India is riding high after team wins European bronze
ONE of Britain’s most promising young riders won her third medal for her country at the U21 European dressage championships in Austria.
Riding her aunt’s horse Escade, India Durman-Mills, of Stoney Stanton, was part of the British Young Rider team that won bronze in St Margarethen.
It is the third year in a row that India, who turned 20 last month, has won a medal in the U21 dressage competition, which were previously held in Hungary and at Hartpury in the UK.
Escade, also known as Eddie, is owned by Verity Saul, owner of the Witham Villa Riding Centre in Broughton Astley.
India, who first sat on a horse at Witham Villa when she was only three, said: “The whole team is thrilled to have won another medal for Britain.
“Eddie was a superstar, as ever, and we were able to score well in our test and contribute to the team’s success.
“I couldn’t have done this without the support of my Aunt Verity and Serina Gonchakov, our groom and friend.”
The British team of young riders in Austria also included Izzy Lickley, Oliver Gould and Hermione Tottman.
The German team took gold and the Netherlands silver.
British Dressage said the team’s success was “a fantastic achievement to start a summer of international championships”.
India also rode in the individual competition, where she competed against more than 60 of the best U21 dressage riders in Europe, and finished 11th in the freestyle event.
Annabella Pidgley, a contemporary of India’s who was in Britain’s bronze medal-winning team last year, won gold in the FEI U25 Grand Prix Freestyle event.
India’s other achievements with Eddie include two Winter National Champion titles, including in the Inter 1 silver category earlier this year.
With another year left at U21, she plans to campaign for next year’s European team, as well as continuing her development to compete at the most senior Grand Prix level.
Born in London, India grew up in Leicester, attending Leicester Grammar School and Leicester High School for Girls.