Double gold and fistful of bronzes for young Brits

Annabella Pidgley is young rider dressage champion, and showjumpers win three bronzes

- BECKY MURRAY

BRITAIN’S Annabella Pidgley won double individual gold at the young rider European Dressage Championships in Hungary – as the Britons also won four team bronzes, in dressage and showjumping.

Annabella made history on 15 July when she became the first British rider to win an individual medal at a dressage young rider Europeans, when she rode her mother Sara Pidgley’s nine-year-old mare Espe to victory – and a personal best of 76.94%. The following day, the pair scored another personal best of 80.51% to win gold in the freestyle.

“Espe did it again,” said Annabella. “I could not have imagined we would have these results here at the Europeans in our first year at young riders, but she deserves it all.”

Annabella added that it was a “very special feeling” to achieve 80.51%.

“She’s such an incredible mare with a beautiful heart and I’m so grateful to her for being so amazing over the last week,” she said.