fbpx

My name is Ashleigh Redpath, I am 26 years old and have been inspired by dressage from the age of 7.   I currently hold the Scottish champion title for medium and advanced medium level 2017.   My mare Amarins Lenas DML AKA Lena is a 13-year-old Dutch warmblood.   Lena was 8yr old when I bought her, and she was to do BSJA.   I bought Lena in 2013 while I was 6 months pregnant, I jumped her round a course of 1m20 fences and fell in love.   She had only been in the UK for two weeks.   Once I had my little girl I was back on board starting our career to do show jumping.   After a year’s worth of training and competitions I soon realised Lena didn’t enjoy jumping as she was too careful and didn’t want to get hurt.

At the start of 2015 I decided to join British Dressage, we downgraded because of her age and Charlie Hutton put us down to start at novice level.   After some training, I decided to give the U25 a go and see how we got on.   I was in complete shock when Lena and I were selected to ride for Scotland at Richmond EC.   Not long after Richmond I then went to represent again as an individual rider at Sheepgate as U25 and was placed 7th in a class of 40 so I was really pleased with how we got on.   We went on to ride at the Summer Regionals at Port Royal in the Novice and Elementary level.   Doing Regionals was something I had always wanted to do and I was aiming to get to the Summer Nationals too.  The atmosphere was tense but we both coped well with having the other shows that we had attended and we were placed 10th in the big Novice class and 3rd in the Elementary, and a win in the Elementary warm-up class – Even though we were the first to go in.   We were able to accrue enough qualifying results over the year to make us eligible to compete in the Scottish Championship, which we managed to come home in the ribbons with a 2nd and 3rd!

In 2016 we went on to qualify for the Petplan Area festivals at Novice and Elementary and then the Winters at Hartpury in April 2017.   This was a big achievement for me and Lena to go and ride amongst some experienced riders and professionals.   It was a huge class of around 40- we came 16th.just missing out on a qualifying result.   I was disappointed to miss out on that result, but we were both still learning to cope with the atmosphere and pressure at our competitions.

In May 2017 we moved on to medium and Advanced medium, Lena hand done a handful of medium tests while out competing so we had gotten some arena experience and that level, but do an advanced medium test was a whole new ballgame for us!  I had to learn to ride more accurately and insist on correct changes (not like a showjumper!) I went training with Jill Grant as much as I could and she helped us progress in our training and arena craft hugely.

The hard work paid off and after only two Advanced Medium tests we had qualified for Petplan Area Festival and the Scottish Championships- which I was super excited about.   We were on the podium twice at Northallerton with a 2nd and 3rd. The long drive was worth it and Lena was really starting to understanding what was needed from her.

We took the Champion title at the Scottish Championships in the Medium and Advanced Medium- which was truly unexpected given our inexperience at these levels, and riding against some really established combinations.   We had about 2 weeks before the 2nd rounds of the Petplan Finals to try qualifying for Hartpury for 2018, we succeeded and took 2nd in the Medium and 5th Advanced Medium.  .We were chosen for a wild card to compete Advanced Medium but sadly due to personal circumstances, we couldn’t go.

After a tough winter with the Beast from the East, the snow and what seemed like relentless rain to contend with it was difficult to get Lena fit and competing.   I had a dream when I was little that I always wanted to ride in a tailcoat and I set myself a goal that in 2018 I would ride in a tailcoat.   On our second competition of 2018, that’s exactly what we did!   I rode my first ever Advanced test in my tailcoat and e were 2nd.   It has been such an incredible journey for us both, I even started to get emotional as we rode back down the centre line.   Just 6 months earlier was only just starting to teach Lena to do a single change!   PSG is the next step on the ladder.

Never give up your dreams and they do come true, if you are determined enough! I was a first-time parent on my own, with a non-horsey family.   I couldn’t be prouder of my mare and her ability to learn.  She is a hot mare but so willing and that’s why I love her so much!

She is my hero.

Subscribe To Our Newsletter

Join our mailing list to receive the latest news and updates from our team.

You have Successfully Subscribed!