Ampney Knowle dressage rider Pippa Hutton (19) will be heading to Compiegne in France to compete for Britain at the Young Rider European Championships, 10 – 14 July 2013. She rides Philip Woof’s Di Maggio-sired chestnut mare Duela.The British Young Rider Team has had moderate success at the European Championships having brought home four medals, one silver and three bronze in its 30 year history. What the programme has done is help to produce medallist of the future with team gold and individual bronze Olympic medallist Laura Bechtolsheimer one of the notable ‘graduates. Other Brits who’ve gone on to win medals at senior level after young riders include Emma Hindle, Fiona Bigwood, Maria Eilberg and Sophie Wells.Along with team-mates Samantha Thurman-Baker, Olivia Oakeley and Eilidh Grant, Pippa sets 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.
