Charlotte with Des at Willinga Park’s Dressage by the Sea last year. Image: Roger Fitzhardinge.
Vale CP Dresden
By Roger Fitzhardinge
CP Dresden, one of Australia’s most consistent and prolific Grand Prix horses, was sadly laid to rest the morning of 4 June 2024 after an unenviable and inevitable decision during a sudden and extremely acute bout of colic. He was 16 years old.
His owner and companion of 13 years, Jane Bruce, was at his side at Randwick Veterinary hospital after the horrifying and dreaded banging in his stable at 3am. That sound of distress that every horse owner prays never happens to them. The reality was that a colic attack from out of the blue needed urgent attention, and it was only hours before he was in the best of hands at the vet hospital next door to his favourite competition venue, Sydney International Equestrian Centre. His pain and distress were too much and the surgery fraught with unknown consequences.
“I had the absolute privilege of owning Dresden for thirteen years,” said Jane. “I watched him bring joy and competition experience to first Alycia [Targa] and then Charlotte [Phillips] whilst being able to care for him at home myself. Thank you to both riders. Des was such a loveable personality, always so eager to please yet full of mischief too. Lately I’d been riding him more myself and dreaming of a final Grand Prix test. Not to be.
“I can only be thankful for the years I had with him and the multitude of pleasures he granted us. The stables will feel deserted without your happy face, Des, and it won’t be right not to have the 6am wake up door banging for hay every day! Thanks also to Emma who came to help me with him at 3am and walked him for hours and drove him with me up to Sydney for his final trip.”

Jane and a three-year-old Des. Image supplied.
Bred at Callum Park
Dresden, or Des as he was known, was bought by Jane Bruce as a three-year-old from his breeder Susan Elekessy at Callum Park. Des was by the German stallion Damsey, who represented his country at the Olympics. His dam was Callum Park Regardless, by Regardez Moi, and a famous mare in that she has produced four Grand Prix horses; Des was her third foal.

Jane competing a young Des. Image supplied.
“As a very small breeder, it’s been one of the highlights of my life to watch this horse’s journey, and having him placed with the best people ever, with the best team around him, has been the secret to his many successes,” said Susan.

Jane was always by Des’ side. Image supplied.
Talent for Grand Prix
Jane competed Des as a Novice horse and then realising his extreme athleticism (after he pinged off at SIEC and bucked her off for the third time) handed the ride over to Alycia Targa who had ridden for Jane and Maurie Bruce for some time and was a student of Jane’s and had ridden their horses previously.

Alycia Targa and CP Dresden. Image: Roger Fitzhardinge.
Jane never missed a day’s riding of her beloved Dresden and was eyes on the ground for every single one of those rides for 13 years – he was always based at Neversfelde stud in Berry, NSW. The intention was to get him towards Medium/Advanced and then Jane would take up the reins and ride him again, but his success with Alycia was exponential and Jane simply loved the training, watching and competitions, and so Alycia rode and competed him alone all the way to Grand Prix. The competitions were many, and always serious yet fun, and always attended with Roz Quist as the backup crew, encourager and social adviser!
‘My unwavering companion…’
“For eight extraordinary years, you were my unwavering companion, my training partner, and my source of inspiration,” said Alycia after hearing of Dresden’s passing.
“Together, we navigated the rollercoaster of equestrian dressage sport, from the exhilaration of Grand Prix victories to the tears of setbacks. Through it all, you were my constant, my reality check, and my cheeky cheerleader.

Alycia and Des. Image supplied.
“Our partnership was an incredible journey of growth and transformation. From our humble beginnings as young horse and rider, to the heights of Freestyles at Willinga Park and Sydney CDI, we shared countless moments of triumph and misfortune.
“You have taught me the importance of perseverance, resilience, and the unbreakable bond between horse and rider. Your presence in my life enriched me beyond measure, and I will forever cherish the memories we made together.
“As our paths diverged, I know that the lessons you taught me guided me in my future endeavours. You will always hold a special place in my heart as my ‘Kung Fu Panda’, the horse who helped me achieve my dreams.
“Thank you, Mr Des, for everything you gave me. I am eternally grateful for the privilege of having shared this incredible journey with you. With love and eternal admiration for the horse of a lifetime.”

