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Spencer Wilton ©Leslie Bliss

Press release:

Tuesday, 26th of September

Spencer Wilton is coming to Australia!

Spencer talks career highlights, shopping for young horses and training advice ahead of his masterclass at the 2017 Australian Dressage Championships…

A British Champion and Olympic Silver Medallist, Spencer Wilton is currently ranked as one of the top ten dressage riders in the world.

His career accolades are forever growing, however his team silver medal at the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympic Games aboard Super Nova II remains his greatest achievement to date. On home soil, he won his first national title in 1999 and now has more than thirteen titles to his name. The CDI5* Grand Prix Special at Doha was his latest big win, and a personal best Freestyle score at the European Championships proves Spencer’s star is still on the rise.

In October, Spencer Wilton is coming to Australia!

The team at Dressage Masterclass is excited to bring you the Saddleworld presents the Spencer Wilton Young Horse to Podium Masterclass on Saturday the 21st of October, held at Boneo Park Equestrian Centre in Victoria. At this special event, Spencer will share the insights and training techniques that have led to his amazing success at the very top of our sport.

The masterclass will feature five different horse and rider combinations spanning a variety of different levels, with the main objective being to present horses that show the common training issues faced by riders every day.

Held in conjunction with the 2017 Australian Dressage Championships, the Saddleworld presents the Spencer Wilton Young Horse to Podium Masterclass will take place the morning of the CDI-W Grand Prix Freestyle — making for a huge day of equine entertainment! Spencer will also ride a Grand Prix test on the Friday and a Grand Prix Freestyle test on the Saturday on a borrowed horse.

BOOK YOUR TICKETS

Dressage Masterclass, the team behind Carl Hester’s masterclass at Werribee Park National Equestrian Centre in November 2016, are thrilled to be holding their very first event at Boneo Park Equestrian Centre, in conjunction with the 2017 Australian Dressage Championships (19-22 October). In addition to the Saddleworld presents the Spencer Wilton Young Horse to Podium Masterclass, there is also a not-to-be-missed event on Friday the 20th: The Peninsula Volkswagen Simone Pearce Young Horse Masterclass. Fresh off the back of her success at the World Breeding Dressage Championships for Young Horses in August, Simone is returning to Australia to share her knowledge and experience with the local dressage community.

Both Spencer and Simone’s masterclasses are ticketed, with individually allocated, undercover seating for all those who attend, and a 60×20 metre stage as the central focus.

Spencer is looking forward to visiting Australia and working with our local dressage riders. Here, we catch up with him prior to his visit to find out more about one of Britain’s best-known dressage stars…

Your career highlight must be the team silver medal at the Rio Olympic Games — tell us about some of your other achievements?

Winning the British Dressage National Championships on Dolendo in 2007 was another major achievement, as he was the first horse I trained to Grand Prix. I’m also very proud to have recently entered the Top Ten in the World Rankings.

Who would you name as having the biggest influence on your career?

Carl Hester. I was based with him for a long time and he’s influenced my training beyond anyone else.

You started out as an Eventer and worked in the yards of Lucinda Green and Sir Mark Todd — what made you decide to switch to dressage?

A close friend of mine was sadly killed whilst eventing and I think I just realised that I wasn’t brave enough to do the discipline for the rest of my life, so I switched to dressage.

Tell us a little bit about your Olympic ride, Super Nova II… in your view what makes him special?

He’s a really special horse and we have a great partnership now. It hasn’t been the easiest of journeys, but I love his endless energy and natural strength. He’s a true athlete.

Yourself and Super Nova II scored a terrific 76.078% in the Grand Prix Special at the 2017 European Championships for sixth place, as well as a personal best in the Grand Prix Freestyle with 75.443%, is the best yet to come with this horse?

I hope so. He is certainly improving and has never felt better. I hope we can still compete at top level for a few more years!

As someone who has been part of Great Britain’s rise to success on the international dressage stage, what advice do you have for Australian riders?

It’s important to set some clear, realistic goals for your horse and ensure you have a good trainer or secondary eyes on the ground to help you as you progress.  Riders must pay attention to the basics and the scales of training, as these are fundamental to establish before advancing to the higher levels.

Most of all enjoy the journey with your horse, and despite the challenges believe in the goals you set for yourself and you will get there!

The Masterclass will showcase horses at different stages of the training scale, from young horses through to an FEI horse, with the aim being to work through common training issues faced by riders every day. As a coach, what are some of the biggest/most common training issues you see?

Two things really: A lack of straightness in some horses, and then on the flip side those with a lack of bend.

As part of the Australian Dressage Championships you will ride a CDI-W Grand Prix and Grand Prix Freestyle test. How do you think you’ll fare on a catch ride against the Aussies?

Given it will be only a handful of times I will have ridden this horse, I hope this isn’t the day’s entertainment! Ha!

When you get the time to cook, what’s your signature dish?

I have two dishes I love to cook; smoked salmon fillet seasoned with ginger and orange, accompanied with new potatoes, avocado and watercress salad… or
shepherd’s pie. Those two seem to cater for anyone we have over for dinner!

We noticed you attended Glastonbury this year, as well as an Adele concert. What’s your favourite artist and song?

I have such an eclectic taste, hence my love of Glastonbury as multiple artists play there. It’s so hard to pin down just one artist and one song as I love so many!

Away from the stables, what’s your favourite hobby?

I would have to say it’s being in my garden and gardening; it’s my way of relaxing and escaping for a few hours.

You’ve done quite a bit of travelling thanks to your dressage career — but if you could go anywhere in the world for a holiday, where would you go?

The Maldives!
   
To buy tickets for the Saddleworld presents the Spencer Wilton Young Horse to Podium Masterclass or the Peninsula Volkswagen Simone Pearce Young Horse Masterclass, please CLICK HERE.

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