Nibeley Union Hit, British Medal Winning Youth Team Horse, Withdrawn from Team Contention

Dressage

Great Britain

Nibeley Union Hit, Britain's medal winning horse that competed at four European Junior/Young Riders Championships, has been withdrawn from this year's team contention and international high performance sport.

Nibeley Union Hit is an 18-year old British bred and AES registered mare by Nibeley Union Jack out of Nibeley Winter Willow (by Sandro Hit x Conto x Naturel x Diadeem). She is bred by Bernerd Eley.

Matthew Burnett

The dark bay mare was first competed in the U.K. as a 4-year old in 2011.

Under Matthew Burnett she was produced and shown from novice level to Advanced Medium level in 2014.

Later in 2014 Caron Ann Roberts took over the ride and she premiered the mare at Medium level in March 2015 and showed her a few times.

Rebecca Bell

The ride on Nibeley Union Hit was then passed on to British pony rider Rebecca Bell who was looking for a horse to make the transition from ponies to horses and junior level.

With Rebecca at the 2019 Young Rider Euros

Rebecca first showed "Una" in October 2016 at Medium level. Nine months later, in July 2017, they made their international junior riders' debut in Hickstead and placed third in the three tests. At the CDI Waregem they won the team test and freestyle.

In 2018 they moved to Young Riders level with the CDI Keysoe in March as their debut show at this level. From there they went to Nieuw en St. Joosland, Deauville, and Waregem. In 2019 they showed at the CDI's in Keysoe and Compiegne to clinch a spot on the British team for the 2019 European Young Riders Championships in San Giovanni in Marignano, where they were 49th in the individual test with 66.088%

While Rebecca went to study at Oxford she continued to show the mare lightly at some national shows. In 2020 the pair finished fourth at the British Under 21 Championships. They did two more internationals: Keysoe in 2020 at Young Riders level and Hartpury in 2021 at senior small tour level.

Myles Graham

British pony rider Myles Graham took over the ride on "Una" in the summer of 2021.

Their international show debut was at the CDI Keysoe in March 2022 and they rode in Opglabbeek, Compiegne and Wellington Heckfield to get a spot on the British team over Isobel Lickley for the 2022 European Junior Riders Championships, which took place on home turf in Hartpury. The pair contributed to Great Britain winning team bronze and ranked 16th in the Kur to Music finals. They finished the year by placing second at the 2022 British Youth Championships.

Their highlight year was in 2023. They won two classes in Le Mans, one in Addington, placed in the top five at the Aachen Festival 4 Dressage and headed to the 2023 European Junior Riders Championships in Kronberg, where they were the team anchor for bronze and individually won bronze in the Kur to Music.

In 2024 they went to Le Mans, Addington, Hickstead and Wellington Heckfield where they raked in six international wins. At the European Junior Riders Championships in Opglabbeek (BEL), Team GB placed fourth and individually Graham and Una were 7th in the individual test and 6th in the Kur. They ended the year by claiming the junior title at the 2024 British Youth Riders Championships.

The pair has not yet competed internationally in 2025 but was long-listed for Junior Team selection for the upcoming Europeans.

Slowing Down

Today owner Caroline Bell, Myles Graham and Caron Roberts announced that Una has been withdrawn from team contention and will be taking a slower pace in life.

"Eight seasons, four European Championships and three medals later she has made countless dreams come true," Caroline Bell wrote. "To say that her career until now has exceeded the expectations of everyone involved in her journey, with all its setbacks along the way, doesn’t come close to capturing it. Her attitude (all of it!) and heart have driven her far beyond where her body seemed able to go."

Bell continued, "those eight seasons have passed, and that same body isn’t quite keeping up as well as it did. So, she has taken the decision - as if she’d ever allow anyone else to - that she’d like to step down from international competition."

It will not be a full retirement for the mare.

"We’re all looking forward to her next adventure, which we hope will be back in her favourite place - between the white boards - just at a slightly slower pace," said Bell.