Alycia and Des at Equitana. Image: Roger Fitzhardinge.
Career successes
Des was a strongly built bay gelding, not so tall, but sensitive and extremely confident in his own suppleness and had a work ethic of a true aspiring Olympic athlete! His successes are so numerous it is crazy to even think to put them down.
In 2013 he was NSW Novice Champion, and then the next year was the NSW Medium and Advanced Champion, and 6YO Champion at the Sydney CDI. In 2015, he was Advanced Champion at Dressage With Altitude, and then competed at Small Tour and by the end of that year was at Medium Tour.
Alycia then had a baby and eight weeks later won the Medium Tour Championship at the Winter Festival, followed by the NSW Medium Tour Championship and then they were also Reserve Medium Tour Champion at the Nationals to Bluefields Floreno and Alexis Hellyer – a combination that went on to compete at the 2018 World Equestrian Games.

Alycia and Des had plenty of success together. Image supplied.
In 2016, Des had his first Grand Prix start, placing third in the CDI at the Dressage by the Sea. He was CDN Grand Prix Champion later that year at the Nationals, and at Dressage by the Sea’s dual-CDI competition the following year he scored a 73% in the Freestyle on the first weekend – and then a 74% five days later!
With Alycia he was on state and national high-performance squads. He was on the Green Squad for the Tokyo Olympics that was for horses that had qualified and in contention for Olympic selection. He was the third-highest ranked Australian horse in 2020 before Covid.
Teaching Charlotte
After Covid, Jane decided that the then 17-year-old Charlotte Phillips, who was also a friend and student, was to be given the chance to ride Dresden to help Charlotte in her dressage endeavours and the story from then on is history.
Des and Charlotte were fearless together and it wasn’t long before Charlotte was winning at CDI level in the Young Rider classes. Considering Charlotte had barely had any real dressage experience at that level, she took to riding him like a duck to water. The training that was in Des was extraordinary, and of course Jane, who was also riding him over Covid, knew his every button (including the ‘get on’ routine). Like Alycia, Charlotte succumbed to taking a short cut one day. She soon learnt that Des was the boss! There were no shortcuts.

Des and Charlotte at Willinga Park’s Dressage by the Sea. Image: Roger Fitzhardinge.
Charlotte started riding Des in 2020 and rode Grand prix in 2021 at Dressage by the Sea CDI with 66%. Her biggest success was at Dressage by the Sea 2023 CDI, the World Cup Pacific League Final where they won the Freestyle with 74.27%. That qualified them to go to the World Cup Final overseas, but for a technical hitch with dates for vaccinations.
They were long listed for the Paris Olympics coming but had chosen to not put Des through the rigors of overseas travel and Jane had seen enough of overseas and taking horses there to compete. They were fine to enjoy Australia and the competitions available, and above all Jane was always realistic.
Charlotte was always a crowd pleaser with her Freestyle performances with Des. The smile and the confident and correct way they rode was an absolute joy to behold. Des and Charlotte would dance their way through the most complicated choreography that they made look effortless. Jane has always had an amazing artistic bent for the music, and there was no question that there was not a crescendo that wasn’t orchestrated and purposely positioned. The joy that this pair gave so many people and judges who saw the performances will never be forgotten.
Jane would be there for every performance, watching Des warm up and then calmly standing on the area edge with a wry smile on her face soaking up all the effort and work with sheer delight. The music and the love of performing was iridescent. It was simply incredible, and Des loved it – the harder the better, and for a highly excitable horse he knew when he was on stage and never a mistake in the complicated routines.
‘I will always be thankful…’
“It’s hard to put into words how much of an impact this extraordinary horse has left on each of our lives,” says Charlotte. I will always be thankful to Jane Bruce for giving me the opportunity to form such a special partnership with Desi, it was such a privilege to know and love him. Although absolutely heartbroken at the moment, we will always remember Desi as the performer and generous character he was.
“To our Dresden, horses like you only come along once in a lifetime and I can’t be grateful enough for everything you have taught me, for all of our joyous experiences together and for all the relationships we forged as a result. You are loved so, so much and it hurts indescribably to have you taken from us so suddenly.
“Desi changed the trajectory of my life and working with him could be likened to flying. Sadly [on 4 June], he grew his own pair of wings and will be dancing forever in horsey heaven. He will certainly never be forgotten.”
For everyone who saw them together will not be sad but filled with happiness as to how a dressage horses and rider can become one and both smile in competition showing supreme confidence and competence in each other!

