Dressage rider Charlotte Fry of Aike, Hull will be heading to Compiegne in France to compete for Britain at the Junior European Championships, 10 – 14 July 2013. Charlotte (17) partners Leslie Connor’s Remming.Charlotte’s Euro call is an emotional one following the untimely passing of her mum, international rider Laura Fry but having taken the ride over on Remming, it was always her aim. The combination have formed a great partnership in a short time and started the season well by claiming the Nupafeed Advanced Medium Freestyle title at the Winter Championships. Their 2013 strike rate is impressive; 16 starts, 16 top eight placings. One highlight was a win in Saumur CDIOJ in the team test, leading the British Team to success in the Nations Cup.The British Junior Team has had moderate success at the European Championships in its 30 year history only managing a medal on one occasion. What the programme has done is help to produce medallist of the future with team gold and individual bronze Olympic medallist Laura Tomlinson one of the notable ‘graduates’. Other Brits who’ve gone on to success at senior level after young riders include Fiona Bigwood, Maria Eilberg, Becky Moody, Andrew Gould and Hannah Biggs.Along with team-mates Chloe Vell and Gabrielle Lucas, the pair set off for Compiegne, some 40km north east of Paris on Monday ahead of the opening ceremony on Tuesday 9 July. The competition gets underway at the 10-hectare ‘Stade Equestre du Grand Parc’ with the Team test on Wednesday, continuing Thursday when the team medal will be decided. It’s then down to individual honours with two days of the individual test to qualify for a coveted freestyle place when the individual European Champion will be crowned on Sunday. Follow the action on http://dressageeurope.compiegne-equestre.com/ or British Dressage will be on Facebook and Twitter with updates.
