Olivia Oakeley has leased her number one dressage horse Donna Summer to British FEI pony rider Ottilie Bardsley as a schoolmaster. Donna Summer is a 14-year old British bred Hanoverian gelding by Dimaggio x Don Primero.
Olivia began training the chestnut gelding nine years ago as a 5-year old.
Oakeley and Donna Summer were members of the British junior and young riders' team five years in a row. They represented Great Britain at the 2012, 2013 and 2014 European Young Riders Championships and at the 2011 and 2010 European Junior Riders Championships. They were Britain's most successful pair at the 2014 European Young Riders Championships in Arezzo, Italy, finishing 6th in the Kur to Music.
After Arezzo, Oakeley briefly offered Donna Summer for sale but than changed her mind and kept to horse. Over the winter she and trainer Carl Hester prepared it for Under 25 Grand Prix level but their first international U25 start was not the greatest success and the horse was withdrawn from the 2015 CDI Addington in March 2015.
"He owns me nothing with everything he's done for me over the last few years and he finds the Grand Prix a bit difficult," Oakeley told Eurodressage. "I don't want him to start resenting what he currently still loves doing and for him to go to a junior as talented as Ottilie, I am hoping to see him continue his career for a few more years at juniors/young riders. I will be the proudest person alive to watch him teach someone else, all we have learnt together over the last nine years."
The 15-year old Ottilie Bardsley is currently the second reserve on the British pony team for the 2015 European Pony Championships.
Photo © Astrid Appels
Related Links
Eurodressage Photo Database: Donna Summer
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What's Happening: May 2012 - Part 2