Britain has a new youth European dressage champion in Annabella Pidgley, who made history by winning double gold at the Dressage European Championships for Young Riders last week.
Annabella, riding her mother Sarah’s nine-year-old mare Espe is the first British dressage rider ever to win an individual medal in the young riders division.
It comes off the back of silver and bronze medals Annabella won at junior Europeans in 2021 and 2022, but with so many of her successes having been a first for Britain, it highlights how few youth dressage riders we have had in the medals at Europeans to date.
So, who are the other Brits with youth or under-25 medals to their name? And what are Britain’s youth dressage medallists up to now?
Lottie Fry, 27
Lottie Fry was a stalwart of British youth teams from ponies right up to under-25s. She became under-25 European champion in 2018 riding Dark Legend, winning freestyle gold and individual silver that year, and leading the team to bronze. They were Britain’s first ever under-25 medals.
Lottie became the leading rider at Van Olst Horses in the Netherlands, where she has been based since 2014. She graduated to the senior Europeans team the following year, and her star has carried on rising since.
She helped Britain win Olympic bronze and European silver in 2021 on Everdale, and most notably of all, was crowned world champion with Glamourdale in 2022. Lottie is currently ranked number two in the world, having held the world number one spot earlier this year.
Phoebe Peters, 24
Phoebe Peters and her superstar pony SL Lucci were the face of British youth dressage between 2013 and 2015, when they picked up no fewer than five individual medals, and led Britain to a place on three consecutive pony team podiums too.
Phoebe became the first British dressage rider ever to win an individual medal at a youth Europeans when she claimed pony double gold in 2013. She took freestyle silver the following year, and returned in 2015 to win double individual gold – breaking their own world records along the way – and leading Britain to team glory too.
Phoebe went on to compete on junior teams and up to national prix st georges, before gaining a degree in French and German. She spent several months based with Klaus Balkenhol in Germany during the first part of 2022, before moving to become assistant rider at Van Olst Horses in the Netherlands in May 2022, working alongside Lottie Fry and competing at under-25 grand prix.
Alex Hellings, 24
Alex partnered the renowned dressage pony Der Kleine Lord to team silver at the 2014 pony Europeans, and also won individual bronze the same year.
She continued to progress though youth ranks with Uvender V, riding at the junior Europeans in 2016 and young riders in 2019. Nationally, she and Uvi competed together up to grand prix level until the gelding was retired at the end of 2022.
Alex is another young rider with a first class degree to her name, having graduated in mathematics in 2020. She is now a professional rider and coach based in Derbyshire, with a string of horses she is bringing up through the levels.
Britain’s youth dressage team medallists
While Britain boasts just four individual medallists – Phoebe Peters, Alex Hellings, Lottie Fry and Annabella Pidgley – youth teams have fared well in recent years, with six team medals since 2013.
Ponies
2013 – bronze
Rebecca Bell with Valido’s Sunshine
Rose Hugh-Smith with Holsteins Derwisch
Phoebe Peters with SL Lucci
Erin Williams with Dynasty
2014 – silver
Rebecca Bell with Valido’s Sunshine
Alex Hellings with Der Kleine Lord
Bethany-Rose Horobin with Gigolo
Phoebe Peters with SL Lucci
2015 – gold
Rebecca Bell with Valido’s Sunshine
Isobel Berrington with DHI Langar
Clare Hole with Rembrandt DDH
Phoebe Peters with SL Lucci
Juniors
2022 – bronze
Myles Graham and Nibleley Union Hit
Sophie Wallace and Rosalie B
India Durman-Mills and Escade
Annabella Pidgley and Espe
Young riders
2023 – bronze
Annabella Pidgley and Espe
Lily Laughton and Skovborgs Romadinov
India Durman-Mills and Escade
Jessie McConkey and Lady Gaga
Under-25s
2018 – bronze
Lottie Fry with Dark Legend
Rebecca Edwards with Headmore Delegate
Claire Gallimore with Annette Ballerina
Ryan Todd with Charlex Eskjeberg
You may also be interested in…
British rider makes history by being crowned double European champion
‘I sent Anne Van Olst a message all in capitals’: Lottie Fry on the moment she found out she was world number one
What do Charlotte Dujardin, Annabella Pidgley and Lottie Fry all have in common?
‘She’s done it!’: How Britain’s Lottie Fry was crowned world champion with Glamourdale in Herning
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