News
Individual and team accolades at the FEI European Championships
- Written By: British Dressage
- Published: Tue, 23 Jul 2024 12:29
New Under 25 European Champion Annabella Pidgley and the bronze medal winning Young Rider team gave Britain plenty to celebrate with a successful trip to the FEI European Championships (17 – 21 July 2024).
The FEI European Championships for Young Riders and Under 25s proved a week of great success for Britain’s teams and individuals travelling to the host venue Reiterhof Stückler in St Margarethen, Austria.
U25 Gold for Gio and Annabella
2023 Young Rider European Champion Annabella Pidgley made the step up to Under 25s more than memorable, achieving the highest prize of a gold medal in the Freestyle to music final on Sunday, becoming European Champion with her mother Sarah and sister Jessica’s pint-sized powerhouse Gio.
Annabella and Gio have been a partnership for two years, and made their debut as a combination in February 2022 following ‘Pumpkin’s Olympic journey with Charlotte Dujardin. The Apache-sired gelding has been a loyal partner to the talented Berkshire teen, allowing an amazing journey from an Inter II debut to senior Nations Cup teams. The pair have gained mileage at both senior and U25 level, and proved forces to be reckoned with in the latter category at this year’s European Championships.
In the opening round, Thursday’s Inter II team competition, Annabella and Pumpkin topped the individual rankings with a high-flying mark of 74.030% leaving them one percent clear of the strong German combination, Helen Erbe and Carlos FRH.
Friday saw the duo defy an early draw in the individual medal test, 16-25 Grand Prix, to produce 72.205% with some real highlights in the canter tour, praised by the judges panel of Maarten Van Der Heijden (NED - E), Alice Schwab (AUT - H), Kurt Christensen (DEN - C), Isabelle Judet (FRA - M) and Clive Halsall (GBR -B). It would be an overnight position of second for the combination, as Denmark’s Sophia Ludvigsen and Blue Hors Quintana earned a leading score of 72.232%, just 0.3% of the British pair. Despite several strong challenges on day two, Sophia nor Annabella could be beaten, resulting in a silver medal for the talented British rider – who became the second to earn a medal at this level, following in the footsteps of Olympian Lottie Fry.
Sunday’s Freestyle delivered a showdown of high quality and tension. Drawn last to go, Annabella rode a performance full of determination and skill, meeting every note and transition of a complex floorplan and musical arrangement – the same used by Gio in his medal winning Tokyo appearance. The judges rewarded her efforts with an immense 79.515%, in place rewarding the top step of the podium and the accolade of Freestyle gold medallist and European Champion.
“Simply speechless,” Annabella commented, “Today Pumpkin and I danced in our first ever freestyle together and we won the gold medal with 79.5%. I had a feeling like no other. Thank you Pumpkin, I hope you enjoyed this dance as much as I did. You are so special.”
“A huge thank you goes to my whole team. Thank you goes to my groom Tom for taking the best care of Pumpkin and for all your support. Thank you to my mum for being my number one supporter and always being there for us. Thank you to my sponsors for all their continued support and to all those who have been cheering us on at home; we are so grateful for all of you.”
Congratulations to Annabella, Pumpkin, Sarah, Jessica, groom Tom Watson and the team at home for earning a simply astonishing week of results.
Brilliant Young Rider Bronze
The British Young Rider team thrivingly earned a second bronze medal in consecutive years, with three new members coming to the team alongside 2023 medallist India-Durman Mills. Izzy Lickley, a former Pony team rider, made her team debut at Young Rider level, alongside Oliver Gould and Hermione Tottman who were both making their championship debuts.
The team delivered a combined total of 210.324 after two days of fierce competition for riders aged 18 to 21, to join team champions Germany and runners up the Netherlands on the podium.
With Amanda Towle’s Virtue, a twelve-year-old gelding sired by Vitalis, Oliver Gould, from Pulborough in West Sussex, emerged as Britain’s top performer in the Young Rider competition across the week, making his first overseas international appearance and first European Championships a memorable one. The 20-year-old rider produced three personal best score tests, building on an opening team mark of 70.059% to go on to an outstanding fifth place in the individual competition earning 72.059% - just one percent shy of a podium position. The combination’s final test in the freestyle delivered another strong performance, this time for seventh place with 75.090% - again just one percent behind the bronze medal winner, proving an exceptionally well-contested battle for the medals by Europe’s top young riders.
