Dressage superstar Sophie Wells and her horse Jorge have been confirmed as one of the four combinations to represent Great Britain at the World Equestrian Games. Here, Sophie chats to her sponsor, Robinson Animal Healthcare, about preparation, travel and what it’s like to be a member of Team GB.
Countdown to WEG with Sophie Wells
Q. Congratulations on being selected to represent Great Britain at the World Equestrian Games. Once you received the news how did your preparations change for Jorge compared to a normal summer of competing at home?
A. Thank you! To be honest the preparation doesn’t change a huge amount. The horses need to be fit to be able to cope with the climate over there, but it is important to also keep things fresh to keep his body and mind enjoying the work, so hacking and pole work are still incorporated into the work.
Q. How will Jorge cope with travelling across the Atlantic?
A. I think he will be fine. Pinocchio and Valerius both flew, and I was most worried about Valerius with his temperament, but Jorge is much more food orientated so I’m sure if he has his food he will be happy.
Q. Tell us a bit about Jorge.
A. He’s cheeky but likes his own space, particularly in the stable. If he’s sleeping or eating he doesn’t really want attention. But the rest of the time he likes to be fussed, especially if you have sugar.
Q. Tell us about the team that you will have travelling with you.
A. My groom, Lewis Coppin, will be flying out to meet Jorge when he arrives in America, he will tend to his every need. My coach, Angela Weiss is now one of the Team Coaches so she will be there too, so I know I will have the best support. We are fortunate to have a great support team through Equestrian Team GBR, from vets to physiotherapists, saddlers and farriers, which brings great comfort that the horses get the best care.
Q. Having already competed at two previous World Equestrian Games, will this help to keep the nerves under control?
A. Every championship is different, and so far I have had a different horse for each one but to some extent I know what to expect.
Q. Do you enjoy being a part of the GB Team and do you get a chance to spend some time together socialising?
A. There is quite a lot of time to socialise as we all only have one horse there each, which only takes up a small amount of time. This is very different for me as day to day I have many more horses to ride and take care of.
Q. We hope you don’t need to use it but will your Robinson Animal Healthcare Horse and Rider First Aid Kit be packed for the journey?
A. Yes of course, just in case, it is important to always be prepared!
Robinson Animal Healthcare would like to wish Sophie and all her British Para-Dressage teammates the best of luck at the World Equestrian Games, taking place in Tryon, North Carolina, between September 11 -23, 2018.
Robinson Animal Healthcare has a wide range of products for all your first aid requirements including the market leading Animalintex®, which is the only VMD licensed multi-layered absorbent poultice available in the UK and the legendary Veterinary Gamgee®.
Suzanne Ashton, Founder of Everything Horse (Est, 2012), has a BA Hons in Marketing Management and a Diploma in Equine Science. Suzanne has ridden and owned horses all her life and has twelve years of experience in marketing, writing, design, SEO, and website creation.