Olivia Oakley - Junior European Championships, 10 – 14 July 2013

Hedge End dressage rider Olivia Oakeley (20) will be heading to Compiegne in France to compete for Britain at the Young Rider European Championships, 10 – 14 July 2013. She rides her own Dimaggio sired chestnut gelding Donna Summer, or ‘Rio’ to his friends.A member of the UK Sport funded World Class Development programme, Olivia is no stranger to representing her country as this will be her fourth consecutive Team GBR appearance having been on the Junior team in 2010 and 2011 and then on the Young Rider team last year. Olivia and ‘Rio’ have been partners since Olivia was just 13 and she’s produced him through the grades herself. Olivia has recently completed her studies as a Hartpury College scholar – see their video on her selection - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fZgtEc3Dfac. A delighted Olivia commented; “I’m really excited about this year’s Championships and to be selected for a fourth year running is a real achievement. None of what I’ve achieved would be possible without my ‘home team’ plus the support of World Class or my sponsors. It’s been a great season so far; I’ve managed to score personal bests in all the tests used at the Championships. My ultimate goal would be qualify for the Freestyle and improve on my 15th place from last year but a team medal would be exciting too! I’ve had two weeks of intensive training with Carl (Hester) and Rio has been going nicely so we’re ready to go to France.”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 Pippa Hutton, Samantha Thurman Baker and Eilidh Grant, Olivia 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.