Following the withdrawal and subsequent suspension of Charlotte Dujardin, travelling reserves Becky Moody and Jagerbomb will step up to take their place in the British dressage team for the Paris Olympics.
Fortunately for Britain’s Olympic dressage medal prospects, Becky and Jagerbomb were one of the strongest of the alternate combinations heading to Paris.
They claimed their first international grand prix and special win at Addington CDI3* in March, scoring personal bests of 75.46% in the grand prix and 76.19% in the special. And they’ve been in the top three at London CDI-W as well as Rotterdam and Compiègne CDIO5*s, so they’re used to the big occasion.
“We have to be honest, it’s not the circumstances anyone would want to receive that call-up but we have to look forward now and focus on next week,” Becky told H&H while en route to Paris. “We still have a really strong team and I think we’re all ready to give it everything we can.”
It’s understandably been a tumultuous couple of days for Becky, but she said she’s been fully prepared.
“Because I was the travelling reserve I could have potentially been called up right up to the special so we’ve been prepared, everything has been packed and we’ve been training with the thought that we might have to step in.
“But I had been expecting to have a nice chill time – that’s definitely changed!”
With a touch of emotion in her voice, Becky adds that Jagerbomb is going the best he’s gone all season.
“He’s so much stronger, more confident and more established,” she explains. “Hopefully, we’re going to be able to smash it.
“We work so hard for this, and this horse has just been so incredible in what he’s done over the last few years, and it’s really amazing that he’s going to have the chance to show that off in Paris.”
When asked what she expects to feel when riding down the centre line in Paris, Becky said: “A tiny little bit of vomit! But the thing about Bomb is that he loves the crowd and I really hope that we’re able to go and show everybody what he’s capable of.”
Although Becky’s promotion to the team was very much expected, it wasn’t clear who – if anyone – would be the new travelling reserve. From the nominated entries list, Carl Hester’s En Vogue, Lottie Fry’s Everdale and Charlotte’s Alive And Kicking were ineligible.
Annabella Pidgley and Gio have been competing in Austria at the under-25 European Dressage Championships and Gareth Hughes’ Goldstrike has travelled to Belgium to be his daughter Ruby’s direct reserve for the junior Europeans.
That left Andrew Gould (Indigro), Lewis Carrier (Diego V) and Susan Pape (V-Plus) as the only other possible combinations from the nominated entries list.
The selectors have decided to promote Andrew and Indigro – who has long been earmarked as a Paris prospect – and they will be travelling to Versailles as part of the squad. Most recently the combination was on the British Aachen Nations’ Cup team, where they scored 71% in the grand prix. They were the second-highest-scoring British combination that day, behind Lottie Fry and Especial.
Carl Hester with 14-year-old Fame
Owners: rider, Fiona Bigwood and Mette Dahl
Breeder: VOFG and M Gerritsen
Breeding: by Bordeaux 28, out of a mare by Rhodium
Groom: Lucy Scudamore
Lottie Fry with 13-year-old Glamourdale
Owners: rider and Van Olst Horses
Breeder: J Rodenburg
Breeding: by Lord Leatherdale, out of a mare by Negro
Groom: Richard Hauwaerts
Becky Moody with 10-year-old Jagerbomb
Owners: rider and Jo Cooper
Breeder: rider
Breeding: by Dante Weltino, out of a mare by Jazz
Groom: Kim Masson
Alternate: Andrew Gould with 11-year-old Indigro
Owners: Tatiana Skillman
Breeder: J Deenen
Breeding: by Negro, out of a mare by Jazz
Groom: Natalie Campbell
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