Meet the Instructor – Natalie Pierce
With various clinics starting I thought it would be great to get the instructors to tell us a bit about themselves. Here is Natalie’s précis-
1995-1998 - Junior dressage Area 10 Champion
1999 - Selected for pony talent spotting and selected for GB pony team training
2000 - Qualified for British dressage regional championship at medium level
2000 - Selected for GB Junior Team training
2001- Qualified for British dressage regional winter championships at novice level
2002 - Qualified for British dressage regional summer and winter championships at novice and elementary level on two separate horses
2003 - Qualified for British dressage regional winter championships at elementary level on two separate horses and for Advanced medium championships on another
2004-2005 - Competed at FEI young rider level (prix St Georges)
2006 - Qualified for British dressage summer regional championships Medium level and for the Dressage at Hickstead Master League finals
I started riding at the age of 2 years and as I got older did everything - showing, eventing, dressage, but it was apparent that my true talent was in dressage, so at 13 I concentrated on that. At riding club level I was Area 10 Champion for 3 consecutive years on 2 different ponies, at the Championships a judge suggested that we affiliate and join BYRDs (British Young Riders Dressage scheme). Eventually my pony and I were selected for the British Pony team training but an injury to him prevented us from going. At 16 you move on to juniors and horses, I also started to train with former national champion Peter Storr. I spent 4 years with him and learnt so much, he took me from competing at Medium level to Prix St Georges, plus out of 400 applicants was again picked for British team training, but as my horse was recovering from an old injury we became reserve members.
Since then due to lack of horse power I have concentrated on developing myself as a teacher / trainer of horses, it is by riding many different types of horses (most of whom were difficult) that I feel has given me the understanding of the basic way of going, to help both horse and rider move up the scale in dressage. Currently I have just started training again with International and Olympic candidate Jude Isobel Wessels, due to a dear friend who purchased a young horse for me to train and compete, hopefully by summer he will be ready to make his debut at novice level. For the future waiting in the wings is our Hanoverian colt foal of whom we all believe has world class potential.