Asmar Equestrian sponsored rider Sophie Wells receives an MBE

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

An MBE rounds off what has been an amazing year for sponsored rider Sophie Wells. The paralympic rider sponsored by Asmar Equestrian has been honoured by the Queen in the New Year’s Honours list after Sophie contributed hugely to the success of Equestrian sport at London 2012.

The grade IV rider gained individual silver on  Dr Jackie and Dr Neil Walker’s horse Pinocchio in both the freestyle and individual tests which are approximately equal to the complexity of a Prix St George level test. Sophie also won her team test contributing her high score to the overall Team Gold placing.

Nottinghamshire based Sophie Wells is not just your average rider, from a non horsey background Sophie has managed the rare condition; Amniotic Band Syndrome, alongside riding, which affects blood flow, development and movement to achieve success at National, European and now Olympic level.

Modest and humble as ever Sophie said “I’m so proud to say that I have been awarded an MBE!!! It’s so exciting and I can’t believe it! I definitely think this honour should be shared with my amazing horse Pinocchio and my fantastic coach, Angela Weiss.” about receiving the honour.

Supplying Sophie with the finest equestrian clothing Asmar is available online at http://www.asmarequestrian.com and from a selection of  retailers. Asmar Equestrian designs a range of quality, stylish riding apparel suitable for day-to-day and the show ring. The entire range incorporates classic beauty, fashion and optimum functionality for riders who deserve the best.

The final entry from Asmar equestrian-sponsored rider, Sophie Wells, from the Frankfurt 2011 Young Riders World Cup Final

Asmar equestrian-sponsored rider, Sophie Wells, recently attended the Frankfurt 2011 Young Riders World Cup Final in Germany, which was held from 16 – 18 December 2011. We have been serialising her diary entries, and this is the final entry.

The day of the kur, or dressage to music, and I was drawn first – typical, but my own fault as I had to draw the ball out of the hat!! But i’m all about setting the standard on the day as that’s something we cannot control! Noki felt good warming up, and when we went around the arena, it was really buzzing in there as it was a Saturday evening and many people had come to watch. When Noki heard his music he got a little excited, which was lovely because he does love his music, but it did ‘up’ him 3 gears. It caused a few mistakes, however it was an amazing opportunity to be put in that situation, being exposed to it and to experience it, and I have no doubt we will have come out of it stronger. We dropped one place in the freestyle to 7th, but in the scheme of things, being the World Cup final, I was very pleased with it. The judges were all very complimentary about us, and obviously we are different, with me being a para rider at an able bodied major competition; however we seemed to be received really well.

Noki really showed off in the prize giving doing the biggest extended trot I’ve ever sat on, he felt incredible. I’m so pleased he enjoyed it too, as I so enjoyed it, and I’m glad it didn’t stress him out, he looked very pleased with himself after. Ann Kathrin Linsenhoff had arranged for each rider to have a photo printed for when we came out of the prize giving in a specially engraved photo frame, which I gave to Noki’s owners Jackie and Neil, as they have allowed me to ride him and are so supportive. We went out for a celebratory meal that night with them before they had to fly back home and it really was lovely, I really appreciate all the hard work everybody who supported me out there, Jackie, Neil , Ange and Mark, had done and made it such an enjoyable and memorable trip.

I feel it has been great preparation ahead of London 2012 this year and our campaign for it will get under way now. I am trying to look at my finances to see whether it is possible and figure out where would be the best to be based next year. Angela Weiss has been amazing in her training, and help and support over all the years she has helped me, and I feel basing with her in the run up to London will give more continuity and enable her to overlook every aspect of training and care of the horses for next year. We are a fantastic team and I couldn’t do it without her!

Sunday morning we did some shopping before we left, it was quite sad to leave as I had enjoyed it so much! We hit blizzards on the way home coming through France, but we did get into the Christmas spirit when we stopped for fuel….

Thank you to everyone, all my sponsors and supporters, amazing team, family, friends, who have made this year possible. Next year…..here we come!

I was able to wear my new Asmar Equestrian Hunter Jacket, which has my sponsors’ logos on the front and back -it was great to wear around the venue and when I was riding.

Entry six of the diary of Asmar equestrian-sponsored rider, Sophie Wells, from the Frankfurt 2011 Young Riders World Cup Final

Asmar equestrian-sponsored rider, Sophie Wells, recently attended the Frankfurt 2011 Young Riders World Cup Final in Germany, which was held from 16 – 18 December 2011. We are serialising her diary entries over the next week:

We had come sixth in the individual test, and Nokis owners, Jackie & Neil Walker, came out to watch – they were both thrilled with it. It was really nice to see them enjoying it so much and getting the enjoyment out of Noki and how well he did. I’m so appreciative of their support.

In the afternoon we went to the town hall in the middle of Frankfurt, surrounded by their Christmas market which was amazing, to meet the Mayor. The Germans were obviously very proud of the show and of the great horse Totilas, as his name cropped up a few times!! But massive thanks must go to Ann Kathrin Linsenhoff, who still supports the young rider final by sponsoring it and giving them the hospitality – I experienced a taster of what it could be like riding there as a senior in the Grand Prix. That evening was also a Welcome Dinner for the dressage riders, with a 3 course meal with amazing food, and we got to chat with some Grand Prix riders who sat on our table. We also had to take part in the Swedish tradition of toasting the horse by standing on the chair and table, which in a 5* hotel restaurant I found a bit amusing as the staff looked quite worried!

