Becky Moody was crowned Fairfax Saddles prix st georges (PSG) supreme champion on day two of the 2023 LeMieux National Dressage Championships.
Becky had finished as the runner-up in Thursday’s PSG gold championship and in Friday’s gold freestyle championship, riding Jo Cooper’s big-moving Desperado nine-year-old James Bond, and they took supreme as the best combination across the two classes.
“His first test this week was one of the best he’s done to date,” said Becky, who stood second in that class behind Charlotte Dujardin and Times Kismet, while she was the bridesmaid to Annabella Pidgley and Espe in the freestyle. “In the freestyle he was just a little tired, but he’s really coming on and I’m really excited about his future. He’s getting stronger and he’s also more confident which means he’s starting to find everything easier.”
As a five-year-old, “Q” was reserve champion in the novice final at the winter nationals. Later that year he topped the elementary championship at the summer nationals.
“He is a stallion, but he’s a very good boy in general,” Becky said. “He’ll climb the walls for about five minutes when he gets into a new stable at a show, but then he settles. He’s maturing and growing up a lot. Our training hasn’t been plain sailing and we’ve had to find solutions to several different problems along the way, but this is what makes you a better rider in the long run.
“It’s taken me a while to find the key to him. He’s always had a lot of movement, but not the best engine, which I think is a bit of a stallion thing. But, he’s really getting there now.”
This was the second time in a row that Becky has taken the overall PSG supreme honour at the summer nationals. At this year’s National Dressage Championships, Becky Moody has seven rides: “I think I’m competing in about 16 classes over the four days. Some of the horses are doing three classes each, so it’s a little bit crazy and hectic.”
Read more about Becky and her exciting string of horses in the 14 September issue of H&H, on sale now.
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