Rachel Proudley and HK Horses’ Quality Street being crowned individual young rider European showjumping champions, having helped the British young rider team to bronze at the youth Europeans in Riesenbeck was just part of an outstanding weekend of championship success for Britain.

The British under-25 dressage team also won bronze, at the youth championships in Kronberg, Germany, and the British three-star eventing team won gold, and individual silver and bronze in Minderhout, Belgium.

The under-25 dressage team of Charlotte Lutener (Full Fusion), Harrison Ashton (Million Dreams), Lilah Gibbs (Dude III) and Annabella Pidgley (Vamos Amigos) finished behind gold medallists Germany and the Netherlands.

“Congratulations to riders, grooms, owners, support teams and families for a much-deserved moment on the podium,” a British Dressage spokesperson said.

Gold in the European 3* Cup

In the three-star eventing European Cup, the team of Jasmine Holmes (Aren’t I Lucky), Katie Wrennall (Chatoon S), Ben Perry (Fa Karla) and Holly Needham (Ardnacashel Tornado R) triumphed. Jasmine won individual silver and Katie individual bronze.

Britain’s chef de mission David Sheerin said: “The whole experience was one of community spirit, dedication and good sportsmanship.

“Returning to the European 3* Cup after a few years away, we were made to feel very welcome by all the nations in Belgium, even after we managed to win the team gold for the first time for Great Britain on mainland Europe and take home three of the four medals on offer.

“We were also joined by lots of British supporters and this really added to the energy. We received very generous help through sponsors, and this added to the success.”

You can read the full report from the junior, young rider and children’s European Showjumping Championships in this week’s Horse & Hound magazine, in the shops Thursday 17 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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Reigning pony European champion and world number one Abigail Gray rounded off her final season in ponies in spectacular fashion, claiming the national pony title at the 2024 National Dressage Championships.

Abi, 16, and the prolific grey gelding George Clooney BS proved unbeatable once more as they headed the pony final with 73.86%. The simple changes were the highlight of their fluent round, earning eights and a nine from the judges.

“George felt really relaxed today and the test was great,” reported Aberdeen-based Abi, who has enjoyed a highly fruitful two seasons with the Caesar 171 son, previously piloted by Mette Dahl and Sophie Taylor.

“He has such a big personality and he loves to perform – he’s such a showman. He always tries his hardest for me. We’re trying to find me a horse right now, as I would love to do juniors. Ultimately, I’d like to train up to grand prix but that requires a lot of dedication.”

“I’ve now achieved all my targets for this year”

Myles Graham and his “heart horse” Nibeley Union Hit topped the junior line-up, building on a strong season that saw them score a top-six finish at the junior Europeans.

“It was a harmonious test, a nice clean round with no mistakes, which is all I can ask from her,” said Myles, 17, who is hoping to contest both young riders and juniors next year with the 17-year-old Nibeley Union Jack mare.

“I’ve definitely now achieved all my targets for this year – getting to the Europeans for the third year was a dream. She’ll have some down time after this, then we’ll have a quiet winter working on training to get going for next year.”

Meanwhile, Morgan Haerr and Behroez put a “dodgy” warm-up behind them to come out on top of the young rider final.

“He just felt a bit strong and tense in the warm-up, but as soon as we got between the white boards he was a really good boy,” said 18-year-old Morgan, who’s just completed her A levels and is hoping to carve out a career with horses. “I’ve had him just over a year and we’re finally starting to click. I think that showed today – I was really pleased with him.

“We’ve got another three years in young riders, so I’m hoping we can get better and better. Next year I want to aim for the Europeans.”

• 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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Junior European team bronze medallist Isla Sully rounded off her breakthrough year by winning the Aachen Youngstars Junior Champion title.

It was 15-year-old Isla’s first time at Aachen and with the Lusitano gelding Vagabond de Massa she rose from 10th place in the team test with 68.88%, to top the leaderboard in the individual test with 71.22% and the freestyle with 74.79%.

Travelling to Aachen was a last-minute decision for the combination, who were on the British junior team that won bronze this summer, but had not been planning to go to the event the week before.

“I had thought we’d bring Vagabond’s season to an end because they’d both been so busy and had already done so well,” said Isla’s mum Cassandra.

“Then at four o’clock on Monday, we had a change of heart, so I phoned Sharon Weir [British Dressage’s under-21 international officer] to see if we could still go, and she said ‘You’ve got one hour to decide if you want to go or not before the entries close.’

“So we thought ‘Let’s do it’, because how often do you get the opportunity to ride at Aachen? Let’s just go there and enjoy it. We quickly phoned her trainer, Alex Harrison, to see if he could come and from there it just sort of fell together.”

Cassandra said they went with no expectation of winning but hoping for a top-10 finish.

“As a mum, I never care what results come in, I just want her to enjoy it, go to bed on time and stay hydrated,” she said. “But to watch her win in Aachen, I was lost for words.”

Isla Sully has been training with Alex at Collective Equestrian for almost two years. As well as teaching, Alex rides to a high level and is the UK’s youngest list one judge, which Cassandra believes has contributed to Isla’s success.

“Alex is a legend, to have a judge who also rides as your trainer gives you a different perspective, and helps solve problems in a way that creates results in the ring,” she said.

“Isla and him just gel. She used to call his sessions drilling sessions because he’s super competitive, and she loves that.

“They know each other so well now that there’s never any misunderstanding, she trusts him completely. He helps her with goal-setting and planning her season, which Isla takes great comfort in.”

With success here and success at the Junior European Championships, the future looks bright for Isla Sully, but with GCSEs around the corner, she and Vagabond are taking every day as it comes for now.

“Isla is extremely dedicated and conscientious, and she’d love to go into horses but she’s also started thinking about where she wants to go to university, and I think it’s sensible to have that balance,” Cassandra said.

