Biography
I was riding since before I could walk at my family's yard, the Turville Valley Stud. I rode our Lusitano stallions from a young age, learning to ride the higher level movements required for dressage. I think this has helped me a lot as it allowed me to get the correct feel, and it meant that even though I have been training Pascal to higher levels than I had competed, I had some idea of what I was trying to achieve!
My first successes were on my pony Chip, with whom I won many showing classes, mostly Working Hunters. I did my first affiliated dressage with him too. By the age of 12, I had competed up to Advanced Medium but it was Pascal that helped me be truly competitive. I got him as a just broken, quirky 5 year old in 2006 and from then on, we have been moving up the levels.
2007 was my first year of competition with him and I won the Junior Derby at the U25's National Championships. In 2008, I qualified for the Medium Restricted National Championships and came 4th, I also went for the Junior selection trials and was put on the Prime Squad for 2009. In the same year, I was the Petplan Advanced Medium National champion and competed in my first international at Addington. But it was 2010 when I was first chosen for the Junior European Championships. Pascal and I finished 12th in both the Team and Individual tests and 15th in the Kur. We were the best of the Brits!
2011 has also been a successful year, with Pascal and I making the step up to Grand Prix and again being chosen for the Junior Europeans. We managed to better the scores of last year in the Individual test and the Kur, ending up 11th and 9th respectively. I then got a Wild Card to compete in the Grand Prix (only my second at this level) at the National Championships where we finished 15th and I was thrilled! It was also a great experience being a guinea pig at the National Dressage Convention for guest trainer Imke Schellekens-Bartells. In 2012, I will campaign Pascal in the Under 25s Grand Prix and my new ride Ultimo Hit at Small Tour.
