Hey Everyone!
It’s been a little while since my last update, and there’s so much I want to fill you in on!
Over the past six months, I’ve qualified for Novice Silver Regionals, Novice Silver Area Festival, Elementary Silver Area Festival, and the Sheepgate Under 25’s Championship at both Novice and Elementary levels. I’m incredibly proud of these achievements!
In early April, I had the amazing opportunity to groom for Judy Harvey at the British Dressage Winter National Championships at Addington Equestrian Centre. Addington is just 10 minutes from our yard, so the whole team was able to come out and support every day! It was such a lovely show, and Judy, along with her horse SP Bento, achieved some fantastic results!
I have also now moved home after spending just under 4 years with Judy Harvey. It was an incredible experience working alongside such an amazing team, and I’m excited to share my future plans now that I’m back in West Sussex! Dennis is now based at Austin Dressage, which is run by my good friend Megan, whom I’ve known for about five years through competing. We’ve been close friends ever since!
Since being home, I’ve had a great training session with British Dressage coach Leanne Wall at a local venue. It was an informative session that gave me plenty to work on before my competition at Speedgate. Leanne provided me with several exercises to incorporate into my training at home. I’ve also been taking lessons with Shellie Beattie Dressage, and she’s been brilliant in helping us work on straightness and improving general way of going which has made tonnes of difference in my day-to-day exercising!
I’ve settled into a new routine, with Dennis and I schooling, lunging, and regularly hacking through the woods and fields. He’s been loving it, and so have I! From my apprenticeships, I’ve learned just how important regular check-ups are, so I’ve set up a new schedule for various practitioners to visit Dennis regularly. He’s had a new saddle fitted, his six-month dental check, vaccinations, and even Bowen therapy. He’s looking and feeling great! Over the next few months, I’ll be focusing on developing my goals and continuing to enjoy every moment with the horses!
Emilia’s recent competition results
I’ve also had the chance to compete with my own horse, Samara’s Secret (Dennis), at several events since my last post. Some recent highlights include:
- Solihull (21/03) – We achieved a new personal best at Novice level, scoring 71.29% in N38 despite a small blip. I was very happy to be rewarded for my hard work schooling at home!
- Bury Farm (22/04) – I placed 2nd in both N22 (69.48%) and N37a (67.78%) out of 12 entries, completing my Novice Silver Regional qualification.
- Solihull (23/05) – Dennis tackled his first Elementary test (E40) and earned 66.61%. It was a challenge, but I was thrilled with how he handled the more complex movements away from home.
- Speedgate (26/06) – A standout performance in E43 with a score of 71.38%, which secured our Elementary Silver Area Festival qualification. It was such a rewarding moment seeing how much Dennis had improved!
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