“The pressure that these young riders take on is incredible, so to watch them keep going out there again and again and performing is amazing.”

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H&H’s dressage editor ponders the unusual move that led to two teams winning silver on different scores at the recent junior European Dressage Championships 

At first glance, the team podium photo from last week’s FEI Junior European Dressage Championships, doesn’t appear out of the ordinary. Take a slightly longer look, however, and you’ll spot something unusual in the crowd of young riders filling the silver spot.

Two sets of silver medals were awarded at these championships, in an unprecedented move that caused quite the confusion. Both Austria and Denmark walked away with a shiny silver, despite finishing on differing team scores – Austria on 214.469 and Denmark on 214.243. Germany won gold, while Britain took bronze on 214.03.

The source of the snafu was an error of course made by Austria’s Fanny Jöbstl, who rode two left walk pirouettes, and the fact the judge at C did not notice the mistake. Alice Schwab, heading up the judging panel, was the only one with the ability to ring the bell to notify Fanny of her mistake and, crucially, to allow her to repeat the second pirouette in the correct direction.

But the error wasn’t rung out, Fanny continued with her test, receiving very low marks for the incorrect pirouette, plus an error of course penalty. Her announced score put Austria into fourth, just off the podium. And then the mistake was realised, and an appeal lodged by the Austrian contingent.

On account of the judging error, and the fact that Fanny was not given the chance to redo the movement, it was decided to raise her scores for the incorrect pirouette to align with those for her other one, and simply apply the error of course penalty.

Her revised score was enough to elevate Austria into second position, theoretically knocking Denmark down into bronze and Britain, agonisingly, off the podium altogether into fourth.

Except it didn’t.

In a surprise move, the organisers, judging committee and single member of the Judges Supervisory Panel present conferred, then opted to give out two silver medals. Sponsors Avalon Premium Cars Kronberg admirably stepped up to pay out prize money for both teams, and all four nations went home happy. The British contingent, especially, was thrilled to have received the bronze medal that riders Myles Graham, Ruby Hughes, Isla Sully and Mette Dahl so deserved for their superb performances.

‘An insane shame for the kids’

But here lies the rub. Britain may have won bronze, but they didn’t finish third. And while tournament director Matthias Rath pointed out, quite rightly, that to drop Denmark and Britain down the order “would have been an insane shame for the kids”, it does raise the question: Would the same decision have been made at a senior championship?

It seems inconceivable that it would have. At senior level, Austria would almost certainly have won silver, Denmark would have received bronze and Britain would have gone home empty-handed, however much of a shame, and arguably unfair, that result may have been.

So was it the right decision? It’s a hard one, and something I have been pondering all week, not least because it did not comply with FEI rules.

In a statement regarding the junior European Dressage Championships supplied to H&H from the FEI, a spokesperson confirmed that “the matter at stake is a field of play matter and the FEI headquarters has no authority to change the results or to intervene.”

But they also acknowledge that “awarding two team silver medals to teams with differing results… is not in accordance with the FEI rules”.

“We wish to emphasise that the FEI rules and regulations have to be applied and complied with by all FEI officials. We expect that these rules are applied diligently and uniformly, ensuring a fair playing field for all participants,” the statement continues.

“The FEI will conduct a thorough review of all available facts, evidence, and reports related to the matter. We will liaise with the relevant officials to address this matter.”

Should youth riders be treated the same as seniors?

To me, the most interesting issue raised here is the attitude towards international youth championships. Should they be treated as any other FEI championship, and the same rules and decisions applied as per senior events, or is it appropriate for a softer approach to be taken?

Further complicating the matter is that the individual most at fault in this situation is not one of the riders, who, it is accepted via the existence of the error of course penalty, do sometimes go wrong in the heat of the moment.

Instead it was the judge at C, the highly experienced Alice Schwab, who was promoted to five-star status earlier this year. Of course, even the most experienced, diligent professionals are capable of human error, which is all it came down to in this unfortunate situation. But should that human error have been allowed to disadvantage other competitors?

Ultimately, all parties came home happy. And perhaps that’s what it’s all about, at the end of the day. Who knows what impact stripping the bronze medal they believed they had won might have had on the young British team members’ mentalities and attitude to competition.

But, on the other hand, competitive sport at this level isn’t supposed to be about keeping its participants happy, however young they might be. Would it have been more educational and constructive to have been forced to accept the tough, alternative outcome?

Then again, would that alternative outcome, that denied Britain a team medal based on others’ mistakes, have been any more or less “fair” than the decision that was made, with the riders’ best interests at heart? Maybe the FEI review into the matter will provide answers to that question. To me, that’s what it comes down to.

Because elite sport isn’t always kind. But it should always, always be fair.

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Myles Graham led the British team to bronze at the Dressage Junior European Championships in Kronberg, Germany, before collecting individual freestyle bronze for himself on the final day.

Riding Caroline Bell’s 16-year-old mare Nibeley Union Hit, 16-year-old Myles finished best of the Brits in eighth, in what turned out to be a turbulent team competition at the dressage junior Europeans.

As team anchor, Myles’ score was enough to secure the bronze medal for the team, which also featured Ruby Hughes (Classic Goldstrike), Mette Dahl (Caporal De Massa) and Isla Sully (Vagabond De Massa).

In an unprecedented turn of events, four teams ended up on the dressage junior Europeans podium, with Germany winning gold and Denmark and Austria each taking silver, although they finished on different scores. An error of course by Austria’s Fanny Jöbstl, when she rode two left pirouettes in her team test, went unnoticed during the test by the head of the judging panel, Alice Schwab at C, which meant Fanny was initially awarded very low scores by the other judges for the incorrect movement, but without the chance to redo it correctly.

