There’s one horse everyone seems to be speaking about after the Olympic dressage grand prix: Maxima Bella, ridden by Sandra Sysojeva.
She is the youngest horse within the competitors at eight years outdated – two years youthful than every other horses contesting the dressage. Add to {that a} rider competing for Poland, a nation that might be described as “rising” in dressage circles, and there have been few expectations forward of her grand prix take a look at as we speak.
Nobody had informed Maxima Bella that, although. She pounded into the Paris Olympics area in a ball of bouncy black power and proceeded to place in a brilliantly expressive take a look at, qualifying for the person ultimate, the freestyle, on Sunday (4 August).
“When you had been to ask me how I bought her to grand prix so rapidly, I don’t know – it looks like she was doing all of it her life,” mentioned Sandra. “It’s like a toddler in class that could be very gifted and has nothing to be taught there so can go straight to college. She was born to be a grand prix horse.”
Sandra has owned Maxima Bella since she was two or three years outdated, shopping for her from a video. However she didn’t like her at first and tried to promote her for a few years.
“She was the mare of all mares – [pulling faces] within the field, troublesome to catch,” mentioned Sandra. “No one purchased her so I mentioned to myself, ‘Sufficient, we have now to start out in some way to be buddies’.”
Sandra Sysojeva and Maxima Bella on the Paris Olympics. Credit score: Peter Nixon
Sandra employed a tactic of simply spending time with Maxima Bella. When she was coaching college students, she’d have the mare standing beside her.
She defined: “She was simply standing by my shoulder and after a while, every little thing modified and somewhat than making an attempt to battle in opposition to me, she began defending me, like a canine. No one might come close to me or she’d begin screaming and lashing out. In order that’s how our relationship began. She’s loopy gifted and really, very sensible.”
Sandra Sysojeva, 40, is Lithuanian by beginning, however modified nationality final 12 months to experience for Poland, the place she relies. She is the one Polish rider to make the lower for the freestyle and their staff haven’t certified for the staff ultimate, the particular, however Sandra and Maxima Bella will give them one thing to cheer about throughout the remainder of the week right here in Paris.
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H&H journal editor and eventing editor
Pippa is a real eventing geek and has been H&H’s eventing editor since 2005. She has first-hand expertise of competing as much as British Eventing intermediate and worldwide CCI2*-L stage, and has labored within the business on a prime occasion yard. Pippa enjoys nothing greater than immersing herself within the sport on the highest stage, reporting from the five-stars and worldwide championships, together with the Olympics.
