

Episode 178 of our popular audio service The Horse & Hound Podcast, which is sponsored this month by Saracen Horse Feeds, is now live and features the reigning dressage World Cup champion, Becky Moody.

Each episode is available for H&H fans to listen to via your favourite podcast app, as well as here on the website. Search for “The Horse & Hound Podcast” in your preferred podcast app and click subscribe to be notified about each new episode.

• View all episodes of The Horse & Hound Podcast

On this episode, H&H’s dressage editor Oscar Williams caught up with Becky while she was out competing in Rotterdam. Among the topics they discussed was Becky’s experiences at the FEI World Cup Final in America.

Becky explained the big learning curve involved with flying Jagerbomb overseas for the first time – “I didn’t take my eyes off flight radar” – and how she felt coming into the competition as the favourite, rather than the underdog.

She also shared her views on ways she think AI could be used in dressage judging, how she tracks Jagerbomb’s sleep patterns and what she’s learnt from doing so, and much more.

Whether you’re an avid dressage fan or not, there is so much to enjoy listening to in this podcast. We love to hear your feedback on all our podcasts, so please do send your thoughts to pippa.roome@futurenet.com

Horse & Hound Podcast: episode 178

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From hurtling round fields on ponies to Olympic glory: Becky Moody shares her incredible journey

How to ride accurate circles for higher marks – with advice from self-confessed ‘circles geek’ Becky Moody

Becky Moody and Jagerbomb strike a chord with World Cup harmony and fairness award

Subscribe to Horse & Hound magazine today – and enjoy unlimited website access all year round

In this exclusive article for H&H subscribers, World Cup champion Becky Moody explains why good circles start with knowing your arena, your horse and yourself

We ride more circles than anything else in dressage. So it’s a bit of a problem that many of us don’t fully understand how to ride a circle for optimum benefit, whether that’s in tests or during our dressage training.

The 20m circle looks innocuous on a test sheet. Easy, even. You pick it up at the marker, swing round, and from the saddle it feels fine. Then the sheet comes back: “Loss of bend.” “Not round.” “Falling in.” “Falling out.” Sometimes the full set – or my most common comment: “Not 20m.”

The 10m circle, meanwhile, is where a lot of riders first learn the hard way that a circle isn’t a steering exercise. It’s a test of balance, suppleness and awareness rolled into one.

How to ride the perfect circle

Becky Moody is, by her own admission, a geek about riding a circle.

“When I was younger and even more of a geek, I used to have my little to-scale arenas that I would draw, and then I’d draw my tests so that I could really understand the distances,” she says. “I’m quite a visual person.”

The work, in other words, starts long before you actually start turning. Here are Becky’s tips to help you ride the perfect circle – and they’re relevant to riders at all levels.

1. Know your arena

“My first thing is, know the dimensions of an arena,” Becky adds. “And I don’t just mean 20×40 or 20×60. I mean the distance between the letters.”

In a 20m by 40m arena, the markers down each long side sit at 6m, 14m, 14m, 6m from the short side, shown below.

In a 20m by 60m arena, it’s 6m, 12m, 12m, 12m, 12m, 6m.

Which means K, F, M and H sit only 6m from the short side – they’re not where a 20m circle from A or C should touch the long side. That point – where the circle brushes the track – is 10m from the short side, which is four meters beyond K, F, M or H in both arenas.

This matters because most circles drift towards markers. They feel like circles, but they’re really ovals with squared-off ends. A correctly ridden 20m circle from C in a short arena (shown below) touches the track at C, momentarily touches the track on the long side halfway to B (or E), crosses over X, then mirrors that on the other long side and returns to C. No straight lines. No corners. You should, in effect, never not be turning.

“If you understand technically where it has to go, then it’s about having your horse between two legs and two reins so you can actually steer properly around where you’re trying to go,” Becky says.

2. Know your horse – and yourself

This is where the most-repeated phrase in dressage – inside leg to outside rein – needs a closer look.

“The whole inside leg to outside rein thing really depends,” Becky says. “A lot of horses tend to over-bend on the left rein and fall out through the right shoulder.

“So if you ride inside leg to outside rein on that rein, and you’re not on it enough with your outside rein, you can actually make it worse. You can push that outside shoulder out further.”

But no single rule fits every horse. “Horses are like us,” Becky adds. “They’ve all got a bendy side and a straighter side. It’s understanding that, and then that will help you know what you need to do.”

Riders have a dominant side, too. “If you’re a bit dominant with your left hand, the likelihood is on the left rein you’re going to bend the horse too much to the inside and let it fall out the outside,” Becky says.

The fix isn’t something that’s easy to put down in words as a simple formula. It’s awareness, feel, of where your horse is genuinely supple and where they’re compensating, and of which of your own habits are making things worse.

3. Bend, not neck-bend

A circle asks the horse to bend uniformly along the curve. The judge wants to see the body follow the shape, with just enough flexion at the poll to glimpse the inside eye, ear and nostril. That’s it.

The classic error is hauling on the inside rein and producing a neck-bend – the horse’s head turns in, while the shoulders, and ribcage carry on in the original direction. The horse falls out through the outside shoulder, drifts wide, and loses the very thing the circle is designed to show: that your horse is actually supple and listening to the rider’s leg, not their hand.

Riding out of a circle is just as revealing. The return to a straight line should be immediate – shoulders in front of the quarters, neck straight, body aligned. If straightness is a problem, riding on the inside track rather than against the wall or edge of the arena stops your horse from using the boards as a crutch to lean on.

How to ride a 10m circle

A 10m circle is quite an effective test of a horse’s balance.

“One of the biggest factors in being able to turn a really good smaller circle is balance,” Becky says. “If a horse is out of balance, then it’s difficult to turn on a smaller circle. So another thing to come back to is think about your scales of training and how it impacts your ability to influence the horse.”

In practice, that means a 10m circle exposes whatever is missing further down the scale. A horse lacking in rhythm loses a regular tempo on the turn. A horse struggling with suppleness resists the bend and pops the outside shoulder. A horse without honest contact down the rein hollows or curls. The circle isn’t the problem, it’s a diagnostic for the problem.

When your circle keeps going wrong

Some riders – like myself – ride consistent 16m circles and call them 20m. Some ride lopsided shapes and never realise. The fix, Becky says, is honest feedback.

“If you rode a 16m circle despite everybody telling you that you were riding a 16m circle and you needed to make it bigger, you have to understand, or your coach has to help you understand, why.

“Is it because the horse is falling in? Is it because you’re being idle and not forward-planning and steering properly? You have to understand what is causing your circle to go wrong consistently, and how you’re going to fix it.”

Good eyes on the ground are the gold standard. Failing that, Becky rates video.

“You can think as a rider that one thing is happening, and then when you actually see it back, you understand that maybe that’s not what’s happening at all,” she says.

“You think you’re riding a horse that’s between leg and hand, and aligned in the suppleness, and then you watch a video, and you’re like, ‘Holy crap, I’m bending their neck way more than I think I am, and I just need to take better control of that outside shoulder’.”

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Becky Moody and Jagerbomb brought down the house at the Dickies Arena on Saturday night, scoring a personal best 88.33% in the grand prix freestyle to claim, in convincing fashion, the 2026 Zen Elite FEI Dressage World Cup – retaining the title for Great Britain and completing a remarkable week of firsts in Fort Worth, Texas.

Entering the arena as the final combination, with the title on the line, Becky and her home-bred partner performed to their now familiar Beatles-inspired freestyle – featuring All You Need is Love, Here Comes the Sun, and Come Together among others. Designed in Britain by Tony Hobden at Equidance, it drew standing ovations from a crowd that had been on its feet all evening.

The test was a statement of intent from the first stride. Four 9.5s and a 10 for their entrance and opening halt set the tone.

Each extension drew cheers, the curving lines of two-time changes into ones brought the crowd to its feet, and Becky was beaming on her final centre line – and with good reason. The judge at H awarded 90.24%.

Watch Becky Moody and Jagerbomb’s World Cup-winning freestyle in the video below

“Today, right from the get-go, he was just so focused and so with me,” Becky said. “The beauty of the freestyle is that you can showcase your horse’s strengths – he finds the changes on the curved lines very easy, and because he is good in the balance, he can go from one movement to another without a struggle.”

Christian Simonson and Indian Rock finished second on 83.81%, with Sandra Sysojeva and Maxima Bella third on 80.77%. The 2024 champions Patrik Kittel and Touchdown scored 80.26% to finish just off the podium. The win was worth €60,500 in prize money.

The result crowned a debut week that neither Becky nor Jagerbomb will forget – the pair had never flown to a competition before the trip to Texas, and the grand prix win on Thursday set the tone for what followed.

“I’ve never ridden in an arena like that,” Becky said. “It’s just insane to be part of such a cool competition. The crowd was absolutely something else.”

There was emotion elsewhere in the arena, too. Morgan Barbançon shared after her test that it would be her final competitive ride with Sir Donnerhall II OLD, the 20-year-old who will now retire from sport.

Christian was riding on the crest of a wave of home support. His Rocky-themed freestyle – complete with Eye of the Tiger and Gonna Fly Now, chosen to reflect what he described as “the hero’s journey”, was perfectly pitched for the Texas crowd, who roared through every stride.

“At the end of my test, looking up and seeing this wall of people standing up, applauding Rocky and me was super special,” he said. “It’s something I’ll never forget.”

As for Becky, the celebrations were already being planned. Asked how she intended to mark the occasion, she didn’t hesitate. “I will be going to find a drink later, definitely,” she said. “I think maybe a Jägerbomb.”

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Pre-competition favourites Becky Moody and Jagerbomb made an immediate impact on their Zen Elite FEI Dressage World Cup Final debut, topping the grand prix last night (9 April) at Dickies Arena in Fort Worth, Texas, with a score of 76.76%.

The European team silver medallists impressed a packed Texan crowd from the outset, the combination settling quickly into their stride in the vast arena.

Becky described the performance as close to what she had hoped for. “I had that nice balance of energy, but with relaxation as well,” she said.

“I always say, he’s not exceptional at anything, but he is just really good at everything. He’s a joy to ride in an arena like that, and it was an amazing crowd.

“It was a little distracting at the beginning when you’re going around, and you’re in the zone and someone’s hollering ‘We love your outfit’ though!”

Watch Becky Moody and Jagerbomb’s grand prix in the video below

Home favourites Christian Simonson and Indian Rock finished not too far behind in second on 75.41%, with 2024 World Cup champions Patrik Kittel and Touchdown third on 72.87%.

Christian, aged 23, was one of the youngest riders in the field and was candid about what the occasion meant to him.

“It feels a bit surreal to even say that I’m here at a World Cup Final,” he said. “Rocky was amazing tonight – he is just so dependable. I love him so much.”

Patrik, making his 11th World Cup Finals appearance, had nothing but admiration for the leader.

“Becky’s horse looks really happy,” he said. “He looks in such great harmony – the neck is beautiful, it’s beautiful in the mouth. It just looks so harmonious, and that’s what we want to see in the sport today.”

The result is particularly meaningful as Becky and Jagerbomb were navigating genuinely unfamiliar territory in Texas, and the decision to make the trip was not taken lightly.

“I had never flown a horse before, and he had never flown before, so that was a factor in my decision-making,” Becky said.

“I wanted that experience, and for him to have that experience, and I’m really glad I did. We definitely learned things. This is just an amazing opportunity to come to such a fantastic place, and it’s so cool to be surrounded by such a strong equine culture [in Texas] that is completely different to anything I’ve experienced before.”

She added that having bred Jagerbomb herself more than 12 years ago, the personal investment adds a particular dimension to every success.

“When you have bred them, it just adds that little bit of extra,” she said. “I don’t have any children, so he is my child. He’s just my pride and joy.”

She is not resting on the performance, however, identifying small errors in the rein back and pirouettes that she will look to address ahead of Saturday’s grand prix freestyle, which will decide the 2026 World Cup champion.

All 16 combinations scored above 60% to qualify for Saturday’s freestyle, which begins at 7pm CST (1am, Sunday British time) and will determine the World Cup champion.

Becky and Jagerbomb drew the final starting position and will be the last combination down the centre line, with the World Cup title theirs to take.

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The 2026 FEI Dressage World Cup Final entries for the competition in Fort Worth, Texas (April 8-12) have been released, and a host of European riders have declined to compete.

Several of the western European league’s qualifying top nine won’t be making the trip, including league winner Justin Verboomen, Isabell Werth, Larissa Pauluis and Marieke van der Putten. Defending champion Lottie Fry has also declined her automatic spot.

Most are prioritising this summer’s World Championships in Aachen over the flight to the US.

Becky Moody gambled on contesting just three qualifiers – finishing second in London and Lyon, and third in Amsterdam – and it has paid off. As a rider’s four best scores count, her 54-point tally from three outings secured seventh place in the western European league and an automatic spot in Fort Worth.

Charlotte Dujardin, who contested just two qualifiers – finishing fifth in London and sixth in Amsterdam – finished 25th in the league but will still compete with Alive And Kicking.

She secured one of two additional starting places created after Lottie declined her automatic spot, allocated under a rule awarding an extra place to the highest-ranked rider on the FEI dressage world ranking list who has competed in at least two qualifiers but not already qualified through the league.

But it will be Becky and Jagerbomb who will enter as favourites, having posted the highest average score in qualifying among those travelling.

Charlotte, who pipped Becky to second place in the London grand prix, will be expected to challenge, as will 2024 winner Patrik Kittel with Touchdown. Christian Simonson and Indian Rock will be ones to watch on home soil.

2026 FEI Dressage World Cup Final entries in full

Patrik Kittel (SWE) with 14-year-old gelding Touchdown

Owner: Sommarkvarn AB

Breeding: by Quaterback, out of a mare by Sack

Raphael Netz (GER) with 15-year-old gelding Great Escape Camelot

Owner: Theres Boss and Sonja Kristina Krall

Breeding: by Johnson out of a mare by Turbo Magic

Becky Moody (GBR) with 12-year-old gelding Jagerbomb

Owner: rider and Jo Cooper

Breeding: by Dante Weltino out of a mare by Jazz

Thamar Zweistra (NED) with 11-year-old gelding Kingsdale

Owner: Marieke Ponzo Dieu – De Pundert

Breeding: by Everdale out of a mare by Negro

Morgan Barbançon (FRA) with 20-year-old stallion Sir Donnerhall II

Owner: rider and Marie Carmen Mestre Pons

Breeding: by Sandro Hit out of a mare by Donnerhall

Carina Cassøe Krüth (DEN) with 15-year-old mare Heiline’s Danciera

Owner: Poul Thøgersen

Breeding: by Fürstenball out of a mare by De Niro

Bettina Kendlbacher (AUT) with 13-year-old gelding Broadmoars Don Alfredo

Owner: Broadmoar KG

Breeding: by Destano out of a mare by His Highness 2

Alexa Fairchild (BEL) with 15-year-old gelding Fairplay

Owner: rider

Breeding: by Delatio out of a mare by Krack C

Moritz Treffinger (GER) with 17-year-old stallion Fiderdance

Owner: Gestüt Bonhomme GmbH & Co.KG

Breeding: by Fidertanz out of a mare by Blue Hors Don Schufro

Sandra Sysojeva (POL) with 10-year-old mare Maxima Bella

Owner: rider, Dominika Krasko Bialek and Piet Lenskens

Breeding: by Millenium out a mare by Christ 3

Justina Vanagaite-Samuile (LTU) with 13-year-old gelding Nabab

Owner: rider, Ramunas Bogdanas and Jurga Girniute-Bogdaniene

Breeding: by Sir Donovan out of a mare by Krack C

Serena Ireland (AUS) with 14-year-old gelding Royalty R

Owner: rider

Breeding: unregistered

Christian Simonson (USA) with 13-year-old stallion Indian Rock

Owner: Zen Elite Equestrian Centre

Breeding: by Apache out of a mare by Vivaldi

Brittany Fraser-Beaulieu (CAN) with 12-year-old gelding Jaccardo

Owner: Jill Irving

Breeding: by Desperado out of a mare by Jazz

Kevin Kohmann (USA) with 17-year-old gelding Duenensee

Owner: Diamante Farms

Breeding: by Dancier out of a mare by Daivgnon I

Yassine Rahmouni (MAR) with 15-year-old gelding Kind of Magic

Owner: Joy Nouvelle Greets

Breeding: by All At Once out of a mare by Jazz

Julio Mendoza Loor (ECU) with 15-year-old gelding Jewel’s Goldstrike

Owner: rider and Jessica Mendoza

Breeding: by Bretton Woods out of a mare by Scandic

Charlotte Dujardin (GBR) with 12-year-old mare Alive And Kicking

Owner: rider

Breeding: by All At Once out of a mare by Fürst Piccolo 2

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Becky Moody and Jagerbomb delivered another assured performance on the World Cup stage in Amsterdam, finishing third in both the grand prix and the freestyle to confirm their growing consistency among the sport’s elite.

In a strong start to the show, the pair scored 77.24% in the grand prix, returning with their Beatles freestyle to post 85.31% and secure third place in the World Cup qualifier presented by Vriendenloterij.

The result put Becky behind British teammate Lottie Fry, who won with Glamourdale on 89.31%, and Germany’s Isabell Werth, second with Wendy de Fontaine on 87.58%.

“Bomb is such an amazing horse,” Becky said after her test. “You learn something from every horse you ride in your career, and that has helped me to produce Jagerbomb to this level. He makes it easy for me.”

In addition to her podium finish, Becky also claimed the Anrecht-Investment harmony and fairness award, a €10,000 audience-voted prize recognising the most harmonious combination.

Spectators both at home and in the RAI Amsterdam arena voted on ease, harmony and fairness, and Becky topped the poll on 8.729, ahead of Lottie and Glamourdale in second.

