19th May 2010
Worcestershire based dressage rider Nicky Patrick is riding high after winning one of the BD Premier League Prix St George classes held at Addington Manor Equestrian Centre, Buckingham, at the weekend (14 -16 May).
Nicky (25) who is from Norton, Worcestershire is a member of the British Equestrian Federation's (BEF) West Midlands Regional Foundation Squad, which aims to identify and support riders who show the potential to progress to International sporting success. She picked up the top spot at the weekend riding Uglesias (stable name Ugly!) beating off stiff competition from more than 20 riders including several leading names. The partnership also came second in the Inter 1 class.
"I'm really delighted with Ugly's performance," said Nicky. "We've had a great start to the season - he's really on fire at the moment, I just hope it continues! We plan to move up to International Small Tour competitions next year and then hopefully Big Tour from there - he's already showing that he has the capability so it's really exciting to think about what the future may hold for us."
Nicky has trained Ugly, a black nine year old KWPN owned by Nicky's father Malcolm, since he was three. She combines riding him and her other two horses with teaching and schooling other people's horses.
The Regional Foundation Squads have been set up through funding from Sport England and are being co-ordinated by the British Equestrian Federation (BEF). The squads include the three Olympic and one Paralympic disciplines - dressage, eventing, show jumping and para-equestrian dressage.
