Win marks milestone in Michelle’s recovery

Ayear after a horrific fall, BHSAI Michelle Canney made a welcome return to winning ways at the Scottish National Equestrian Centre last weekend.

Topping the restricted section of the elementary 57 with her horse Tino Twister on her first affiliated British Dressage outing, Michelle paid credit to everyone who helped with her recovery.

Previously a hugely active competitor in affiliated showing and eventing, as well as a regular trainer at the BHS accredited Tannoch Stables and Riding School, on the outskirts of Cumbernauld, Michelle’s competitive outings during 2012 had been dogged by an illness, which she eventually had diagnosed as myalgic encephalopathy (chronic fatigue syndrome) towards the close of that year.

“I had finally begun the road to recovery, so I entered a riding club hunter trials in the spring of last year to see how I felt going cross country. I was hoping to get out eventing with Monty again later that year,” said Michelle, who rides from her base in the central belt of Scotland.

But disaster struck when Monty stumbled on take off, leaving his front legs behind, at a relatively straightforward fence.

“We had a rotational

fall and

the on-site ambulance sent for a helicopter crew who transferred me very quickly to the Southern General,” said Michelle.

“I had broken a vertebrae in my neck, two in my back, I had broken and cracked eight ribs, broken my left collar bone and both my cheekbones,” she said.

“Luckily, after 10 days, I was discharged from hospital and was able to continue my rehabilitation at home.”

After 16 weeks of no contact with horses, Michelle, surrounded by husband Robert, family and support network at Tannoch, began the tentative steps to get back on her feet and eventually into the saddle.

“Everyone around me has been so fabulous, but I couldn’t imagine my life without horses so I was determined to get teaching and riding again,” she said.

“I’ve agreed to retire from eventing – so for Christmas, my family gave me the present of my British Dressage affiliation for Monty and I,” said Michelle, who was thrilled to win on her debut with a score of 70.18%.

“He’s a great horse, not at all spooky, but he was a little bit on the forehand. We were praised by the judge for our medium canter.”

Now rising 16, Monty’s career with Michelle has brought considerable success in the show ring and in BE – highlighted by a win in the BE90 section at Turnberry.

Also top of her BE90 section at Turnberry that day and a winner at SNEC in the open elementary 50 and 57 classes was Tannoch proprietor Dawn Harrison.

Dawn took the wins with her dressage mare TS Enchanted Alice, which she has owned now for around four years.

“I originally bought her as a riding school pony, but I’ve taken her out competitively and went straight into elementary level. She has been fantastic,” said Dawn.

“Last season, she had 15 straight affiliated wins and that’s with me,” said Dawn, who describes herself an out- and- out showjumping rider.

The 13-year-old mare, of unknown breeding, now has 142 BD points to her credit. “She still works in the riding school and happily takes novice riders,” explained Dawn, conceding the mare is for sale – but only to the right “special” rider.

The restricted section of the elementary 50 was won by former chairman of the British Horse Society for Scotland, Loraine Young and her young horse Starlight.

Loraine, who hails from Ireland and lived in Germany for a number of years, bought Starlight as a four-year-old at the Westfalen auctions to “bring on and have fun”.

The bay gelding, by Sandro Hit, progressed to win the Scottish Prelim Championships the following season and has also contested the National Championships at Stoneleigh.

“I have brought him on very slowly here in Aberlemno, with regular help from Albert von Schie and BHS instructor Hamish Cameron, who is extremely good at seeing and solving, our various problems,” said Loraine.

Now able to spend more time working and competing Starlight, Loraine said she was “extremely pleased” with his 74.64% performance at SNEC.

“This was his first outing for eight months and we both appreciated being dry, under cover, and on a good surface,” added Loraine, who now hopes to qualify for the Summer Regional’s at Elementary, before upgrading to medium level competition.

Meanwhile, Dunbar- based BHSII Karon Carson gained the affiliated wins across both of the prelim tests with her rising nine-year-old event gelding Finding Nico.

In taking the prelim 14 BD section lead, they scored the highest winning mark of the day – a phenomenal 78.33%.

Nico, a son of The Bat, which was bred out of Like a Magpie, had progressed from BE90 level up to BE100 with Karon during the 2012 event season, including a double clear win at Hopetoun Horse Trials.

Only recently affiliated to BD, he was recently placed second to one of Karon’s other rides at the Petplan area festival at SNEC, in November, within the prelim 15 winter restricted qualifier class.

Also breaching the 70% barrier for their second win, they topped the prelim 19 affiliated class on a score of 74.32%.

The unaffiliated classes were won by Louise Taylor, James Oakden and Aimee Gardiner.