Recognising harmony

The initiative is not new – the prize was awarded for the third time at the competition – but it is one the organisers hope will be adopted more widely. As well as offering a way to engage audiences, it aims to recognise harmonious riding beyond what is reflected on the score sheet.

The existing collective mark for “harmony between athlete and horse” within the artistic marks of freestyle tests is still largely influenced by technical execution rather than harmony alone; the marks “more or less depend on the quality of the technical execution” according to the FEI judging manual.

“It’s very special to win this award,” Becky said. “Thanks to the audience who voted for me. For me, it’s all about Jagerbomb – he makes it possible for me to ride like this.

“He has a big heart. He wasn’t suited to the young horse classes, but he had a lot of talent for the grand prix. I’ve had highs and lows with him, of course, but that’s all part of it.”

The result moves Becky up to third in the western European league standings. After Amsterdam, she reaffirmed her intention to target the final in Fort Worth, Texas, although she does not plan to contest any further qualifiers as she looks to keep Jagerbomb fresh for the World Championships in Aachen this summer.

Only a rider’s four best results from the qualifiers count towards their total, and as Becky and Jagerbomb have contested three so far – finishing second in London and Lyon, as well as third here – they remain at a slight disadvantage.

With three legs still to come in Neumünster, Göteborg and ’s-Hertogenbosch, Becky will have to wait to see whether her tally of 54 points is enough to secure a place among the top nine who qualify for the final. Last season, the same total would have been enough only for joint 10th, underlining how tight the race remains.

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After managing to keep their new freestyle under wraps for the last couple of months, Becky Moody and Jagerbomb debuted their Christmas-themed music in the freestyle, supported by Horse & Hound, at the London International Horse Show scoring 86.41% to finish second.

As Becky and Bomb came in straight after eventual winners Lottie Fry and Glamourdale and their innovative “Glamourdale Airlines” freestyle, it was refreshing to see two riders back to back pushing the boundaries of, and prioritising, the format.

Created by Tony Hobden of Equidance, Becky’s music delivered several standout moments, not least the opening sequence, which mimicked a radio scanning through stations. Snippets of Sex Bomb – for ever associated with Jagerbomb – and Taylor Swift’s Shake It Off set the tone before the test properly began.

Once under way, the soundtrack moved decisively into classic Christmas hits, while Becky retained the same floorplan as her Beatles routine. That meant an uncompromising opening, featuring two-time changes flowing into one-time changes on a curve – a demanding start, but they breezed through it.

“We just thought, let’s do something entertaining for the crowd and bring a bit of Christmas spirit,” said Becky, who was wearing a sparkling tailcoat and hat. “I’m dressed a bit like a Christmas bauble anyway, so I thought – why not go the whole hog?

“We’ve been through it a couple of times at home – once in a howling gale with the music playing out loud so Bomb could hear it. I don’t think either of us could actually hear it though, because it was so windy, so we just had to do what we can and trust it.

“I was really trying to keep it a surprise. Only my groom, Kim Masson, and I knew about it. She’s been trying to persuade me to do it for a while, and I’ve always said, ‘No, it’s too cheesy’ – like I always am with all her suggestions. But then I thought, you know what, sod it. I think the audience here deserves it.”

Thankfully, their preparation this time ran more smoothly than ahead of the grand prix, when a lost shoe just minutes before their start threatened to derail their plans.

Buoyed by a fuller crowd, Jagerbomb seemed add another couple of inches to his already impressive frame, and the pair delivered a mistake-free test, bringing that extra bit of energy to improve on their third-place finish in the grand prix.

“Of course, I still want things to be better,” Becky said. “The passage was maybe not quite sharp enough, but it was mistake-free, and I was super proud of him.

“He’ll have a couple of weeks’ hacking over Christmas now, and then I’m aiming for the World Cup qualifier in Amsterdam, so he’ll have a bit of chill time, then build back up to that.”

Having narrowly missed out on the World Cup Final last year – she completed three qualifiers while the system rewards a rider’s four best scores – Becky plans to take the same approach again, prioritising Jagerbomb’s condition as she builds towards next summer’s World Championships in Aachen.

“I’ve already done the qualifier in Lyon, and I’ll just do three again,” Becky explained. “If we qualify for the final, we qualify. If we don’t, we don’t — and that’s fine. Aachen is the big goal for next year. If we get to go to the World Cup Final in Texas, that’s a bonus, but if not, that’s okay too.”

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A lost shoe minutes before they were due to compete meant a tricky start to the London International Horse Show dressage today for last year’s grand prix winners Becky Moody and Jagerbomb, who eventually finished the class third.

“We didn’t have the easiest warm-up, because 15 minutes before I went he stood on himself and pulled a shoe off,” said Becky, who had to have the shoe refitted by the show farrier Mark Watson. “I literally only ended up with three or four minutes before I was going in so it wasn’t the best prep in the world, which impacted the test a little bit. But he was really cool, he was a good boy.”

Despite her interrupted preparation, Becky was edging eventual runner-up Charlotte Dujardin (Alive And Kicking) in the early part of her test for this World Cup dressage grand prix, supported by Horse & Hound.

But Jagerbomb, owned by his rider-breeder and Jo Cooper, had a costly error behind in the one-time changes and became a little stilted in the piaffes so the pair’s final score of 75.04% dropped them behind Charlotte and “Audrey”.

“He just wasn’t quite hot enough in front of me in the piaffes, so the first two in particular I just didn’t have enough easy rhythm. And then we had a little glitch in the one-time flying changes, which is really expensive, because all of those are double marked,” said Becky.

British Olympic team bronze and European team silver medallist Becky Moody will use her familiar floorplan for her London Horse Show dressage freestyle tomorrow, but with new music which is just for this event. She has managed to keep her music under wraps and wouldn’t reveal any more about it today.

Lottie Fry and Glamourdale, Becky’s team-mates at this summer’s Europeans and at Paris 2024, won the London Horse Show grand prix today with a clear margin of more than 4%.

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Charlotte Dujardin headlines the entries for the dressage World Cup leg, supported by Horse & Hound, at the 2025 London International Horse Show. She will be bringing her top ride, Alive And Kicking.

Since returning from her year-long suspension on 27 July, Charlotte has gone on an 11-test unbeaten run. She and Alive And Kicking scored CDI3* grand prix and special wins in Le Mans last month, but London will be by far the highest profile show she has contested since her return.

She will face strong home competition from Lottie Fry and Glamourdale, who are back to defend their title. The World Cup holder, world champion and triple Olympic bronze medallist is aiming to add a third London victory to her record after wins in 2022 and 2024.

Becky Moody and Jagerbomb will also be gunning for the title. They were Britain’s strongest performers at this summer’s European Championships in Crozet and won the grand prix here in 2024, slipping down the order in the freestyle.

Their confidence will be high after a strong runner-up finish at the Lyon World Cup leg in October, where they placed second to world number ones Justin Verboomen and Zonik Plus.

Becky will also be debuting a new, one-off freestyle created specifically for London, which she has so far managed to keep firmly under wraps.

It is shaping up to be one of the most dramatic dressage events of 2025, even with a direct clash with the CDI5* in Frankfurt. Frankfurt will host the established invitation-only class for the world’s top 10-ranked riders, as well as the reported €300,000 prize pot previously offered in Stockholm, which could not find a sponsor for 2025.

Among those expected to compete in Frankfurt are Justin, Cathrine Laudrup-Dufour and Isabell Werth.

Completing the British entries are two exciting new faces. Germany-based Susan Pape will bring Harmony’s Giulilanta, who has enjoyed a strong season, including a win in the CDI4* grand prix special at Hagen in April with a personal best of 73.04%. Joining them are national champions and rising stars Sadie Smith and Swanmore Dantina, who will be making their World Cup qualifier debut.

There is plenty of international firepower in the mix too. Norway’s Isabel Freese returns with Total Hope OLD, last year’s runners-up, and the Netherlands’ Marieke van der Putten brings the Glamourdale son Kuvasz RS2, a 10-year-old who has impressed throughout 2025.

France’s Morgan Barbançon heads to London straight after a World Cup qualifier win in Motešice with the ever-reliable Sir Donnerhall II OLD, who finished fifth here in 2023. Germany’s Moritz Treffinger is another to keep an eye on. He and his Hanoverian stallion Cadeau Noir claimed the European under-25 freestyle title in July and continue to look like a pair on the rise.

For a full list of entries, see the LIHS website.

“With Olympic medallists, World Cup finalists, and emerging stars of dressage all set to compete at London, the dressage World Cup qualifier supported by Horse & Hound promises to be an unmissable event for equestrian fans and the most exciting way to start the show,” said show director Simon Brooks-Ward.

“The blend of experience, talent and heart on display will ensure two days of unforgettable sport, celebrating the very best of international dressage.”

Tickets for the London International Horse Show are on sale online. To book and for more information about the full show timetable, visit the event website.

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Becky Moody has shared her incredible horsey journey, from “galloping around on her 10.2hh strawberry roan” to winning an Olympic medal on a home-bred last summer.

The international dressage rider was the keynote speaker at an event organised by British Equestrian to publish the results of its work into the social value of horses.

The project had found that equestrianism is worth £1.2bn annually in social value, and at the launch event, people from all walks of life explained how horses had changed and improved their lives.

Becky, who was on the British team that won bronze in Paris, with Jagerbomb, said she was going to talk about her own experience of the equestrian world.

“It’s about the ups and downs, the good and the bad, and the incredible journey we go on with horses, and the things that it teaches us,” she said. “About horses, but also about ourselves, about other people.

“I ride, obviously, but I make my living coaching. So dealing with other people and helping them is an enormous part of what I do, and working with horses has enabled me to do that, to understand people as well as horses.”

Becky was born in Yorkshire, into a family that was “only a little bit horsey”.

“My mum’s from Northern Ireland, and she tells tales of hacking for seven miles to her local Pony Club rally, but it was very low-key horses, and my dad was not horsey at all,” she said.

“Hannah and Sarah, my two sisters, are seven and nearly 10 years older than me, so when I was born, they had already started riding, and Kelly was my first pony. I got her when I was four, and she was four, and we were best friends.

“We did everything together, we hurtled around the garden, we hurtled around the fields, we did Pony Club things, and we just grew up together. Generally, I was just chasing after my sisters, trying to keep up, but she was an absolute legend of a pony.”

Becky’s next pony came when she was seven and the pony was three, and she and Hannah backed him together. She explained that although her family was very supportive, there were no made ponies.

“Pony Club was a massive part of my life,” she said. “I was on Pony Club area teams from the age of nine to 18, and I did Pony Club dressage, eventing, showjumping, and quiz teams because I was a total geek.

“But what did Pony Club do for me? I made friends for life. I learned how to ride. I learned about how to look after horses, and that is one of the most important things. I was seven, eight years old, already mucking my pony out before I went to school, when I got home from school; that responsibility was mine. My parents were always very keen that if I was going to ride, I had to learn to look after horses as well. I still hold that very, very important thing; all the people who work for me, even the ones that want to ride at the top level, have to learn to care for the horses first, because that’s what horses are about.”

Becky said Pony Club also taught her about riding on a team; although competing with horses always involves a team of two, being part of a squad means responsibility for other riders and horses as well as yourself.

And although while she was at school, she briefly considered being a doctor, a vet and a fashion designer, she always knew her path lay in the horse world.

“I consider myself incredibly lucky, because I always knew what I wanted to do, and it was work with horses,” she said. “If I’d chosen one of those other things, I would definitely have had a healthier bank account, a better pension and less gray hair, but I wouldn’t have had this amazing journey I’ve had.”

By the time Becky left school, Hannah had completed a fine art degree but was drawn back to the horses. She started to build the family business up from a small livery yard and Becky joined her, teaching and building her riding career.

She competed, including with a 15hh thoroughbred-Highland cross at junior European Championships, which “really gave me the bug”, then went on to more youth teams, including winning young rider European bronze and at the national championships.

But Becky described the challenges in breaking into the top senior ranks; she had two horses at different times who could not quite make the transition to top level.

“It really made me question myself and what I was doing; could I do it?” she said. “It was really hard. I had amazing people who helped support me, but it definitely affected me as a rider. But it also taught me a lot about myself and about helping other people, because I think everybody goes through this.”

Becky cited Ian Woodhead, “the most phenomenal trainer” as one of the coaches who have helped her get to the top, as well as Emile Faurie, Carl Hester and her current coach David Hunt.

“These people, these coaches, all four of them, have been a massively important part of my life and my development, and I hope I can pass that on to other people,” she said.

“The people that I teach, some are also now professional riders. There’s Lucy who had just had her first baby when she went to the national championships here. These are all different people from all walks of life, and it’s been so amazing to work with them and see what works in different ways.”

Having spoken about the horses who had made her doubt herself, Becky talked about Jagerbomb, “the horse that’s really helped give me my confidence again and realise I can do it”.

“It’s been such an interesting journey,” she said. “I have another younger horse at the moment and I know if I’d had her after the other two, I’d have struggled, because she’s a bit quirky.

“I’d have doubted what I was doing and because I was doubting what I was doing, she’d have doubted what she was doing. But because I’ve had Bomb and he’s made me more confident, he’s taken me on that journey, I now have more knowledge, more confidence and more patience to deal with this horse. And that enables me to have more confidence and knowledge when I’m coaching my clients as well.

“At the Europeans in 2023, I was lucky enough to go as travelling reserve, but I still had a bit of imposter syndrome. I still didn’t really feel I should be there. At this point, I had this incredible horse I’d actually bred myself, amd as a young horse, we thought he was lovely, but not that great. How wrong we were.”

Becky said when she needs a moment, she turns to horses. She cited the time before Paris, when she had been selected for the squad.

“I knew I was the reserve rider at that point, but lots of other people thought I was on the team, and I was getting all these messages of congratulation,” she said. “I thought ‘I can’t cope with this’, so I went and sat in Bomb’s stable for half an hour and cried a bit, and he gave me a little cuddle. And then we were OK. We moved on.

“Horses listen and they let you talk to them. It doesn’t matter what you’re feeling, you can have that conversation. And I always come away feeling better.”

Becky said the Paris Olympics were “a crazy whirlwind”, and that she needs the pictures to remember she was really there and on that bronze medal-winning team.

“My pinch-me moment from Paris was standing on the podium with the other medal winners from the team competition,” she said. “Those people, Carl and Isabell [Werth] have been my inspiration, my role models, for 30 years. I used to teach Lottie in BD youth when she really couldn’t get her pony on the bit, and she’s now this absolutely phenomenal rider and team player. Being alongside people like this just makes you want to be better.”

Becky shared a picture of herself lying down after a 14-hour day.

“We do this because we love it,” she said. “You don’t do it if you don’t love it, because it’s too much hard work.

“But the journey these horses have taken me on, the things they’ve taught me about myself, and about people is such a massive part of it. The friends I’ve made are friends for life. So it’s not just the relationships with horses, but relationships with the people, too. And my mum and dad; they’ve been such a fundamental part of my journey. Although they have supported me financially to a degree, more importantly, they’ve supported every decision I’ve made to follow this crazy dream of mine. Thank you.”

• To stay up to date with all the breaking news from major shows throughout 2025, subscribe to the Horse & Hound website

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Olympic and European medallist Becky Moody claimed her third Dressage Future Elite Championship title at Horse of the Year Show (HOYS), scoring 78.33% riding Magic Dream JB (Governor x Swarovski), co-owned with Jo Cooper.

With Halloween looming, the pair brought a dark twist to the arena, riding to a moody mash-up inspired by Wednesday, the Netflix series that’s brought back pigtails and deadpan stares in style.

The pair opened with crisp shoulder-ins and sweeping half-passes, nodding to Wednesday Addams’ now-iconic dance – though not to The Cramps’ Goo Goo Muck, for those keeping track.

It was a hit with the judges. “The artistic side was just fantastic,” said Stephen Clarke, the judge at C. “It was difficult, the choreography was amazing, and the interpretation of the music was beautiful.” For her music and interpretation of the music mark, Becky earned a trio of nines.

“I am super-delighted with my horse,” Becky said. “She is only eight, so that was a big ask for her to go into that arena, but she coped amazingly well with the atmosphere.

“There were bits of the test that could have been better, but I was so pleased with her. The music wasn’t actually made for her; it was for a horse I rode a few years ago.

“The floorplan is a funny one because it doesn’t feel difficult to ride, but it has a high degree of difficulty, so it’s a good balance when you find something like that – it helps the horse flow.”

Launched in 2013, the Dressage Future Elite Championship brings together Britain’s leading eight- to ten-year-old horses in an inter I freestyle – and has established itself as one of the sport’s most reliable indicators of future international success.

Previous winners include championship medallists like Hawtins Delicato, Mount St John Freestyle, Imhotep, and, of course, Jagerbomb, who won the title in 2022.

“There are so few venues in the UK where you get this kind of atmosphere, so for those horses that you hope are starting out on their top international journey, it’s amazing for them,” Becky explained.

“I’ve had five horses that I’ve ridden here, four have become international grand prix horses, and if you look at everyone else that’s done it, there’s a really high percentage of horses that have gone on to do really exciting things. That just goes to show the importance of it.”

Becky’s aiming to add Magic Dream to that list of future stars. And she’s not the only one with a bright road ahead: Matt Frost and Kerouac impressed with a 75.5% to finish second, while Tom Goode and Margot rounded out the top three on 73.54%.

Richard Baldwin, the judge at M, added: “The best part is giving these horses the chance to come into this environment and learn; all of the horses here tonight will have gained so much experience.

“It’s exciting to see that as a country, we have talented horses and riders, and it’s fantastic that we get to see the Olympic medallists of the future coming through at this level.”