After the conclusion of the class, which had left Austria in fourth, an appeal from the Austrian team resulted in Fanny’s marks for the pirouette in question being raised to sevens and 6.5, and an error of course penalty deducted. The change meant Austria leapt up the leaderboard into silver, which would have pushed Denmark down into bronze, and Britain out of the medals altogether.

But, in order not to leave any team at a disadvantage, organisers opted to give out two silver medals, to Austria and Denmark, with Britain remaining in their original bronze medal position.

“They’ve really stepped up this week,” said British chef d’equipe Nina Boex of her team. “They were all fantastic and there was an awesome team spirit with the support team and officials.” 

Myles then went on to finish fifth in the individual and scoop bronze in the freestyle with an impressive 77.89%, riding to a Johnny English and F1-themed programme.

“The team bronze was amazing – to be a part of that was fabulous,” he said. 

“In the individual, ‘Una’ performed beyond my expectations. We came into the freestyle just wanting to have some fun and enjoy it, and I never in my wildest dreams thought I’d come away with an individual bronze. All the training of the music really paid off – I feel like we’d nailed every movement and the judges rewarded us for it.”

Isla and Mette also qualified to ride the freestyle, with their pair of Lusitano full brothers. Isla and Vagabond De Massa finished eighth on 75.95% while Mette and Caporal de Massa, her ride of just three months, scored 71.98% for 16th. 

These championships capped an exciting fortnight for British youth dressage, the young rider team having captured bronze a week earlier, and Annabella Pidgley claiming double gold.

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Britain has a new youth European dressage champion in Annabella Pidgley, who made history by winning double gold at the Dressage European Championships for Young Riders last week.

Annabella, riding her mother Sarah’s nine-year-old mare Espe is the first British dressage rider ever to win an individual medal in the young riders division.

It comes off the back of silver and bronze medals Annabella won at junior Europeans in 2021 and 2022, but with so many of her successes having been a first for Britain, it highlights how few youth dressage riders we have had in the medals at Europeans to date.

So, who are the other Brits with youth or under-25 medals to their name? And what are Britain’s youth dressage medallists up to now?

Lottie Fry, 27

Lottie Fry was a stalwart of British youth teams from ponies right up to under-25s. She became under-25 European champion in 2018 riding Dark Legend, winning freestyle gold and individual silver that year, and leading the team to bronze. They were Britain’s first ever under-25 medals.

Lottie became the leading rider at Van Olst Horses in the Netherlands, where she has been based since 2014. She graduated to the senior Europeans team the following year, and her star has carried on rising since.

She helped Britain win Olympic bronze and European silver in 2021 on Everdale, and most notably of all, was crowned world champion with Glamourdale in 2022. Lottie is currently ranked number two in the world, having held the world number one spot earlier this year.

Phoebe Peters, 24

Phoebe Peters and her superstar pony SL Lucci were the face of British youth dressage between 2013 and 2015, when they picked up no fewer than five individual medals, and led Britain to a place on three consecutive pony team podiums too.

Phoebe became the first British dressage rider ever to win an individual medal at a youth Europeans when she claimed pony double gold in 2013. She took freestyle silver the following year, and returned in 2015 to win double individual gold – breaking their own world records along the way – and leading Britain to team glory too.

Phoebe went on to compete on junior teams and up to national prix st georges, before gaining a degree in French and German. She spent several months based with Klaus Balkenhol in Germany during the first part of 2022, before moving to become assistant rider at Van Olst Horses in the Netherlands in May 2022, working alongside Lottie Fry and competing at under-25 grand prix.

Alex Hellings, 24

Alex partnered the renowned dressage pony Der Kleine Lord to team silver at the 2014 pony Europeans, and also won individual bronze the same year.

She continued to progress though youth ranks with Uvender V, riding at the junior Europeans in 2016 and young riders in 2019. Nationally, she and Uvi competed together up to grand prix level until the gelding was retired at the end of 2022.

Alex is another young rider with a first class degree to her name, having graduated in mathematics in 2020. She is now a professional rider and coach based in Derbyshire, with a string of horses she is bringing up through the levels.

Britain’s youth dressage team medallists

While Britain boasts just four individual medallists – Phoebe Peters, Alex Hellings, Lottie Fry and Annabella Pidgley – youth teams have fared well in recent years, with six team medals since 2013.

Ponies

2013 – bronze

Rebecca Bell with Valido’s Sunshine

Rose Hugh-Smith with Holsteins Derwisch

Phoebe Peters with SL Lucci

Erin Williams with Dynasty

2014 – silver

Rebecca Bell with Valido’s Sunshine

Alex Hellings with Der Kleine Lord

Bethany-Rose Horobin with Gigolo

Phoebe Peters with SL Lucci

2015 – gold

Rebecca Bell with Valido’s Sunshine

Isobel Berrington with DHI Langar

Clare Hole with Rembrandt DDH

Phoebe Peters with SL Lucci

Juniors

2022 – bronze

Myles Graham and Nibleley Union Hit

Sophie Wallace and Rosalie B

India Durman-Mills and Escade

Annabella Pidgley and Espe

Young riders

2023 – bronze

Annabella Pidgley and Espe

Lily Laughton and Skovborgs Romadinov

India Durman-Mills and Escade

Jessie McConkey and Lady Gaga

Under-25s

2018 – bronzeLottie Fry with Dark LegendRebecca Edwards with Headmore DelegateClaire Gallimore with Annette BallerinaRyan Todd with Charlex Eskjeberg

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Annabella Pidgley has become the first British rider ever to win an individual medal at the Dressage European Championships for Young Riders – by claiming double gold in Hungary over the weekend (15-16 July).

The 18-year-old rode her mother Sarah’s nine-year-old Escolar mare Espe to two huge personal best scores as they secured both the individual and freestyle gold medals.

