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‘Remembering my test was a bonus!’: former jumping rider claims prelim title at National Dressage Championships


  • Anna Burns made her first Lemieux National Dressage Championships a winning one with success in the Mobiliser prelim silver championship.

    Anna works for Moody Dressage and her ride at Somerford Park, Magic Dream, is part owned by Becky Moody and Jo Cooper. The four-year-old Governor x Swaroski mare was bought last autumn from a video.

    “She must be the only one Becky has bought from seeing a video alone as if they’re ridden she wants to sit on them,” said part-owner Jo. “She has such a lovely temperament and is so balanced, she is definitely one for the long term and today was all about experience, but Anna has done the most amazing job.”

    Anna has been with Moody Dressage for two years now after re-routing to dressage from the showjumping arena where she jumped up to 1.15m. 

    “I hadn’t particularly planned to go the dressage route, but the opportunity came along with the Moodys and I would have been a fool to turn it down,” she said. “As for today, remembering my test was a bonus but ‘Shroom’ was foot perfect. I could have asked for more as she has so many gears, but hopefully we can show them in the four-year-old class here on Saturday,” added Anna. 

    And why is the mare know at home as “Shroom” or “Shroomy”? 

    “She was called Magic Dream when she arrived and we couldn’t find anything that we could shorten it to that we liked,” explained Jo. “We were sat there trying things out, and Becky came up with Magic Mushroom so ‘Shroom’ she is. I know we are not supposed to have favourites, but she is perfect: she hacks, she’s sweet in the stable and she gives her all when you ride her. In other words she’s everything you could ever want in a horse.” 

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