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‘This one feels special, I didn’t expect it at all’: Becky Moody’s latest star takes PSG while a personal best seals the deal for comeback duo at winter dressage championships
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.
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“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.”
Helen Beaton and Frankisse II overcome an inauspicious start to their dressage career together to win the PSG bronze title at the 2025 Petplan Winter Area Festival Championships with a personal best.
(Image credit: Kevin Sparrow)
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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Oscar joined Horse & Hound in October 2023 and is the magazine’s dressage editor and sports manager, overseeing coverage of equestrian sport. After studying equine science at Myerscough College, he spent four years working for leading dressage rider Emile Faurie, competing at the 2015 National Dressage Championships and travelling with the yard to CDIs including Aachen and Saumur. He holds a master’s degree in Literature from York St John University (2021).
