An unusual, but nevertheless useful step in that direction, is her inclusion in a team of eight top Grand Prix riders selected to perform a dressage-to-music display, at the Horse of the Year show at Olympia tomorrow in London.
The 19-year-old has spent the last nine months training in Holland with Henk ven Bergen who is acknowledged to be one of the leading trainers in Europe and is the trainer of the British Junior and Young Riders teams.Gemma was a member of the British Young Riders team that competed in Saumur in the European Young Riders championship in August, on her 15-year-old stallion Argentille Gullit, the same horse she will ride at Olympia.2004 will be her final year in the Young Riders category and she hopes to be selected for the team again, this time riding her seven-year-old stallion O’Brian.Gemma is the daughter of Paul and Jenny Green of St Martin, and her father said that it is a great honour for Gemma to have been chosen to take part in the display at Olympia.’She is one of just two Young Riders in the display team, and she’ll be riding alongside experienced international dressage riders,’ he said.The ‘dance’ was inspired by the scenes at Balmoral during last years’s Golden Jubilee celebration called All the Queen’s Horses, and horses will perform intricate high school movements to Scottish and gaelic music.Gemma hopes to use the experience she and her horse gain from this event as a launch pad for Grand Prix dressage competitions next year.Although she will be home for Christmas, Gemma will be moving to the UK early in the New Year to continue her training.
