hitting the large time with a few of the world’s greatest horses

If Annabella Pidgley was a dressage rider to a be careful for in 2022, she needs to be much more firmly in your radar in 2023.

The 18-year-old has taken her budding dressage profession to new heights over the previous 12 months, largely because of the multi-medalled gelding Gio, and the subsequent 12 months guarantees to be simply as thrilling for the pair.

Virtually precisely 12 months after the Pidgleys bought Gio, winner of two Olympic bronze medals and European bronze and silver with Charlotte Dujardin, Annabella made a profitable grand prix debut with the skilled Apache gelding. The pair scored over 73% on that event, with Annabella calling Gio, identified at dwelling as Pumpkin, “the perfect trainer”.

Quick ahead simply six weeks and the duo haven’t solely made their worldwide debut collectively at Kronenberg CDI within the Netherlands, however got here again from that present with a superb win within the grand prix particular, on plus-75%.

“I’m simply having fun with this a lot, and I really feel so fortunate to have the ability to be taught from Pumpkin. All I can do is rise to the event and what a possibility it’s to compete alongside so a lot of my position fashions,” she says. “Charlotte at all times needs to me do nicely.

“Pumpkin may have a well-deserved relaxation now, after which we’re aiming for some early internationals subsequent 12 months, to get again out once more at senior degree. I’ve actually acquired the bug.”

And it’s not simply Pumpkin who makes the upcoming 12 months so thrilling for Annabella Pidgley. In September it was revealed that the Pidgleys’ 10-year-old Vamos Amigos, whom Denmark’s Cathrine Laudrup-Dufour rode to workforce gold on the 2022 World Dressage Championships, had joined Annabella’s string. She and the Vitalis son made their aggressive debut collectively in mid-December, ending second within the grand prix at Area UK Excessive Profile present, and look set to construct on their thrilling partnership in 2023.

Then there’s Espe and Sultan Des Paluds, every junior European medallists for Annabella, together with workforce bronze, particular person silver and bronze in 2022. However though Annabella has already made a profitable begin to younger riders, having gained two worldwide lessons on the degree on Espe in October, it’s the large time she is absolutely focusing on. And with horses of such calibre as Vamos Amigos and Gio in her string, and two of the perfect riders on this planet as her trainers – Charlotte Dujardin and Cathrine Laudrup-Dufour – anticipate to see Annabella cementing her place amongst senior stars in 2023.

She has already proved she has the expertise and the dedication essential to make it to the highest, and he or she has horsepower most can solely dream of at her fingertips. May British senior groups be on the playing cards for Annabella within the years to come back?

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