‘It meant a lot’: poignant story behind national four-year-old champion

Becky Moody and Andree Buxton’s Raver TC (First Date x Spinzola) won the KBIS British Dressage (BD) four-year-old title at the 2025 LeMieux National Dressage Championships with 84.6%. It was Becky’s second title of the championships, having already won the inter II gold title on Jack Diamond.

Tom Goode rode Deborah Cunningham’s Ravenna II (Kaiman x Impresario) into second on 82.4%; Jezz Palmer and Martin Price’s Viktorious Anmore (Victorio Grande x Toto Jr) secured third with 80%.

“He was amazing – he’s a really sweet horse, super-talented, lovely brain,” said Becky after the win. “It’s his first big stay-away show and he was a little mind-blown this morning, but he was so good when it mattered.”

The judges awarded Raver TC a 9 for trot and 8.7 for way of going and general impression, marking him as a horse with serious potential.

“He’s got such a cool trot,” Becky added. “He’s got a really good walk too, but it was a little tense today so he didn’t show it off to his best.

“But he’s just such an elegant horse. He’ll be a good 16.2hh, but he’s that lighter type – he looks smaller right now because he’s still filling out. He’s so trainable as well and just really nice to have around.”

Bred by Tim Coomans in the Netherlands, the gelding only joined Becky’s yard this year. The long-term goal is clear: “It’s early days, but with every horse our aim is grand prix – and that’s certainly the hope with him.”

Emotional story behind Becky’s win at the 2025 National Dressage Championships

But behind the horse is a story that gives the win deeper meaning.

Raver TC is owned by Andree Buxton, who decided to buy a dressage horse after losing her husband last year. “Today is actually the anniversary of his funeral, so for her to be happy with his performance today… it meant a lot,” Becky said.

Their partnership began in unusual fashion. “She sent me a letter – an actual paper letter – saying she wanted to own a horse for me to ride. It was amazing, I’d never even met her before. She’s such a lovely lady and has fitted in so well with the team.”

Unlike the five- and six-year-old classes, the four-year-olds had just one shot to impress judges Sascha Schulz and Spencer Wilton, with no second round – a welfare-led move to avoid overburdening these younger horses.

The seven-year-old class will run in the same single-round format, but follow a set floorplan akin to an advanced medium test, judged and scored like a standard BD class.

Action continues tomorrow (13 September) with the five- and six-year-olds; the top three from each class will earn a spot in Sunday’s finals (14 September). Former European pony champion Phoebe Peters returns to the UK for the first time in five years to serve as the riding judge.

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