Annabella’s double gold came off the back of the British team winning the first British young rider team medal since 2005, as Annabella joined Lily Laughton (Skovborgs Romadinov), India Durman-Mills (Escade) and Jessie McConkey (Lady Gaga) to claim a brilliant bronze.

Britain finished closely behind Denmark in gold and Germany in silver, with Annabella’s trainer Charlotte Dujardin joining them out in Hungary.

Annabella finished top of the leaderboard individually in the team test and duly completed a clean sweep over the course of the weekend. She and Espe scored 76.94% for their individual test to knock Germany’s Valentina Pistner and Flamboyant OLD into silver, and leaving her “simply speechless”.

Jessie and Lady Gaga finished 13th, with India 18th and Lily 19th for Britain.

A new personal best for Annabella Pidgley and Espe

A day later, Annabella and Espe recreated their magic once again, breaking the 80% barrier for the first time in their partnership to lay down an unbeatable score of 80.5%.

Taking freestyle silver was Annabella’s boyfriend, Denmark’s Alexander Helgstrand, son of Andreas Helgstrand, riding Belantis. Jessie also secured a top-10 finish for Britain, in ninth, with India 15th.

“Double European champion… Espe did it again and got the gold in the freestyle today here in Hungary, against a brilliant field of riders,” said Annabella. “I could not have imagined we would have these results here at the Europeans in our first year at young riders, but she deserves it all.

“She’s such an incredible mare with a beautiful heart and I’m so grateful to her for being so amazing over the last week,” added Annabella of Espe.

“Thank you to my team, family, Charlotte, my sponsors and all who have supported me from home. Thank you also to my Team GB teammates.”

This is not the first time Annabella has made history for British dressage – in 2021 she became the first British rider to claim an individual podium place at the junior Europeans, when she won double silver on Sultan Des Paluds. Riding Espe, she added more medals to her haul in 2022 when they led the British junior team to silver and also scooped individual silver and bronze.

This is Annabella’s first year in young riders, and with these medals she has become the first British rider to win gold in any youth (under-21) section since Phoebe Peters took double gold at the pony Europeans in 2015.

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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

Dressage rider Gemma Owen is “heartbroken and in complete shock” after her junior team horse Sirius Black III died suddenly on Friday (3 February) aged 18.

The Stedinger gelding, who was known at home as Siz, died following a “sudden and severe illness”.

“Words can’t describe how much this horse meant to me and my family. He was truly one in a million,” said Gemma. “Everyone who met Siz will know how amazing and caring his temperament was. He was taken far too soon. He has left us all heartbroken and in complete shock.”

Gemma Owen and Sirius Black competed internationally for Britain in junior and young rider ranks, including at the junior European Dressage Championships in Oliva, Spain, in 2021. The team, also featuring Annabella Pidgley, Mette Dahl and Holly Kerslake, finished sixth.

Gemma finished as runner-up on ITV’s Love Island in 2022, and her trainer Sarah Higgins took over the ride on Siz while Gemma was away in the Love Island villa. With Sarah, Siz claimed a Permier League victory at prix st georges (PSG) and competed at the National Dressage Championships in September 2022 at PSG and inter I.

Grand prix rider Sarah described Siz’s death as “totally heartbreaking”, adding: “I was so fortunate to be able to share in the journey with him and Gem.

“He was the most kind and gentle horse and every way and will be deeply missed by everyone who was lucky enough to be part of his life.”

Since returning to the dressage arena post-Love Island, Gemma and Siz clocked up several wins on the national circuit, scoring a personal best of 73.95% at PSG in December, and winning at Arena UK and Vale View High Profile shows.

Last month, Gemma told H&H that her plan for 2023 was “To get out [competing] as much as I can”.

Following the loss of Siz, she said: “You taught me so much Siz and I will never be able to thank you enough. You brought so much joy and happiness to our lives and you’ll never be replaced, I love you endlessly.”

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Tributes have been paid to Sunlit Uplands, the British grand prix gelding who was put down in late 2022, aged 14.

Sunlit Uplands, aka “Jasper” was a son of Don Henrico, and competed internationally at grand prix for Dylan Deutrom. The pair were selected for the under-25 European Dressage Championships in the summer of 2022.

“We found he had a small tendon injury just before the championships, so Dylan rode San Marco, who had also qualified, instead,” explained Matt Hicks, Dylan’s trainer. “We rested Jasper for two months, but he required minor surgery. Unfortunately he got a very rare infection and was so poorly that we had to let him go. It was nobody’s fault.

“It was a big shock – he was an amazing horse,” added Matt.

Jasper belonged to Sarah Warry, who bought him as a young horse from Klaus Munkedahl in Denmark, through Henriette Andersen and Ulrik Molgaard. He joined Matt’s yard in 2015, and Dylan took over the reins the following year, when he was 18.

Together, Dylan and Jasper worked their way up to top level, making their grand prix debut in 2021, and competing at the national championships. In 2022, they were successful on the international under-25 circuit, with plan to step up to senior international level in 2023.

Jasper’s last competition was a grand prix at Hunters Equestrian in July 2022, where he scored 67.39% for second.

“Dylan learnt such a lot from riding him, as did I from training them,” said Matt. “He was not a horse who needed many shows, so they never did loads but it was amazing to have him selected for the Europeans.

“He was always a kind, straightforward horse with no bad bone in his body and he always tried hard, even though he was a sensitive soul, too. He’s been a very influential horse for our yard and he has left a huge hole.”

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Britain’s juniors claimed a first dressage team bronze medal since 1998 when they finished on the podium at the junior and young rider dressage European Championships, held at Hartpury, Glos.