• To stay up to date with all the breaking news from major shows including HOYS and London International, subscribe to the Horse & Hound website

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Becky Moody produced a stunning crowd-pleaser to score 86.92% in the freestyle at the European Dressage Championships with the charismatic Jagerbomb to finish just outside the medals in fourth.

Having burst on to the championship scene to win team bronze in Paris last year, Becky’s ambition is still growing.

“I still want a bit more!” said Becky. “I want [to score] my personal best on a stage like this but I am so proud of ‘Bomb’, bless his little heart. I do think we have more in there; it’s a constant journey, we’re all trying to get better all the time.”

Jagerbomb’s Beatles medley is a surefire way to get the crowd on side, with hits such as Sergeant Pepper for his canter, All You Need Is Love for his piaffe-passage, and walk tour to Here Comes the Sun. The whole crowd was clapping to her final line of I Want to Hold Your Hand.

Besides being huge fun to watch, the programme was very difficult technically, kicking off with pirouettes down the centre line, but Becky pretty much nailed it – bar a tiny mistake in the two-times.

“I still haven’t got the piaffe-passage I know we can have, and it was a foolish rider error in the twos, I wasn’t quite clear enough – they were feeling lovely and I was too blasé,” she said. “I could hear the crowd by the grandstand, even though the music is loud, you could hear them gasp [at the mistake].”

Jagerbomb has been getting better and better throughout these championships, and this test was their absolute highlight – close to their personal best in a week when few pairs are hitting their peaks.

Had the crowd been the judges, Becky would be in line for gold. They were on their feet by the end, whooping and cheering as Becky came to her final, smiling halt.

• To stay up to date with all the breaking news from the European Dressage Championships, subscribe to the Horse & Hound website

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Becky Moody and Jagerbomb bounced back in the grand prix special at 2025 European Dressage Championships, posting 77.8% to come within touching distance of their personal best.

Becky admitted she was disappointed with her 74.83% in the grand prix, which left her eighth – a sign of how high her standards have become in such a short time. Even as she spoke to the press afterwards, her focus had already shifted to what she could improve for the special.

She followed championship debutante Katharina Hemmer, who overtook the provisional lead from Lottie Fry and Glamourdale with a personal best 78.68%. Katharina’s ride was so impressive that it left both her and German team coach Monica Theodorescu wiping away tears.

Looking determined to respond, Becky opened with another of the halts she and Jagerbomb have been working on – square, secure and setting the tone.

This time, she kept more power flowing into the trot work, and the pair were exceptional in the piaffe and passage, especially in the transitions between the two. For much of the test, they were tracking Katharina’s score in the grand prix special at the European Dressage Championships.

“Loads better than the grand prix,” Becky reflected. “He took me a little bit by surprise the other day because I expected him to be hotter than he was. Today he’d had a very chilled day – maybe a bit more feed – and he had a bit more go, which made life easier.”

Their walk section averaged a touch under sevens, pulling the marks down slightly. After a mistake in yesterday’s extended canter, when Jagerbomb popped in an unscheduled flying change, Becky rode it more conservatively today.

“The piaffe wasn’t his best, the passage was okay, but I had to help him a bit, and I was tentative in the extended canter after yesterday,” she explained. “So to get that mark knowing there are more marks still in there – I’m pleased with that.”

European Dressage Championships: Becky Moody nails the special

But, in Isabell Werth-like fashion, she nailed the final movements, picking up eights and nines to finish just 0.7% off her personal best.

“What I’m going to keep striving for is that I can get that ultimate energy that makes everything else feel easy – but still keep his mind relaxed enough that he’s happy to just say, ‘okay, we halt here’ and do it,” Becky added. “We’re still a work in progress, and probably will be for years to come.”

Reflecting on her rapid rise since making her championship debut in Paris last year, Becky said: “I love the feeling that I haven’t yet got that mark, knowing it was the best test I could ever do. I know there’s so much more to come.”

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The British team of Lottie Fry, Carl Hester, Becky Moody and Andrew Gould have won the silver medal at the European Dressage Championships in Crozet, France.

It went down to the last rotation of riders as a final showdown between Germany and Britain, after Carl’s super test on Fame had put Britain right into contention to defend the title they won in Riesenbeck two years ago.

The match-up between Lottie and Germany’s Isabell Werth would decide the team’s fate as the Germans pushed for their 50th European Dressage Championships gold medal.

When Isabell scored 79.224% on Wendy De Fontaine to slot into second on the leaderboard behind Cathrine Laudrup-Dufour, a massive result from Lottie – Britain’s anchor – would be required.

As Lottie and Glamourdale’s average at grand prix prior to the European Dressage Championships was 76.59%, this was a big ask on a day when the judges weren’t throwing marks at competitors.

Lottie needed 78.73% to secure the gold medal for Britain and made a bold, confident start on the 2022 world champion Glamourdale. But while their highlights were exceptional, mistakes meant they finished on 75.87%.

This score was still comfortably good enough to secure team silver, staying ahead of Denmark in bronze.

Glamourdale’s half-passes were stunning, and the judges loved their passage. However, Lottie had to make a correction in the passage before the stallion made an uncharacteristic mistake in the collected canter before the two-time changes.

Their party-piece extended canter naturally clawed back some of the lost marks with two 10s awarded, but ultimately, there were too many little blips, notably when he climbed his way through the pirouettes, that precluded a really top score.

“It was really exciting,” Lottie reflected after the prizegiving. “In team competitions, when it comes down to the last few riders, it always is.

“There was a lot of pressure going in, knowing we were in contention for gold. But I didn’t look at the scoreboard before I went in – I was very focused. Unfortunately, it wasn’t our day; too many mistakes crept in, which can happen.

“I’m looking forward to the rest of the competition because Glamourdale is settling in and improving day by day. I think we’re going to be fine. And I still think we all did a good job to come away with the silver.”

There are no individual medals in this team contest, but Lottie finished sixth on the leaderboard, just behind team-mate Carl. Tomorrow (Friday, 29 August), individual medals will be awarded in the grand prix special, for which the top 30 from the grand prix go forward.

European Dressage Championships team medals

• Gold: Germany on 229.64%
• Silver: Britain on 226.79%
• Bronze: Denmark on 223.39%

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Becky Moody held her nerve at the European Dressage Championships in Crozet, to recover after a couple of early errors in her grand prix test with Jagerbomb.

Their score of 74.83% is nearly 3% short of her personal best, but the judges aren’t giving away marks and she is still in touch of the top of leaderboard behind Germany’s Katharina Hemmer.

“I’m frustrated; I feel like we should have done better,” she said. “I’m disappointed, I should have got us out ahead, but I’ve now got to go away and get it better for Friday [the grand prix special].”

Becky blamed herself for concentrating on settling Jagerbomb’s walk and halt, which she feels may have had repercussions for the rest of the movements.

“We have had a phase of him being very hot, not standing still and not walking, so we’ve been working very hard on that and we did those things well – but unfortunately that did mean we didn’t have the same hotness that helps out with certain other things,” she said.

How the grand prix test went for Becky Moody at the European Dressage Championships

“Bomb” started out with his trademark exemplary self-carriage, drawing high marks from the outset, especially for his beautifully soft and rhythmic half-pass. But he seemed to approach the first set of piaffes underpowered, losing energy – and marks.

Then, halfway across the diagonal in the extended canter, he popped in an unscheduled flying change, which earned him fours. Another mistake in the zigzag strides followed. After that, it was a case of trying to claw back marks, but Becky appeared unruffled and recovered well to conjure some excellent tempi changes for eights and 8.5s. Two of the seven judges put her first overall.

“I don’t know how I made the mistake in the zigzag, I thought I counted six – I have to learn to count!” she said. “The extended canter was a real shame as it felt really secure and bold, but whether something caught his eye or he lost balance, I’m not sure.

“But I’m super pleased with the bits I’ve been working on, and I’ll take the positives and work on improving the rest. We stood still in our halts, but our piaffe wasn’t as expressive. Maybe he needs to be fresher, but it’s swings and roundabouts.”

There was some added pressure after Britain’s pathfinder Andrew Gould was eliminated, but Becky said that did not affect her performance.

“I’m so sad for Andrew and the focus is on getting the horse right again,” she said. “But we all have a job to do, and the three of us will do our very best. The whole competition is so exciting.”

Favourite nations tussle at European Dressage Championships

At the end of a day where scores struggled to hit 70%, Becky’s test was part of a final crescendo in the last group, as the medal favourites Britain, Denmark, and Germany fielded their second riders.

Germany’s Katharina Hemmer rode a crisp and clever test on Denoix PCH to score 75.7%. The horse was uphill and rhythmic, but Katharina didn’t go for broke, and the pair gave the impression of bigger scores in the locker.

Also in this second rotation, the Danes showed just why they are a force to be reckoned with, even with a new-look team from that which won silver in Paris last year.

Their first rider Nadja Aaboe Sloth (Favour Gersdorf) held the lead for most of the first grand prix day on 71.23%, and Rikke Dupont backed that result up with 70% in the second rotation.

Rikke was riding the 10-year-old Grand Galliano, by Kastel’s Grand Galaxy Win, who seemed to grow as the test went on. Although his piaffe still needs to develop, the canter work was beautifully soft and expressive with lovely changes.

They were trending to go into the lead until the final line, when they faltered in the transition to piaffe.

“I knew I had to ride without a mistake, but I had a little one at the end,” said Rikke, who is making her championship debut. “I was happy with my test – it’s a big thing, the first time for me and the horse, and he’s young.”

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The terrific trio that delivered an Olympic bronze medal last summer have been named on the British team for the European Dressage Championships – as a newcomer gets ready to make his first full senior championship appearance.

Today (31 July) British Equestrian (BEF) and British Dressage (BD) confirmed the four combinations that will be Britain’s definite entries for the European Dressage Championships, taking place in Crozet, France, from 26 to 31 August.

Last summer’s team of Carl Hester, Becky Moody and Lottie Fry have returned following their success in Paris, where Lottie also won an individual bronze – and they are joined by Andrew Gould, who was travelling reserve at Versailles.

The team chef d’equipe Darrell Scaife said “what an exciting foursome to be taking to France”.

“Carl will be riding in his ninth consecutive Europeans, Lottie has been a team regular since 2019, while for Andrew and Becky, it’s their Euros debut. But all four have considerable experience and with Lottie and Becky featuring the world’s top four and a number of personal best performances from the group this spring, we carry great form to the championships,” he said.

“The horses and riders have one of the best support teams behind them – both at home and via the World Class Programme and I’m looking forward to working with each and every one as we prepare for Crozet and look to successfully defend our team title.”

British team for the 2025 European Dressage Championships

Definite entries for the British Equestrian dressage team, in partnership with Agria, in alphabetical order by athlete surname:

Lottie Fry with 14-year-old stallion Glamourdale

Owners: rider and Van Olst Horses

Breeder: J Rodenburg

Breeding: by Lord Leatherdale, out of a mare by Negro

Groom: Richard Hauwaerts

Andrew Gould with 12-year-old stallion Indigro

Owners: Tatiana and Max Skillman

Breeder: J Deenen

Breeding: by Negro, out of a mare by Jazz

Groom: Natalie Campbell

Carl Hester with 15-year-old stallion Fame

Owners: rider, Fiona Bigwood and Mette Dahl

Breeder: VOFG and M Gerritsen

Breeding: by Bordeaux 28, out of a mare by Rhodium

Groom: Lucy Scudamore

Becky Moody with 11-year-old gelding Jagerbomb

Owners: rider and Jo Cooper

Breeder: rider

Breeding: by Dante Weltino, out of a mare by Jazz

Groom: Kim Masson

Selection decisions are subject to the athlete and horse maintaining fitness and performance, and this list may be amended at any point up to midnight on Tuesday 19 August.

“We’re very excited to have the same team of athletes and horses available from the Paris Olympic Games. Andrew makes the step up from reserve and having that experience to draw on will give him great confidence in his first full senior championship team appearance,” said Judy Harvey, BD international director and chief dressage selector.

“All the horses have continued to improve in the year since Paris, and we head to Crozet excited to see what they can deliver. This is a great group of athletes who will be fully supportive of one another to create an atmosphere conducive to producing top performances. We’re set for a great week – bring it on!”

A BEF spokesperson added that the funding the British Equestrian World Class Programme receives from the National Lottery and UK Sport is “pivotal in preparing our teams for senior championships and supporting them on the ground”.

“British Equestrian is also extremely grateful for the support we enjoy from our partners – Agria, Bates Saddles, Dodson & Horrell, NAF, SEIB and Toggi – and team suppliers – Equi-Trek and Lotus Romeo. We’re indebted for the year-round support they provide to the World Class Programme and British teams, which helps us to best prepare for senior championships,” he said.

• To stay up to date with all the breaking news from major shows throughout 2025, subscribe to the Horse & Hound website

You may also be interested in:

Fame – the dream horse who gave Carl Hester back his love of competing and a career-best score

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Glamourdale – Lottie Fry’s world champion dressage stallion who makes crowds gasp

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Jagerbomb is Becky Moody’s Olympic team bronze-medal-winning, World Cup-winning homebred – and one of Britain's most exciting and charismatic team horses.

“He always wants to make people happy, and he’s such a happy person himself,” says Becky. “If he were human, he'd be the one at the party going up to everyone to say hello.”

However, as a young horse, Becky wasn’t sure Jagerbomb had what it takes to reach the upper echelons of the sport.

Jagerbomb’s early years

Jagerbomb is a homebred, out of Udysee, a mare Becky trained up to grand prix before retiring her to breed.

“Jagerbombs are my favourite drink, and I’ve always wanted to name a horse after it,” explained Becky. “So it was heaven-sent when the mare produced me a beautiful J-reg colt to name!

“He was always so easy to deal with as a young horse, and he was very straightforward to back. But he wasn’t very athletic, and he didn’t have that look-at-me factor.

“It was no secret that I would have sold him at that point, but I’m so glad now I didn’t,” Becky admits. “But I never thought he would end up being my top horse.

“He always had the most incredible heart, though, and he’s such a trier – I could never fault his temperament.”

“I think he could be pretty epic”

Jagerbomb’s national breakthrough came when he won the seven-year-old final and was twice runner-up in the prix st georges classes at the National Championships.

“I remember in the seven-year-old class he just piaffed throughout the prize-giving. It was such a lovely feeling that the energy and excitement created that reaction in him,” Becky recalls

From that point on, Jagerbomb went from strength to strength. In 2022, he took home all the small tour titles at the Winter Championships.

“As he’s getting stronger, he’s getting sharper,” Becky said at the time. “I probably only school him three times a week, which isn’t much at his level. He does plenty of hacking and hill work – I’m careful not to overdo it.”

His international debut came three months later at Hartpury CDI*, where he again scored a hat-trick of small tour wins.

The pair won the inter I on 77.32% – almost 6% clear of their nearest rival – at the same show where Becky debuted Jagerbomb’s iconic Sex Bomb routine.

“I think the music suits him,” Becky told H&H after her win. “It’s thanks to Kim Masson, my groom – she suggested Tom Jones. I resisted for a long time, then finally accepted that cheesy was good!”

At this stage, Jagerbomb had dipped below 70% only once in his career, with 31 wins from 52 starts. Still, Becky wasn’t sure he had what it took to reach the top level.

“My concern has always been whether he would have a good enough engine to keep going all the way through – it’s a hell of a task,” she said.

“There’s still so much more to come”

More wins followed at the National Championships – despite Becky suffering a collapsed lung less than a month beforehand – and at the Dressage Future Elite Championships, cementing Jagerbomb’s status as the standout small tour horse of 2022.

He made his grand prix debut in February 2023, winning with 76.09% at Reaseheath College.

His international debut came in May at Hickstead CDI3*, where he finished fourth in the grand prix on 71.02% and won his first-ever international grand prix freestyle with 75.71%.

The rest of 2023 was a highlights reel, capped that summer by a 79.99% freestyle at Hartpury CDI3* and Jagerbomb's selection as reserve for the European Championships – an achievement Becky called "simply insane."

A standout debut at the London International Horse Show followed, where the pair posted personal bests to finish third in both the grand prix (75.09%) and freestyle (83.67%).

“He was phenomenal and loved every moment of it, and I think you can see that on his face,” Becky said. “I came here for many, many years watching and getting to ride here has taken quite a long time. But I’m here now.

“The bigger the crowd, the better he is – he just thrives on it and really wants to do it. He came down the centre line saying ‘let’s go’, which is amazing.”

An unexpected Olympic call-up

In 2024, Becky and Jagerbomb stepped up to five-star level, placing at both Rotterdam and Compiègne CDIO5* as part of Britain’s Nations Cup teams, in their bid for a reserve spot at the Paris Olympics.

But just a week before the Games, fate took a turn: following Charlotte Dujardin’s withdrawal and suspension, Becky and Jagerbomb were thrust into the spotlight. They stepped onto the team under an undeniable cloud.

However, smiling every step of the way, Becky dealt with the pressure with grace and aplomb and conjured fabulous performances.

"I was expecting a lovely 10-day holiday in France, but it hasn't come to that – I think it's quite a bit better," Becky joked. "There have been moments of extreme nausea, but I haven't felt external pressure."

In the grand prix, Becky got the ball rolling with a mistake-free 74.93%.

“That was insane,” she said. “What a stadium, what a crowd, what a horse! He loves to be out there – the more people watching, the better.”

In the special, the pair produced the test of their lives, scoring a new personal best of 76.49% as the pathfinders to give the team a comfortable margin in the race for the bronze medal.

“He’s a total dude and such a lovely, lovely horse,” said Becky. “He’s been quite spicy here this week. Carl Hester has helped me out an awful lot to find that inner calm in both of us.

