the recent dressage expertise with a head for enterprise

Jessica McConkey admits that she “took a punt” two months earlier than the younger rider European Championships in 2022. Having secured a task as rider for Amy Woodhead in Might, the 20-year-old moved her horses to Amy’s base and altered her coaching routine to suit her new job.

“It’s not at all times the best concept to change up your coaching system two months earlier than an enormous occasion, however I took a punt and it labored out. I don’t assume I’d have gotten the scores I acquired on the Europeans with out Amy’s assist in the lead up,” says Jessie.

And so they have been some scores. A hat-trick of private bests using the 13-year-old Quatarback mare Girl Gaga II culminated in a 77.38% freestyle for particular person fifth, lower than 1.6% off the rostrum.

“2022 has been considered one of my greatest ever years. The Euros is a kind of reveals you at all times goal for however can’t at all times obtain your greatest at, so to get a private greatest on all three days was actually cool,” she provides.

Jessie now has each Girl Gaga and the 12-year-old gelding Wilson Stensvang at Amy’s, and he or she says that each one three of them can really feel the distinction.

“Wilson was once fairly weak and despite the fact that he had the expertise, I struggled to assist him construct the muscle. However now he has bulked out and might maintain himself within the collected work,” she explains. “I’ve a behavior of overriding as a result of I would like it a lot, however I’m now studying to showcase the horses’ expertise by letting them carry out.”

Most of all although, Jessie is absorbing the chance to find out how a profitable UK dressage enterprise works.

“I’ve learnt quite a bit about horsemanship, and what goes on behind the scenes, in seeing Amy run her enterprise. I’m making an attempt to study as a lot as I can and Amy’s taken me beneath her wing.”

Jessica McConkey: ‘I want to ascertain myself in Britain’

Having a correct profession technique for her personal future within the sport has at all times been essential to Jessie, who hasn’t come from a horsey household, and might’t actually pinpoint the place her ardour for dressage began.

“I used to be at all times obsessive about horses and I’d nag my mum to take me to the using college, however then be too scared to get on a pony,” she remembers. “However ultimately we purchased my first pony from the using college and every part snowballed from there. I did a little bit of every part once I was youthful, however I keep in mind saying to my mum aged 14 that I didn’t see myself ever going spherical Badminton so it must be dressage. If I used to be going to do it, I wished to do it correctly.”

She’s actually thrown herself into the game, with 4 junior and younger rider Europeans now beneath her belt, in addition to a placement at Van Olst Horses within the Netherlands in 2021.

2023 can be her last yr of younger riders and he or she is eager to benefit from it, whereas additionally stepping each horses as much as inter II.

“I’d prefer to give attention to extra nationwide reveals in 2023, which I believe is essential from a profession perspective” she says. “I’ve at all times targeted on [youth] CDIs however nationwide reveals have gotten bugger and extra essential, and if I need to create a profession for myself I want to ascertain myself in Britain.

“In future, I’d love to provide and promote younger horses, however I’d additionally like to make the British senior workforce in the future.”

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