KATE DWYER may be one of the few dressage riders in the world who can say that 2020 has yielded great things. At one of the last international shows to take place before the coronavirus pandemic took hold, the Al Shaqab CHI5* in Doha, Qatar, Kate and her remarkable partner, the 14-year old Snowdon Faberge, scored their first-ever international win. They also made history for Ireland by becoming the first Irish combination ever to win a CDI5* grand prix special.
It wasn’t Kate’s first history-making moment, either. In 2019, she and “Fabio” were part of the Irish quartet dubbed “the girls in green”, who memorably secured their country’s first-ever dressage team place at the Olympics. It’s not bad going, especially for a horse that Kate has recently learned is part-bred Shire.
“We always thought he was part-bred Welsh cob, but his breeder, Lorraine Hughes, got in touch with me after the Euros and it turns out one of his dam’s parents is a Shire horse. I’m not sure why we were surprised though – his head is as big as my torso and his feet are like dinner plates. I always used to joke that he could go off and plough a field after our test!” Kate tells me, as we chat overlooking the magnificent Al Shaqab stadium back in early spring.
It’s the day before her win in the grand prix special and Kate recalls the excitement of the Irish team’s result at the Europeans, and her hopes of Olympic selection. Just over three weeks later, the Tokyo Games would be officially postponed to 2021, but Kate is not letting it deter her from her goal of competing at the Olympics with her beloved Fabio.
Bu hikaye Horse & Hound dergisinin June 25, 2020 sayısından alınmıştır.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Giriş Yap
Bu hikaye Horse & Hound dergisinin June 25, 2020 sayısından alınmıştır.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Giriş Yap
Gemirande provides 24-carat magic
Venetia Williams sparkles again in the December Gold Cup and jockey brothers dead-heat
‘Happy hunting, everyone'
“The season for talks, dinners and parties has finally arrived for Tessa Waugh, whose distress about the snags of middle age fades away with some rousing festive spirits
'Monaco deserved this victory
Seemingly destined always to play the bridesmaid’s role, Harrie Smolders’ great partner Monaco finally tops an incidentpacked Rolex grand prix
'It had to end sometime'
The closure of beloved Hampshire saddlery Calcutt Sons is a loss to the hunting and wider equestrian worlds, as Octavia Pollock reports
'You couldn't want for more
The Ludlow's peaceful country makes for a day in \"hunting paradise\"
The greatest gift of all
Christmas is fast approaching and while we all like a bit of tinsel, the festive season is also a perfect time for giving to a horse charity. Niki Hinman finds out some of the options
Winter him well
A horse's winter routine can differ dramatically from his summer structure but what’s the knock-on effect? Ellie Hughes asks vets how to optimise routine management for the season
Neat feet
Excellent hoof care is a year-round concern but the winter months present their own problems. Richard Stephenson MRCVS explains the seasonal challenges afoot and how to stay one step ahead
In bygone days
Modern vets have much scientific knowledge behind them, but what about their forebears? Kieran O’Brien MRCVS opens up the world of Victorian vets in London
'When I joined the Pony Club it was just two boys and 48 girls'
Pepsi Kohler on being delightfully outnumbered by girls in the Pony Club, a leg-up from a royal and the H&H advert that changed his life