“At the beginning of the test, we were quite excited and didn’t really want to stand still so we did a very quick halt – it was brief enough just for me to drop my hand, but as soon as we were there and going, we were on it.”

Becky and Jagerbomb capped their championship debut with a sensational freestyle, scoring another personal best of 84.36% to finish eighth overall.

“I had pretty much accepted I wasn’t ever going to ride at the Olympics. Toward the end of the 2023 season, though, that’s when I realised how good a horse Jagerbomb is,” Becky reflected.

Since then, the pair have firmly established themselves among the world’s top combinations.

In a full-circle moment, they returned to London that December – the show that launched their remarkable rise a year earlier – and beat teammates Lottie Fry and Glamourdale in the grand prix with yet another personal best of 76.7%.

They also debuted a brand-new Beatles routine in the freestyle – casting off the Tom Jones soundtrack that had become their signature. It felt symbolic: they were no longer the plucky underdogs. They had arrived.

Cementing his place among the world’s elite

The two years since Paris have seen Jagerbomb become one of Britain’s most consistent championship horses, finishing fourth in the freestyle at the 2025 Europeans in Crozet on 86.98% as Britain took team silver – his and Becky's best result yet at a major championship.

That form kept building into 2026, culminating in a first World Cup Final appearance in Fort Worth, Texas, in April – Jagerbomb’s first time on a plane. Becky and Jagerbomb topped the grand prix and then delivered the performance of their lives in the freestyle to win on a personal best of 88.33%.

It was a statement from the first stride – four 9.5s and a 10 for their entrance and opening halt – with the judge at H awarding 90.24% by the end. Every extension drew cheers, and the curving two-time changes into ones brought the crowd to their feet as Becky came down her final centre line beaming.

Asked how she’d celebrate, she didn’t hesitate: “I will be going to find a drink later, definitely. I think maybe a Jägerbomb.”

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Becky Moody and Jagerbomb delivered Britain’s standout performance at the 2025 CHIO Aachen, posting a personal best of 78.4% in the MEGGLE-Prize grand prix special.

The pair came third behind Belgium’s breakout stars Justin Verboomen and Zonik Plus (80.75%) and Germany’s Isabell Werth and Wendy De Fontaine (80.11%). All three riders achieved personal bests.

The British pair opened their Aachen campaign in the CDI5* Prize of Family Tesch grand prix, scoring 75.72% for fourth place and helping the British team – Andrew Gould (Indigro), Lewis Robertson-Carrier (Diego V), and Susan Pape (Harmony’s V-Plus) – to fourth overall in the Lambertz Nations’ Cup.

Some tension resurfaced during the freestyle, in which Becky and Jagerbomb scored 83.38% to finish fourth, narrowly behind Germany’s Fredric Wandres and Bluetooth.

“It’s been an amazing experience,” Becky said. “The crowd here is incredible – so enthusiastic and knowledgeable. It’s quite funny because you can really hear them react.

“When I did the grand prix and my first halt, which didn’t really halt… I could literally hear everyone go ‘Ooooh’ all around the stadium. That adds even more tension. It’s a crazy show – on another level.”

Becky added that the special also got off to a shaky start. “I think we were on something like 43% after the first movement,” she said. “We couldn’t really halt again because he was a bit hot, but after that he settled and was super cool and with me the whole way.

“In the freestyle, we just had a bit too much tension. The good bits were amazing because there was more expression, but he was too tense in too much of it.

“I’m still pleased to finish fourth, but I know it can be better. It’s all about finding that balance between energy and relaxation – that’s what we’re all striving for.”

She also admitted that deciding not to ride Jagerbomb on the morning of the freestyle might have backfired. “He was so good in the special, I thought he’d be a bit tired, so I didn’t ride him. But I probably should have done that. You live and learn.”

After the special, Becky reflected on how far she and Jagerbomb have come over the past two years.

“I had pretty much accepted I wasn’t going to ride at the Olympics. Toward the end of the 2023 season, though, I realised how good a horse Jagerbomb is,” she said. “I’ve become the poster girl for ‘don’t ever give up.’ Keep on learning, and sometimes dreams do come true.”

• To stay up to date with all the breaking news from major shows throughout 2025, subscribe to the Horse & Hound website

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Becky Moody and Jagerbomb opened their 2025 outdoor season – and stepped up preparations for this summer’s European Championships – with a dominant double win at the Printemps des Sports Équestres CDI5* in Fontainebleau, France.

The British pair scored 76.87% to top Saturday’s Devoucoux grand prix, returning on Sunday to win the feature class, the Région Île-de-France freestyle, with 84.38% – picking up a cool €27,100 prize money in the process.

“It’s a beautiful venue, and I was really pleased with him for the first outdoor show of the season,” said Becky. “He’s done quite a few indoor shows, but I think it’s always a bit of a shock when you go back outside.

“This was his first outdoor show since Paris, and after experiencing such a big atmosphere there, you never quite know how they’ll respond – but he was really cool.”

The field was slightly depleted, with a packed CDI calendar and an overlap with Hagen – which, although it was offering lower prize money, attracted riders with a wider range of class options.

Still, Becky won comfortably ahead of World Cup finalist Larissa Pauluis and Flambeau, who placed second in both the grand prix (73.13%) and freestyle (78.38%). Pauline Basquin and Sertorius De Rima Z Ifce were third in both (72.41% and 77.27%).

“In the grand prix, there were a lot of things I was really happy with – we got 8.5s and nines for the pirouettes, which were probably the best I’ve done in a test,” Becky explained.

“But I had a silly error in the zigzag, which was costly as it’s a double-marked movement.

“I think the piaffe-passage was good, but not quite as good as we can do – the passage was maybe a little too free.

“I was a bit frustrated with myself after the grand prix, but in the freestyle he was much hotter, which was actually a good thing,” she added. “We had a small glitch in one of the canter half-passes, but otherwise some really strong moments.

“On the whole, it was a valuable outdoor experience, and now we’ll go away, tidy a few things up, and come back stronger next time. I know there’s more in the tank – ultimately, I want to be able to ride an 80% grand prix. I think we have that in us; we just have to keep chipping away.”

Becky has been carefully balancing Jagerbomb’s development and mileage ahead of the Europeans; the 11-year-old contested just three World Cup qualifiers since Paris – London, Amsterdam and ’s-Hertogenbosch – between December and March. It was a calculated approach, though it ultimately left the pair just short of qualifying for the finals in Basel.

Next on their schedule is Royal Windsor Horse Show (15-18 May), where they’ll run through their freestyle as part of a dressage masterclass.

“That’ll be great – another chance to get him outside, but in more of a training environment,” said Becky. “It’ll give me the freedom to play with a few things. Then the plan is Aachen at the start of July.”

• To stay up to date with all the breaking news from major shows throughout 2025, subscribe to the Horse & Hound website

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Becky Moody and Jo Cooper’s Lancelot BS (Dreamboy x Lancet) clinched the Magic prix st georges (PSG) gold title at the 2025 NAF Five Star Winter Dressage Championships with a winning score of 70.39%. In an ultra-competitive class, Gracie Catling and Qwinton followed in second on 69.85%, with India Durman-Mills and Escade just behind on 69.56% – each judge placing a different rider in top spot.

The decisive margin came in the walk half-pirouettes, where Becky and Lancelot picked up a pair of eights while others faltered.

Becky, who has more than 30 national titles to her name, said this one stood out.

“I didn’t expect to do it – not with this horse, at this point in time,” she admitted. “He’s still quite green, and he’s never been in an arena like that before, so I really wasn’t sure how he’d cope.

“But he was super cool – actually better in the arena than the warm-up, which is exciting for the future.

“There was still some tactical half-halting,” she added with a laugh. “Changes have been his Achilles heel for a while now, but we’re getting there, and he’s getting much more confident. But at the moment, I still have to keep everything quite controlled, but when we can take the handbrake off, he’s such a cool horse.”

Just like his illustrious stablemate Jagerbomb, Lancelot has been with team Moody his whole career. He was bred by her long-time supporter Julie Lockley, brought through the lower levels by Becky’s stable jockey Anna Burns, and is owned by Jo Cooper and Becky’s mum, Anne.

“I’m not quite sure what the future holds for him yet,” Becky added. “I have to sell some horses at some point because I have way too many. So he might be one of those, but he’s showing some real talent for the grand prix work, so we’ll see.”

Comeback king claims PSG bronze title with personal best at Petplan Winter Area Festival Championships

Helen Beaton and Frankisse II delivered a career-best performance to win the PSG bronze title at the 2025 Petplan Winter Area Festival Championships, scoring 67.16% in a nail-biting finish. Their personal best was just enough to edge out Madison Eagle and Royalty II, who scored 67.01% for second place.

“I’m a little bit shocked at the moment,” Helen admitted, speaking from the quiet of the stable block after the prizegiving. “It hasn’t quite sunk in. He pulled out the best test he’s ever done – he timed it perfectly.”

While the flying changes were reliable, it was the pirouettes that made Helen proudest.

“He sometimes struggles with them, but today, he waited, listened, and gave me everything,” she said.

Helen’s partnership with Frankisse has been far from straightforward. She bought the gelding unseen four years ago – a decision she admits gave her second thoughts when he arrived.

“He looked awful when we got him,” she said. “He was at novice – badly – and I remember thinking, ‘Oh gosh, what have I bought?’”

Then, two years ago, disaster struck when Frankisse fractured a femur. That he’s come back from such a significant injury to achieve this title is, for Helen, nothing short of remarkable.

“To come from all of that to this… It’s hard to put into words,” she said. “He’s such a trier, and just the loveliest, loveliest horse.”

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Britain’s Lottie Fry and Becky Moody dominated the Dutch Masters dressage freestyle today, with the Paris team-mates repeating their placings from yesterday’s grand prix and taking the top two spots in the final World Cup leg of the Western European League.

Winner Lottie and the 14-year-old black stallion Glamourdale, owned by his rider and Van Olst Horses, scored 89.705% for their virtually foot-perfect performance, which was expressive and technically tighter than yesterday’s test, when they made some small mistakes. The pair are now qualified for the World Cup Final in Basel next month.

The world champions rode to their familiar soundtrack, which includes God Save The King for their entry and final centreline and Queen’s Another One Bites The Dust and the crowd were clapping along in their closing trot section.

“I had an amazing ride – it was such an incredible feeling,” said Lottie. “I remember entering the arena, but from that moment I don’t remember very much. I was so determined before went in that today going to be the day and if I feel like that, I know Glamourdale will rise to the occasion because he’s such a showman.

“Afterwards I actually cried a few tears. I don’t get emotional often, but he was so amazing today, when I did my salute and heard the crowd it really got to me.

“It’s always in our minds to combine perfect harmony with so much power and it felt like today we started to create that.”

Personal best for Moody and Bomb

Runner-up Becky Moody and her own and Jo Cooper’s Jagerbomb achieved a personal best score of 87.545% for their Dutch Masters dressage freestyle test, topping the 86.5% they scored in the Amsterdam World Cup leg in January. It was a mistake-free performance which showcased the 11-year-old’s superb outline and ability in the technical movements and the pair’s harmony.

Becky and “Bomb” have now settled into the new music and floorplan they debuted at the London World Cup qualifier. The routine starts with John Lennon’s Imagine and is packed with Beatles favourites from Twist and Shout to With a Little Help from My Friends and Help! 

“We have only done that freestyle three times – the first time was not so good, but it has got better and better as we’ve ridden it more,” said Becky.

“It’s an incredible experience to come into an atmosphere like that and feel like the horse stays with you and on side. And it’s exciting to have got that mark and know there is quite a lot more to come – we ran out of steam in the last piaffe and there were little glitches I know can be better.”

Speaking about her journey with the home-bred Bomb, Becky said: “I am just so proud of him, he’s a truly exceptional horse. It’s his heart that is the most talented part of him. He gives absolutely everything and his heart and mind have enabled me to develop him as an athlete, because he was not the most naturally talented as a young horse. He tries so hard and gives everything. I’m incredibly lucky to have him.

“We have learnt everything together, but it’s all the horses I had before him that have enabled me to produce him as I have.”

Becky is not qualified for the World Cup Final, but could be high enough up the rankings to be offered a place if others do not take up their spots.

Belgium’s Justin Verboomen and the nine-year-old stallion Zonik Plus, who he bought in Portugal as a two-year-old, took third on 84.160%. Final rider Isabell Werth of Germany was fourth on DSP Quantaz, scoring 82.415%, and tops the Western European League World Cup standings.

• To stay up to date with all the breaking news from major shows throughout 2025, subscribe to the Horse & Hound website

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British riders Lottie Fry and Becky Moody scored a one-two in today’s Dutch Masters dressage grand prix, presented by RS2 Dressage. The Paris Olympic team-mates both scored over 75% in this qualifier for tomorrow’s World Cup freestyle.

Lottie scored 75.978% with her own and Van Olst Horses’ powerful black stallion Glamourdale, her partner in taking the individual World Championship title in 2022 and individual and team bronze in Paris.

“I was very pleased with it. It really felt light, easy, effortless, happy horse, happy rider. That’s all I want to show – all the time and especially now – and I feel like we really succeeded with that today,” said Lottie, as other competitors congratulated her on her ride.

“A few mistakes crept in, but nothing to be upset about. They were very silly, little things, to be honest, little transitions, things I normally wouldn’t even think about. I think I was just enjoying the ride so much and he was feeling so great that I was maybe not fully concentrated on every transition. But the main thing was how amazing he felt and it was some of the best work he’s ever done.

“He gets better and better, and it’s not always about producing a faultless test. It’s about the little goals now, increasing the harmony and showing what an amazing partnership we are, and being able to present it in a very easy way.”

This Dutch Masters show in ’s-Hertogenbosch is only Lottie’s third World Cup dressage leg this season, after Amsterdam and London, and it’s one the Netherlands-based British rider attends nearly every year as it is only half an hour from the Van Olst yard.

“For me, it is one of the best World Cup shows, because there’s so much space and the public is so supportive. We just always have a great time here,” she said.

“We haven’t pushed for the World Cup final and if it happens tomorrow that we qualify, then it happens, and that’s amazing. And if not, it’s not a huge goal for us, so we concentrate on the Europeans and just keep on going like we are.”

Becky Moody: “It’s slap me really hard!”

Runner-up Becky Moody scored 75.587% for her virtually faultless test, in which her own and Jo Cooper’s Jagerbomb appeared soft and relaxed, a testament to his rider’s skill as she said he was actually buzzing in the arena.

The pair just lost marks for a leap forwards before the halt on the final centreline and for entering the arena late, without which they could have scored a new personal best and won the class.

“I was super, super pleased with him. It’s just slap me really hard for being an absolute idiot and being late in,” said Becky.

“The centre line was just a simple miscommunication. He was getting a little behind me and I said, ‘Come on, keep in front of me.’ And he went, ‘Okay, canter.’

“When he’s hot, my halts and my walk are a little fragile. But things like piaffe are really lovely and easy because he’s in front of me. I’d rather have him like that, even though it makes my life a little bit trickier in some situations, because he’s just so up for it. He’s just so excited about showing off what he can do that standing still seems really overrated to him.”

Belgian rider Justin Verboomen finished third on Zonik Plus with 74.652%, with Isabell Werth fourth for Germany on DSP Quantaz on 73.761%.

Both Lottie and Becky will ride in the Dutch Masters dressage World Cup freestyle tomorrow at 2pm local time (1pm British time).

• To stay up to date with all the breaking news from major shows throughout 2025, subscribe to the Horse & Hound website

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Olympic dressage medallists Becky Moody and Carl Hester will thrill fans at Royal Windsor Horse Show (15-18 May) as they recreate the magic of Paris.

The pair have been named on the line-up of the new Defender Dressage Masterclass, taking place on Thursday 15 May.

The masterclass “moves away from the norm, giving spectators an opportunity to learn from the very best”. The Netherlands’ Dinja Van Liere will join Becky and Carl, and world team silver medallist Richard Davison will present the session, guiding the audience “through the artistic intricacies of freestyle dressage”.

Richard will demonstrate key movements and provide a technical understanding and Becky, Carl and Dinja will perform their Paris Olympic freestyle tests. They will then talk to Richard about their tests, giving a deeper insight into “how technical movements translate into their tests”.

A Royal Windsor spokesperson said the interactive format will not only showcase the skill of these world-class riders but also provide spectators with clear, practical takeaways to “improve their own dressage and flatwork techniques”.

Richard said he is “thrilled” to be presenting the masterclass.

“With three of the world’s best dressage riders taking part, we have a fantastic opportunity to demonstrate how fundamental principles come together in a freestyle test to produce something seamless and beautiful,” he said.

“Working alongside Becky, Carl, and Dinja will, I hope, create an engaging and informative experience for all.”

Royal Windsor event director James Shaw said the “new style masterclass with the Olympic freestyle tests” creates a platform that allows elite riders to share their expertise in a tangible and inspiring way with our audience”.

“This promises to be one of the standout moments of the show,” he said.

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Scheduling challenges and rising costs mean historic venue cancels international dressage

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“It’s hard – we have a relatively small but really nice group of long-term liveries, but teaching is what keeps the lights on,” says Becky Moody, whose daily routine balances training, coaching and the financial realities of top-level dressage.

“I remember chatting to Joe Stockdale at the London International Horse Show, and we were laughing about how much more prize money showjumpers get compared to dressage riders,” Becky says. “Even after doing as well as we did recently in the World Cup qualifier in Amsterdam, by the time we got there, paid for entries and fuel, it probably cost around £5,000.”

Luckily, Becky explains that she really enjoys teaching – and when she gets the opportunity to coach at home, she makes it count.

