St Swithun’s pupil Jessica Gale, age 16 from Hambledon, has just returned from two weeks at Vidauban on the Côte D’Azur, France, where she has been representing Great Britain for the first time at an international dressage competition.
Jessica rides two competition horses, Umbro S and Rebellski. Umbro S was taken to compete in the junior competition and the younger horse Rebellski was taken for the experience of the journey and large competitions.
Jessica and Umbro S went from strength to strength. An initial score of 67.99% in the junior preliminary test gained them 5th place and the following day in the junior team test a score of 66.71% gave the pair 3rd place.
In the second week Jessica’s experience and her having watched the skills of older and more mature riders at the competition paid off as a score of 68.64% secured them a 1st place win and a personal best in the junior team test. Jessica was understandably thrilled and said ‘Umbro S stood still for the British national anthem and cantered round for his lap of honour calmly. I was really pleased with how he behaved and very proud during the anthem and of representing my country’.
Jessica also recently became a ‘Lloyds TSB Local Hero’. Lloyds TSB are sponsoring a number of young promising athletes, of different sporting disciplines, in their ambition to achieve success at the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic games and beyond.