Fiona Bigwood kick-starts Britain’s dressage medal chances at WEG
Fiona Bigwood and Wie Atlantico exceed expectations in Kentucky to take the pressure off their teammates
Fiona Bigwood
Olympic dressage rider Fiona Bigwood has represented Britain at junior, young rider and senior championships, including at the Rio 2016 Olympics.
Fiona was a member of the British team at the 1993 Junior European Championships and the Young Rider European Championships from 1994 to 1996. In 1996 at 21-years-old she became the youngest British rider ever to be selected for a senior European Championships with Dance & Fly. That year she also took the British Dressage national elementary title with Afrikka.
Fiona Bigwood was shortlisted for the 1998 World Equestrian Games and was ranked number one in the British Puffa International Rider Rankings in that year. In 1999 and 2005, she was a member of the European Championship team.
On 26 April 2014, Fiona fell off a horse in a freak accident at a local show and sustained major concussion to her head. After four days in the hospital she was able to return home but her life had changed dramatically. The accident left her vision seriously impaired as an eye nerve got damaged. One year later she still has double vision and has to ride with an eye patch.
Fiona and her husband Anders Dahl, a Danish grand prix rider, are based in West Sussex with their three children.
Fiona Bigwood helped Team GBR win a silver medal at the 2015 European Dressage Championships in Aachen riding Penny Bigwood’s Atterupgaards Orthilia (stable name Tillie). Although they qualified to go forward to the grand prix special, unfortunately the mare developed an extreme sensitivity across her back after doing her team test in pouring rain, which prevented her from contesting the individual competition.
Fiona and Tillie were selected for the British team at the Rio 2016 Olympics, where they helped Britain claim team silver earning 77.157% to finish eighth individually in the grand prix and 74.342% in the grand prix special. This saw them qualify for the freestyle, where they scored 76.018%.
Tillie was sold to Danish international grand prix rider Agnete Kirk Thinggaard in early 2017. At the time Fiona said: “It was a very hard decision, but Tillie is in the prime of her competition career and I want the best for her.”
See Fiona Bigwood’s beautiful indoor dressage training arena
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Further controversy over Britain's WEG dressage team selection
The British dressage team selection policy for this September’s World Equestrian Games has come under fire after selectors made a sudden about-turn
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Controversy surrounds Britain's dressage squad for WEG
After telling three riders they would have to compete again before the fourth WEG team member would be named, selectors have now changed their minds and chosen their fourth rider
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British dressage team finishes third in Aachen Nations Cup
Emma Hindle and Lancet lead the British squad with a score of 70.42% ahead of Carl Hester on 69.27%
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Emma Hindle heads British dressage team in Aachen
Emma Hindle and Laura Bechtolsheimer will be joined by Carl Hester and Fiona Bigwood for the Nations Cup dressage competition at Aachen next month
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Fiona Bigwood's dressage star Mr G De Lully is put down after an injury
British team dressage horse Mr G De Lully has been put down after fracturing his leg in seven places
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Britain fights for European dressage bronze
Anna Ross Davies keeps British Olympic qualification hopes alive in Turin
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Carl Hester heads British dressage squad
The four riders who will represent Britain at the European Championships in Turin have been chosen
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CDI Stadl Paura, Austria
A brief round up of international dressage action from CDI Stadl Paura in Austria, where British riders were on great form
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CDI Braunschweig, Germany
Emma Hindle and Lancet made a superb start to their 2007 season, winning the grand prix special at CDI Braunschweig with their best score to date