“It’s actually pretty rare that I get to coach Anna [Burns, Becky’s stable jockey] properly,” she admits. “Normally, it’s more of an ongoing thing – I just shout at her while she’s hurtling around.”

As Anna rides, Becky doesn’t just give instructions – she asks questions. “What are you thinking about in this movement? What’s your goal for winter regionals?” It’s never just about the test or the score – it’s about the process.

That mindset has shaped Becky’s own journey too, particularly in bringing her home-bred Olympic bronze medalist Jagerbomb from a foal to a top-level competitor.

“I’m a lot more confident now than I used to be,” Becky reflects. “I don’t work them as much as I used to. When you’re learning with the horse, you feel like you have to do things over and over again to get better – but that’s sometimes not so good for the horse.”

At the moment, Jagerbomb is just hacking, having not long returned from Amsterdam. But in a normal week, Becky tends to school Jagerbomb three to four times a week, and when she’s away, he stays active with hacking or light cardio.

“One of my biggest priorities is keeping him fresh while maintaining his fitness, so he does a lot of hacking,” Becky explains. “But I don’t like to do much more than a gentle trot on the roads, so if I’m away, he sometimes does fast canter work or interval training in the outdoor just to get his heart rate up.”

“It is quite full on”: Becky Moody on her daily routine

Becky’s daily routine starts early, with riding beginning at 6:45am or 7:30am, depending on whether she has a lesson to teach. No two horses’ schooling sessions look the same and each has their own bespoke programme. By lunchtime, she’s already worked through multiple horses before switching to coaching.

“I normally start riding first thing and then begin teaching again at around 12.45pm until past six,” she explains. “I’ll ride up to 10 a day and teach between six and nine lessons – so it is quite full-on.”

Her packed schedule is only possible thanks to a strong support team.

“Luckily, I have a fab team who tack them all up for me, and I often have someone warming them up as well,” she says. “Right now, that’s our apprentice, Daisy Bullman, who’s only 16, but I also have a couple of other girls I train who come and hang out, stretching the horses for 15 minutes before I get on – which makes a huge difference.”

Each horse gets 10 to 15 minutes on the walker after their session. “We use the walker a lot, especially now when our turnout is a bit restricted because of the weather,” Becky explains.

“Wednesdays and Thursdays, I do coaching clinics away from home,” Becky adds. “And they can be quite epic trips – sometimes I’m travelling down to Suffolk or Herefordshire, three to four hours away, and I’ll teach around 12 lessons in a day.”

Evenings aren’t for relaxing, either. After the last lesson, Becky Moody’s daily routine continues with admin, planning the next day’s riding list, managing entries, and keeping up with her social media.

“I’d love to do more social media,” she says, “but by that point, I’ve usually run out of time and brain function!”

To read our exclusive Access All Areas with Becky Moody in full, pick up Horse & Hound magazine, issue date 20 February 2025.

• To stay up to date with all the breaking news from major shows throughout 2025, subscribe to the Horse & Hound website

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Becky Moody and Jagerbomb couldn’t match their performance or victory in yesterday’s London Horse Show dressage grand prix in today’s freestyle, scoring 80.16% to drop down the order.

Jagerbomb, who belongs to his breeder and rider Becky and Jo Cooper, has had a breakout year with his contribution to Britain’s Olympic team bronze medal after a last minute call-up to Paris, but he is still only 10 and in some ways green at this level. With new music also in the mix, that came out a little in tonight’s FEI Dressage World Cup presented by Bret Willson Dressage International Ltd and supported by Horse & Hound.

Becky Moody and Jagerbomb’s London Horse Show dressage freestyle test started in canter and there was a small miscommunication after the one-time changes into the pirouette. Becky put things back on track, but the horse then dropped into trot and she had to re-set. Becky continued to ride boldly, producing some lovely relaxed work and a bold extended canter, but there were also moments which felt a little lacking in energy.

The pair’s new music included crowd pleasers such as The Beatles’ With a Little Help from My Friends and Here Comes the Sun. Becky praised Jagerbomb at the end and pointed to him as the crowd applauded, before throwing up her arms for a cheer.

Afterwards, an emotional Becky said: “I’m not feeling great, I’m not going to lie. I’m just so frustrated with myself because at the minute, I feel like I really let him and everybody down, but we just have to go away and regroup and get better, come back again.

“It just would have been really good to end the year on a high instead of this. But he was amazing, and he did come back and we regrouped as much as we could – it was just about thinking how can I try and pick it back up and give him a good ride and a good experience. And he was so cool yesterday, so we’ll try and focus on that.

“It’ll take me a while to see the good bits of the test instead of the bit that went wrong. But we’ll get there. It’s a technical floor plan, but he can do it. He can do it really well. And that’s what’s frustrating, because I know that we can really do it. But we’ll just go away and we’ll get better.

“The crowd are just amazing and that’s what I’m struggling with a little bit, because I feel like I let them down at the minute.”

Becky’s Paris team-mates Lottie Fry and Glamourdale lead at this stage on 86.645%, with Dinja van Liere – the leader at the break – in second for the Netherlands on 80.225% and Becky third.

Norway’s Isabel Freese was second yesterday and is the final rider in tonight on Total Hope OLD, so Lottie must wait until after her performance to see if she has repeated her 2022 win in this class.

End of class update: Becky finished fourth, with Lottie taking the win, Isabel second and Dinja third. 

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In a much-anticipated clash between the best British dressage has to offer, Becky Moody and Jagerbomb edged out Lottie Fry and Glamourdale to top the grand prix results at the London International Horse Show, presented by Bret Willson Dressage International Ltd and supported by Horse & Hound.

It was tight at the top with Becky and Jagerbomb finishing on a personal best score of 76.7%, ahead of Norway’s Isabel Freese and the impressive Total Hope OLD in second with 76%, with Lottie and Glamourdale third on 75.22%.

Becky and Isabel were neck and neck on the live scoring going into the final centre line, but Jagerbomb’s exceptional transitions between piaffe and passage saw the British duo come out on top.

“This show last year was when I really realised just how amazing my horse was, and this whole year ever since has been a crazy ride, but it’s largely thanks to him because he’s such a diamond,” Becky beamed.

“He wasn’t nearly as hot here as in Paris, so for me, the piaffe wasn’t as good as I had there, or as good as I know we can do. But we had stable halts and a more relaxed walk to balance that out. I was cross with myself in the pirouettes because I over turned on the first one and didn’t have him bending enough in the second – but that’s rider error, he was awesome.”

In an unexpected twist, Becky also revealed she’ll be debuting a new freestyle tomorrow (19 December): “All I’m going to say is that it’s new music and quite a technical floorplan because I want it to keep it a surprise!”

Despite coming a surprising third, Lottie and Glamourdale had a whole host of highlights, with their changes and extended canter picking up a series of 10s. However, a mistake in both the double-marked canter pirouettes pegged them back.

“Glammy was a little cheeky in there today,” Lottie said. “I have to say that the test felt on form, he felt amazing, we just had two big blips in the pirouettes which were unfortunate.

“I think he lost his balance a bit and we got thrown off, but the rest of it was some of the best work he’s ever done in the ring. He feels so much stronger since Paris, and he’s come back really fresh which is the main thing for me and I think he’ll be excited to get in there for the freestyle tomorrow.”

London International dressage results: a British first-timer

Richard White and Heroi Do Seixo were the first British combination to go and scored 67.07% on their London International debut. In many ways, it was a terrific round from the pair and they were trending on a personal best score of plus 72% until they got to the walk – which is also double-marked.

Tension crept in and they were pegged back to 64% on the live scoring. However, Richard recovered well to build that score back up with some smart pirouettes and clean changes – their passage work also stood out as a highlight.

“This is the biggest arena either of us has ever been, so it was challenging but I was pleased,” Richard said. “The walk was my fault because I let him go a little too long in the beginning, and then suddenly he realised where he was I think, and then it was too late!

“I should’ve kept my concentration and been a little more conservative with my length of rein, but otherwise I think there were a lot of nice pieces.”

Reflecting on a breakout year, which included appearances at Aachen and Rotterdam, the 63-year-old added: “It’s amazing, I didn’t think I’d ever ride at this level, and certainly not at London. I’ve been to Olympia since I was a kid at Pony Club, so coming here and riding is a dream come true.”

Laura Tomlinson: “We’re laying the foundations”

Next into the arena was Laura Tomlinson on Soegaards Bon Royal. The 10-year-old gelding is in his first season at grand prix and made his international debut in October at Leeuwarden. His potential is evident, but the pair had a couple of green mistakes in their first round at the ExCel arena, with mistakes in the changes and the piaffe.

“Obviously, it’s not the score or ride I was hoping for,” Laura said, “normally he’s a banker for a safe test, but I was pleased with lots of bits of progress and I still thought there was lots to like.

“He came in bold and brave, then he nearly went backwards in the first halt and I thought ‘Oh, I can feel the nerves’, but then he attacked the first few movements well, I thought he had beautiful half passes. Lots of things I’ve been working on were better but unfortunately, the mistakes didn’t allow the score to reflect that.

“I’ve had a shocker with a chest infection the past week as well so preparation hasn’t been ideal, but he’s such an honest horse and I think tomorrow will be a big moment for him going into an atmosphere like that, so it’s great he’s been in now and knows it doesn’t bite – but this is just the beginning, we’re laying the foundations and I think I’m going to have a lot of fun with this horse in the future.”

After a slight change in the schedule due to a power cut at the ExCel arena, national champions Lewis Robertson-Carrier and Diego V were the next British riders into the arena. The pair now look so composed at this level. The frame was as open as ever and their canter work was a highlight in its precision, leading to a personal best score of 72.3% – which saw them sit seventh in the final reckoning.

“I rode him last night and he was hot,” Lewis explained, “I needed to allow him to let some steam out, and today the balance was just right – he kept it together but still felt like he really, really wanted to perform.

“At the ripe age of 16, I still don’t feel like he has reached his peak yet. We’re still on an upward trajectory and going around the test I can find bits to improve on.”

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On the latest episode of The Horse & Hound Podcast, Becky Moody looked back on her career so far to pick out the sliding doors moments that led to her becoming an Olympic bronze medallist in Paris.

For her, it was all about finding mentors who could give her the tools to help her develop, not only as a rider but also as a professional in the sport – and finding a mentor is the main thing she recommends all aspiring professionals to do.

“Starting to train with David Hunt was definitely a major sliding door moment,” she says. “I always laugh about this because when I first started training with him, my Dad was chairman of the old Northern dressage region, which was a funny one because he’s not from a horsey background at all, he has just become incredibly involved in it through my sister Hannah and me.

“At that point, British Dressage (BD) was running something called a pyramid trainers scheme, which had super knowledgeable coaches coming to work with your less experienced coaches to help them develop.

“My Dad had organised for David to come and do a session. He was probably pushed in that direction by Hannah, I think she’d been inspired by him and had seen him ride. David also coached Andrew Gould, who I did young riders with for a long time so we knew him a little bit through that.

“Right from the go Hannah loved her lessons with him, but I think for at least the first three or four lessons that I had with him, I hated it. We joke about this now, but it was because he was really honest, and he said things to me that at that point in my life, I wasn’t quite ready for – I was in my early 20s, and I thought I knew more than I did.”

Becky Moody on mentorship and independent growth

It was Hannah who encouraged Becky to persevere with her lessons, and Becky’s thankful now that she did.

“He’s now so much more than a coach for me,” she adds. “He’s a mentor for me in every way.

“Something he says that’s stuck with me is that he wants to be a coach that develops riders who can think for themselves. I think that’s such a massive part of it because when the chips are down and you go down that centre line you are on your own, and you need the confidence in yourself to make decisions.

“When we first started training with him properly he’d come and stay for two days once a month, so I might have eight or so lessons over that time. But the rest of the time me and Hannah were on our own.

“What he helped me understand is that being able to develop when you don’t have somebody coaching you is just as important as when you’re having a lesson – and it’s something I try and think about when I’m coaching as well.”

Another sliding door moment came when she began training with her future teammate Carl Hester – who she adds saved her bacon in Paris when Jagerbomb was “the hottest he’s ever been”.

“The two coaches are quite different,” she explains, “but their end goals are similar. Carl is fantastic from that test-riding point of view and competition preparation, whereas David is fanatical about the fundamental development of the horse.

“Carl is also so relaxed and laidback with how he trains the horses, which definitely helped in Paris – but I also like to joke that I helped keep him calm because I gave him so much to think about!”

To hear more from Becky Moody on sliding doors moments, her tips for aspiring professionals and her plans for the future, listen to episode 159 of The Horse & Hound Podcast here, or search “The Horse & Hound Podcast” in your favourite podcast app.

• To stay up to date with all the breaking news throughout London International and more, subscribe to the Horse & Hound website

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On our 159th episode of The Horse & Hound Podcast, in partnership with NAF, we speak to British dressage Olympic team bronze medallist, Becky Moody. She talks about the sliding doors moment in her career, why good movement isn’t always a good thing in dressage horses, plus she discusses her Olympic debut in Paris. We hope you will enjoy listening.

Episode 159 of our popular audio service The Horse & Hound Podcast, in partnership with NAF, is now live.

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On our 159th episode of The Horse & Hound Podcast, in partnership with NAF, we speak to British dressage Olympic team bronze medallist, Becky Moody. She talks about the sliding doors moment in her career, why good movement isn’t always a good thing in dressage horses, plus she discusses her Olympic debut in Paris.

• We would love to hear your feedback on all our podcasts, so please do send your thoughts to pippa.roome@futurenet.com

Horse & Hound Podcast: episode 159

• To stay up to date with all the breaking news throughout London International and more, subscribe to the Horse & Hound website

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Stay in touch with all the news in the run-up to and throughout the major shows and events during 2026 and beyond with a Horse & Hound subscription. Subscribe today for all you need to know ahead of these major events, plus online reports on the action as it happens from our expert team of reporters and in-depth analysis in our special commemorative magazines. Have a subscription already? Set up your unlimited website access now

Two of Britain’s 2024 Olympic medal-winning combinations spearhead the dressage entries for this year’s London International Horse Show (18-22 December).

Becky Moody with Jagerbomb and Lottie Fry and Glamourdale, who were on the team that won bronze in Paris, are among the Brits entered for the World Cup legs on the first two days of the show. Also entered are Paris alternates Lewis Carrier with Diego V, and London 2012 team gold and individual bronze medallist Laura Tomlinson, with Soegaards Bon Royal, as well as Richard White with Heroi Do Seixo.

Ireland’s Olympic combination Abi Lyle and Giraldo and Austrian rider Diana Porsche with Dahoud 3, also feature in the international line-up of entries.

“The line-up for the FEI Dressage World Cup presented by Bret Willson Dressage International Ltd and supported by Horse & Hound at London International Horse Show is truly outstanding,” show director Simon Brooks-Ward told H&H.

“We are thrilled to welcome such a high calibre of international riders, including world-class competitors like Britain’s Lottie Fry and Becky Moody, alongside stars from the Netherlands, Spain and beyond. The presence of British talent, riding on the back of their success in Paris, ensures that the dressage competition will be a highlight of the show this year.”

Tickets for the London International Horse Show are on sale online. To book, and for more information about the full show timetable, visit the event website.

• To stay up to date with all the breaking news throughout major shows such as London International and more, subscribe to the Horse & Hound website

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Stay in touch with all the news in the run-up to and throughout the major shows and events during 2026 and beyond with a Horse & Hound subscription. Subscribe today for all you need to know ahead of these major events, plus online reports on the action as it happens from our expert team of reporters and in-depth analysis in our special commemorative magazines. Have a subscription already? Set up your unlimited website access now

In this exclusive, subscriber-only interview, Paris Olympics team bronze medallist Becky Moody looks back on her journey to the top to reflect on the highs, lows, and lessons learned along the way.

Becky Moody may have captured the hearts of fans at the Paris Olympics with a team bronze on her homebred 10-year-old, Jagerbomb – but her journey to that podium was anything but an overnight success.

Over her more than 25-year career, she’s competed three horses – Jagerbomb, Carinsio, and Famke PF – on the international grand prix stage, bringing several others to the highest level nationally. She’d represented her country on five youth teams and on senior Nations Cup teams all while amassing more than 30 national titles.

Yet until Paris, she’d never secured a spot on a senior championship team, and she admits she had nearly accepted that such a moment might not come for her.

“With the change from four riders to three on a team, and with the core riders we have in this country all having such an incredible string of horses I knew the possibility of breaking into that team was very, very unlikely,” she explains.

“I guess I’d hoped maybe a Europeans or a worlds, where that extra team spot gives you a bit more leeway, but I don’t think I even thought that was going to happen until we realised how good Bomb was.

“You realise the more you do this, that you need to have a pretty special horse to be able to get to that level – and that’s what he is.

“There’s an element of luck involved, I have to be realistic about that. With Bomb, I’m lucky I bred what I did, I never set out to breed a superstar – I’m just lucky he’s turned into one.

“I’ve had some really talented horses in the past but for one reason or another, it just didn’t quite work out. But they’ve all made me the rider I am now.”

Significant interest in Jagerbomb

Jagerbomb is now among the most recognisable and beloved horses in international dressage and, understandably, there’s been significant interest in him ever since he was tapped as travelling reserve at last summer’s Europeans. But Becky has never entertained any of the significant financial offers.

“I’ve worked my arse off all my life to have a horse like this, I’m not going to stop here,” she says.

And the pair have embraced the ambassadorial roles that have been thrust onto them with grace. At this summer’s national championships, Becky drew crowds, happily pausing for photos with and encouraging words with young fans.

“It’s taking me longer to get anywhere as loads of people want to say hello,” she laughed at the time. “But it’s so cool to feel the love and I’m hoping we can inspire the generation of tomorrow.”

