‘The Olympics is the objective’: rising star sole equestrian shortlisted for illustrious one-to-watch award

A rising dressage star has been shortlisted for an “illustrious” one-to-watch award that recognises Britain’s “brightest younger sporting prospects” – and counts Olympic and Paralympic athletes amongst its former winners.

Lily Laughton, 20, from Wiltshire, has been named within the shortlist for SportAid’s annual award. The shortlist is chosen from round 1,000 athletes and Lily is joined by 9 people from sports activities together with biking, athletics, boxing, and powerchair soccer.

Annually athletes are nominated by their sport’s governing physique “on the energy of their expertise and potential” and former winners embrace Tom Daley, Hollie Arnold, Jodie Williams, and Courtney Tulloch.

The shortlisted athletes will obtain visits from SportAid of their coaching environments to congratulate them on their “excellent achievements”, with the general winner being introduced in December.

“At simply 20, Lily is a rising star in dressage, a part of the British Dressage (BD) U21 worldwide efficiency pathway squad, whereas she has simply come again from a 12 months coaching and dealing at a yard within the Netherlands,” stated a BD spokesperson.

Lily was a part of the bronze medal-winning younger riders staff with Skovborgs Romadinov on the Europeans final summer time.

“She is now turning her consideration to constructing a profession again within the UK. Her new enterprise includes shopping for and promoting horses, in addition to taking care of different folks’s horses and educating,” stated the BD spokesperson.

“Lily additionally continues to construct her relationship along with her high horse Hulana T, with whom she earned a high inserting of sixth on the CDI Aachen earlier this 12 months, a unbelievable outcome achieved within the crucible of dressage.”

Lily stated the Olympics is “at all times the objective”.

“I used to be in Holland working for an Olympian. That has at all times been my dream. I used to be very fortunate that I did the Europeans at 19, so it’s simply stepping stones. So long as the horses are completely satisfied and I’ve a great angle and coaching, I don’t see why sooner or later, that may not occur,” she stated.

Lily added that beginning her enterprise aged 20 has been “fairly a giant factor”.

“I’m very fortunate to have my dad and mom guiding me on what to do and what to not do. However I’m additionally very impartial, I love to do numerous issues myself and determine them out,” she stated, including that she trains with Luis Vilhena and Carl Hester.

“It’s going tremendous nicely, I’ve loads of actually pretty purchasers with horses right here, I’m loving it and studying alongside the best way.”

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H&H senior information author

Since becoming a member of H&H in 2018, Becky has coated a broad vary of equestrian information together with welfare issues, veterinary research, FEI Tribunal hearings and street security campaigns. She has additionally interviewed high riders together with Scott Brash, John Whitaker and Ian Stark, to call just some. Becky’s reporting has taken her to Canada for Spruce Meadows and France for Pau five-star, in addition to the Royal Highland and Blair Fortress Worldwide Horse Trials nearer to dwelling. She was additionally a key a part of the distant reporting staff for the Tokyo Olympics and the Europeans.