Sponsored Riders
Angela Weiss
INTERVIEW
Grand Prix dressage rider Angela Weiss is incredibly passionate about her discipline and her loyalty and dedication to dressage extends to improving the performance and health of all dressage horses. With a dressage career spanning over 25 years, the competition side of things actually began over fences: “I’ve been riding since the age of seven and I’ve been hooked since that first time I sat on a horse. My competitive career began in eventing and the transition to dressage happened when my event horse Papplewick’s Glint of Steel would always lead after dressage and then get eliminated cross country! It was at that point that I then took him to the East Midlands Area dressage and we won every class that he was entered for - the rest is history!”
On a winning streak
Angela has ridden a number of competition horses and the hard work and determination that has gone into getting these horses to International level is admirable. After starting training with Ferdi Eilberg, Angela’s first big win came at the Winter Novice Championships in 1986 and the successes kept coming on Papplewick’s Glint of Steel and also on Papplewick’s Gamester until 1992, when Angela lost both horses to unfortunate accidents.
Between 1992 and 2008, Angela has competed rides such as Fein-Ali, Catherston Dynamite, Pebble Boudewin, Donnerlord and Donnerfeuer. Angela bought Donnerfeuer after being invited by the Danish Warmblood Society to be Dressage Test Rider at their National Stallion Show, a time Angela remembers fondly: “It was such a great honour to be the Test Rider as it was the first and only time that a British Rider had ever been invited to do this. I ended up grading 30 stallions and buying Donnerfeuer whilst I was over there!”
Angela's determination to reach Prix St. Georges level
In 2005, Angela achieved her dream of riding and winning at Grand Prix level on No Limit 5 and she enjoyed three years of competing at Grand Prix until an accident at home saw Angela sustain multiple fractures to her tibia and fibula, which put her out of competitive action for over two years. Angela is now aiming to get her competition career back on track with Catherston Dynamite, and the aim is to get to Prix St. Georges level after wins at both Advanced Medium and Advanced this year.
Beyond Angela’s own competitive career, she has also contributed time and commitment to being a trainer and it is this dedication that led to Angela being elected as British Dressage Para Equestrian Director back in 2007. Angela is also Squad Coach for the Para Development Squad, Coach for the Para Performance Squad and a British Dressage National Dressage Trainer (Novice – Grand Prix), training individual International riders such as Michelle Crunkhorn, Sophie Wells, Emma Sheardown and Ricky Balshaw. Under Angela’s expertise and guidance, these riders have medalled and have won a total of eight Golds, two Silvers and two Bronze’s on the World and European stages. With London 2012 around the corner, Angela is hoping to add an Olympic medal to this tally.
Angela uses the following products:
For Goliath
Staypower Muesli
Alfalfa
For Bud
Sixteen Plus Mix
Fibergy
Vital Stats
Birthday:
!!!!
Based:
Nottinghamshire
Number of horses on yard:
6
Favourite food:
Thorntons Rum Truffles
Favourite TV show:
Doc Martin
Angela's Top Tips
- Always establish good basics in your training and the movements will follow on.
- A positive attitude leads to a positive performance.
- If you make a mistake in a test, don’t let it spoil the rest!