“What an incredible week competing at St Margarethen for the Young Rider European Championships,” Ollie shared with his followers, “Virtue was really on top form, he travelled through five countries in four days, took in the atmosphere like a pro and helped me every stride – finishing every test with a smile and a fist pump.”
The combination’s success was a fitting final effort together, as Virtue now returns to his owner Amanda to continue their journey together. “Virtue and I shared our final centre line together, we have been a team for just over a year and I am so proud of how we have grown. I have nothing but love and respect for you. You have brought confidence and self belief to me, put me on the International and European circuit and taught me so much. Big thank you to Amanda Towle for trusting me with Virtue and allowing all the great experiences to happen.”
We’re sure the future is bright for this emerging star; Ollie also follows in the footsteps of his successful father Andrew Gould, who also achieved an FEI European Championship team bronze medal at Young Rider level in 2000.
Staffordshire-based teen Isobel ‘Izzy’ Lickley was on fine form throughout the week with her father Robert Lickley’s striking stallion Nymphenburgs First Ampere; the duo were top scorers for Britain in the team competition, riding as the third combination to go and earning a super 70.206% - a new international personal best. Izzy and ‘Anton’ went on to produce another confirmed performance in the individual competition, the Young Rider judges panel of Hans Voser (SUI), Malgorzata Pawlowska (POL), Lars Andersson (SWE), Ulrike Nivelle (GER) and Thomas Land (AUT) recognised their consistency and strengths with 69.882% and thirteenth place – and duly a spot in the freestyle final.
Sadly the freestyle was not to be the combinations day, who had to retire due to tension caused by music volume, an unfortunate end which by no means reflected a wonderful week for an impressive combination.
India Durman-Mills is becoming something of a lucky charm for British youth teams and travels home to the UK with her third FEI European Championship medal. The former BD Youth Foundation Academy rider has done an inspired job in producing Verity Saul’s Escade through the levels, progressing from Juniors to Young Riders, earning National BD titles, and repeating this form on the international stage. Their 2022 Junior team bronze and 2023 Young Rider team bronze is joined by another Young Rider bronze, following their strong contribution of 70.059% in the team competition – a score to match Oliver Gould and Virtue’s exactly. India and ‘Eddie’ earned a place in the freestyle final following 69.471% and sixteenth place in the individual competition; their polished freestyle performance earned the combination their best placing of the week, with a fantastic 72.745% leaving them just outside of Europe’s top ten in eleventh.
Team newcomer Hermione Tottman and her mother Niki Tottman’s Exquisite came to the team following a successful season, which saw Hermione earn her first international win. Continuing a year of firsts, the rider from St Albans in Hertfordshire, travelled to Austria to make her first appearance on a British team and earn her first team medal. Hermione described the achievement as “one of her wildest dreams come true” before thanking her team mates, “all I can say is thank you to every single member of this team, what a truly special moment this has been to share with you all.” Hermione and ‘Squidge’, progressed from 65.205% in the team competition, to a superb 68.441%, showing how valuable it is to experience an international championship and have the opportunity to build throughout the week.
Promising fourth for U25 team
In the team competition, the U25 quartet of Annabella Pidgley, Angus Corrie-Deane, Jessie McConkey and Anna Jesty narrowly missed out on a podium position, placing an immensely close fourth after two days of hot competition. There was also valuable mileage and arena time gained for riders and horses making their championship debut, and one those stepping up in level, as Britain’s future in this age category looks one to follow with excitement.
2023 Young Rider team bronze medallist Jessie McConkey brought a new championship partner to St Margarethen, stepping up in age category with Samantha Geddes’ Dior, a 16-year-old stallion by Gribaldi. Jessie and Dior are a well-matched combination and looked a picture in Austria, riding to personal best scores across the week and earning some solid placings. Jessie has been learning from the former ride of Tom Goode throughout 2024, and made her successful debut at Inter II level in just April this year. The combination were Britain’s second highest performers in both the Inter II and Grand Prix 16-U25 behind medal winners Annabella and Gio, earning a well-deserved appearance in the Freestyle final to end their week with fourteenth place and 70.755%.
Angus Corrie-Deane was a newcomer to the British team and was overjoyed at his selection to the squad, commenting “this has been a goal of mine for the last ten years and to do it in the final year of U25s is a dream come true.” The Salisbury-based rider has produced his championship ride, Jack Johnson 2, from a just backed three-year-old to Grand Prix level. The combination train with Nikki Barker, who has supported them on their journey for six years. Angus placed inside Europe’s top 30 in the team competition, scoring a creditable 66.559%.