Des could be a quirky character!
A quirky character
Don’t think it was all easy sailing; Des was quirky for sure!
He gave his all and only 110% was good enough for him every ride. A hot, excitable character whose excitement was totally that, he loved to work and the harder the better! His excitement overrode his ability to relax, and he always was the overachiever, thinking that would make the job easier. Not really so, and it was nearly impossible to tell him less would be more. He never believed that to his last ever test with Charlotte, where his enthusiasm got the better of him!
As a two-year-old at Callum Park, he jumped out of a 1.60m round yard, and also bucked off Susan’s partner Russell when first back from the breakers after he neglected to lung young Des first. Throughout his career, he could be cold-backed and had a routine that you needed to do before you put your foot in the stirrup!
Running a little short of time at Boneo Park CDI before a Grand Prix, as Des’s passport needed to arrive from Berry, Alycia thought he would be fine as he had been there working for three days. Remember NEVER mess with the routine! Yep Alycia would never do that again, as she was catapulted and Des went galloping and playing the fool before being recaptured and remounted to go into the test with no warm up (literally none due to the distraction of getting the passport) and just to prove his point, he came third!
Alycia remembers taking him for a casual pick of grass during the National Championships one year, while the Novice championships were under way. Des decided to roll – and on rising it was hang on Alycia as he bucked and bolted, with Alycia holding on like a kite. Letting go, he proceeded straight through the Novice tests and as he galloped flat out back through the stables, Jane – who was filling waters at the time – raised her head and was to be heard to casually say, ‘Oh, that looks like my horse.’
Another time he was in an excited state in the stables, bucking and prancing around the box before his test with excitement of such expression and power that he kicked both back shoes off! It was Tor Van Den Berg to the rescue that time. The list of Des’ ‘diary don’ts’ is impressive!
He would also demand breakfast if you were a minute past 6am with the constant bashing on the stable door. Des’ routines were NEVER to be disobeyed and that was that.

Des in his last Grand Prix with Charlotte. Image: Roger Fitzhardinge.
A true champion
The journey with this incredible horse has been a delight and his appearances at all the big competitions will be sadly missed. The saddest thing is that Jane started him at Novice, was instrumental in every day of his training, and she was now riding him and was to compete to Grand Prix on him in the next few months. This dream has come to an end. But in reality, Jane was riding him wonderfully in all the Grand Prix in preparation so the only disappointment was that others didn’t get to see him still at the top of his game being so beautiful with his most favourite person ever.
I was personally associated with Des for 13 years. He is without doubt my all-time favorite horse to have helped on his journey to Grand Prix. I saw him from when Jane started at Novice right through his amazing career, helping Jane a few weeks ago at home about to compete him at the upcoming Hawkesbury Dressage Festival in the Small Tour. I watched Jane ride though the Inter I test at home in his indoor arena, and it was truly wonderful and not a mistake. Maurie, Jane’s husband who represented Australia on several occasions, came to the arena to have a look. He is now more interested in golf and cycling and pretends he never rode, despite his huge successes in Australia and overseas. He has an amazing eye and knowledge, and is never one for handing out accolades (especially to his wife) as there was always an extra half halt here or there needed… we all know how that goes… but he sat there not saying a word nor a huff, and at the end looked me in the eye and said: “Well that was pretty bloody good!”
I have to say that in the entire time I saw Des train and compete, and it was a lot, Des never once showed a resistant time (we will excuse the bucking). He worked 100% every ride no matter what. Every time he was ridden it was if he was in the warm-up for the Olympics and would look at me as if to say, ‘How was that, was that what you wanted?’
I have to be dead honest and say, as I always did, in my eyes Dresden was a true champion, a dedicated dressage addict with a heart of gold and the attitude of a lion. His commitment and willingness to work, try new things and have a go never ceased to amaze me. I have the greatest admiration for this horse and in the last few years I felt humbled to be in his presence. I respected every moment I spent in training with him. I have to thank him for making me look good. It was he that did the work. We respected each other and I actually loved this horse for his demeanor and athleticism, but above all his humility and generous spirit. Perhaps he was not graced with the biggest of paces, but he had as bigger heart as Phar Lap.
Bless you Dresden, I will always remember how you made me feel. I will always see the smiles and accolades that all who watched you gave. We will all miss you, but no one more than Jane Bruce.

Jane, Alycia and Des. Image: Roger Fitzhardinge.
Published 5 June 2024.
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