Spearheaded by 17-year-old Annabella Pidgley, last year’s double individual silver medallist, the junior team took the European bronze medal behind Germany in gold and the Netherlands in silver. The home side’s achievement was all the more impressive considering the other three members of the British team –Myles Graham (Nibeley Union Hit), Sophie Wallace (Rosalie B) and India Durman-Mills (Escade) – were all riding at their first championship. 

Annabella also secured individual bronze and freestyle silver riding Espe. The eight-year-old Escolar x Dimaggio mare was bought as a six-year-old and spent two years with Annabella’s trainer Cathrine Dufour before returning to Annabella in March.

“I couldn’t have asked for more from her,” Annabella said after her team test, in which she scored 75.15%. “We’ve only had this short season together, and this is her first Europeans. She just performed and exceeded all my expectations, and I couldn’t be prouder.”

Following her 77.6% freestyle performance, Annabella added: “She really pulled it out of the bag. She’s the sweetest horse and always gives her all. I can’t believe we have a silver medal!”

It was only eight months ago that former showjumper Sophie took over the ride of Ursula Bechtolsheimer and Laura Tomlinson’s mare Rosalie B, a Westphalian by Rubin Royal out of a Newcastle mare.

“It’s been a bit of an emotional rollercoaster and feels unreal,” said Sophie of her team’s bronze medal. “I never imagined I’d get selected for my first Europeans in my first season of dressage. I’m so thankful to Mrs Bechtolsheimer and Laura Tomlinson for letting me have the ride on Rosie. It’s been an amazing experience.”

Germany’s Allegra Schmitz-Morkramer spearheaded the German team to gold riding 10-year-old Hanoverian stallion Libertad, and also became the junior individual champion. But it was Denmark’s Sophia Boje Obel Jørgensen and Brilliant who upgraded their individual silver to freestyle gold, ahead of Annabella. 

British junior team chef d’equipe Tom Hobday said: “It has been the most incredible week of competition and the teams have put in an astonishing amount of effort over the year to get here.

“We’ve had some very impressive results, including quite a few personal bests, some from riders making their championship debut. To come away with two bronzes and a silver medal is incredible.”

Young rider dressage European Championships: ‘It was a nail-bitingly close competition’

Germany asserted their dominance once again to add young rider team gold to their junior team gold at the junior and young rider dressage European Championships, with Denmark in silver and Sweden in bronze. Meanwhile the Brits did brilliantly to finish just off the podium in fourth.

It was the turn of Allegra’s sister Helena Schmitz-Morkramer who produced an impressive 75.21% for gold riding 12-year-old gelding DSP Lifestyle (Lord Fantastic x Samba Hit).

“He was absolutely amazing – he performed a great test and although there’s always something to improve on, I’m more than happy with him,” said Helena about DSP Lifestyle, whom she has had for 18 months. “At the beginning, it was really hard, but we found our way and now he means the world to me. This medal is the highlight of the year.”

The British young rider team was made up of Caitlin Burgess and Chocotof, who finished eighth, ninth-placed Jessie McConkey and Lady Gaga, 16th-placed Anna Dalrymple and Vagabond De Massa, and 21st place for Maddy Frewin with Eagle Nouvelle. 

Jessica and Lady Gaga also finished fourth in the individual competition, with 74.04%, before rising to the occasion once more to take fifth in the freestyle with a hugely impressive personal best of 77.38%.

“She got better and better – we gained two or three per cent each day,” said an overwhelmed Jessica, who has had the mare for six years. “On the freestyle I just wanted to have fun. I’d only ridden that freestyle once before, but luckily it paid off. I never used to be able to get her round the freestyle and we’d end up having to retire, but now I can channel that energy and she just feels electric.”

British young rider chef d’equipe Nina Boex was thrilled with the team’s performance.

“It’s been an absolutely fantastic championship for us,” she said. “The young rider team is such a close team and it was a nail-bitingly close competition – they rode their socks off. The standard of riding this year was a cut above and our riders really stepped up. It’s the best Europeans we’ve been to in many years and Hartpury has really pulled out all the stops. Next year we’ll come back from it even stronger.”

Additional reporting by Stephanie Bateman

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The British teams for the Junior and Young Rider European Championships this month have been announced.

The FEI Junior and Young Rider European Championships will take place on British soil this year, at Hartpury, Glos, on 25-31 July. Eighteen nations are set to be represented at junior level, and 15 at young rider level, although some riders from mainland Europe have opted to withdraw owing to travel concerns.

The British team for the Young Rider European Championships has been revealed as follows:

Caitlin Burgess (21) with 15-year-old gelding Chocotof

Owner: Caitlin Burgess

Breeder: D Faro Gravenmoer

Breeding: by Lord Leatherdale, out of Twicky, by Negro

Anna Dalrymple (19) with 13-year-old gelding Vagabond De Massa

Owner: Maxine Vainio

Breeder: Silvain Massa

Breeding: by Reito, out of Vexame, by Xaquiro

Maddy Frewin (19) with 13-year-old gelding Eagle Nouvelle

Owner: Hannah Dovey

Breeder: J Hiddink

Breeding: by Singapore, out of Nouvelle B, by Burggraaf

Jessica McConkey (20) with 13-year-old mare Lady Gaga

Owner: Jessica McConkey

Breeder: Johannes Søndergård

Breeding: by Quatarback, out of Brunette, by Solos Landwind

Jessica McConkey is also listed with a direct reserve horse, Wilson Stensvang. The first reserve has been announced as Lilah Gibbs, with Dude III.

