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I am beyond thrilled and grateful to have been chosen for the Horse Quest dressage bursary this year (I can’t stop replaying the moment I got the phone-call in my head!). I am really excited for 2021 and the new training opportunities that have now been opened for me and I can’t wait to start sharing my journey with you. This is only the beginning of something very exciting!
I made the jump to pure dressage in 2018 following a conversation with my show jumping trainer as we realised that my heart lay with dressage. We welcomed the incredible (and very quirky!!) Small-Land Dreamboat – also known as Rupert in August 2018. With him I enjoyed kickstarting my BD Quest career where we got some pretty shocking scores but also secured some of my first wins! We sadly lost him at the end of May 2020 at the young age of 8, following a catastrophic injury – I owe everything I am doing to him as he really made me the rider I am today.
I live at home on the New Forest, surrounded by sheep, chickens, rabbits, dogs, cats and geese. I am currently in my final year of A-levels and being exposed to the number of animals I am has made me certain that I would like to go to university to study veterinary nursing. As you can imaging juggling my A-Levels with dressage is not easy especially since it is all a bit up in the air at the moment, but I am incredibly lucky to be based at Allington Equine in Hampshire where I train with the incredible Olivia Oakeley who regularly helps me out with Evita when my workload gets a bit much.
My dance partner is Evita, she is a 16.3hh Dutch Warmblood and she is very cool but at times definitely shows off the chestnut mare gene! She has been part of the family since August 2020 and so obviously we are a very new partnership, she is also my first horse after coming off my 14.2hh Section D. If I am completely honest it has been a real challenge full of a few too many confidence knocks but we are getting there! She has previously competed up to Prix St George and we are currently competing at unaffiliated elementary with our long-term goal being to complete a Young Rider test. In the new year we are just aiming to have some fun and hopefully make our medium debut but obviously due to COVID we can’t plan too far ahead. Whilst the COVID restrictions have impacted our competition schedule as we were aiming to be out at affiliated competitions in January, it has given Evita and I more time to develop our relationship and get to know each other more.
To finish off – of course I have to introduce the super-cob Oscar. He is my sister’s first pony and has taught her how to ride, especially how to sit some rather special moves! He is 13.3hh and has been a member of the family for 5 years now and will definitely be sticking around forever. He is incredibly quirky and opinionated but easily the best pony to go galloping around on and he will jump the moon for you if you ask!
So you can get to know me better, I've answered HorseQuest's 10 quick fire questions;
1. Last song I listened to?
The Greatest Show from The Greatest Showman. I am an absolute die-hard Greatest Showman fan. I have to listen to the soundtrack before every dressage test I do as good luck.
2. Favourite Pizza topping?
I’m gonna have to be boring here…. I only eat pizza if it is margarita.
3. If you could have the ride on any horse, who would it be?
Ellie McCarthy’s Lancelot – a real life unicorn!
4. Tell us your best joke?
How many dressage riders does it take to change a lightbulb?
10! 1 to change the light and 9 to criticize on what could’ve been done better..
5. Favourite holiday destination?
The Maldives. I have a huge fascination with marine life and the ocean.
6. Rider you aspire to be like?
Olivia Oakeley, I may be a bit biased, but she works incredibly hard every day to achieve her goals.
7. Favourite film?
The original Watership Down.
8. Least favourite food?
Mushrooms
9. Most interesting fact about you…
I lived in Abu Dhabi for three years.
10. What three items would you take to a desert island?
My cat Humphrey, my favourite book – The boy, the mole, the fox and the horse and my Equidry.
And finally, you can watch Phoebe's application video here: