Vanir Kamira, the double five-star winner, embracing new profession

Vanir Kamira, the famous person mare who received Badminton and Burghley with Piggy March, is embracing a second profession in dressage.

Trevor Dickens’ 19-year-old “Tilly” and Trevor’s 13-year-old granddaughter are among the many combos lengthy listed for the kids on horses on the dressage youth European Championships, in St Margarethen, Austria (16-21 July). The opposite combos are Ella-Grace Dovey with Hannah Dovey’s Flaviano, and Evie Head with Rob and Nicola Lickley’s Gracia.

Tilly loved a stellar five-star profession with Piggy, successful Badminton in 2019 and Burghley in 2022. The pair had been fourth at Badminton in 2022, second at Burghley in 2017 and 2019 and fifth in 2018, and third on the Bicton Horse Trials one-off five-star in 2021.

Piggy introduced Tilly’s retirement from five-star eventing in March final yr, stating that she was “nonetheless in nice kind and having fun with her work as a lot as ever”, however that they wished to retire her from five-star stage “when she was on the high of her recreation”.

A retirement ceremony was held for Tilly at Burghley in September, and shortly after Annabelle began driving her. The pair made their successful British Dressage debut collectively in October, and have continued to construct a flourishing partnership.

Annabelle Wesley and Vanir Kamira.

“They received the kids on horses staff check at Vale View in January, after which she was invited to the CDI at Addington in March. And now they’ve been lengthy listed for the Europeans,” Trevor informed H&H.

“It’s fairly exceptional actually. Tilly simply goes on and on and on. It’s one other profession for her. She appears to be like so properly, you’d take a look at her and assume she ought to be doing Badminton once more.”

Tilly isn’t any stranger to shining down the centre line, having posted a profession finest five-star dressage rating at her remaining Burghley. Annabelle, who lately loved two podium spots on the Petplan Winter Space Festivals Championships along with her pony Armada Dyffryncothi and Trevor’s eventer Caroline’s Air KM, trains with Jade Clark thrice per week.

“Annabelle has such a perception in Tilly,” stated Trevor. “She hacks her out on her personal, and all the time has carried out. The status of Tilly – she’s a proper diva isn’t she – however she lets Annabelle experience her, which is beautiful.”

Trevor stated Annabelle has all the time had an affinity with Tilly.

“She’s adored her all her life,” he stated. “When Tilly was doing the five-stars we’d be there all week and Annabelle would spend most of it within the steady along with her telling her what a very good lady she’s received to be.

“They’ve all the time had a bond. She’s a particular horse, and I don’t assume we’ll ever see one other one like her.”

Annabelle and Vanir Kamira have one other couple of competitions deliberate forward of the ultimate staff bulletins being made in the end.

You may additionally be considering:

Horse & Hound journal, out each Thursday, is full of all the newest information and studies, in addition to interviews, specials, nostalgia, vet and coaching recommendation. Discover how one can get pleasure from the journal delivered to your door each week, plus choices to improve your subscription to entry our on-line service that brings you breaking information and studies in addition to different advantages.

H&H senior information author

Since becoming a member of H&H in 2018, Becky has lined 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 only a few. 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 Citadel Worldwide Horse Trials nearer to residence. She was additionally a key a part of the distant reporting staff for the Tokyo Olympics and the Europeans.