IRELAND had just one representative at last week’s European youth dressage championships in Oliva, Spain where Devon-based Vicky Campbell competed in the Young Riders’ section on the Dutch Warmblood mare Habouche.

“As I couldn’t drive through France because of Covid restrictions, I had to hire a driver to bring Holly over but I did all the paperwork myself so, unlike some others, they had no hold-up in Calais,” reported the 20-year-old who flew out to Spain with her mentor/trainer Anna Ross who owns Habouche in partnership with Brazil’s Marcelo Tosi. “It meant us being away from the yard for a long time but, as I knew it was going to be hot over there, I wanted to give Holly every chance to acclimatise to the heat and the flies.