Among the Harry Potters – and Harry Windsors – who celebrated World Book Day last week (2 March), there was one star of the dressage arena.
Seven-year-old Tamara Bremner-Martin wore her own jacket, white jodhpurs and boots as she went as Charlotte Dujardin to Yattendon Primary School. The medals round her neck were those she has won, including one from the British Riding Clubs dressage championship last year, and she took along her copy of Charlotte’s autobiography The Girl on the Dancing Horse.
Mum Nicolle told H&H Tamara has ridden since she was two, and “does everything” with her pony William; Pony Club, riding club, dressage, showjumping and tetrathlon.
“She just loves it,” Nicolle said.
“The costume was her idea; the school emailed at half-term to say they were doing World Book Day and she wanted to dress up as Charlotte; she really enjoyed the book and loves watching her ride. It was easy as we had all the clothes so I didn’t have to buy or make anything, and she had a Pony Club rally after school so she hardly had to get changed!”
Nicolle added that she normally buys ebooks but bought Charlotte’s as a hard copy as she thought Tamara, a strong reader, would also enjoy it. And perhaps her daughter’s choice of costume was not unexpected.
“It’s a village school so there were some dressed as farmers and others as Jeremy Clarkson from his book,” she said. “Some went as a YouTuber, and I’m very glad she chose Charlotte instead!”
Nicolle said Tamara fluctuates between wanting to be a dressage rider and a showjumper. She has not yet been keen on eventing as William can be quite strong across country, but “she’s started to quite like that too now so she said maybe she can be an eventer”, Nicolle said. “Maybe next year she can dress up as Mary King!”
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