The British team for the Junior European Championships has been announced as follows:

India Durman-Mills (18) with 13-year-old gelding Escade

Owner: Verity Saul

Breeder: A Van Essen

Breeding: by Jazz, out of Jenia, by Wolfgang

Myles Graham (15) with 15-year-old mare Nibeley Union Hit

Owner: Caroline Bell

Breeder: Bernerd Eley

Breeding: by Nibeley Union Jack, out of Winter Willow, by Sandro Hit

Annabella Pidgley (17) with eight-year-old mare Espe

Owner: Annabella’s mother Sarah Pidgley

Breeder: Walter and Hedda Droege

Breeding: by Escolar, out of Delice, by Dimaggio

Sophie Wallace (14) with 16-year-old mare Rosalie B

Owner: Laura Tomlinson and her mother Ursula Bechtolsheimer

Breeder: Klaus Balkenhol

Breeding: by Rubin Royal, out of Nordmaid, by Newcastle

The first reserve has been announced as Isobel Lickley with Mount St John Furstin Fugger, while the second reserve is Ruby Hughes with Extra Time P.

Travel concerns prompt withdrawals

Several riders from mainland Europe have already opted not to travel to compete at the Junior and Young Rider European Championships, due to concerns surrounding transport and in particular availability of customs slots to cross the Channel on the return journey.

The conclusion of the European Championships is the same weekend as the Royal International Horse Show at Hickstead, and is also when many of the British horses will start their journey to Herning in Denmark for the World Championships, meaning delays and a lack of slots are likely.

The first riders to announce they were pulling out of the championships were Spanish young riders Natalia Bacariza Danguillecourt (Romantico Ymas) and Felipe Montoya Martinez (Douro).

“It would have been a pleasure to represent Spain for the sixth time at the European Championships in Hartpury, but unfortunately due to the inconveniences and uncertainties of horse travelling when leaving the UK we’ve decided not to attend this year,” said Natalia. “Wishing the best of luck to my teammates attending the championship.”

Following this announcement, both junior riders set to compete for the Czech Republic at Hartpury – Johana Vasaryova (Firestone) and Tereza Matouskova (Paolo Il Bello) – have also decided to pull out.

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Gemma Owen is the dressage rider who has become, arguably, the most talked-about contestant on Love Island 2022. The reality romance show, which airs six nights a week on ITV2, is just four episodes in, and already the online gossip is rife among viewers and in the press.

Gemma, it’s fair to say, has been at the centre of much of this gossip – at just 19 years old, and with former England footballer Michael Owen for a father, she was always going to attract attention outside the villa as well as within it. And then there’s her job, as an international dressage rider.

Every rider knows the difficulties in educating those outside the horse world about our sport, and of all the equestrian disciplines, dressage is understandably the hardest for most people to get their heads around. Yet social licence and public perception of the sport is more important now than ever.

As grand prix rider and trainer Anna Ross says in her upcoming 16 June column, “It’s possible Gemma Owen has done more to raise awareness and bring the job title “international dressage rider” to the UK public in one episode of Love Island than the entire annual marketing budget of British Dressage.”

But without sufficient understanding, publicity can serve the wrong purpose. Certainly Gemma’s famous father and privileged upbringing will have done nothing to help dispel the image of dressage as an elitist sport. But I was horrified to read Gemma’s dressage career being picked apart in the national tabloid media in the most cruel and unjustified manner.

Gemma Owen is an international dressage rider – she has competed on the world stage representing Great Britain, with 38 international starts. She is completely truthful in saying that she has travelled around Europe competing in big arenas; her being a “dressage champion” is a status bestowed on her by others.

It should be noted that she has not, as yet, competed internationally as a senior rider – her FEI career has so far been in pony and junior ranks – but let us not forget that she is only 19. Her selection for the British team at the junior European Championships in 2021 is a tremendous achievement, as is her championship score of 67.8% with the 17-year-old gelding Sirius Black.

Nationally, Gemma has competed up to inter I. Of the 10 levels available in affiliated dressage, this is the eighth highest, two below grand prix, which is ridden at the Olympics. Earlier this year, aged 18, she scored over 73% at prix st georges, one rung down from inter I. Very few riders make it to this level, even fewer will score over 70% once they get there – and fewer still while in their teens. And, contrary to popular opinion, no amount of money will elevate you far up the dressage ladder if you lack the talent and work ethic required.

I couldn’t help but wonder if Gemma’s sporting CV would have received such ignorant rapping if she had been a youth footballer, or tennis player, for example. Quite apart from the public acceptance those sports enjoy, in a football or tennis match, you either win or you lose. Success in dressage, a scored sport which can see 50 or more starters in any one class, is far more nuanced. Critics would do well to invest time researching the measures of success in such a sport before labelling a sportsperson’s achievements as “lame”.

I worry about the dangerous effect this sort of inaccurate and uneducated commentary could have on Gemma or other riders. I also wonder whether horse sport will ever shake off its elitist image, or whether the media will continue to perpetuate this narrative knowing it will prove divisive among the public, and therefore lucrative.

Part of the problem is that, unlike football, tennis or swimming for example, most people have little personal experience or connection with horses. It’s something of a catch-22: increasing affordable routes into the sport is hugely important, but for many, equestrianism simply does not resonate or appeal, often due to misguided impressions.

Therefore, to me it seems that educating, enlightening and sharing the reality of our wonderful sport and those in it, is the best tool we have at our disposal.

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Gemma Owen is the 19-year-old dressage rider set to star in the opening episode of Love Island 2022 this evening (6 June). Gemma, daughter of former England footballer Michael Owen, now a racehorse owner and breeder, hails from Cheshire and has headed to the Love Island villa in Mallorca in a bid to find love this summer.

Gemma has enjoyed a highly successful international dressage career in youth ranks, representing Britain at the 2021 European Junior Championships in Oliva, Spain, riding her own 17-year-old Stedinger gelding Sirius Black. The team, also featuring Annabella Pidgley, Mette Dahl and Holly Kerslake, finished sixth.

