Dazzling Defender Dressage Masterclass
The Defender Dressage Masterclass delivered a standout moment in The Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan Castle Arena on the opening afternoon of Royal Windsor Horse Show, further underlining Defender’s position as the Show’s Principal Partner. The session featured Carl Hester MBE, one of Britain’s most decorated Dressage riders and a London 2012 Olympic team gold medallist, alongside Becky Moody, who won team bronze at Paris 2024 before going on to claim the 2026 FEI Dressage World Cup™ title with Jagerbomb. They were joined by Richard Davison, a four-time Olympian and World and European Championship team medallist, whose experience added further depth to the afternoon’s programme.
Together, the trio offered audiences a rare insight into the preparation, creativity and technical precision required to produce a Freestyle Dressage test at the highest level. Davison opened the Defender Dressage Masterclass by exploring one of the discipline’s most influential creative decisions: selecting the right music for each horse. Hester then rode the Freestyle he hopes will support his bid for selection for this summer’s FEI World Championships in Aachen, showcasing the precision, partnership and performance quality required at elite championship level. Moody also presented her Freestyle test, before the Defender-supported session concluded with an engaging discussion on Freestyle strategy, competitive mindset and the riders’ ambitions for Aachen later this summer.
