‘This is what I’ve wanted to do forever’: 17-year-old rider is national novice silver champion

Up-and-coming rider Hannah Luesley was delighted to win her first LeMieux National Dressage Championships sash in the BETTALIFE National Dressage Championships novice silver final riding Elite Dressage LLP’s lovely six-year-old Newton Astro Nascente (Anton). Their polished performance netted them a final score of 74.88%.

Hannah, 17, has been riding Anton for a year. She got the ride by chance after she started working with the chestnut gelding at home.

“I adore him so much,” said Hannah, who has been based with Anna Ross and her team at Elite Dressage for just over a year. “I just gelled with him, and that’s the way it rolled.

“He’s an absolute delight to ride. He feels amazing and he just wants to please. That lap of honour today was incredible. He’s always with me in the ring — he knows what he’s doing — and at home he’s super friendly and cuddly.”

Hannah, who is an apprentice at Elite Dressage, has been on a roll with Anton this season, winning titles at both winter and summer regional championships, and now adding the National Dressage Championships novice silver title to the mounting tally.

“I love it so much,” she enthused. “This win means the world to me. This is what I’ve wanted to do forever, hence the reason why I moved down to Anna’s yard aged 16.”

Second went to Lucy Bridgwater riding her own Monaco 11 (72.90%), while taking third position was Katie James and her own Bouvardia (72.59%).

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Alex Robinson

H&H showing editor

Born and raised in the Lake District, Alex has grown up on the showing scene. She has qualified and competed ponies at the Royal International, Horse of the Year Show and Olympia and has first-hand knowledge of the current issues in the showing world as well as the horses, ponies and riders who compete in the sport. Alex joined H&H in January 2018 since when she has cemented its place as the leading equestrian publication for both showing reports and current showing news in the UK.