About Gracie
Gracie
Gracie is a young international dressage rider who has competed for Great Britain as a Junior, Young Rider and Senior, as well as being selected as part of the Great British University Equestrian Team and a member of the British Equestrian Young Professionals Programme 24/25.
Gracie is based at her family home and yard near Bicester in Buckinghamshire. With the fields and arena directly in front of the kitchen window, there is always a close eye on each and every horse. Gracie’s mum, Julia, is a British Dressage judge and Gracie’s eyes on the ground. Gracie trained her first horse to Grand Prix aged 20, making her long term partner Tsjebe just one of sixty Friesian’s in the world to compete at Grand Prix.
By age 21, Gracie had won 16 British Dressage regional titles, with further success in showing winning at Royal Windsor, Royal Three Counties and Olympia in 2019. Whilst training and competing, Gracie graduated from the prestigious Loughborough University with a degree in Sport Psychology which she utilises day to day, during competitions and when coaching. Gracie has experience jumping too, winning the British University and College (BUCS) national showjumping final in 2023, jumping a course of 1.15m on an unfamiliar horse being allowed two warm up jumps only.
Background
Gracie’s love for horses originated from her mum (Julia) and dad (Karl). Julia has over 30 years experience training dressage horses, and Karl previously evented too meaning Gracie first sat on a horse before she could walk.
Gracie grew up riding World Horse Welfare and Blue Cross rescue ponies, giving seven ponies homes and making the most of often unbroken ponies that needed a good home. They went onto compete in Pony Club showjumping, eventing and showing. One of which is now 27 and Gracie now teaches her in the same Pony Club again, she was the most successful showjumping pony ever rehomed.
From the age of 12 Gracie starting riding young Dutch ponies for Kirsty Farren from Kontakt Dressage, giving Gracie lots of experience taking young and green ponies to their first competitions. 10 years on and Gracie still rides for Kirsty, but the horses are somewhat bigger!
Gracie also has a passion for Friesian horses, stemming from Julia’s love for the breed. Their long term partner, Tsjebe, has been part of the family for 15 years and is competing at Grand Prix aged 19. Now collaborating with Fraithwen Friesians and their breeding programme, the aim is to produce world class Friesian horses as well as warmblood’s, starting with the talented Wytske Fan Ter Lune and Jeldau Fan Fraithwen.