Nationally, Gemma Owen and Sirius Black have competed up to inter I level, and scored a personal best of 73.53% at prix st georges (PSG) in January this year. Gemma’s last competition before entering the villa was Myerscough Premier League in March, where she finished third in both the team and individual young rider tests, having stepped up to the level this year.

Before teaming up with “Siz” as she entered juniors, Gemma competed Der Kleine Lord in international pony ranks.

Gemma Owen: entrepreneur and dressage rider

“I’ve travelled all across Europe competing in big arenas in big competitions. I would say I’m very competitive. [When it comes to relationships] I will always go for what I want. But at the same time, I’m not going to mess up something for someone who is in a proper relationship or get in the way of a couple if they have a genuine connection. I wouldn’t do anything to another girl that I wouldn’t be happy with her doing to me,” says Gemma – who has described her biggest turn-off when it comes to love as men who wear socks with trainers.

As well as her dressage career, Gemma is also a fashion entrepreneur and launched luxury swimwear brand OG Beachwear in February 2022. More recently, she opened media representation company OG Promotions in May 2022.

“I am open to finding love. I’m wanting to have a really fun summer. I was seeing someone and then that didn’t work out so I thought, ‘Why not?’,” says Gemma.

“I would say I’m fun, flirty and fiery. I think I’m good at giving advice, I’m a good person to talk to, I’m very honest. If I want the same guy [as someone else], I’d do it but in a nice respectful way.”

Gemma will be the youngest of the 11 starting contestants in the ITV show, now back for its eighth series. The show begins at 9pm on Monday, 6 June, on ITV2 and ITV hub.

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Teenager Annabella Pidgley has sprung into the history books clutching a pair of silver medals as the first British rider to claim an individual podium place at the FEI junior European Dressage Championships.

Annabella, 16, and Sultan Des Paludes were making their junior Europeans debut at the competition in Olivia Nova, Spain, as part of the British team.

The pair produced personal-best scores in every test – topping the leaderboards in the team test on 75.45%, and going on to clinch double silver success in the individual and freestyle contests with scores of 75.38% and 80.11% respectively.

Britain’s junior dressage sides have won team medals at European Championships in the past, but this was the first time a Brit had brought medals home as an individual.

“I’m really overwhelmed and so happy,” said Annabella, who rode to music from Burlesque in her +80% freestyle. “Although I’d always dreamed of it, I never thought I’d get a medal in my first year of juniors.

“He came out on team test day feeling the best ever, as if to say ‘we’re going for the win’.

“He’s such a showman — he’s just amazing, and then to get a PB every day was incredible.”

The French-bred Hanoverian gelding was bought by Annabella’s mother, Sarah Pidgley, this year on the recommendation of Annabella’s trainer, Cathrine Dufour.

The 11-year-old (Soliman de Hus x De Niro) won silver at the seven-year-old World Breeding Championships with Dutch rider Kirsten Brouwer.

“Due to coronavirus, we couldn’t travel to view him, so Cathrine rode him at Helgstrand and we bought him having just seen the video,” said Annabella.

“Cathrine knows me so well and we like the same type in a horse; we really like them very similar. She knew straight away that he would suit me, and we put so much trust in her that we took the risk of buying a horse I’d never sat on.

“He’s definitely a horse I’ve clicked with straight away. He’s such a good horse with a good brain — absolutely amazing in his mind.”

The team of Annabella, Holly Kerslake (Extasia), Gemma Owen (Sirius Black) and Mette Dahl (Florina 146) finished sixth out of 16. Mette’s ride Florina 146 had a reaction to the sand and was withdrawn from the individual competition on veterinary advice.

Caitlin Burgess and Chocotof were best of the Brits in the young rider European Championships, finishing 13th in the team test (69.23%) and 15th in the individual (69.61%), which earnt them a place in Sunday’s freestyle.

Sadly, Chocotof did not make it through the final horse inspection.

“He has been absolutely incredible this week and I’m so so proud of what we have achieved together. To come in the top 15 twice with a horse I trained myself, at both of our first European Championships, is beyond what I could have ever asked for! He has made my dreams come true and I will for ever owe everything to him,” said Caitlin.

The team of Caitlin, Jessica McConkey (Lady Gaga) and Charlotte McDowall (Alivia) finished seventh out of 14.

• What is your favourite history-making moment in equestrian sport? Let us know by writing to hhletters@futurenet.com for a chance to see your views in H&H magazine and you could win a bottle of Champagne Taittinger (please include your name and nearest town and county; letters may be edited).

Horse & Hound magazine, out every Thursday, is packed with all the latest news and reports, as well as interviews, specials, nostalgia, vet and training advice. Find how you can enjoy the magazine delivered to your door every week, plus options to upgrade to access our H&H Plus online service which brings you breaking news as it happens as well as other benefits.

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Over this festive season, we are shining a light on up-and-coming talent across the equestrian disciplines. These are riders you really need to keep an eye out for during the 2021 season...

Meet Ellie McCarthy, the young dressage rider setting herself up for a successful grand prix career with an exciting string of horses and new yard to match

Ellie McCarthy was always destined for a career in horses, but she could just have easily ended up a professional polo player as a dressage rider. Her father, Spencer, is playing patron of the highly successful Emlor polo team, and Ellie grew up playing Pony Club polo.

“I did BYRDS [British Young Riders Dressage Scheme] when I was very young, but then I fell out of love with competing and played polo for a few years instead. When I was 15 my dad asked me to choose either dressage or polo, and I opted for dressage,” says Ellie, 24, who made her international debut at juniors just two years later riding Casual.

In 2016, Ellie took on the ride on Donna Summer, previously produced and competed to grand prix and on British young rider teams with Olivia Oakeley, eventually buying him in 2018.