I was riding the next day but in the evening; the sound check was at 6am, so I had another early start to get that done and sort Noki out before going back for Breakfast and then back over again to watch the Grand Prix. It was a great opportunity to watch, many big names competing in it, and my trainer Ange and I chatted about it all; I learnt a lot and a lot was also consolidated, as you could see that some of the movements didn’t come off well due to the poor basic way of going, which Ange is also reminding me of all the time. This is why we rarely practise movements because we use exercises to enhance the way of going and the movements get better through that. I could also see that a lot of international riders used that when we watched them warm up.

Visit www.asmarequestrian.com for details of our clothing range.

The third diary entry from Asmar equestrian-sponsored rider, Sophie Wells,from the Frankfurt 2011 Young Riders World Cup Final

Asmar equestrian-sponsored rider, Sophie Wells, recently attended the Frankfurt 2011 Young Riders World Cup Final in Germany, which was held from 16 – 18 December 2011. We are serialising her diary entries over the next week:

We had arrived in Frankfurt, so I took Noki for a little walk in the warming up area, and it was a bit odd to say the least trying to dodge pillars in the middle of it! We set up camp outside the stable and made sure Noki was comfortable before going to explore. I wanted Noki to rest before I could ride him in the arena between 8pm and 10pm. We soon found the arena, however it was an assault course to get there; you had to go through the pedestrian doors to get out of the car park, the tops padded and some crazy people laid flat and rode underneath; there was no chance of that with Noki, his saddle was 4 inches away from the top as it was! We got to the 2nd warm up which was next to the competition arena and food court over looking it. We walked through the tunnel to get to the arena and I could be described as a little kid at Christmas, the arena was HUGE; tiered seating, spotlights, thousands of seats,3 big tv screens hanging from the ceiling, it was more than I could have imagined!! Even my trainer Ange and my transporter Mark were getting quite excited! Obviously being an indoor competition everything is quite close and it makes the atmosphere more and more electric, especially with the lighting.

We then headed to the hotel; the FEI very generously paid for the riders rooms, so I just had Mark’s room to pay for, but the rider’s hotel was amazing, another kid at Christmas moment,  5* just next door to the venue; we really were treated like royalty!

That night I took Noki into the arena to give him a little stretch and give him chance to see everything as we couldn’t get in the arena on the Thursday. His eyes were so wide as he walked in, but he soon chilled out with it all, so we did a bit of stretching and made sure he felt ok from the long journey, but he felt great. I was careful not to do too much and save him for the next day.

Visit www.asmarequestrian.com for details of our clothing range.

 

Diary of Asmar equestrian-sponsored rider, Sophie Wells, from the Frankfurt 2011 Young Riders World Cup Final in Germany – 2nd post

Merry Xmas to our followers!

Asmar equestrian-sponsored rider, Sophie Wells, recently attended the Frankfurt 2011 Young Riders World Cup Final in Germany, which was held from 16 – 18 December 2011. We are serialising her diary entries over the next week:

En route to Germany and we had stopped off in Reims in France for an overnight stop; I was feeling proud of myself that I had driven the lorry for an hour in France.

Everybody was quite tired by then; I took Noki for a little wander around the yard’s indoor school while my trainer Angela Weiss and my transporter Mark got the stable ready. Noki didn’t seem phased at all by the journey, and looked great getting off the lorry.

The next day was an early start again after a few hours sleep to crack on and head for Germany. We passed the German/French boarder and Mark said it was tradition to stop for ice cream there, so at 7am we were having ice cream….

We arrived in Frankfurt in really good time, it just took us an hour to find the right entrance to get into the complex; it was very confusing!! Eventually we got there at lunch time, and found the stabling was in a massive multi story car park. We were one of the first to arrive, and could choose any stable we wanted, this obviously took us ages to decide! Quiet enough to sleep, airy but not cold, good light, not too far from the wash box and warming up, and enough space to get him in and out….we found the perfect one and mark reversed the lorry into the car park to unload!

Visit www.asmarequestrian.com for details of our clothing range.

Get your All Weather Rider jacket in time for the holidays…Asmar’s free shipping within North America

Get your All Weather Rider jacket in time for the holidays…

Asmar offers customers free shipping within North America for the month of December. There’s still time to get your goodies by Christmas…

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Visit www.asmarequestrian.com to order within America/Canada, or check out stockist locations online, for international orders…

Sophie Wells competition proving popular – enter TODAY!

Asmar Equestrian is giving you the chance to WIN a training session with Sophie Wells.

Visit www.facebook.com/asmarequestrian

Post a pic of you and your horse, explaining your training goals on our facebook wall to WIN training session with Sophie Wells

The site you need – http://www.facebook.com/asmarequestrian

Simply post a picture of you and your horse explaining your training goals for a chance to win a session with Sophie Wells.

Sophie is on the British Dressage Young Rider (able bodied) Prime Squad and as a Grade IV Para rider, is on the World Class Para Dressage Performance Squad.

(You must be prepared to travel to Sophie’s yard at your expense. Lesson tba at mutually convenient time/date. Closing date for entries – 19th June.)

WIN a flatwork lesson with dressage star Sophie Wells, courtesy of Asmar Equestrian

Asmar Equestrian is launching an exciting competition with dressage rider, Sophie Wells, based in Nottinghamshire, UK. Sophie is on the British Dressage Young Rider (able bodied) Prime Squad and as a Grade IV Para rider, is on the World Class Para Dressage Performance Squad.

We are offering you the chance to WIN a flatwork lesson with Sophie at her Newark yard, as well as a gorgeous riding top from the Asmar Equestrian range.

To enter, simply post on our facebook wall at http://www.facebook.com/asmarequestrian with a pic of you and your horse, explaining your training goals. (You must be prepared to travel to Sophie’s yard at your expense. Lesson tba at mutually convenient time/date. Closing date for entries – 19th June.)

Please forward this competition to your Facebook Friends!