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Charlotte Dujardin leads string of equestrian stars nominated for sporting awards

Jennifer Donald Jennifer Donald

    • British dressage hero Charlotte Dujardin has recently won the Sunday Times and Sky Sports Sportswoman of the Year for 2014, as well as being nominated for next week’s (14 December) BBC Sports Personality of the Year and BT Sport’s Action Woman of the Year award (10 December). But the dual Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games gold medallist leads a glittering line-up of equestrian stars whose fantastic achievements in 2014 are being recognised by a wider audience.

    Teenage showjumper Bertram Allen has been nominated for the Irish Independent Young Sports Star of the Year award. The 19-year-old Irishman finished seventh individually at the world championships in France in September with his mare Molly Malone, and is currently ranked 19th in the Longines FEI Jumping rankings. The Germany-based rider is up for this prestigious award along with four other nominees.

    “Bertram is, unquestionably, the biggest sensation in international jumping right now”, the Irish Independent newspaper said about his nomination.

    Bertram’s other achievements this year include winning the Longines International Grand Prix of Ireland in Dublin, and he rode the seven-year-old mare Barnike to become the first combination in history to record back-to-back wins at the FEI World Breeding Jumping Championships at Lanaken in Belgium.

    The Irish Independent Young Sports Star of the Year award winner is chosen by public vote, which closes on 17 December.

    The new showjumping world champion Jeroen Dubbeldam has been nominated for the best male athlete award at The Netherlands’ traditional Sport Gala which takes place on 16 December. Jeroen became the first Dutch showjumper to win a world title and is up against a footballer, a gymnast and four winter Olympic speed skating gold medallists.

    Jeroen and his team-mates Jur Vrieling, Maikel van der Vleuten and Gerco Schröder also won team gold at WEG and jumped to victory at the Furusiyya FEI Nations Cup Final in Barcelona three weeks later. The quartet’s phenomenal achievements have resulted in a nomination for the best team category at the Gala, with their chef d’equipe Rob Ehrens up for the best coach.

    Dutch paradressage rider Rixt van der Horst, double world champion on her international debut, is up for the best paralympic athlete award along with three other nominees.

    Support Charlotte in the run up to SPOTY with H&H’s campaign

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    Jennifer Donald
    Jennifer Donald

    H&H showjumping editor
    Jennifer is passionate at showjumping and her role as H&H’s showjumping editor has taken her around the world reporting from shows and interviewing riders, connections and those involved behind the scenes. Since joining H&H from BBC Sport in 2005, she has written on every subject across the equestrian sphere — from turnout rugs to stable management — and has interviewed gold medallists, world champions and winners galore. She also has first-hand experience of working in the equestrian industry as a riding instructor and yard manager.
    Jennifer Donald

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