22nd Mar 2008

Sue Carson Saddles Join Forces with Paralympian Dressage Rider

Sue Carson Saddles are delighted to announce their support of Jo Pitt, Scotland’s leading Para Dressage rider and member of the GB Para Dressage Team and the British Equestrian Federation (BEF) World Class Performance Plan.

From her base in Aberdeenshire, Jo and her two dressage horses, which include the 2008 Beijing Paralympic Games qualified, Hanoverian gelding Rocadero, train and prepare for national and international dressage competitions. Competing in Grade 2 para-dressage competitions, Jo will this year be focusing her attentions on the 2008 Beijing Paralympics and the national qualifiers for the British Dressage Para National Championships.

Eight year old Rocadero (or Roc as he is known at home), who partnered Jo to international success in Belgium during 2006 is joined by new ride, Estralita (affectionately known as Jass). The 16.2hh, six year old Danish Warmblood was discovered by Jo’s trainer, Michel Assouline and imported from Denmark last year to begin his dressage career with Jo.

Once a month, between February and November, Jo and her horses make the long journey South to GB team coach and world renowned international dressage rider, Michel Assouline’s Essex yard for training sessions. From here, Jo travels to the Unicorn Centre in Stow on the Wold for coaching sessions with the other GB team members, which include Lee Pearson and Nicola Tustain. When she is not training or travelling, Jo competes at affiliated British Dressage events at centres across Scotland.

Andrea Gray, the Sue Carson Saddles Northern Region Distributor has spent the last few months working with Jo to ensure that she gets the most from her saddles. In explaining the ethos behind the saddles Andrea said, “It’s not just about designing and manufacturing a saddle for each horse, but helping the rider to achieve their objectives with our ongoing support and advice”.

Since taking delivery of her saddles, Jo has found the horses not only to be much more forward going and supple but also happier and relaxed. “Both horses now have a Sue Carson Saddle. As each saddle is built and fitted to the exact shape of the horse I am totally confident that they are comfortable and working without any restriction. Just as importantly however, the flexibility in the design of each saddle means that by using varying seat designs and blocks I am totally secure, comfortable and supported but without any restriction or compromise.

As a member of the National Lottery funded BEF World Class Performance Plan, Jo certainly understands the demands placed upon the country’s top Olympic riders. Speaking about her new partnership with Sue Carson Saddles, Jo said “Competing at this level is a dream for many riders, requiring a huge amount of passion and dedication. The help and support of organisations like Sue Carson Saddles and the World Class Performance Plan contributes hugely to the achievement of my goals and dreams”.