Through it all – and amid the intense scrutiny surrounding dressage at the Olympics – Becky’s remained calm and approachable, refusing to get to swept up in the emotions of the moment.

“So many people have said to me, you must be on cloud nine after the Olympics, and I’m like, ‘Well, no, not really,’ because one of my philosophies is actually to try and stay pretty level-headed whatever happens. That means I don’t get so high when it’s great, but I also can protect myself by not getting so low when it’s bad.”

Why mental resilience matters

This mental resilience is something she’s developed over the years with the help of her long-time coach, David Hunt.

“He’s helped me enormously to become a stronger person, and to believe in what I’m doing,” Becky adds. “But sometimes you just don’t, of course you don’t, and that’s one of the hardest parts of what we do, and people need to talk about mental health more.

“I’ve definitely had my share of ups and downs, both with my confidence and mentally. I had a lot of success at junior and young rider levels, we got a team bronze and I was the highest-placed British rider at the last couple of Europeans I did.

“The horse I was riding was a fantastic small tour horse, he won at the nationals, and we were put on the World Class scheme, but he ended up not being a grand prix horse.”

Reflecting on those challenges, Becky explains how each experience has shaped her training approach today.

“That was partly because I hadn’t trained him to be a grand prix horse from an early enough stage,” she says. “He also maybe wasn’t totally cut out for it. But that was really tough and definitely messed with my head because I’d put pressure on myself to be able to do as well at grand prix as I’d done at every other level and it’s a completely different ball game.”

Becky continues: “Not every wonderful small tour horse makes a good grand prix horse, it’s a whole different kind of knowledge and experience that you need to train them for that.

“I know that now and I try to help people understand that the first couple of horses they train to grand prix, you’re going to make so many mistakes doing it because you’ve got so much to learn.

“You still make mistakes when you’re training your umpteenth horse to grand prix, because every horse is different, and you have to keep learning new things every time you do it. I believe how you mentally approach that is massively important – I often say my role as a coach is 20% technical, 80% counsellor.”

The challenges of social media

She adds that while equestrianism has always been a tough sport to be involved in – in terms of harmonising the unique needs of elite equine and human athletes – it’s been exacerbated by social media.

“It’s one of the things that frustrates me the most about the sport at the moment,” she says. “I’m pretty useless on socials in some ways, but I do always try to be myself – for me, that’s really important.

“And currently, I’m having a really lovely time on social media, it’s been a really supportive, and positive place for me – but it hasn’t always been.

“I think that as professional riders it’s very hard for us to post anything other than perfection, and I find that really frustrating because I think if young people, or anyone else, looking at our social media thinks that we live in a place where everything is perfect and our horses are going in a flawless frame all the time, they then expect or think they should be able to that themselves, and that’s not always how it goes.

“I would absolutely love to show a three or four-year-old on social media that is only just starting to be sat on and is still wobbly, where you can see the talent but maybe they go a little bit too round at times and lose their balance and rhythm, and then put up another video in six months showing how things are getting stronger.

“But I know the minute I put that video up, where the horse drops behind the vertical for three strides I’m the world’s worst rider, then you just end up not doing it because it’s just too hard – so, instead, you just put the really short clip on where they look really cool and in a perfect balance.

“I find that so frustrating because there’s so much value in showing the process. I wish we could share it without fear.”

Becky Moody: “Our sport is in trouble”

Despite these frustrations, Becky believes that dressage must engage with its critics to retain its social licence to operate.

“Our sport is in trouble, I don’t think there’s any denying that,” she says. “I can’t pretend that I know exactly how to get it out of trouble, but I do think we have to look at how we can become more transparent and open.

“There’s a group of people that think horses just shouldn’t be ridden, and we need to be able to show them how much they love it, and how much they thrive off of it. A lot of these horses aren’t bred to be field ornaments, they’re bred to do a job, and we have to try and find a way to get that across in a positive way.

“It’s really hard, we’ve got to not try to talk at people. I think it’s too easy to get defensive, and we need not to be. We need to try and understand what to do and how to bring them around.

“We have to talk to people outside our bubble if we want to keep our sport in the Olympics.”

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In this exclusive, subscriber-only interview, Becky Moody shares what she looks for in a young horse and we delve into her training routine and the ethos that helped get her home-bred Jagerbomb to the Paris Olympics

One of the most remarkable aspects of Becky Moody and Jagerbomb’s success at the Paris Olympics was that Becky not only rode but also bred and trained Jagerbomb herself, guiding him through every stage of his development.

In a sport often clouded by the misconception that wealth and privilege are required to reach the top, their journey highlighted what’s possible through dedication and skill, making their achievements all the more inspiring.

Becky’s had to be patient throughout a career that’s had its fair share of ups and downs, and that patience carries over to her approach to training.

“The most important thing is that the horses go at the rate that they need to go at, and that you have their bodies and minds in the right place to do it,” Becky explains. “I don’t have any hard and fast rules when it comes to training them through the levels.

“Although I did say for many years that I’d never buy something that was backed without sitting on it, but I broke that rule over Covid when Rebecca Dudley, an agent I work with a lot, rang me about a very nice three-year-old that she thought was my kind of horse. That was Magic Dream – she was the first one we took a punt on and bought without riding.”

That punt looks to have paid off handsomely with Magic Dream being crowned the national seven-year-old champion this September.

As we delve more into her approach to training, Becky shares what she values most when assessing young horses, highlighting the key traits she believes are essential for developing future grand prix competitors

“When they’re less than three years old I find it really hard because I’m not experienced enough looking at youngstock,” she said. “The thing I struggle with at that point is to see what they’re going to end up like conformationally, unless you catch them at the three-weeks or three-month stage.

“But I’ll take a risk on a pretty face,” she laughs. “What I’m looking for is looseness and how the horse pushes energy through their body, and the ease with which they move.

“One of the biggest things I’ve learnt is that spectacular movement isn’t necessarily good movement. I would much rather have an easy, pushing movement that you can develop and improve rather than a horse that is super flamboyant that finds it harder to find their balance.”

When it comes to backing young horses, Becky relies heavily on each individual horse’s mental and physical readiness.

“It massively depends on the horse,” she says, “I think their brains and their bodies tell you what they’re ready to do.

“For instance, we’ve got one four-year-old who we’ve only just backed because as a three-year-old he was just not ready – he looked more like a two-year-old and he just needed more time chilling in the fields.

“I also don’t like doing the backing because I don’t think I give the horses confidence because I’m filling my pants, so Anna Burns who rides for me and is much more chill about it gets them started. She’s brilliant at getting on them and riding forwards – it’s think it’s really important to understand what your strengths and weaknesses are!”

Once a horse is under saddle, even if they’ve only just started being ridden, Becky focuses on their dynamic conformation and how uphill they carry themselves.

“But above everything else, I’m looking at temperament,” she adds. “So when I’m looking at youngsters, I do look at bloodlines more in terms of their trainability than their movement, and how the line looks from that point of view.

“I want to check for how the horse reacts to my aids. For example, what’s their natural reaction when I put my leg on or touch with the whip?

“Even with Magic Dream on the video, I could see her reactions. I remember, there was a moment when she was backing off and the rider gave her a tiny touch to say ‘Go on, you’re fine’ and she nicely, and automatically, folded her pelvis underneath herself and I was like ‘Yeah, that’s a good reaction’.”

Once they’re backed, the young horses school no more than three times a week, for a varying amount of time depending on their energy levels.

“We’re really conscious that we don’t overwork the young ones, they do loads of hacking – we have excellent hills around here,” Becky says.

When it comes to introducing new movements Becky doesn’t see it as a tick-box exercise and again takes a more holistic approach.

“I believe you do things with the horses to help develop them rather than because you need to do them for a test,” she explains. “That’s what I try to say to people when I’m coaching, you have to think of a dressage test as a series of exercises rather than a list of movements that you’re being told to do.

“Everything that we’re training these horses to do should help make them more supple through their body, more engaged, and help develop their balance – if you think of the training process like that it becomes a lot more natural

“And some of them find some things easier than others, but the wonderful thing about what we do is you never know it all because every horse is different and with every horse you have to solve different problems.

“But with that being said, I would have a rough idea in my head of where I’d be aiming for in an ideal world – I just don’t get too worked up about it.”

With movements such as the changes and the piaffe Becky likes to test each horse’s reactions quite early in their training.

“I do actually like playing a little bit with the changes when they’re young, sometimes when they’re even for four or just coming five – before they’ve got super established with the counter canter,” she says.

“I’d just ride a diagonal line and have a blast and see what happens. I’ve found that’s quite often the best time to play with it and then leave them until they’re a little older.

“But it varies, sometimes I’ll be riding a four-year-old and have absolutely no inclination to do a change because I don’t feel like they’ve got any type of balance or control of things, so it depends – you have to find the right moment.

“And likewise, I might start training the piaffe at four or five, but it’s not a real piaffe. It starts off as a jog and I’m using it as a tool to help get the horse a little more reactive.

“It’d start off with just transitions, literally just riding a trot walk transition and giving them a little touch and seeing what their reaction is.

“Or by picking up the walk to make it a bit shorter and think about creating more energy – some of them at that point just jog and you’re like ‘Oh good, we can leave that’.”

This is the process Jagerbomb went through, but his work looks quite different now he’s established at the highest level, with the focus switching to marginal gains and conditioning.

“This is the first time I’ve ever had a horse at grand prix that I’ve just been trying to get better, and it’s helped me understand things in a different way,” Becky enthuses.

“It’s like, getting to grand prix is only part of the journey. It’s a different outlook now, because we’re thinking now about things like strengthening to make things more expressive, and really getting into the nitty, gritty details.

“We’re working a lot on the suppling and alignment side of things at the moment. For instance, he has a half pass left for an 8.5 but to the right it’s 7.5 because we don’t have the same suppleness, and that then means we don’t have the same push or the expression – so it’s very small differences.”

Becky has also started to do more sport-specific physiotherapy work to improve her performance.

“I remember in Paris I felt a bit like I was struggling to get my leg on because Bomb was so hot, and my sister Hannah [Moody] kept telling me off because my leg was too far forward,” Becky recalls.

“Then Carl [Hester] starting saying it too, so of course Hannah was absolutely delighted because Carl was agreeing with her. I mentioned it to the World Class Scheme’s physio Ash Wallace and she looked at my hips and I had one that was totally more blocked than the other.

“After she’d helped me I felt so much better when I was riding and it was a real important reminder that we do have to take responsibility for ourselves as riders to help our horses be even and level.”

Becky Moody credits her logical and systematic approach to her long-term coach David Hunt. “He’s almost like a life coach at this point as well,” she adds.

“One of his biggest philosophies is that you’re better to do the wrong thing with confidence than the right thing with none. If you don’t believe in what you’re doing and don’t commit to what you’re doing, then the horse doesn’t believe you.”

• To stay up to date with all the breaking news throughout Horse of the Year Show, London International and more, subscribe to the Horse & Hound website

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After debuting at the Horse of the Year Show (HOYS) in 1994 with a World Cup qualifier, dressage has since become a mainstay at the prestigious indoor show, with the Dressage Future Elite Championship launching in 2013.

This prestigious competition features Britain’s top eight- to 10-year-old horses performing an inter I freestyle test, and its reputation has grown with each passing year.

It’s a great showcase of international stars of the future, and past winners have gone on to championship success. Perhaps none more prominent than 2022 winners Becky Moody and Jagerbomb.

Becky and Jagerbomb were untouchable at the 2022 show, scoring a personal best of 84.84% and finishing over 7% ahead of runners-up Alice Oppenheimer and Headmore Dionysus.

This capped off an incredible breakthrough year for the duo. In April, they’d won all the small tour titles at the Winter Championships. Their international debut came three months later which saw them score a hat-trick of small tour wins. Then, in September, they went on to claim two inter I titles at the National Championships.

“He’s the horse who keeps on giving,” Becky said after her HOYS win. “It’s no secret that as a four- and five-year-old he wasn’t the most exciting. I thought he was a nice horse but nothing more, but he’s just getting better and better.”

Despite Jagerbomb’s spectacular form, Becky never expected him to reach the level he’s at today.

“Everyone knows it’s a lottery with horses,” she said in that same 2022 interview.

“I bred three from his dam and they’ve all been lovely but the first one had an injury and the second was about 12.2hh! You don’t know what you’re going to get and when you get one like this you have to roll with it, and see how far you can go.

“But the Olympics are a no as there are only three spaces and that’s so hard but I’d hope he can be a top grand prix horse internationally, and if we can give them a run for their money, we’ll do it!”

But if Jagerbomb has proven anything throughout his career, it’s to never count him out, and the pair went on to impress everyone at the Paris Olympics, taking home a team bronze medal.

Reflecting back on those comments after Paris, Becky told Horse & Hound that she’d probably accepted that getting onto a team was never going to happen for her.

“I mean, I did under-21 Europeans and I was on one of the very first World Class potential pathways in my early 20s, and at that point, yeah, you absolutely dream of going to the Olympics – it’s what every athlete wants to do isn’t it?” she said.

“But with the change from four riders to three on a team, and with the core riders we have in this country all having such an incredible string of horses I knew the possibility of breaking into that team was very, very unlikely.

“I guess I’d hoped maybe a Europeans or a worlds, where that extra team spot gives you a bit more leeway, but I don’t think I even thought that was going to happen until we realised how good Bomb was.

“You realise the more you do this, that you need to have a pretty special horse to be able to get to that level – and that’s what he is.

“I’d had some really talented horses in the past but for one reason or another it just didn’t quite work out. But they’ve all made me the rider I am now and enabled me to go ride Bomb like I did.”

As this year’s Dressage Future Elite Championship competitors prepare to ride down the centre line on Thursday 10 October, Becky and Jagerbomb’s story stands as a testament to the sport’s unpredictability and how hard work, patience, and a little bit of luck can lead to greatness, even when you least expect it.

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In this exclusive, subscriber-only interview, Paris Olympics team bronze medallist Becky Moody relives her medal-winning rides on Jagerbomb and gives an insight into the behind-the-scenes action that lead to that success

For those who’ve been involved in British dressage for some time, there was something so cathartic in watching Becky Moody and Jagerbomb impress on the world stage and win a team bronze medal at the Paris Olympics.

Since winning the Pony Talent Spotting Final at 14, Becky has been a fixture on the circuit in her iconic brown tailcoat, winning more than 30 national titles and training countless other riders up through the levels.

Seeing all those years of unwavering dedication and tireless hard work rewarded, while riding a horse she bred, raised and trained herself, encapsulates the dream of what is possible in the sport.

“My diary was chock-a-block as soon as I got back so I haven’t had much time to think about it all,” Becky admits, after a short pause. “I’d say it’s been surreal – it almost feels like it never happened.”

We’re speaking two months on from Paris, and while Becky has been non-stop, Jagerbomb has been enjoying some well-earned downtime in the field.

As we wave our arms and rustle his favourite treats to perk him up for the photos, it’s hard to believe Becky when she says this nonchalant gelding – who looked wholly accustomed to his new level of fame – was one of the hottest horses she’s ever ridden while in Paris.

“This is why nobody quite believes the horse I had before the grand prix,” she laughs. “Normally, he is a very laid back character. He had been to Compiègne and Rotteradam earlier in the season, which gave him some exposure to stadium atmospheres, and while he was hotter there, it was in a manageable way.

“But in Paris he was ridiculous – pinging around and thinking it was the best thing ever. I was on the first day of the grand prix on the Tuesday and when I rode him on Sunday after the trot up, I was really expecting him to have settled by that point, and he just hadn’t.

“I literally couldn’t walk or halt because he was so full of energy and excited by everything, and I was like ‘Oh my goodness, this is not how I wanted it to be!’

“But Carl [Hester] was fantastic and we made a plan and by Monday evening I was feeling in a much better place.”

On the morning of the grand prix itself, Becky admitted the waiting was the toughest part, especially with the pressure of the crowd.

“I wasn’t on until four o’clock on Tuesday so I had the whole day to think about what was coming and it made me feel a little queasy,” she says. “It was nice to be able to watch Carl who went earlier but I don’t like watching too much so spent a lot of time in the stables – which was the nicest place to be because the air-conditioning was so good.

“Once I’m on it’s fine, it’s the sitting around before you get on that’s the horrible bit. The heat was tough. I warmed-up in the covered arena and then probably for the last 15 minutes went outside. I’d drunk a lot of water but probably not enough electrolytes and when I went outside I felt quite light-headed. I even asked my groom Kim for a sugar cube!”

Despite the heat and the nerves, the pair produced a mistake-free round to score 74.94% and top Group C in the grand prix.

“So many people messaged me after the class and to say how nice it was to see someone smiling doing their test,” Becky recalls. “But I was absolutely not smiling, I was grimacing and squinting in the sun, apparently I just can’t squint with my mouth shut!”

But while the pair were impressive in the grand prix, they excelled in the special. Going first for the team, and on their championship debut, they were close to faultless, scoring a new personal best of 76.49%.

“I was in the morning, so I managed to force some breakfast down bright and early,” Becky recalls. “I rode him first thing and then put him away so we could both have the physios look at us. I think that’s something people don’t really see, but the support team that we have around are incredible.

“I then always plait up. It’s my thing, I love it, and it’s part of my mental prep. I use that time to focus and visualise my test and think through it.”

Becky adds that there are always a few “set pieces” she rides in the warmup, but in Paris she tried to stay adaptable.

“We knew the passage, to trot, to half-pass was something he was fragile in, so we practiced that before the test. One thing we did differently is that we didn’t really practice the piaffe. I think I maybe did one piaffe in the warm-up for each test, and that was it.

