Services jumping champion

Captain Lara Dixon on revived showjumping dreams, learning to ride again and the mare who made it happen

- Bethany Stone

I didn’t come from a showjumping family and we made do with what we had. All my riding was hacking out or in a grass ring, and my mum got me to Pony Club when she could. My first proper jumping pony, Nugget, was a chestnut Welsh section C. He’d been for sale for ages and he was a bit of a hothead, but he was immediately the one.

Nugget was fast and gave me my first taste of showjumping. We were out every weekend on Pony Club teams or jumping on a ticket up to 1.10m.

I went to Exeter university and the showjumping dreams went on hold. Then, my military training in Sandhurst was an eye-opener – but equestrians are used to being outside in brutal winters and getting on with it. I was much more physically and mentally robust than I’d have been without it. Sandhurst trainees can pick a sport for a Wednesday afternoon and so I’d spend that time showjumping or playing polo.