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‘By far the best title I’ve ever won’: once-in-a-lifetime horse carries Sadie Smith to an emotional grand prix win at the National Dressage Championships
“To win the grand prix at the nationals has always been a dream of mine,” Sadie said. “And it’s another Dia has helped me achieve – she’s a once-in-a-lifetime horse for me.”
The win carried huge personal significance. “When I was younger it was an achievement just to get here, and I’ve only ever ridden in the grand prix here once before, on Keystone Dynamite six years ago. It’s taken that long to train another horse up to this level.”
Although she is one of the most decorated riders in British dressage, Sadie admitted this one meant more than most.
“By far, it’s the best title I’ve ever won. Grand prix is so hard – it feels like learning to ride all over again. It’s so technical, and I really admire the riders who make it look easy. It’s an amazing feeling to have done it.”
Sadie Smith leads the way in the 2025 National Dressage Championships grand prix
Alex Harrison-West and Kickback were the first in and held the lead going into the first break on 68.96%.
Sadie and Dia were the first of the pre-competition favourites to go afterwards, and opened strongly with eights for their extended trot.
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The extensions across all three paces proved highlights, and more eights in the double-marked extended walk gave them a commanding lead. Dantina looked effortless throughout, the only blemish a touch of hesitation in the first and final piaffe.
“She did some lovely work – the changes were really good, and I was really pleased with my pirouettes, which we got eights for,” Sadie said.
“Her passage is getting stronger too, but today she just lost a bit of energy in the piaffe. It’s about getting the balance with the power – if I make it too hot, she gets tense and loses the relaxation in the other work. It’s still a work in progress, but she always tries for me.”
Still, Sadie came out of the arena unsure. “I was moaning to Carl [Hester] as usual, pointing out all the little bits in my test – he’s probably sick of me, I’m always so negative,” she said with a laugh.
There was still a strong line-up to come. Last year’s national champions, Lewis Robertson-Carrier and Diego V, were among the main challengers.
The 18-year-old gelding’s piaffe was as sharp as ever, but mistakes in the one-time changes and the trot transition after the second pirouette left them on 68.24% and in eventual fourth.
Becky Moody followed on James Bond II, who showed exceptional piaffe and looked poised to challenge for the lead. But Becky chose to retire the powerful 11-year-old stallion after the zig-zag, later saying she thought he might have knocked himself in the extended trot.
That put the spotlight on the final combination, Gareth Hughes and Monica Lindstedt’s Lusitano mare, Lufada MVL. They scored eights for their passage but, with mistakes in the changes, finished on 69.41% – good enough for second.
“I thought one of the others might beat me,” Sadie said. “When Gareth was going I couldn’t watch. When I found out I’d won, I just cried, to be honest. I rang Steve Readings, who co-owns Dia with me – he’s not horsey at all – and even he was so excited.”
Sadie will have the chance to follow in the footsteps of Carl, Jennie Loriston-Clarke and Charlotte Dujardin tomorrow (14 September), when the overall national champion is decided on the combined scores from the grand prix and the Kudos grand prix freestyle. She carries a 2.55% lead over Gareth, with Alex a further half a point adrift – putting her in pole position.
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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).
