A firefighter’s ‘horse of a lifetime’ took the Royal Windsor in-hand senior championship, and a pass to the Royal International (RIHS), exactly one year on from when he lifted the overall senior ridden horse accolade on his debut at the show.
Gabriella Cox’s Wolfgang Golden Symphony (Dante), a 19-year-old Dutch Warmblood by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, was on song to reign in a championship field of six.
“This is the first time we’ve had a go at the in-hand at Windsor,” said Gabriella, who has owned Dante for 14 years. “He joined me as an extremely green five-year-old and since then we’ve done absolutely everything together, from the British Young Dressage riders squad, to Pony Club eventing, to showing. He’s very much my horse of a lifetime and he’s also my best friend.”
The 2022 term was Dante’s most successful in the show ring. He qualified for the Senior Showing and Dressage Ltd finals held at London International, finishing 12th.
“It was an honour to be in London and Dante was in his element,” said Gabriella. “Just to prove his versatility, last year he also competed in show jumping and dressage in the inter- services competition; he finished second in a huge class.”
Gabriella keeps Dante looking show ring ready with plenty of variety:
“We do lots of what he loves, including hacking and jumping,” she said. “I have an amazing team behind me, too.
“He’s a character and he’s cheeky, but he’s the ultimate gentleman who I am so honoured to have in my life.”
Reserve in the Royal Windsor in-hand senior championship was the oldest pony in the show, Laura Marshall’s 34-year-old Fourwinds Just In Time, a palomino Welsh gelding by Fourwinds Flyer.
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