“It was with Donna Summer that I learned to really, really love dressage again,” says Ellie. “He was such an amazing schoolmaster; with him I could really focus on myself rather than just what the horse was doing.”

Ellie and Donna Summer were selected to represent Britain at the 2017 young rider European Championships, where they finished 15th individually, in the same year that she took the plunge and moved out to Germany to spend two years training with Helen Langehanenberg.

“It was really amazing to see how they do things out in Germany, where dressage is more of a way of life to people than it is in this country,” said Ellie. “I didn’t really want to come back, but I also wanted to build a business for myself. I set up at home when I got back, with five stables and a small arena. But we have since bought a property down the road – it was actually the riding school where I first learned to ride – and have been rebuilding it. I’ll have two barns, an indoor and outdoor arena, and I plan to start a livery yard alongside my dressage business. I’m most excited to have a full size arena – it’s physically impossible to ride a test in my small arena at home.”

Article continues below…

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At the top of Ellie’s string nowadays is Sir Lancelot M, her ride at the 2020 under-25 European Championships. The striking grey Lordanos stallion’s career has been punctured by injury, but Ellie hopes to bring him back into work this winter and has high hopes for him. Sharing the limelight is her latest ride, the stunning Londontime son GB Londero Von Worrenberg, who arrived with her in May this year having been found by her current trainer, Charlotte Dujardin, and shipped from Germany for Ellie to try during the pandemic. Needless to say, he never went back.

“Charlotte and I have been training Londy together – he was tricky in the beginning and is very strong and sensitive. I have to sit really quietly as he gets upset easily by things and is very hot to the leg, but he always tries hard,” says Ellie, who got her competitive partnership with 11-year-old Londy off to a super start this month with double inter II victory at Keysoe High Profile show.

“He is still green at the level, but he felt incredible at Keysoe.”

Her plan for 2021 is to bring both horses out at under-25 grand prix, as well as venturing into the world of seniors.

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Five riders will represent Britain at the youth European dressage championships this month, the only Brits to compete at a championship this year.

The Europeans for ponies, children-on-horses, juniors, young riders and under-25s will all take place at Pilisjaszfalu near Budapest in Hungary, from 11-27 August.

The venue was originally set to host the children and under-25 championships, but after the cancellation of the junior and young rider championships at Hartpury in Britain, and the pony championship at Strzegom, Poland, due to the coronavirus pandemic, the Hungarian organisers and national federation offered to host the additional categories.

While British Dressage opted not to send any teams to this year’s combined championships, riders were given the opportunity to put themselves forward to compete as individuals on a self-funded basis.

In the under-25 section, Britain will be represented by Lewis Carrier riding his own 12-year-old Spielberg gelding Diego V, and Ellie McCarthy with Bridget McCarthy’s 15-year-old Lordanos stallion Sir Lancelot M.

Competing in young riders will be Emily Bradshaw on Susan Bradshaw’s 11-year-old Apache gelding Enjoy Amaris V and Alicia Lee riding her own 11-year-old Benetton Dream mare Bonita 466, while Annabella Pidgeley will contest the pony championship on Sarah Pidgeley’s 12-year-old FS Chambertin gelding Cognac IX.

There are no Brits travelling to compete in the children-on-horses or junior sections.

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“When the opportunity came up to go to Hungary, I really wanted to take it and support the venue who are making such a huge effort, especially as we haven’t been able to do much other competing this year,” 23-year-old Lewis told H&H.

“I’ve kept up the training throughout lockdown; I made the most of the opportunity not to work flat out and instead focused on more training at home. We’ve kept Diego ticking over, and it’s been a good time to reflect on our training and try some new things. When we made the decision to campaign to go to Hungary we just stepped up that training, and recently we have been able to get out to some shows to do a couple of grands prix, which went really well.”

The championships will be run in accordance with the FEI Policy for Enhanced Competition Safety during the Covid-19 Pandemic, with measures in place including social distancing and temperature screening.

“Covid is definitely on my mind, and we will all have to be sensible, plan ahead and take plenty of precautions, but I’m not worried,” added Lewis, who will leave on the three-day journey to Hungary this Wednesday (12 August). “It feels really good to support the sport, and not to write off the whole year.”

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The 2020 youth European dressage championships have been “uncancelled” with a new venue stepping in to host all age groups.

Pilsianzfalu in the Budapest region of Hungary, which was set to hold the children on horses and under-25 Europeans, has stepped in to add the junior, young rider and pony championships to its schedule.

These will now take place from 11 to 27 August.

Hartpury was due to host the junior and young rider Europeans in July, while the pony championships were scheduled for Strzegom the same month. All were cancelled as a result of the coronavirus pandemic.

The Hungarian national federation and Pilsianzfalu organisers contacted the FEI, offering to host the additional championships and the proposal was supported by the European Equestrian Federation, the FEI’s dressage calendar task force and dressage technical committee.

The FEI then held a videoconference meeting in early June to finalise arrangements.

“The FEI owes a huge of debt of thanks to both the Hartpury and Strzegom organising teams for all the hard work that they had already put in and share their disappointment in having to cancel their championships because of the pandemic,” said an FEI spokesman.

“We, together with the community, are very grateful to the Hungarian organisers and national federation for stepping in and providing the opportunity for all youth athletes to participate in FEI Dressage European Championships this year.”

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The dressage committee has waived minimum eligibility requirements and the expanded schedule means the event has been extended from six days to two and a half weeks.

Measures will be in place to mitigate the risk of Covid-19 spreading and these will be published on the FEI website ahead of the final entries deadline.

We continue to publish Horse & Hound magazine weekly during the coronavirus pandemic, as well as keeping horseandhound.co.uk up to date with all the breaking news, features and more. Click here for info about magazine subscriptions (six issues for £6) and access to our premium H&H Plus content online.

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