Mandy and Tia May 2017
February 2014
Mandy grew up around horses and has been riding since she was four years old. For the last 11 years Mandy has combined her professional work career with a riding career competing in Dressage.
Her love of riding has let to her meeting Rosie Andrews, a para-dressage rider whom she now sponsors. Mandy helps and supports Rosie in this highly competitive world.
Rosie Andrews – para Dressage rider
Rosie was an Olympic hopeful for the 2012 London Olympics and is currently combining studying at University along with maintaining her Dressage career.
If you would like to find out more about Rosie Andrews, or perhaps consider sponsoring her, you can find out more by looking at Rosie’s Brochure.
Read Mandy’s interview with Out and About Dressage
Mandy on the boat
Mandy is married to Julian and lives in West Sussex in the South of the UK, and as Julian is a keen sailor Mandy spends time sailing too – but in the summer only!
Mandy’s Riding Career
Having been raised with horses, they have always been a big part of Mandy’s life. Early on in her riding career Mandy was interested in Eventing which is often considered the ultimate challenge of fitness and endurance for both horse and rider. She enjoyed putting her horses through their paces in the three compulsory areas of dressage, cross-country and jumping, each requiring a different skill set from both rider and horse.
Successful eventing requires good communication and understanding between the rider and horse. Mandy competed at Intermediate level Eventing whilst fitting in her business career and travelling extensively.
After competing in her spare time for many years Mandy moved her focus to dressage more than 11 years ago, and relishes the new challenges of horse and rider working in complete harmony. In dressage the focus is on precision, concentration and control.
Mandy now has 4 horses all at different levels within dressage – one is international, one at medium/advanced level, one at PSG and one at novice/elementary.
Mandy on one of her horses
Mandy and her horses train monthly with Lizzie Murray, a well-known Dressage coach to the National Squad. Lizzie is in demand having been reserve for the Atlanta Olympics and long listed for the next two Olympics. She has also been involved with some part of the training of at least 4 of the horses at the World Equestrian Games. Lizzie now competes Internationally at Senior level with at least 9 horses, mainly bred and produced by Catherston Stud in Hampshire where she is based.
Mandy takes her training seriously and although she is an amateur she rides against the professionals all the time. Here is a clip of her competing. Mandy describes herself as an enthusiastic amateur! Below are some pictures of Mandy taking part in the Southern Regional Championships in February 2014, where she was delighted to be placed in the PSG Dressage to Music.
February 2014
February 2014
February 2014
Mandy also owns an International Small Tour dressage horse and follows the rider through to Premier League and International shows at Hickstead and Hartpury. She enjoys studying the riding and the impact of the rider on the horse and results. Mandy likes to work on the psychological side of riding, thinking of getting into the right mindset and she studies the impact the mind has on performance. She takes what she does in her working life and applies it to her riding., and she uses the power of the mind to help her with her competing.
Mandy competes regularly at a professional level and has been lucky enough to meet some of the top Dressage riders in the World, including Carl Hester, Olympic Gold medallist with Team GB in 2012, and Adelinde Conrelision a Dutch Silver Medallist in the individual dressage event in London 2012.
Mandy also competes in Dressage to Music and has been to many Music Lecture demonstrations. Here is Mandy in February 2014 at the Regional Championships at Merrist Wood.
Some of Mandy’s recent achievements are:
- World Equestrian Games 2014 August – 1 week watching …
- Took part in the National Championships at Hartpury in April 2014 – placed 12th in the country
- Came 8th in the PSG Southern Regionals Freestyle to music in February 2014
- Riding at the Regionals at Novice, Elementary and Med levels, Adv Med and National Dressage Championships at Novice and Elementary level , Medium and Advanced Medium
- Placed in the 9th in the Regional Championships at Novice level 2013
- Competed at the Regionals at Novice, Elementary , Medium , Adv Med and PSG levels
- Competed at the Regionals at Adv Med and PSG levels
- Rode at the Pet Plan Finals at Adv Med , PSG , Elementary, Adv Med to Music
- Came 4th at the Winter Nationals in 2012
- Rode at Advanced Medium dressage to music scored 70 percent qualified for Winter Regionals in summer 2011
- Rode at PSG Freestyle to music gaining score of 67.8%
- Qualified for Summer Regionals at Elementary level and got 66 percent coming 12th just out of the placings in August 2011
- Scored 72 – 75 percent at Elementary Level in 2010-2011
- Qualified for the Summer Pet plan finals in 2011 at Medium
- Also experience in the 5 year national and international classes.
