British youth dressage groups 2025 introduced – no pony workforce chosen

British Dressage has named the youth groups chosen to signify Britain on the 2025 European Championships.

The youngsters, pony, and junior groups will head to Le Mans, France (28 July- 3 August), and the younger rider and under-25 groups will compete in Kronberg, Germany (10-13 July).

Annabella Pidgley – Britain’s most adorned youth rider with 10 medals throughout three age teams – will lead the under-25 squad with Vamos Amigos, having opted to not compete final 12 months’s double gold medallist Gio.

Following Ella-Grace Dovey’s historic win within the children-on-horses division final 12 months with Sheepcote Jackson, selectors will subject a workforce on this class for the primary time.

However there will probably be no British pony workforce this 12 months. In 2023, Abigail Grey claimed freestyle gold and particular person silver with George Clooney BS (Caesar 171 x Santano), and the workforce completed fourth. Abigail has since aged out of ponies, and George Clooney BS was bought to Sweden in December.

Selectors concluded that the remaining pony riders weren’t but prepared for championship degree.

Selectors clarify choice to not subject a pony workforce this 12 months

“Every age class is chosen by itself deserves,” BD worldwide director Judy Harvey advised H&H. “The selectors are beneath no obligation to pick out groups or people in any age class if the choice standards haven’t been met.

“Based mostly on the scores achieved on the FEI pony European Championships in 2024, a mean rating of 70.219% would have been required to be within the high six groups within the closing classification. The scores achieved by our pony riders this 12 months fell in need of the required normal, and primarily based on final 12 months’s outcomes, a copy of the common scores for the highest 4 riders from this season would have resulted in a ninth-place end general within the workforce competitors, out of 10 groups.”

Judy added that the panel rigorously thought of sending people as an alternative, however agreed it was not the correct step at this stage of their growth.

“It was unanimously agreed that it was not in the very best pursuits of any of the combos to participate within the championships at this stage of their growth, each by way of their development within the sport and worldwide standing as people,” she mentioned.

“We’re conscious of the stress and stress that youngsters will be put beneath at championship degree, and it was concluded that this could possibly be detrimental to their future development, by undermining their confidence at a vital stage.”

Riders’ dad and mom self-funding the journey was due to this fact dominated out.

“We’ve got an obligation of care to our younger folks, and we agreed that it will not be of their greatest pursuits to ship riders to the championships within the data that they might not be aggressive,” Judy defined. “Subsequently, self-funding was not an choice.”

Help will as an alternative be directed towards coaching and expertise at CDI degree, with a view to choice in future seasons.

“I need to emphasise that this was a performance-based choice, not a monetary one, because the BD board is at all times very supportive in funding under-21 groups at championships the place it’s warranted on advantage,” Judy mentioned.

“Whereas the combos chosen for the children-on-horses workforce additionally didn’t utterly fulfil the choice standards, three of them have been half certified, and the scores already achieved this season point out that they need to be adequate to be aggressive, regardless of their relative inexperience.”

British Dressage European Championships 2025 youth groups

Beneath-25:

Harrison Ashton along with his personal and Henri Rouste’s 10-year-old Million Goals (by Millenium, out of a mare by Sandro Hit)

Lilah Gibbs along with her personal 14-year-old Dude III (by Dancier, out of a mare by Rubinstein)

Charlotte Lutener along with her personal 15-year-old Full Fusion BS (by Blue Hors Zack)

Annabella Pidgley with Sarah Pidgley’s 13-year-old Vamos Amigos (by Vitalis, out of a mare by Hotline)

Younger riders:

Teghan Cantrell-Bennett with Christine Cantrell’s 20-year-old Woodlander Donna Summer time (by Woodlander Del Amitri).

Mette Dahl with Fiona Bigwood’s 16-year-old Fidelio Van Het Bloemenhof (by Fidertanz, out of a mare by Jazz)

India Durman-Mills with Verity Saul’s 16-year-old Escade (by Jazz).

Isobel Lickley with Rob and Nicola Lickley’s 10-year-old Katniss (by Galaxie, out of a mare by Charmeur)

First reserve

Sophie Wallace with Laura Tomlinson and Ursula Bechtolsheimer’s 15-year-old Fallatijn Van Kairos (by Vivaldi, out of a mare by Cabochon)

Juniors:

Myles Graham with Josephine Eley’s 13-year-old Nibeley Black Pearl (by Nibeley Union Jack, out of a mare by Conto)

Abigail Grey with Fenella Quinn’s 16-year-old Empire B (by Sting, out of a mare by OO Seven)

Demi Howard-Cartwright with Lorna Wilson’s nine-year-old Newton Astro Nascente (by Apache, out of a mare by Don Schufro)

Isla Sully with Cassandra Sully’s 16-year-old Vagabond de Massa (by Reito, out of a mare by Xaquiro)

First reserve

Madi Haerr with Morgan Haerr’s 19-year-old Floran (by Florestan, out of a mare by Rosenkoenig)

Kids-on-horses:

Melissa Hargreaves along with her personal nine-year-old Lagerfeld W (by Day by day Diamond, out of a mare by Albaran)

Oriana McNamara with Andrea McNamara’s nine-year-old Lafite (by Bordeaux, out of a mare by Vivaldi)

Rose Punchard with Samantha Bloor’s 16-year-old Elason (by Sorento)

Lily Waller McSweeney with Jacquie Waller’s 15-year-old Willinga Park Sky Diamond (by Sir Donnerhall, out of a mare by Don Schufro)

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H&H dressage and sport horse editor

Oscar graduated from York St John College with a grasp’s diploma in Literature in 2021 and joined Horse & Hound in October 2023. Oscar labored for high dressage rider Emile Faurie for 4 years after ending an equine administration course at school. Beneath Emile’s tutelage, Oscar competed on the 2015 Nationwide Dressage Championships and travelled with Emile’s horses to CDIs at Aachen, Vidauban, Saumur and Achlieiten. Oscar continues to compete in dressage, alongside his day job.