“That was a tiny bit daunting for me because I’d never done that in a warm-up. Normally, I’d probably have to do quite a lot of piaffe as a sort of motivating thing but he was so on it, and I didn’t want him to be off in his halts, so we just left it alone.

“And it worked – because the wonderful thing about him is how much he wants to do it, and that’s what got me through the special as well as it did.

“That test is a marathon, but even on that final centre line he was ‘I’m ready for more, what’s next’, which is great because as a rider my job became saying ‘Whoa, balance, organise, good boy, you’re fine’ rather than ‘Come on, you need to be a little sharper’, which makes for a much better picture.”

Becky did manage to get everyone a bit nervous when she cut it close, leaving a second of her allotted 45 to spare before entering the arena.

“That was just to freak everyone out,” she laughs. “It was because we’d been doing a lot of canter, walk, canter to help him with the halts and I wanted to do a couple of those before I rode my first centre line.

“But he was still a little bit tense and tight still, so I was like, ‘I’ve got to do another one.’ I could see the clock so I was sure I had time, I don’t think everyone else was though!”

One moment that stands out for Becky is standing on the podium alongside some of the sport’s greatest names.

“That was the coolest thing and the picture of us all up there is one of my top five favourite photos of all time. To look at that picture and think that these guys have been my absolute inspiration and role models was incredible, and to be there with Lottie [Fry] as well who I taught when she was a wee nipper in BD Youth, it just goes to show how things can change when you graft and work hard.”

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Becky Moody continued her dream dressage summer with a resounding victory aboard the aptly named Magic Dream in the KBIS seven-year-old young horse final at the 2024 LeMieux National Dressage Championships. The pair received 78.45% to finish almost 4% clear of their closest rivals, Samarkand and Kate Cowell.

This Governer x Swarovski mare, who claimed the medium gold title at last year’s nationals, finished reserve champion in the Fairfax Saddles prix st georges (PSG) yesterday at Somerford. Becky said it felt good to bring her out at the slightly lower level required for the seven-year-old final today.

“It felt easy for her. She’s such an exciting horse for the future as she has plenty of go, a good engine, lots of expression and she’s a really nice person too.”

Becky has partnered Jo Cooper’s Magic Dream – who is known as Shroom at home – since the mare was three. They may be a perfect partnership nowadays but their relationship got off to a somewhat inauspicious start.

“With young horses, I always want to sit on them before buying them as the feel is really important to me, but it was the summer of 2020 so we couldn’t fly to see her. Rebecca Dudley, an agent I work with a lot, sent me some videos and I thought she was super cool – I loved how naturally reactive she was,” said Becky.

“I asked if she had a good temperament as I don’t like being ditched, and Rebecca assured me that she was good. So we got her home, and the first time I rode her, she ditched me!

“But that was the only time she’s ever done it – it was a freak thing. I think she just had a fright.”

The mare will now complete one more year at small tour, with sights firmly set on grand prix in the future.

Having helped Britain to team bronze at the Paris Olympics just over a month ago, Becky revealed that the past few days at the National Dressage Championships have been “crazy”.

“It’s taking me longer to get anywhere as loads of people want to say hello,” she laughed. “But it’s so cool to feel the British Dressage love and I’m hoping we can inspire the generation of tomorrow.”

• To stay up-to-date with all the breaking news throughout the National Dressage Championships, Blenheim Horse Trials, Horse of the Year Show and more, subscribe to the Horse & Hound website

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It was a close call in the Horsequest elementary silver at the LeMieux National Dressage Championships today (Thursday 12 September).

With less than one per cent separating first and second place, it was Amy Foulstone and her own Irish-bred nine-year-old HHS Sterling who earned the sash with a score of 71.03%.

“The medium trots and simple changes were the best we’ve ever had them in a test,” said Amy. “I was a bit nervous thinking: ‘Are we going to pull it off?’ So it was really, really lovely.

“There were a couple of things, he slightly hollowed in medium canter and the simple changes could still be better. But overall I was really pleased. He’s not often been in this sort of environment, but he held it all together.”

Though from an eventing background, Amy describes herself as having “a real passion for dressage”. Currently preparing for the Summer Area Festival Championships at medium level, the rider trains with Olympian Becky Moody, who is based just 10 minutes from her door.

“I thought if I’m giving this dressage malarkey a go, who better to help me than Becky?” says Amy. “We’ve been going to Becky for quite a while throughout the season. She’s been the real key to getting him ready to be here.”

Amy describes her Heritage Fortunus x Cavalier Royale gelding as “a trainable, cool cucumber”. Known at home as Dexter, he has now won 10 of his last 11 tests – so it’s safe to add “talented” to his list of qualities too.

Second place rider Bethany Edginton and Nelson HD rode a high-scoring test only marred by 4.5s for the free walk. She earned a score of 70.22%.

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It was high scoring and hotly contested in The Centre Line preliminary silver championship, with the crown going to Lauren Burrows and her own High Hoes Esquisse with 77.41%.

Lauren and her 2019 Escaltio mare won their regional final at Parwood in Surrey and beat their score in today’s championships by 4%.

“I just wanted to go in and be harmonious and keep her relaxed,” she told H&H. “I think she felt really with me, listening well, and I’m super pleased with her. This is her first year competing at all.”

She added: “I think that’s the highest mark she’s ever got. I’m shocked – I wasn’t expecting it at the nationals with three judges.”

Lauren says she gets a lot of help from Dannie Morgan, who she works for, and has high hopes for the future for her young mare.

“She’s got a lovely trot, I really think we’ll be able to train it. Her canter is lovely, very balanced.

“The ultimate dream would be grand prix – Dannie has helped me a lot and I couldn’t have done any of this without him I’m very grateful for his help.”

• To stay up-to-date with all the breaking news throughout the National Dressage Championships, Blenheim Horse Trials, Horse of the Year Show and more, subscribe to the Horse & Hound website

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Britain’s Becky Moody and Jagerbomb dropped a sensational new personal best of 84.36% in the Olympic dressage grand prix freestyle to cap their superb senior championship debut at Paris 2024 in style.

Becky bred this 10-year-old gelding and has been there for every step of his journey from day one, to international stardom. In the past two years, he has stepped across the seismic gap from being a very good small tour horse to becoming one of the sport’s most exciting top-level campaigners – and he has done it all with a smile on his face.

Becky too was beaming even before she started her test and that shared joy radiated from both throughout their jam-packed routine to Tom Jones. Their opening of a double canter pirouette on the centre line, straight into a line of tempi changes set the tone. It was a technically complex floorplan, but never at the expense of losing its artistry for which they scored 91.57%. The trot extensions to Sex bomb were a huge crowd pleaser – and moving from two-time to one-time flying changes was a real highlight.

“It’s good fun music and there’s a good story behind it,” said Becky, who owns Jagerbomb with Jo Cooper. “About three years ago, my really good friend and show groom, Kim Mason told me that I should use Tom Jones for my music and I thought absolutely not far too cheesy, I’m not going to do it.

“She persisted and persisted, and about 18 months later, I caved and had it done for my small tour music for the inter I. As soon as I got it back from Tony Hobden from Equidance, who does my music, I thought, ‘Oh, this is actually pretty cool’.

“It’s so much fun to ride to and because it’s fun to ride to, the horse likes it, the crowd like it, so it’s stuck.”

Yesterday, Snoop Dog and Martha Stewart were in the stands to watch their team test. Today, they were watched by Hollywood A-listers Eva Mendes and husband Barbie star Ryan Gosling – this Ken really does like horses.

“Well, I mean, what can I say?” said Becky. “Way to go for dressage! I mean, Snoop Dogg. That’s quite cool, isn’t it? I think it’s just great for the sport. We need all the positive publicity that we can get, so let’s embrace it.”

* End of individual dressage update *

Becky finished in eighth place, with Carl Hester in sixth. Jessica von Bredow-Werndl won gold, ahead of Isabell Werth in silver, with Lottie Fry winning bronze.

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The Paris Olympic dressage times for Sunday’s (4 August) grand prix freestyle have now been released. From an original 60, this final will feature 18 competitors, who qualified from the grand prix earlier in the week. All three Brits made the cut to bid for individual medals.

The competition opens at 10am local time (9am British time), with Sweden’s Patrik Kittel and Touchdown, who won the World Cup Final in Riyadh in April.

The final rider is the Denmark’s Cathrine Laudrup-Dufour, who is due in with Freestyle at 1.20pm local time (12.20pm British time).

• If you would like to watch your favourite riders compete in the dressage at the Paris Olympic Games, find out how you can follow on TV from anywhere in the world with our comprehensive guide. 

What are the Olympic grand prix freestyle dressage times for the British riders?

• Carl Hester and Fame at 11.35am local time (10.35am British time)
• Becky Moody on Jagerbomb at 11.55am local time (10.55am British time)
• Lottie Fry and Glamourdale at 12.50 local time (11.50am British time)

Who else should you watch?

There are three groups of six riders.

• Germany’s Frederic Wandres on Bluetooth OLD at 11.15am local time (10.15am British time)
• The Netherlands’ Emmelie Scholtens on Indian Rock at 11.45am local time (10.45am British time)
• Denmark’s Daniel Bachmann Andersen on Vayron at 12.05pm local time (11.05am British time)
• Denmark’s Nanna Skodborg Merrald on Zepter at 12.30pm local time (11.30am British time)
• Germany’s Isabell Werth on Wendy at 12.40pm local time (11.40am British time)
• The Netherlands’ Dinja van Liere on Hermes at 1pm local time (12pm British time)
• Germany’s Jessica von Bredow-Werndl on TSF Dalera BB at 1.10pm local time (12.10pm British time)
• Denmark’s Cathrine Laudrup-Dufour on Freestyle at 1.20pm local time (12.20pm British time)

What are the breaks during the sessions?

There are two short breaks during this 3hr 20min session. The first is after Therese Nilhagen (Dante Weltino OLD) finishes her test around 11am local time (10am British time), resuming at 11.15am local time (10.15am British time).

The second break is after Daniel Bachmann Andersen finishes around 12.15pm local time (11.15am British time), resuming at 12.30pm local time (British time).

Olympic grand prix freestyle times: complete list

• The full times are listed below.

• To stay up to date with all the breaking news throughout the Olympic Games, Burghley, HOYS and more, subscribe to the Horse & Hound website

You might also be interested in:

How to watch dressage at the Paris Olympics live from around the world

5 things not to miss on individual dressage day at Paris 2024 – Sex Bomb routines, a French twang and hopefully British medals

Bravo Britain! Lottie Fry secures brilliant Olympic dressage team bronze to make history for Team GB

Wow! Germany wins third successive Olympic dressage team gold medal in tense finale

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Stay in touch with all the news in the run-up to and throughout the major shows and events during 2026 and beyond with a Horse & Hound subscription. Subscribe today for all you need to know ahead of these major events, plus online reports on the action as it happens from our expert team of reporters and in-depth analysis in our special commemorative magazines. Have a subscription already? Set up your unlimited website access now

Becky Moody and Jagerbomb put in a marvellous and composed performance as Great Britain’s pathfinders in the Paris 2024 Olympic dressage grand prix special to score a new personal best of 76.49%.

Entering the arena to cheers, the combination’s half-passes were exceptional picking up several nines, and their transitions for each movement were spot-on.

But what Becky will be most pleased with is the piaffe-passage work, which makes up almost half of the technical marks available in the special.

She told H&H in March that it was an area Jagerbomb had improved in the most, and it was a highlight here.

“He’s a total dude and such a lovely, lovely horse,” said Becky. “He’s been quite spicy here this week I have to say. Carl [Hester] has helped me out an awful lot to find that inner calm in both of us.

“At the beginning we were quite excited and didn’t really want to stand still so we did a very quick halt – it was brief enough just for me to drop my hand but as soon as we were there and going, we were on it.”

The main medal contenders – Britain, Denmark and Germany – have all elected to have their lowest-scoring combinations from the grand prix ride in the first group of three, saving their best combinations until last.

This means at the end of each group, each rider is effectively competing against a rider from each of their main competitors, in a live running battle. And in that battle, Becky and Jagerbomb have done remarkably, seeing off Denmark’s Daniel Bachmann Andersen and Vayron (75.97%) and Frederic Wandres and Bluetooth OLD (75.94%), who both had mistakes.

That put Britain into the provisional lead, but Becky wasn’t getting ahead of herself – which was difficult, with a few in the mixed zone talking up a potential British team treble following the showjumping and eventing teams successes.

“I’ve just come here to do the best I can do,” she said. “The team around me are amazing and what will be will be. We all want gold but we have some very, very tough competition, so we’re all just going to do our thing and see where that leaves us.”

Next up, teammates Carl Hester and Fame will compete at 1.05pm local time (12.05pm British time) while Lottie Fry and Glamourdale will ride at 3.05pm local time (2.05pm British time).

• To stay up to date with all the breaking news throughout the Olympic Games, Burghley, HOYS and more, subscribe to the Horse & Hound website

You might also be interested in:

How to watch dressage at the Paris Olympics live from around the world

Jagerbomb – Becky Moody’s home-bred ‘total legend’ who stole the spotlight on the world stage

All your questions about the Olympic dressage format in Paris answered

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Stay in touch with all the news in the run-up to and throughout the major shows and events during 2026 and beyond with a Horse & Hound subscription. Subscribe today for all you need to know ahead of these major events, plus online reports on the action as it happens from our expert team of reporters and in-depth analysis in our special commemorative magazines. Have a subscription already? Set up your unlimited website access now

The Paris Olympic dressage times for Saturday’s (3 August) grand prix special have now been released, following the conclusion of the grand prix qualifier.

Ten of the 20 original nations have qualified for the special at Paris 2024, which decides the team medals. It kicks off at 10am local time (9am British time) with Jayden Brown on Quincy B, for Australia, the final team to make the cut.

The grand prix special all takes place on one day. The final rider is the defending Olympic champion Germany’s Jessica von Bredow-Werndl, who is due in with TSF Dalera BB at 3.25pm local time (2.25pm British time).

There are three rotations of 10 seeded riders, with one from each nation. As Britain qualified third, they are third last in each group. The grand prix winners, Germany, go last.

• If you would like to watch your favourite riders compete in the dressage at the Paris Olympic Games, find out how you can follow on TV from anywhere in the world with our comprehensive guide. 

What are the Olympic grand prix special dressage times for the British riders?

• Becky Moody on Jagerbomb at 11.10am local time (10.11pm British time)
• Carl Hester and Fame at 1.05pm local time (12.05pm British time)
• Lottie Fry and Glamourdale at 3.05pm local time (2.05pm British time)

Who else should you watch?

• Denmark’s Daniel Bachmann-Andersen on Vayron at 11.20am local time (10.20am British time)
• Germany’s Frederic Wandres on Bluetooth OLD at 11.30am local time (10.30am British time)
• Denmark’s Nanna Skodborg-Merrald at 1.15pm local time (12.15pm British time)
• Germany’s Isabell Werth on Wendy at 1.25pm local time (12.25pm British time)
• Sweden’s Patrik Kittel on Touchdown at 2.25pm local time (1.25pm British time)
• Denmark’s Cathrine Laudrup-Dufour on Freestyle at 3.15pm local time (2.15pm British time)
• Germany’s Jessica von Bredow-Werndl on TSF Dalera BB at 3.25pm local time (2.25pm British time)

What are the breaks during the sessions?

There are two 25min breaks, after the first two groups of 10 riders.

The first break is after Frederic Wandres completes, and resumes with Australia’s William Matthew (Mysterious Star) at 11.55am local time (10.55 British time).

The second break is after Isabell Werth completes, and resumes with Australia’s Simone Pearce (Destano) at 1.55pm local time (12.55pm British time).

Olympic grand prix special dressage times: complete list

• The full times are listed below.

• To stay up to date with all the breaking news throughout the Olympic Games, Burghley, HOYS and more, subscribe to the Horse & Hound website

You might also be interested in:

How to watch dressage at the Paris Olympics live from around the world

‘I’ve got to think about the team now’: Carl Hester puts pressure to one side to ride composed Olympic grand prix dressage test

‘What a stadium, what a crowd, and what a horse!’: Becky Moody and Jagerbomb look born for the Olympic stage

‘Every halt, change and transition will matter’: who will top the dressage team podium in Paris?

Subscribe to Horse & Hound magazine today – and enjoy unlimited website access all year round

‘I couldn’t ask for much more’: Lottie Fry and Glamourdale kick off day two of the Olympic dressage grand prix in style

Stay in touch with all the news in the run-up to and throughout the major shows and events during 2026 and beyond with a Horse & Hound subscription. Subscribe today for all you need to know ahead of these major events, plus online reports on the action as it happens from our expert team of reporters and in-depth analysis in our special commemorative magazines. Have a subscription already? Set up your unlimited website access now

The Olympic dressage competition is well underway. Today was the start of the two-day grand prix competition, which acts as a qualifier for both the teams in the grand prix special and the individuals in the freestyle at Paris 2024.

What a contrast from the first day of eventing, where the Palace of Versailles was shrouded in drizzle. Today, the sun blasted down, making for stunning pictures of the action (plus a lot of fans, ice and towels). Here’s our round-up of the top stories of the day.

Britain’s Becky Moody stole the show on her Olympic debut

• Find out why Becky beamed throughout her test – and why Jagerbomb is so named 

Carl Hester rode a composed test under tremendous pressure on Fame

• Learn why this super-cool stallion could be a family pet

The Danes look on imperious form, with Nanna Skodborg Merrald leading the field at the halfway stage

• Where does Nanna feel there’s room for improvement?

Her compatriot Daniel Bachman Andersen conjured a fabulous performance from his improving stallion

• What did Daniel say about riding on autopilot on the Olympic stage?

Another Scandinavian rider has secured his berth in the freestyle

• What treat will Patrik Kittel be offering Touchdown?

Germany fielded just the one rider today – but he was a very good one

• How did Frederic Wandres secure his qualification?

A British-based Australian savoured his moment in the Olympic arena

• Learn how Jayden Brown adapted Quincy B’s warm-up to mitigate the heat

And Abi Lyle may not be among the qualifiers, but she had the time of her life in Versailles

• Find out how the Irish rider coped with her rollercoaster of emotions

Emotion was at the forefront when a Belgian rider finished her test

• What do the scribbles on Larissa Pauluis’ gloves mean?

Unfortunately for one US rider, his horse accidentally nicked herself on the way in, leading to elimination

• Hear Marcus Orlob’s update on his mare Jane’s “minor cut”

Of course, horse welfare was the hot topic of the day, with all riders answering questions on the subject

• Read Carl Hester’s comments on the Charlotte Dujardin video

Away from the dressage competition, there are changes afoot in the British showjumping team

• Which rider’s reserve horse is now set to start in the competition?

And H&H eventing editor is recovering after a mammoth press day on the three days of eventing

• Read Pippa Roome’s blog to find out her thoughts on medals, writing through the night – and selfies with Laura Collett

And to whet your appetite for tomorrow, here’s a preview of the highlights you must not miss from the Olympic dressage in Paris

• 5 things you must watch from the grand prix qualifier on day two

To stay up to date with all the breaking news throughout the Olympic Games, Burghley, the Horse of the Year Show and more, subscribe to the Horse & Hound website

You might also be interested in:

How to watch dressage at the Paris Olympics live from around the world

5 things not to miss as the grand prix dressage concludes at the Paris Olympics – big-name stars inching closer to the medals

‘Every halt, change and transition will matter’: who will top the dressage team podium in Paris?

Britain’s first Olympic gold of Paris 2024, records broken, and champions crowned: all the stories as eventing signs off

Horse & Hound’s ones to watch for Olympic dressage individual medals in Paris

Subscribe to Horse & Hound magazine today – and enjoy unlimited website access all year round

Stay in touch with all the news in the run-up to and throughout the major shows and events during 2026 and beyond with a Horse & Hound subscription. Subscribe today for all you need to know ahead of these major events, plus online reports on the action as it happens from our expert team of reporters and in-depth analysis in our special commemorative magazines. Have a subscription already? Set up your unlimited website access now

Becky Moody and Jagerbomb (Dante Weltino x Jazz) took their chance and didn’t show an ounce of nerves as they finished first in Group C in the Paris 2024 Olympic dressage grand prix on 74.94% – ahead of World Cup winners Patrik Kittel and Touchdown who scored 74.32%.

With teammates Carl Hester and Lottie Fry watching on, the combination looked born for this stage, producing a mistake-free test with their piaffe and passage work a highlight.

“That was insane,” beamed Becky, who barely stopped smiling throughout her test. “What a stadium, what a crowd – it was an amazing experience.

“And what a horse! He’s so special to me, we’ve done everything together, and I think we both went in there a little nervous and apprehensive, but we helped each other out and I’m just so proud of him.

“He loves to be out there – the more people watching him the better.”

The pair had, of course, originally been selected as the travelling reserves but were promoted to the three-person team following the withdrawal and subsequent suspension of Charlotte Dujardin.

“We’ve got an amazing team around us, not only the guys in the team itself, but also our larger support team,” added Becky. “They couldn’t have been more helpful and to be part of it is amazing.”

Competing at her first championships, Becky has always been a crowd-favourite in Britain, but it was heartwarming to see how much the wider international press took to her during her post-test interviews.

The most-asked questions related to Jagerbomb’s enigmatic name.

“I bred him 10 years ago and at that point in my life, I might have been partial to a jagerbomb,” Becky laughed. “But also my grandad, who was called Norman, we’d all call ‘Bomb’ so it was a little bit of a homage to him as well as the alcoholic beverage.”

Carl had been almost lamenting earlier in the day that the team couldn’t pick their own order of go in the grand prix so Becky could ride earlier to take the pressure off.

But in the end, being in the comparatively low-scoring Group C meant Becky’s now safely through to the freestyle where the individual medals will be decided and doesn’t have to keep refreshing the leaderboard tomorrow to see if she’d be among the six highest-scoring combinations outside the top two in each group to qualify.

Her test was perfectly measured and should be an enormous confidence boost, with Jagerbomb straight, uphill and open in the frame. Encouragingly, despite not having any mistakes, you can see where the combination can pick up more marks in the later tests – such as in the walk.

Britain is now in a very strong position to make it into the special on Saturday, which will decide the team medals. Lottie and Glamourdale will be the last British combination to go, competing tomorrow at 10am local time (9am British time).

• To stay up to date with all the breaking news throughout the Olympic Games, Burghley, HOYS and more, subscribe to the Horse & Hound website

You might also be interested in:

How to watch dressage at the Paris Olympics live from around the world

Jagerbomb – Becky Moody’s home-bred ‘total legend’ who stole the spotlight on the world stage

‘We’ve got to put the horses first’: Carl Hester on the sport’s challenges – and the Charlotte Dujardin video

‘I hope we can show everyone what we’re capable of’: Becky Moody on stepping up for the Paris Olympics

‘I’ve got to think about the team now’: Carl Hester puts pressure to one side to ride composed Olympic grand prix dressage test

Stay in touch with all the news in the run-up to and throughout the major shows and events during 2026 and beyond with a Horse & Hound subscription. Subscribe today for all you need to know ahead of these major events, plus online reports on the action as it happens from our expert team of reporters and in-depth analysis in our special commemorative magazines. Have a subscription already? Set up your unlimited website access now

The Paris Olympic dressage times for the grand prix have now been released.

The dressage competition at the Paris Olympics kicks off with this qualifier that takes place over two days, Tuesday 30 and Wednesday 31 July. It starts at 11am local time (10am British time) on Tuesday with Austria’s Stefan Lehfellner on Roberto Carlos MT.

Britain’s Lottie Fry, the reigning world champion will be first into the arena on Wednesday, at 10am local time (9am British time). The final rider is the defending Olympic champion Germany’s Jessica von Bredow-Werndl, who is due in with TSF Dalera BB at 3.20pm local time (2.20pm British time) on Wednesday, meaning these two favourites are bookending the second day of competition.

Britain is drawn seventh of the 15 nations, with Austria starting first. Within each rotation, when horses start depends on recent rankings, so a top championship horse that competes rarely may well be drawn earlier than horses that compete more frequently. All the horses and riders will compete in this grand prix.

Some of the timings are on 30sec past the minute, so we have given you the minute on the dot rather than the half-minute to avoid confusion.

• If you would like to watch your favourite riders compete in the dressage at the Paris Olympic Games, find out how you can follow on TV from anywhere in the world with our comprehensive guide. 

What are the Olympic grand prix dressage times for the British riders?

• Carl Hester and Fame on Tuesday at 12.25pm local time (11.25am British time)
• Becky Moody on Jagerbomb on Tuesday at 4.11pm local time (3.11pm British time)
• Lottie Fry and Glamourdale on Wednesday at 10am local time (9am British time)

Who else should you watch?

• Denmark’s Nanna Skodborg Merrald on Zepter on Tuesday at 11.09am local time (10.09am British time)
• The Netherlands’ Dinja van Liere on Hermes on Tuesday at 11.19am local time (10.19am British time)
• Ireland’s Abi Lyle on Giraldo on Tuesday at 1.38pm local time (12.38pm British time)
• Sweden’s Patrik Kittel on Touchdown on Tuesday at 4.20pm local time (3.20pm British time)
• Denmark’s Cathrine Laudrup-Dufour on Freestyle on Wednesday at 10.38am local time (9.38am British time)
• Germany’s Isabell Werth on Wendy on Wednesday at 11.25am local time (10.25am British time)
• Germany’s Jessica von Bredow-Werndl on TSF Dalera BB on Wednesday at 3.20pm local time (2.20pm British time)

What are the breaks during the sessions?

Riders are drawn in six groups of 10 with a 30–35min break between each group. There are three groups on each day.

Day one, Tuesday, starts at 11am local time (10am British time) and the last horse goes at 4.20pm local time (3.20pm British time).

Times are an hour earlier on day two, Wednesday, which starts at 10am local time (9am British time) and the last horse goes at 3.20pm local time (2.20pm British time).

Olympic grand prix dressage times: complete list

• The full times are listed below.

• To stay up to date with all the breaking news throughout the Olympic Games, Royal International Horse Show and more, subscribe to the Horse & Hound website

You might also be interested in:

How to watch dressage at the Paris Olympics live from around the world

Jagerbomb – Becky Moody’s home-bred ‘total legend’ who stole the spotlight on the world stage

Fame – the dream horse who gave Carl Hester back his love of competing and a career-best score

‘I hope we can show everyone what we’re capable of’: Becky Moody on stepping up for the Paris Olympics

Subscribe to Horse & Hound magazine today – and enjoy unlimited website access all year round

Stay in touch with all the news in the run-up to and throughout the major shows and events during 2026 and beyond with a Horse & Hound subscription. Subscribe today for all you need to know ahead of these major events, plus online reports on the action as it happens from our expert team of reporters and in-depth analysis in our special commemorative magazines. Have a subscription already? Set up your unlimited website access now

Following the withdrawal and subsequent suspension of Charlotte Dujardin, travelling reserves Becky Moody and Jagerbomb will step up to take their place in the British dressage team for the Paris Olympics.

Fortunately for Britain’s Olympic dressage medal prospects, Becky and Jagerbomb were one of the strongest of the alternate combinations heading to Paris.

They claimed their first international grand prix and special win at Addington CDI3* in March, scoring personal bests of 75.46% in the grand prix and 76.19% in the special. And they’ve been in the top three at London CDI-W as well as Rotterdam and Compiègne CDIO5*s, so they’re used to the big occasion.

Becky Moody on her Paris Olympics selection: “We’re ready to give it everything we can”

“We have to be honest, it’s not the circumstances anyone would want to receive that call-up but we have to look forward now and focus on next week,” Becky told H&H while en route to Paris. “We still have a really strong team and I think we’re all ready to give it everything we can.”

It’s understandably been a tumultuous couple of days for Becky, but she said she’s been fully prepared.

“Because I was the travelling reserve I could have potentially been called up right up to the special so we’ve been prepared, everything has been packed and we’ve been training with the thought that we might have to step in.

“But I had been expecting to have a nice chill time – that’s definitely changed!”

With a touch of emotion in her voice, Becky adds that Jagerbomb is going the best he’s gone all season.

“He’s so much stronger, more confident and more established,” she explains. “Hopefully, we’re going to be able to smash it.

“We work so hard for this, and this horse has just been so incredible in what he’s done over the last few years, and it’s really amazing that he’s going to have the chance to show that off in Paris.”

When asked what she expects to feel when riding down the centre line in Paris, Becky said: “A tiny little bit of vomit! But the thing about Bomb is that he loves the crowd and I really hope that we’re able to go and show everybody what he’s capable of.”

Andrew Gould and Indigro as new travelling reserves

Although Becky’s promotion to the team was very much expected, it wasn’t clear who – if anyone – would be the new travelling reserve. From the nominated entries list, Carl Hester’s En Vogue, Lottie Fry’s Everdale and Charlotte’s Alive And Kicking were ineligible.

Annabella Pidgley and Gio have been competing in Austria at the under-25 European Dressage Championships and Gareth Hughes’ Goldstrike has travelled to Belgium to be his daughter Ruby’s direct reserve for the junior Europeans.

That left Andrew Gould (Indigro), Lewis Carrier (Diego V) and Susan Pape (V-Plus) as the only other possible combinations from the nominated entries list.

The selectors have decided to promote Andrew and Indigro – who has long been earmarked as a Paris prospect – and they will be travelling to Versailles as part of the squad. Most recently the combination was on the British Aachen Nations’ Cup team, where they scored 71% in the grand prix. They were the second-highest-scoring British combination that day, behind Lottie Fry and Especial.

New British Olympic dressage team for Paris 2024

Carl Hester with 14-year-old Fame

Owners: rider, Fiona Bigwood and Mette Dahl

Breeder: VOFG and M Gerritsen

Breeding: by Bordeaux 28, out of a mare by Rhodium

Groom: Lucy Scudamore

Lottie Fry with 13-year-old Glamourdale

Owners: rider and Van Olst Horses

Breeder: J Rodenburg

Breeding: by Lord Leatherdale, out of a mare by Negro

Groom: Richard Hauwaerts

Becky Moody with 10-year-old Jagerbomb

Owners: rider and Jo Cooper

Breeder: rider

Breeding: by Dante Weltino, out of a mare by Jazz

Groom: Kim Masson

Alternate: Andrew Gould with 11-year-old Indigro

Owners: Tatiana Skillman

Breeder: J Deenen

Breeding: by Negro, out of a mare by Jazz

Groom: Natalie Campbell

• To stay up-to-date with all the breaking news throughout the Olympic Games, Royal International Horse Show and more, subscribe to the Horse & Hound website

You may also be interested in:

Jagerbomb – Becky Moody’s home-bred ‘total legend’ who stole the spotlight on the world stage

Fame – the dream horse who gave Carl Hester back his love of competing and a career-best score

Glamourdale – Lottie Fry’s world champion dressage stallion who makes crowds gasp

Subscribe to Horse & Hound magazine today – and enjoy unlimited website access all year round

Stay in touch with all the news in the run-up to and throughout the Paris Olympics, Royal International, Burghley and more with a Horse & Hound subscription. Subscribe today for all you need to know ahead of these major events, plus online reports on the action as it happens from our expert team of reporters and in-depth analysis in our special commemorative magazines. Have a subscription already? Set up your unlimited website access now

Stay in touch with all the news in the run-up to and throughout the major shows and events during 2026 and beyond with a Horse & Hound subscription. Subscribe today for all you need to know ahead of these major events, plus online reports on the action as it happens from our expert team of reporters and in-depth analysis in our special commemorative magazines. Have a subscription already? Set up your unlimited website access now

The long-anticipated announcement has arrived and we now know for certain the British riders for the Olympic dressage in Paris.

The selected horse and riders are Carl Hester (Fame), Charlotte Dujardin (Imhotep) and Lottie Fry (Glamourdale), with Becky Moody (Jagerbomb) as the reserve. Let’s get to know them a little better…

• Previous Olympics: Despite being among the best dressage horses in the world, none of the horses travelling to Paris have ever competed at an Olympics. But that’s not the case for the riders. Carl will be competing at his seventh Olympics – becoming only the second Brit ever to do so. Charlotte – competing at her fourth Olympics – could become the most decorated British female Olympian of all time should she claim a medal of any colour in Paris. For Lottie, this will be her second Olympics, having competed in Tokyo with Glamourdale’s stablemate and Imhotep’s sire Everdale.
• Stable names: Imhotep is Pete, Glamourdale is Glammy, Jagerbomb is Bomb, and Fame – well he’s just Fame! All four are Dutch warmbloods, Imhotep and Jagerbomb are geldings, while Fame and Glamourdale are stallions.

• Horse medals: Glamourdale, Imhotep and Fame were all part of the gold medal-winning team at last year’s European Championships in Riesenbeck. Galmourdale is also the reigning double world champion, having won the grand prix special (82.5%) and the freestyle (90.65%) at the 2022 World Championships in Herning – in doing so they became Britain’s first individual gold medallist at any championship since Valegro won gold at the Rio Olympics in 2016. Glamourdale also won individual silver in the freestyle at last summer’s European Championships, while Imhotep won individual bronze in both the special and the freestyle.

• Rider medals: As a trio, Charlotte, Lottie and Carl Hester are the most decorated British dressage athletes ever. Charlotte boasts an impressive record with six Olympic medals, including three golds and a silver with Valegro, and a double bronze with Gio. Additionally, she has secured six World Championship medals, 12 European Championship medals and has twice won the Dressage World Cup. Carl Hester is not far behind with three Olympic medals: team gold in London with Uthopia, team silver in Rio with Nip Tuck, and team bronze in Tokyo with En Vogue. He also has three World Championship medals and eight European medals. Lottie Fry, the youngest of the three, was part of the bronze-medal-winning team in Tokyo on Everdale who she also won team silver with at the 2021 European Championships. With Glamourdale, she has added three World Championship medals and two European medals to her name.

• Youngest and oldest horses: Jagerbomb is the youngest at 10 and Fame is the oldest at 14. Glamourdale is 13 while Imhotep is 11.
• Youngest and oldest riders: Lottie is – remarkably – still only 28, Charlotte is 39, Becky 44, while Carl Hester will be Team GB’s oldest athlete at 57.
• What the riders say: Becky: “Jagerbomb has such an incredible brain and a heart that just wants to do it… there’s still so much to come from him.” Charlotte: “Imhotep has taken on so much as a young horse… he’s incredible and he’s getting better and better.” Carl: “Occasionally in your life, you get a horse who you feel just fits you, and Fame fits… his enthusiasm makes him a dream horse.” Lottie: “I’ve never sat on anything like Glamourdale before, he’s always been so special… he’s a showman and wants everyone’s eyes on him.”

It’s a stellar team and we can’t wait to cheer them on in Paris. Look out for more coverage online in the build-up to the Games, plus our full magazine preview (18 July) and form guide (25 July), which will cover all three Olympic equestrian disciplines.

You may also be interested in:

Imhotep – Charlotte Dujardin’s ‘sensitive’ but ‘brilliant’ partner who lives out all year round

Glamourdale – Lottie Fry’s world champion dressage stallion who makes crowds gasp

Fame – the dream horse who gave Carl Hester back his love of competing and a career-best score

Jagerbomb – Becky Moody’s home-bred ‘total legend’ who stole the spotlight on the world stage

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