Anna Jesty is another true young professional who brought a home-produced horse to his first major championship. Commodore Platinum, Anna’s own 10-year-old British-bred gelding, put his best hoof forward in Austria but unfortunate mistakes across the two tests just kept the combination’s scores behind their usual consistent form. Anna took to social media to reflect on the experience with much admirable sensitivity: “Part of me is disappointed that we didn’t produce tests that reflect our best, but I’m very proud of my little orange pony, who I have owned and trained his whole life, who has now competed at a European Championship in U25 GP at age ten. I’m thankful we’re both fit and well and coming home with this experience under our belts and we will go away, work on it and next time come back stronger and better than ever!”
Team thanks
Thanks and congratulations go to the riders, horses, their grooms, families and support networks for the vast amount of effort and energy it takes to prepare and perform at a European Championships.
The Young Rider and U25 team are supported by Chef d’Equipe Tom Hobday, team trainer Peter Storr, team vet Robert Oulton, performance manager Caroline Bell and BD office staff Sharon Weir and Lianne Martin – grateful thanks go to all for playing their part in a successful week.
Finally thank you to the FEI and the organising team at Reiterhof Stückler in St Margarethen for putting on a fantastic event for our next generation of Olympians.
Results
U25 Team Test
1. Annabella Pidgley and Gio, 74.030% (GBR)
2. Helen Erbe and Carlos FRH, 73.059% (GER)
3. Moritz Treffinger and Cadeau Noir, 72.588% (GER)
24. Jessica McConkey and Dior, 67.235% (GBR)
28. Angus Corrie-Deane and Jack Johnson 2, 66.588% (GBR)
41. Anna Jesty and Commodore Platinum, 65.088% (GBR)
U25 Team standings
1. Germany – 218.030
2. Denmark – 211.353
3. Netherlands – 209.940
4. Great Britain – 207.853
5. Sweden – 204.970
U25 Individual Test
1. Sophia Ludvigsen and Blue Hors Quintana, 72.232% (DEN)
2. Annabella Pidgley and Gio, 72.205% (GBR)
3. Moritz Treffinger and Cadeau Noir, 71.795% (GER)
19. Jessica McConkey and Dior, 67.128% (GBR)
38. Anna Jesty and Commodore Platinum, 61.128% (GBR)
RET. Angus Corrie-Deane and Jack Johnson 2 (GBR)
U25 Grand Prix Freestyle
1. Annabella Pidgley and Gio, 72.205% (GBR)
2. Helen Erbe and Carlos FRH, 78.080% (GER)
3. Sophia Ludvigsen and Blue Hors Quintana, 77.985% (DEN)
Young Rider Team Test
1. Lucie-Anouk Baumgürtel and Zinq Hugo FH, 74.000% (GER)
2. Valentina Pistner and Flamboyant OLD, 74.000% (GER)
3. Micky Schelstraete and Venicia OLD, 72.283% (NED)
10. Isobel Lickley and Nymphenburg’s First Ampere, 70.588% (GBR)
=12. Oliver Gould and Virtue, 70.059% (GBR)
=12. India Durman-Mills and Escade, 70.059% (GBR)
51. Hermione Tottman and Exquisite, 65.206% (GBR)
Young Rider Team standings
1. Germany - 220.382
2. Netherlands - 216.382
3. Great Britain - 210.324
4. Denmark - 209.294
5. Switzerland - 207.912
Young Rider Individual Test
1. Lucie-Anouk Baumgürtel and Zinq Hugo FH, 74.853% (GER)
2. Valentina Pistner and Flamboyant OLD, 74.147% (GER)
3. Robin Heiden and Gasmonkey, 73.441% (NED)
5. Oliver Gould and Virtue, 72.059% (GBR)
13. Isobel Lickley and Nymphenburg’s First Ampere, 69.882% (GBR)
16. India Durman-Mills and Escade, 69.471% (GBR)
25. Hermione Tottman and Exquisite, 68.470% (GBR)
Young Rider Freestyle
1. Lucie-Anouk Baumgürtel and Zinq Hugo FH, 78.670% (GER)
2. Tessa Kole and Hexagon’s King Robert, 77.665% (NED)
3. Frederikke Gram Jacobsen and RGS Finest Alegra, 76.180% (DEN)
7. Oliver Gould and Virtue, 75.090% (GBR)
11. India Durman-Mills and Escade, 72.745% (GBR)
RET. Isobel Lickley and Nymphenburg’s First Ampere (GBR)
